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EXTREMELY RARE BSA THOMPSON 1929 SERIAL NUMBER 2.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:47,500.00 USD Estimated At:95,000.00 - 150,000.00 USD
EXTREMELY RARE BSA THOMPSON 1929 SERIAL NUMBER 2.

Cal. 45ACP. S# 2. Bbl. 12.5” over compensator. There are very few firearms in existence as recognizable as the Thompson sub-machine gun. With its characteristic vertical foregrip, heavily finned bbl. & popular drum magazine, the "Tommy gun" or "Chicago Typewriter" may have a reputation in real life only exceeded by Hollywood portrayals. The Thompson has become so well known that to many, it is almost synonymous with any submachine gun that has a vertical foregrip. While the classic 1928 with all those attributes certainly earned much of its reputation, unknown to most people there were a lot of other projects going on behind the scenes & there is certainly more than just one model. One such project was the BSA Thompson Model of 1929. In the 1920’s looking to expand their reach to a global audience, Auto-Ordnance offered the British Small Arms Ltd Company (BSA) license to manufacture a Thompson for consideration to the European market. They designed a new variant, the Model of 1929 Thompson, with a more rifle-like appearance in order to appeal to the more traditional European customers. Not only were some aesthetics and internals altered, but it was to be offered in several popular foreign calibers. Those included the original .45 ACP, 9x19 Parabellum, 9x23 Bergmann & 7.63 Mauser. They were heavily tested, but never officially adopted or even made it into production in the post World War I era. When World War II began and the necessity for more SMGs became apparent, Auto Ordnance did indeed design a 9mm prototype Thompson to fill that void. It was similar in appearance to the BSA Model of 1929, and utilized some of the components of their highly successful flagship 45 ACP submachine gun, but they never made it to prime time either. The fascinating BSA Model of 1929 we’re offering here utilizes a barrel measuring 12.5” over the unmarked, 2.5” 4-slot cuts-style compensator. The barrel is marked over the chamber w/ the Crown over “BM” London Birmingham proof mark, “.45” w/ the Crown over “NP” & “NITRO PROOF”. The barrel sits above an 8” slotted horizontal forend w/ sling swivel below. The cocking handle is a round ball, w/ a 0.15” knurled section around the diameter. It is slotted to create a clear path between the front sight blade & flip up Lyman sight, graduated to 600 meters. Left-side receiver markings include: “MODEL OF 1929 / NO 2” & “B.S.A. THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN / CALIBRE 45 AUTOMATIC COLT CARTRIDGE / MANUFACTURED BY / B.S.A. CO. LTD. ENGLAND”. Right side of receiver has Thompson Patent date block just rear of the mag-well. The selector is placed directly behind the mag-well, marked “SINGLE / AUTO” w/ the safety to its rear, marked, “FIRE / SAFE”. The mag-well is designed to accept either a drum or a stick magazine, and the mag release is located on the left side. It is employed by rocking the 1.1” knurled paddle forward. The 10.5” shoulder stock has a blued, thin steel butt plate w/ trap door. Their effort to make it a strait pull, traditional style stock design necessitated locating the trigger far to the rear of the receiver instead of just rearward of the mag-well like the Thompson 1928. In order to facilitate a sturdier grip, a small extension was built into the shoulder stock in the form of a bottom notch measuring approximately 1.5” wide and 1” deep, w/ another wood section inserted. The inserted piece measures just under 3” in length and comes to a point. To utilize it correctly, the hand of the shooter wraps around the stock, with the thumb over the top, and w/ the trigger finger engaged, the 3 remaining fingers wrap around the extension. Sling swivels located both front & rear. CONDITION: All exposed metal surfaces are blued. Coverage is consistent & complete illustrating some thinning, primarily on rear of receiver, on high spots and in areas of mechanical intervention. Wood furniture has era typical dings & impressions. Action is glass smooth and feels like the finer Colt Thompsons. Fire control mechanism appears to function correctly when cycled by hand. NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT MG REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE. (03-1592/JZ). MODERN. $95,000-150,000.