Auto-Ordnance Thompson 1927 A-1C Lightweight Deluxe

It’s a gun that goes by many names. Tommy Gun. Trench Broom. Annihilator. Chicago Typewriter. Whatever it’s called, the Thompson is easily one of the most recognizable firearms on the planet, and today it’s once again available from Auto-Ordnance.

If you’re familiar with the Thompson’s long and sometimes complicated history you recognize the Auto-Ordnance name immediately. That’s the company that Brigadier General John Taliaferro Thompson founded in 1916, and it was the first company to manufacture the Thompson Submachine Gun. While working in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance department, Thompson became fascinated with automatic rifles. After leaving the Army, he worked at Remington Arms, but soon after established Auto-Ordnance with the goal of developing an effective automatic rifle for modern soldiers. World War I popularized trench warfare, and Thompson believed that that large, heavy rifles with gas or recoil operating systems needed a short, easy-to-handle counterpart that could unleash hellfire at distances best suited to bayonet warfare.

Thompson was intrigued by John Bell Blish’s patented concept of using dissimilar metals to create a delayed blowback effect during firing. Thompson hired Theordore Eickhoff as his chief engineer and production was moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Initially, Thompson wanted to chamber his new automatic rifle in .30-06, but that simply wouldn’t work (the first prototype exploded). One solution would be to use lubricated cartridges, but that would create an untenable mess on the battlefield as dirt and debris clung to the rounds. Then Eickhoff suggested a simple solution: why not chamber the Thompson rifle in .45 ACP?

The .45 ACP cartridge design worked well, and the first working prototype of the Thompson rifle arrived in 1918. It was initially known as the Annihilator, which was a graphic but fitting nickname for a rifle designed for close-range trench warfare. Eventually the name was changed to the Thompson Submachine Gun.
The Thompson in Popular Culture

Auto-Ordnance never won a military contract for their rifle during World War I. However, in the days before the National Firearms Act of 1934, you could purchase a Thompson Submachine Gun at any gun store. At $200 ($3,600 today) it certainly wasn’t cheap, but the Thompson became a favorite of Chicago gangsters during Prohibition. During the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929 the assailants (long suspected to be members of Al Capone’s Chicago Outfit gang) executed rival members in Chicago using Thompson Submachine Guns. Suddenly the Thompson became the Chicago Organ Grinder, Chicago Typewriter, the Drum Gun, or simply the Tommy Gun.    

Auto-Ordnance continued to produce the Thompson Submachine Gun in the years following the National Firearms Act of 1934, but sales of the Thompson dropped. The gun saw limited use in World War II and proved to be an effective and reliable trench weapon just as its inventor intended, and the Thompson continued to be used in conflicts around the world throughout the twentieth century. When heavy firepower and compact size were required the Thompson fit the bill.

Auto-Ordnance Thompson 1927 A-1C Lightweight Deluxe

Today, Auto-Ordnance and Thompson are part of the Kahr family of firearms, and they offer replica Thompson rifles that are similar to the original guns with a few notable changes. For starters, today’s Thompsons utilize a modern closed-bolt design and a blowback operating system. It’s a safe, reliable, and proven design that makes the gun more appealing to a modern audience.

If you’re looking for an original 1927 A1 Thompson Submachine Gun you can expect to spend roughly $20,000, which is well out of the price range of most gun collectors. The Thompson 1927 A-1C Lightweight Deluxe that I tested carries an MSRP of $1,558, or about 7% of what an original gun costs. Modern semiauto Thompson rifles don’t require any special paperwork, either.

The "C” in the name indicates that the test rifle comes with a Cutts Compensator. Developed around the time of the original Thompson rifle, the Cutts Compensator was a scaled-down muzzle device that was designed to help reduce recoil and made the Chicago Typewriter a bit more manageable to shoot. Cutts Compensators first appeared on the Thompson in 1926, and they have become an iconic feature of the rifle ever since.

So are the cooling fins on the barrel. The Thompson’s fins are as much a signature of the rifle as the fins on a ’57 Chevy. Not all modern Thompson 1927 rifles have them (specifically the M1 that mimics the military model of the Thompson used in World War II), but they’re such a defining feature of the Tommy Gun that I was glad the test rifle included them.

The 16.5-inch finned barrel and Cutts Compensator give the Thompson an overall barrel length of 18-inches  and a total length of 41-inches. The lightweight version with aluminum alloy receiver I tested weighed just over eight pounds without the magazine, considerably lighter than the 10-plus pounds that the original Thompson weighed. Though gangsters in Hollywood movies twirl their Thompsons around like they’re made of plastic (which they likely are) the real Chicago Typewriter was a bit of a tank. It had to be since it incorporated substantial amounts of steel and wood and fired .45-caliber ammo at a rate of more than 800-rounds a minute.

The modern semiauto Thompson 1927 A-1C is a pleasure to shoot. The blowback action cycles the cartridges reliably, and during range testing I fired well over a hundred rounds of 230-grain Federal Gold Medal Match ammunition without issue. It’s worth noting that Thompson suggests the use of 230-grain ball ammunition with brass cases in this rifle.

The only stoppages I had at the range were the times when guys from a few bays over stopped by to get a closer look at the rifle. Three different times people came to stand and watch as I shot the rifle. All waited until I paused before asking the same question: “Is that a Thompson?”

Even from a distance, the signature Thompson silhouette stands out. If you want to make new friends at the shooting range there’s simply no better ice breaker than shooting the Thompson 1927 A-1C.

Operating the Thompson

Recoil on the Thompson is mild, and the accuracy is surprisingly good. At just over 11 pounds, the trigger pull is rather heavy, but the press is predictable and even. The rear battle sight features a metal post with a hole and some stippling to cut glare. The front sight is a post that’s dovetailed into the compensator. The rear sight features metal guards that protect the sight.

The Thompson utilizes wood-grain polymer for the buttstock, pistol grip, and vertical fore grip. True to the original the grips feature finger grooves (another signature Tommy Gun aesthetic) and lack checkering. Despite the lack of texture, the grips are comfortable to hold and offer plenty of purchase on the gun.

With quality brass-case ball-style ammunition, the Thomspon runs beautifully. As with the original design the charging handle is located on top of the receiver and features an integral slot that allows you to see the sights through the handle. Chambering a round requires pulling back and releasing the charging handle with authority. After the last shot the bolt locks open.

The stock geometry may seem foreign to many modern shooters. Drop is more than you’ll see in a modern AR-15 and that may require some adjustment for black gun shooters, but the Thompson’s rolling recoil and moderate muzzle blast makes it fun to shoot. Even the heavy trigger doesn’t seem to pose much of an issue. After the first shot or two you become accustomed to the feel of firing the Thompson, which is unlike anything else you’ve ever shot. But bring plenty of ball ammo because all your friends will want to shoot this gun.

The magazine release is unique to the Thompson. It’s curved, and a post on the front of the magazine release fits into a hole cutout on the rear of the drum or stick magazine. Lifting the release retracts the post and allows the magazine to be removed. The Thompson is available with 20 or 10-round stick magazines (I tested the T5P model which ships with a 20-round stick mag). Models with 20, 50, and 100-round drums are also available.

The safety selector is also a unique design. The wing-style safety rotates 180 degrees and is located on the left side of the gun. When the wing is rotated rearward (toward the shooting) the rifle is safe. Rotating it forward (toward the muzzle) allows the gun to fire. The right side of the rifle’s receiver is stamped with a list of patents from the original gun. The gun ships in a hard plastic case with Auto-Ordnance Thompson Chicago Typewriter” on the exterior.

You may never own an original Thompson Submachine Gun, but the 1927 A-1C from Auto Ordnance is the next best thing. It’s fun to shoot, but it’s also a great show piece and conversation starter. The Thompson is one of the most iconic of all firearms, and owning one means owning a piece of American history.

Auto-Ordnance Thompson 1927 A1-C Lightweight Deluxe

• Action: Blowback-operated semiauto
• Chambering: .45 ACP
• Capacity: 20 (T5P model tested)
• Capacity: 20-round metal stick magazine
• Weight: 8 pounds, 1 ounce (unloaded, no magazine)
• Sights: rear peep-style battle sight, post front
• Receiver: Aluminum alloy
• Barrel: 18-inches, Steel, blued finish, includes cooling fins and compensator
• Stock: Wood-grain polymer buttstock, pistol, and vertical forearm grip
• MSRP: $1,558 (as tested)
• Manufacturer: Auto-Ordnance/Khar Firearms; shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com