The Thompson submachine gun, also known as the Tommy Gun, was designed by General John T. Thompson in 1919. It gained notoriety in the 1920’s as the gun of choice for many high-profile gangsters such as Al Capone, Machinegun Kelly, and John Dillinger, to name a few.

History:

When General Thompson developed the Thompson submachine gun, he was trying to design a semi-automatic rifle that could be safely and easily used in combat situations.

Thompson and his team of designers soon realized that their prototype was lacking in some areas so they went back to the drawing board.

General Thompson then suggested the idea of a "hand-held machine gun" instead of the semi-auto rifle. It would be similar in function to the German Bergmann MP18, which was the first submachine gun ever built. Originally, the gun’s prototype was called the Annihilator but was renamed the Thompson Machine Gun before marketing of the weapon began.

One of the gun’s early customers was the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They used the guns to deter and to defend against mail robberies. The United States Marine Corps soon followed suit, as did a number of local law enforcement agencies across the country.

The weapon was also available to civilians but few people were willing to pay the hefty $200 price tag for it. According to the Buereau of Labor Statistics, $200 in 1921 is equivalent to more than $2,500 in 2013. This cost was due to the fact that the gun was high quality and expensive to produce.

Nevertheless, the Tommy gun did make its way into the hands of civilians--most notably, some of the infamous mobsters of the 1920’s. Interestingly, these gangsters would often disassemble their Tommy guns and carry them in violin cases.

The Thompson submachine gun was used extensively during World War II but continued to see military use worldwide throughout the 20th century. Over the years, a number of variants have been produced including several semi-automatic models.

Ammunition:

The Thompson submachine gun is chambered for the .45 ACP—which is actually a pistol round. Currently, this ammunition comes in 185 to 230 bullets, putting up to 21,000 psi on the target. Velocities average 1,000 feet per second with an average energy of 500 foot-pounds—this is pretty good stopping power for a pistol round.

Collectability:

Tommy Guns are highly collectible. They are desirable for World War II weapons collectors, military weapons collectors, historical weapons collectors, and for anyone who wants to add a high-quality gun to his or her collection. As with many other guns, there are certain years and models of Tommy Guns that are more highly sought after than others, adding to their collectability.

Availability:

Later Tommy Guns are easy to find online and at gun shows and in gun stores. Typically, the ones you will find in these places are the semi-automatic versions that are not as collectible but easier to own. Earlier, fully-automatic versions are more difficult to find.

Price:

A typical newer-model semi-auto Thompson submachine gun will run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $2,000. Meanwhile, an earlier, full-auto Tommy Gun will set you back $10,000 to $20,000 and sometimes more.

Special Notes:

Full-auto Tommy Guns are classified as NFA weapons which means you have to register your ownership of it with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. To do this you must submit an application, a fingerprint card, a photo of yourself, and a $200 fee. Semi-automatic Tommy Guns are not in the same class and do not have to be registered.