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LOT 3446
Excellent Colt Model 1921/1928 U.S. Navy Over Stamp Thompson Submachine Gun, Class III/NFA C&R Fully Transferable Machine Gun - Serial no. 10775, 45 ACP cal., 10 1/2 inch fluted round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This is an
attractive and excellent example of a Colt Auto Ordnance Thompson Model 1921/1928 “U.S. Navy over stamp”
submachine gun. Originally manufactured by Colt as a Model 1921 Thompson SMG, one of a number stuck in
inventory due to sluggish sales and later stamped with “U.S. NAVY” above the “MODEL OF 1928” nomenclature.
While today the Thompson is recognized as an American classic and one of the all-time finest “heavy metal”
SMGs, at the time it was a novel, untested and expensive weapon, and few were willing to roll the dice. The U.S.
Marine Corps was an early adopter, and the firm attempted to capitalize on the connection by adding “U.S. NAVY” markings to their 1921s, updating the features based on
USMC feedback, and overstamping the “1921” to “1928” to match their newer model. The basic difference between the original 1921 and 1928 configurations is that the latter has a slightly reduced cyclic rate of fire. These Thompson SMGs are one of the finest machined and hand fitted submachine guns ever produced. According to Herigstad’s “Colt Thompson Submachine Gun Serial Numbers and Histories” (page 939), this particular Thompson was shipped to the West Point Manufacturing Company of Langdale, Alabama (mentioned as renamed to West Point Pepperell Textile Corp. after 1934) at an unrecorded date, and the book further states, “A payroll guard carried this Thompson for twenty years. Donated later to West Point, Georgia Police Department.” and also lists it as being offered for sale four separate times from Law Enforcement Ordnance Co. between 1974- 1975. Blade front sight on the Cutts-marked compensator and a folding adjustable Lyman rear sight graduated to 600 yards, showing the signature cooling fins on the barrel, dual pistol grips and quick-detachable butt stock correctly with a small “anchor” on the front and holding a nickel finished oiler in the butt trap. The left side of the receiver has the aforementioned “U.S. NAVY” model markings ahead of the 5-line address and caliber markings, with the Thompson “bullet” logo on top and the Auto-Ordnance address and 6-line patent markings on the right. The trigger group is numbered to match the receiver on the underside, with separate selector (“FULL/AUTO” and “SINGLE”) and safety (“FIRE” and “SAFE”) levers. The internals are of the 1928 pattern, with the reduced spring and spring guide and correspondingly heavier bolt assembly. The gun is accompanied with one 20-round Seymour Products Co. stick magazine.
SERIAL NUMBER LISTED IN THE BOOK COLT THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN SERIAL NUMBERS & HISTORIES, VOL. I BY HERIGSTAD
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