On Gun Stories: The Thompson Submachine Gun

Once in a blue moon, a machine becomes more than the sum of its parts. It is even more rare when that machine is a tool of war. In 1919, John Taliaferro Thompson, a career army officer, created the firearm that would make his name immortal.

First aired on Outdoor Channel: 07-20-12.

Air times on Outdoor Channel: Tue June 28: 4:00PM ET | Wed June 29: 11:00PM ET | Thu Jun 30: 5:00AM ET | Thu Jun 30: 4:00PM ET.

Reference Links:

Cory Trapp and Michael Bane talks about this episode and the Thompson (Video)

The Thompson Submachine Gun

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Episode Guide Season: 2016

Episode 601 – Thompson Submachine gun
Sometimes, a machine becomes more than the sum of its parts.The Thompson submachine gun is, indeed, one of those machines.

Episode 602 – The Model 1911
With the adoption of the Model 1911 pistol by the US military, John Browning established the benchmark that all other handguns would be measured against.

Episode 603 – The Guns of John Dillinger
While the bloody arc of John Dillinger’s life is well known, less time has been spent on the convergence of 2 technologies that made Dillinger possible, cars and guns.

Episode 604 – History of Armscor
ARMSCOR / ROCK ISLAND can trace its roots back to the early 1900s, beginning as Squires Bingham and Company, a clothing and sporting goods store in the Philippines.

Episode 605 – The M60 Machine gun
The German World War 2 MG-42 stands as one of the greatest machine guns in history. And the story of the American M-60, affectionately or not, known as “”the Pig,”” begins there.

Episode 606 – The Israeli Galil
One thing can be said for certain — a country that is always at war either becomes expert at weapons’ design or it perishes. Israel is such a country, and their iconic Galil assault rifle is a classic example of a superior battlefield weapon that was simply overcome by technology.

Episode 607 – The Savage Model 99
Sometimes the future arrives slightly ahead of its time, and often, from an unexpected direction. With almost 100 years in production, the lever action Savage Model 99 is unequivocally one of the most successful rifles in the world. But not the way its inventor, Arthur WilliamSavage, envisioned.

Episode 608 – The Webley Revolver
The British Webley revolver occupies the same unique space in the world of guns that the English Bulldog does in the world of canines – squat, ugly to the point of beauty and lots and lots of very sharp teeth.

Episode 609 – The Model 1919 Machine gun
Yet again, John Moses Browning created a main line weapon for the US military; the 1919 Browning machine gun.

Episode 610 – The Uzi Sub Machinegun
In the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s, the Uzi was the most popular submachien gun with military and law enforcement in history.

Episode 611 – The Remington Model 8
The Remington Model 8 was the first mass-produced semi automatic rifle chambered in a round more powerful than the most popular hunting cartridge of the day, the 30-30.

Episode 612 – The AK47
The AK47 has become one of the most iconic firearms in history.

Episode 613 – The Winchester Model 73
The popularity and fame of the Winchester 73 is pretty self evident.After all, how many firearms have had a major Hollylwood movie with their name as the title?