The Thompson submachine gun sprang from Brigadier General John T. Thompson’s vision in 1918 to break trench deadlock, marrying a blowback‐operated, open‐bolt action with a selective‐fire trigger so rifles could spray bullets without manual cycling.Early 1920s Model 1919s tore off 1 200 rounds per minute, then cooled to about 800 rpm in the 1921, but Marines and Navy shot for 600 rpm in the 1928 by swapping in heavier actuators and stiffer recoil springs—taming muzzle climb and saving ammo.Famous for its 50-round drum, troops quickly found it bulky and noisy, so thinner 20- and then 30-round staggered-column box mags took over, giving reliable feeding even through mud and rain without the drum’s rattle and fragility.At about the same heft as an M1 Garand, the Thompson earned grumbles for weight and cleaning needs, but its open-bolt design banished cook-offs and let soldiers rip off bursts until the mag ran dry, then strip it down in moments via a few pins and slides for field maintenance.From Prohibition streets and Banana Wars jungles to D-Day beaches and Pacific atolls, the “Tommy gun” earned its trench‐broom nickname by blending heavy punch, solid reliability and simple service that reshaped how close-quarters battles were fought.

Shop

M1 Thompson