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I have owned both.
Each have a different job.
The Thompson does have the cool factor going for it and does it’s job best as a sub machine gun.
Mine was a semi automatic.
Heavy a$$ POS in semi automatic.
Not worth dirt.
Well it was worth the dirt bike I traded it away for.
My 1911’s work better for what I could legally use.
25 years ago you could buy a full auto Thompson in Indiana for under 4K now it’s like 35k -45k easily.
I roll my eyes in disgust at our gun laws and what they have done to us.
Andy.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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I have a BIL (age 93) one of the remaining few of the "greatest generation":.....1st Marine Raider Battalion under Major Mike Edson....late 1942 and 1943!
He is still fairly active....every few weeks he goes to the local shooting range (outdoors), and shoots 50 to 100 rounds each through 2 or 3 of his semi auto 9mms' just to keep his reflexs and muscle memory workin' pretty good.
He has had some 80 yrs of shooting various firearms in his background .....during WWII his favorite was the "BAR" he carried while seeing action on various islands in the Solomon Island chain and on Guadalcanal.
When Edson's Raiders went to an 8 man squad......he was assigned the 8th Marine as his ammo carrier which allowed him to provide a great deal more fire cover on night patrols and "cutting the top 20 feet" off the palm trees that the J A P Snipers used to strap themselves to.......
His ammo carrier utilized an M1E5 Garand Tanker Model (same ammo as the BAR).....and they both had their 1911A1 on their hip.
To this day, he seldom speaks of his experiences.......Malaria almost killed him and he was sent back to the states after about 19 months.
He has mentioned he thought the M1 Carbine was no where as effective as the Thompson sub machine gun,.....plus the Thompson and the 1911 used the same cartridge.
Last edited by Montana Griz; 03-26-2019 at 11:49 PM..
In battle, the goal is to wound as many people as possible, not kill them.
A dead guy lays there and people walk over him. A wounded guy screams for help and two or more people get tied up helping him carrying him etc. Wounding people you get 3 for 1.
So, I would prefer the smaller caliber. Since I can shoot, i do not need fully automatic to hit something.
I'd have to know the theater and the mission. If we are going to the Pacific, or for that matter any place in Europe that close action would be expected, I'd take the Thompson, and a 1911 pistol to go with it if one is available.
If little shooting is anticipated, yeah, I'd go with the carbine as it's lighter. But the carbine round is not a world-beater, essentially it's the old 32-20 with a GI haircut and wearing khakis instead of overalls. If you are going to war with some sort of small game, it's great, but particularly against an enemy from any Eastern culture that might well use some "chemical courage" and/or are big strong guys - The Phillipine Moros for example - it won't strike a decisive blow. The .45 ACP will. This was documented in the very early 20th century, when the 38 Colt revolver failed against the Moros, and was temporarily replaced with .45 Colt SAA, until Dr. Browning came up with what I still think is the "right answer" in the form of the 1911 - but for some reason Americans in general just really want a really light rifle or carbine, and have been known to take this to the extreme of using a sub-powered round.
For all-round use, probably the Garand was the best combat rifle of WWII. IMHO 2nd place would go to the Mauser, probably 3rd to the AK-47.
Filipinos until now still prefer their 45s, if they can afford it
M1A1 and Thompson both had external magazines. Watch out for the infamous Garand thumb when loading. And of course that metallic click when the last round was fired telling the bad guys you needed to reload. I think the AK 47 was post war.
Oh My GOD! A dream come true. I'd have probably hidden them, given the guy about $4000 of my own money, and had them somehow shipped to me stateside. Somehow. What a find! And what a stupid loss. They should have at least ended up in a museum. Heavy, yes, but spectacular firefighting lead hose for in-close combat. The next best thing is the new KRISS. Yeah, a space gun ,but also v. controllable and a lot lighter.
if you could choose one of these to use in combat during WWII which one would you rather carry?
the M1A1 paratrooper carbine .30 cal
the Thompson submachine gun .45 auto
My personal choice would be the Thompson without hesitation. The 30 carbine round has never inspired much confidence for me as a combat cartridge. It only generates handgun round ballistics and if I had to be limited to such ballistics the 45 gets my vote. Fired from a carbine length tube like the Thompsons the 45 actually gains a little punch.
I did a lot of experimenting with the 45 Colt in both handguns and carbines with handloads and in this round the carbine tube really souped things up especially with certain slower burning powders like Wi 296 and H110. By better than 300 fps with certain bullet weights. Granted such gains would not be there with military 45 ACP but there is still a gain and at the distances the M1 carbine and Thompson would be used at I'd rather have 230 gr of bullet over 110 worth of 30.
M2 with a 30 round mag vs Thompson would be a better comparison. That would be a toss-up at first glance but I don't know enough specifically about them to know which is more reliable. I am not sure if M2's were actually issued in WW2 though.
I own an Inland USGI M1 Carbine made in 1944. It is light, handy, will accept 15 (and later 30 round) magazines, and is reasonably accurate and lethal out to 100 yards or so. I have never shot a Thompson, but have handguns in .45 ACP. The .30 caliber Carbine round is an intermediate rifle round. The .45 ACP is a pistol round. I'd rather have something with a little bit more range, so I'd pick the M1 Carbine.
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