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Thompson Drums

Dwight4501Dwight4501 Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
edited December 2001 in Ask the Experts
What when why??? I only thought that their were 50 100 and 10 round 45acp drums made for the Thompson machine guns or semi's? Today I noted a 39 round drum being auctioned off but its type of amunition / size is not disclosed as far as I could see. Looks just like a 50 to me. However, can't see close enough in the picture to see just what the manufacturers markings indicate. When were these ever made to be of such a unusual capacity, 39??? Thanks, Dwight
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Comments

  • Dwight4501Dwight4501 Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    well i thought i found 50 rd. drumsafter loading the one i find i can only get39 rds in it is there a market for them ?and if so what is a fair price ?e-mail sdloganinc@aol.comthanks for the info
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dwight4501, I am on the same learning curve as you. I thought there were only "L" 50-round and "C" 100-round drums. When a guy offered me a 39-round drum, I thought he was mistaken about what he had. He could offer no information than to say he had a 39-round drum. However, I have now learned there is an "XL" (in Roman numerals L (50) less X (10) equals XL (40)). Apparently the XL drum only holds 39 rounds instead of 40, but I am not sure if the capacity of an XL drum is really only 39, or whether there is another drum that holds only 39.) I also am not sure if the XL and the L drums are the same physical size. I would assume the XL is smaller, or why bother as opposed to the L drum?Any Thompson experts who can explain this confusing issue to those of us like Dwight4501 and me who do not know? If so, please do.
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  • lrarmsxlrarmsx Member Posts: 791 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It has to do with the design of the drive assembly on the inside of the drum. There was more than one configuration. The body of the 39 round drum was the same as the 50.
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Irarmsx:Thanks for the information. Do you know why this drum was developed if it is the same physical size as the 50-round drum? (I am assuming the 50-round drum came first.) Is the 39-round drum known as the XL drum? What is the difference in the internal mechanism?
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  • Da-TankDa-Tank Member Posts: 3,718 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Seems to come to mind some where in the past I heard that the round drum fired a longer .45 then the .45 acp Could this be your problem?
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  • HAIRYHAIRY Member Posts: 23,606
    edited November -1
    The 10 rd & the 50 rd drum both take the standard 45 acp. Auto-ordnance recommends the 230 gr, 45 acp rd. I had some problems with Winchester, but Sellier & Beloit worked fine.
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  • Dwight4501Dwight4501 Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, after all of this, will the 39 drum work with ACP or is it for longer rounds such as the colt 45? I would like one to work on my semi 1927-A1? Thanks for all the good discussion! Dwight
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As far as I know, the Thompsons were chambered only for the .45ACP and maybe the .38 Super. I seem to recall that the FBI wanted something to penetrate armor better than the .45ACP and some Thompsons were chambered in .38 Super for that purpose. I do not know if there were drums for the .38 Super. There was also a semi-auto .22 rimfire version made in the recent past. There were never any blackpower cartridge chamberings like the rimmed .45 Colt. Such a cartridge would be way too long for the action.
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  • lrarmsxlrarmsx Member Posts: 791 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dwight, the 39rd drum will work on your 45acp semi-auto Thompson. There are no drums or 1927 model guns in 45 long colt.
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  • cliffdropover1cliffdropover1 Member Posts: 136 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 39 round drum was made by Auto-0rdnance and did NOT work. I had one and they are junk. Even Auto-Ordnance said so. Get a 50 or a 100. The 50's do work but have become expensive. The 100's (original) are very expensive. In the nature of several thousand for one. An original 50 should cost from 500 to 800 depending on who manufactured it. Some of the recent 50's made by Auto-Ordnance do work ok and cost less. However, since they can no longer be made, they have all gone way up in price. Good Luck
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The question still remains. Why a 39-round drum (was it called the XL?) if it is the same physical size as the 50-rounder?
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