The actual receiver and barrel groups are held in the stock by two wing-bolts that served as simple take down mechanism. It does have a completely unique full length one piece walnut stock with a fixed vertical pistol grip and top handguard. It still used some of the M1 Thompson type parts such as the non-finned barrel, and front sight. This gun is very unique in that it was developed along the same lines as the British STEN submachine gun in that it uses a straight tube receiver with a round machined bolt. All were developed with the intent of being a low-cost war expedient weapon intending to reducing the numerous parts and machining operations that were used in the Thompson. As we know it competed against several other SMG designs namely the Marlin M2 and the General Motors/Inland Div., M3 Grease Gun. The other example as we understand is still held by the Government. This is "One of Two" examples ever manufactured by the Auto-Ordnance company and tested at Aberdeen Proving grounds. This weapon was designed/developed in late 1941/early 1942 based on the request from the US Army for industry to develop a standardized 45 ACP SMG, as a replacement/substitute for the Thompson M1928 SMG. This is a beautiful example of a super rare early WWII Auto-Ordnance/Thompson experimental SMG.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |