Thompson Database

[Magnum PI]

Many of you will recall that some years ago the Ottawa Citizen obtained information from the Canadian Firearms Center (thru the Access to Information Act) on all firearms registered in Canada. Their database would provide information on individual, business, public agency and museum firearms. According to the information provided by the CFC there were approximately 110 full auto Thompsons registered to individuals at that time. I was not interested in the converted auto Thompsons at that time but did note there were also many of those.

The most common Thompson (12.2) listed was the US Model 1928 A1 followed by the 1928 amd the M1A1. The M1 was relatively scarce and the 1921's the rarest. Of course that was then (2007) and there have been changes. I know some have been deactivated since then so it is possible that there are less than 100 class 12.2 Thompsons in the entire country today.

The Citizen also identified how many of the Thompson guns were in each province (there were no 12.2 Thompsons registered in any of the territories). NL 1, PE 1, NS 6, NB 3, QB 3, ON 19, MB 16, SK 7, AB 22 and BC 31. These were just the 12.2 guns and doesn't include any CA 12.3. There were also a couple registered as "unknown models" which indicated the registry was inaccurate. Today I can definately say the provincial numbers have changed based on my contacts with a number of Thompson owners or, sad to say, former owners. One cannot be sure the numbers provided to the Citizen were accurate either.

I would like to establish a database on the Thompsons in Canada. I realize not all owners are on this forum but many are and I would ask them to indulge me. I understand some will also not be comfortable with my request and I appreciate that.

The information I would request is:

Manufacturer: Colt, Savage, Auto Ordnance
Model:
Serial Number:
Class: 12.2, 12.3 or deactivated
Variation: If you have a 28A1 does it have the Lyman sight & finned barrel, later "L" sight with finned barrel or the last variation "L" sight and smooth barrel?
History: Essentially, I have no history on any of my Thompsons. If you have and would share it that would certainly be appreciated.
Province:

Please send me the details in a PM. Once I have my database complete I will provide it to each of you that have participated.

Thanks,

Magnum

 

[Paatz]

I would like to establish a database on the Thompsons in Canada.

Why?

 

[gaff]

the registry was caned because only 7million of the 16 million firearms in Canada got registered. it was a fail..
all the Sherman tanks (lend-lease)shipped through Montreal and Quebec city had Thompsons and 1911s as part of there equipment. the rummer is most were shipped with out these . do you think these got registered in 1979?

 

[Dyspnea]

All this thompson talk recently is rather depressing because I can't have one, not even a purpose built semi.

Although I did get too shoot one recently

 

[antiqueguy]

i love how even most in the gun community think all the prohibited class guns have been registered i dont condone these people who did not register them in fact i say good on them

how many ak's where brought in only a small fraction where registered

tommys,stens,fn fal type rifles,MG/FA of all sorts,pistols alot did not get registered

 

[Coyote Ugly]

I would like to establish a database on the Thompsons in Canada.

Oh really, and so did the Lie-berals.

Is your database for the NDP, Liberal Party or the Toronto Star? You do realize the the long gun registry wasn't popular?

Considering that in the US, they are publishing names, addresses and firearm types in certain newspapers of handgun owners in NY and Conn,
the least amount of information shared with anyone is only common sense.

 

[drm3m]

Manufacturer:- Savage.
Model:- 1928A1
Serial Number:- S-432702
Class:- deactivated.
Variation:- Lyman sight & finned barrel.
History:- I have no history.
Province: -Quebec.

Savage, Utica, New York, was the manufacturer of this gun; Savage was a sub-contractor to Auto-Ordnance at Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Auto-Ordnance Corporation was the proprietary owner of the design.
Army procurement figures indicate that Auto-Ordnance produced 847,991 guns and Savage produced 539,143.

Kerr NoBuckl sling.
Supposedly this sling came from the Savage Arms Factory that was located in Utica, New York. These slings were added to the completed guns.

If it is correct...interesting to see the numbers of guns in the different provinces back in 2007.

Only 3 in Quebec????
I bought this gun after it was deactivated from FA and de-registered.

David

 

[XRCD011]

On my AO M1A1 there is AAU stamped on the stock, with the first A being about 1/4 larger then the following AU. Any idea that this could represent. The gun came from Marstar so I believe its an ex Yugo gun. I love the pictures by the way, super stuff. I also have a brass oil bottle with crinkle paint finish in the butt trap is this correct?

 

[Magnum PI]

Paatz: In retrospect perhaps "dialogue" would have been more appropriate than "database". I was hoping to encourage some exchange of information between Thompson collectors (or collectors that have a Thompson). For instance, from what I pieced together from the Citizen (allowing that it isn't likely 100% accurate) if someone has a collection with "X" guns they can take an educated guess on what percentage of all the 12.2's they own. I'm just a curious fellow when it comes to Thompsons and thought I'd "reach out".

drm3m: You've got a nice Tgun in your collection and I have enjoyed seeing all the other firearms in your collection you've posted at various times. I was also surprised that Quebec listed so few of these guns. I'm sure there are more. Not everything was registered correctly and possibly some weren't reregisterd. Not that the RCMP would ever admit the old registry might have been full of holes, eh.
When you purchased the gun did the seller have any history? The people I bought my guns from had next to no information on them. One is from the first production run that Savage did but if the previous owner ever knew that he never mentioned it. I've seen one other with with a lower serial number in a collection of deactivated Thompsons. I wonder if it is the lowest?

XRCD001: I have no idea what the AAU stamping represents. A lot of those guns were rebuilt and would be stamped to indicate which ordnace depot did the work but according to my information guns rebuilt overseas were not marked so could this be a military unit/armoury marking. Considering the gun is seventy years old we might never know but .... there are guys out there who might know however they probably aren't reading this. Maybe Marstar could shine some light on it.

 

[Mk VII]

The crinkle black finish oilers are the most frequently encountered and correct for the WW2 time frame.
Some people have been nickle-plating these and passing them off as '20s ones supplied with the Colts.

 

[Splatter]

Personally, I like the idea of a gun registry (whoa... put down the pichforks!!)

Not a government run registry that would be used for confiscations and taxation; but a super secure private one that would be used to connect gun owners.
Let's say the OP was going to organize a FA Thompson shoot, he'd submit his proposal to the registry, and they'd notify all the owners of the upcoming event.

Or let's say you bought a FAL in the original .280 calibre, are there any others in the country? Submit your request, and the registry would forward your edress to the other owners, or provide a link to a forum thread (something like this) where the other owners could long on (using pseudonyms if they wanted), and discuss making brass or whatever.

 

[drm3m]

A previous question from Magnum PI.

“When you purchased the gun did the seller have any history?”

I bought the M1928A1 from the gunsmith that did the deactivation from FA, I am pretty sure that he did not know about the history of this gun.

I am a big believer in trying to research the history of a piece, but when you purchase from a dealer this is ‘usually’ of lesser importance to them, unless the specific history would make it more valuable.

It is always important to ask about any known history as this type of information is often not offered.

The few pieces that I have history on were purchased directly from the vet’s family that brought them back.

In my mind these pieces become much more interesting…..as there is a story that can often be traced.

I have done a lot of research on the personal stories of the vets whose war souvenirs I now own.

It makes collecting this stuff much more interesting.

David