Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll

Part 9: Tommy gun!

The Thompson sub machine gun was designded in 1919 by John T. Thompson, this desinge was not completed until 1921. This was just one year late to be used in world war two. This Thompson SMG is not the Tommy gun we know however. This Thompson had a 100 round drum magazine and was large and fat. It was two big for most people and since Thompson's target customer was the U.S. military, he needed a better desgine. So in 1928 he reveled the new desinge, a fast firing SMG that had a rate of fire of 850 RPM, it had cooling fins on it's barrel, a barrel muzzle was built in as well, It fired .45 cal ACP rounds which didn't allow it to pack much of a punch since they were pistol cartiges but the gun was fast. Few SMGs beat it's fire rate and the ones that did were used only by allied forces unless they were stolen. This gun with a 50 round drum or a 30 or 20 round stick magazine, a cut in the stock where it met the metal end of the gun bellow the iron sight for gripping to swing the gun and meelee an enemy, was known in infamy, as the Tommy Gun. You may remember this version from the famous mob stories from the 1930s. You may not know however that it was widely used in the second world war. A military version known as the Thompson M1A1 may be remembered from COD WAW, This version was more popular during WWII and is known to have been used by over 50 different counties in 50 different wars including the U.S. only twice. This newer version did not require cooling fins, and it's slide was on the right side of the gun as opposed to the 1928's slide which was on top and was looked through when using the iron sight. This version also featured a deeper cut in the stock, but however had a slower fire rat of only 800 RPM, one of it's few disadvantages. That was just a brief history of the Thompson and the only reason I'm telling you it is because I was now on my way with Mark and Tom to go shoot one at a range in Nevada. Tom drove us at a normal speed but I could see that he was overflowing with excitment. We pulled up to a smallish wear house that had one side cut open. A large thick plastic drape hung on the left and I deduced that it was probably for closing the wall so rain or criminals couldn't get in. The range extended from the open side of the building and parking along it, you could see and hear the shots. We got out and walked in to the building down a large chainlink fence that flanked the range. We entered through the door and a sign above read: 'Johnny True's Gun Range: Caution, Full auto weapons in use.' The ratatatat of the guns could be heard as we opened the door. A long glass counter filled with guns lined the back wall by the door and a number of people stood behind it as well as in front. The building was empty other wise except fro 10 folding tables in a row in the middle for setting up guns. Tom approached the counter and questioned a guy who looked like a red-neck in a collared shirt.

"Excuse me," he said, "We're from California and we were wondering if you had a few spesific guns we'd like to rent."

"SURE WHAT ARE THEY?!?" the man shouted.

"Dude your screaming again." Said a girl who was manning the counter a ways down from him. "Sorry he's deaf, shotgun went off a little too close." she said to us this time.

"It's cool." said Tom, "Any way we're looking for a Thompson 1928 and a Browning Auto Rifle." he said.

"YEAH WE GOT THOSE, IT'LL BE 40 BUCKS A PERSON WHO SHOOTS 'EM 40 BUCKS A GUN AND IT'S 10 BUCKS A HEAD SET IF YOU WANT THE TALKING ONES AND 3 BUCKS IF YOU WANT THE SILENT ONES. AND Y'ALL GOTTA SIGN THESE FORMS." he handed us three clip boards with a signiture form on them.

We signed the forms and Tom paid him in full. I insisted on paying for me to shoot both but Mark had forgot his wallet in the hotel so he promised he would pay Tom back. In a few minutes the guy brought out both guns and showed us how to work them. I don't want to be gross but I do honestly think that Tom came in his pants when he saw the Thompson. Just kidding. After we went through that we got head phones and went out to the range. We shot the guns for about an hour and a half and it was really fun. The BAR had major kick and the Thompson was awesome. Tom bought a poster of this super hot model with a Tommy gun and hung it in the back of the AC/DC mobile. We rocked out in the van all the way to Vegas that day, It took us the whole day to drive and then the trip truly began. The night would be a night I would remember for the rest of my life.