Thompson TM1

[Border Ruffian]

Just picked up a Kahr Thompson TM1, haven't shot it yet but it appears in good order.  It's very well made with nice wood. Here it is with my Dan Block stocked West Hurley M1927A1.  My only complaint is the small cocking handle.  I'll order the extended one this week and life will be perfect.  fortunately I have a supply of 30 rounders I can use for this gun.

[El Coyote]

If you have a bunch of surplus thirty rounders you plan on using with it you'll either have to mod the magazines or mod the mag catch on your rifle. 

By the way I also own the AO Thompson M1 and it sure is a fine rifle. I need to take a few hours to mod the mag catch on mine so I can start using my surplus mags.

[kurt250]

i don't understand. don't the standard 20 shot and thirty shot thompson mags work in the west hurlys? i own a 1928a-1 thompson and the 20 and thirty shot clips all work fine in simi and full auto. kurt250

[El Coyote]

They work on the West Hurley's but not on the new Kahr Thompson's.

[Border Ruffian]

Unfortunately, my West Hurley needs modified mags, I have a supply of these which includes the 30 Rounders I'm going to use in the TM1. In other words my mags will work in both guns.  I bought the West Hurley in the 1990s and modified the mags then, I wasn't aware of the mag catch modification (pre internet).  Now it's too late, so I'll just live with modified mags.  

The full auto guns like the Model 1928 use the mags unaltered.  The semi auto West Hurley and Kahr need modified mags. 

[Vernon/IN]

Border Ruffian.

Nice pair there.  I'm sure that you are going have a blast with the new heater.

The problem with the mags is that the receiver on the SA version was reduced in height by .1 inch.  This was done to make it much more difficult to convert an SA version to FA using FA fire control parts.

This had the side effect of displacing the mag catch in relationship to the cutout in the mag.  There are two choices for those who want to use mags made for the FA Thompson.

The most common choice is to alter the mag by enlarging the cut out in the mag by .1 inch.  This  ruins the mag for use in an FA Thompson.

The other way is to alter the mag catch.  This is done by removing .1 inch from the top of the mag catch.  When doing this, you need to maintain the contours of the catch.  Here is a link that shows before and after photos.
http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14128

The two biggest advantages for the second option are that you only need to do it once and that you are not ruining the mags for the full auto Thompsons.  After all, they are not making any more.

Another advantage is that should you end up with an FA Thompson, you will be able to use the same set of mags for either firearm.