Thompson/Kahr .45

Seawish

November 21, 2002 19:11

I have noticed that on different models (the.. for lack of knowledge of the real word, cocking mechanism) for the 1927 Models vary from the side to the top. I have three questions:
1) which was the original location?
2) why would they change it?
3) is there an advantage to one "type" over the other?

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  JudgeColt

  November 23, 2002 05:10

  I have never seen a M1927 Thompson with the charging handle anywhere but on the top as was the design of the original M1921/1928 Thompson submachine guns.
  
  On the other hand, the charging handle on the M1 submachine gun is on the right side. The M1 (and M1A1) is the military version of the original Thompson M1921/1928 design, and was developed during World War II. Most of the modifications were made to reduce the cost of manufacture. (The friction lock was eliminated, the stock was fixed, the barrel was plain, etc.) I would speculate that moving the charging handle to the side was intended to help keep debris out of the action, which would be an advantage for a military application.

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  mark christian

  November 23, 2002 08:06

  It was always my understanding that when John Pearce and Nicholas Brewer of Savage Arms redesigned the Thompson for ease of manufacturing in late 1941, the cocking handle was moved to the right side for three reasons: First, the elimination of the Blish Lock negated the need for a top mounted handle as the internal mechanisim was now changed. Secondly, the elimination of the very fine Lyman adjustable rear sight by a fixed peep sight would have made the top mounted cocking handle- even though it was spilt open in the center- difficult to use. lastly, as his Honor mentions, the side cocking mechanisim made it far less likely for debris to enter the action as dirt and mud were not as likely to simply fall inside. Remember, these are open bolt weapons so the action will always be open whenever the weapon is ready to fire and things are more likely to drop in from the top than enter from the side. This new model was known as the M1 Thompson.
  
  Interestingly enough, there were complaints from troops about the new right side cocking handle- you had to use your right hand or roll the weapon over to the left to cock it. Auto Ordnance actualy produced a few protoype Thompsons with ambidextous cocking handles to allow cocking with either hand. This meant a cut in both right and left sides if the receiver and bolt (extra production time and cost) and you simply installed the handle in the side which best suited your needs. In all honesty, the LEFT side would have been the prefered location for the handle as most troops are right handed. Of course the TOP would have been even better...but now we are right back where we started from. This is a very brief look at one of the more complex firearms historys- Thompsons.
  
  Mark T. Christian

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  Diablo

  November 24, 2002 14:04

  One other observation,
  
  The side cocking knob is easier to cock than the top cocking knob

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