Real firing pulse rifle?

GrenadeKing

GrenadeKing

Sr Member
Can it be done?

I saw that Auto Ordnance is still producing real firing semi-automatic Thompsons, they even have one with plastic furniture that's pretty darn cheap for a tommy gun.

The Remington 870 is a fairly cheap shotgun however getting it registered as a short barreled weapon with the ATF is the only negative I can see there. Heck, it's not like it can't be done, just requires a little time and money.

What exactly would making one of these entail? I know it would need fabricated parts that would hold up to the stress. A real SPAS-12 cage would be required as well no doubt.

Has anyone ever tried to tackle this before?

Just seems like it'd be beyond cool if somebody could overcome the obstacles and actually create one. :cool

Since it's been on my mind and I currently have some funding I figured I'd ask and see what you fine folks thought about this. :love
 
Of course it COULD be done. The film used one fully functional firing version "dual fire" and one "thompson only" firing version.

The difficulty would be time and money. So, if you had say $10,000 or so (for a fully auto Thompson), you could buy both firearms and all the various other parts, hire a gunsmith to mod the guns and put it all together in a safe fashion. Of course, you'd have to get it all kosherized by ATF which would cost more money and time.
 
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Tis a thing a beauty. Sad to see it go.

Mechamaniac, I was planning on using a Semi-Auto Thompson for simplicity. The cheapest one they sell new (if you call $1085 cheap...) has a 16.5 inch barrel. I'm not sure what the length of the PR barrel.

Full auto is gold but... it also costs gold. Gold that I don't have. :lol

The sawed off 870 would probably be $700 or so after the $200 ATF tax stamp.

That'd be something like $2 grand if you include all the tax and transfer fees. For the base guns alone that is.

Collecting the other parts like a steel or aluminum shroud and SPAS cage seem like the hardest part. That and developing a round counter that won't explode and die.
 
You can buy a SBR version of the semiauto Thompson, as well.
As you noted, all must go through the ATF for approval.
 
Remember that if you make any mods to the Thompson (like modifying the barrel to make it fit the PR cage) you will need another ATF stamp and fee etc.
 
Usually depends on the nature of the modifications. Modding it, replacing parts, etc. is perfectly legal, cutting the barrel below 16 inches or reducing the overall lenght to below 26 inches however, makes it fall into NFA territory where the tax stamps come into play.

I'm not sure, as it's been awhile since I looked at anything PR related (and correct me if I'm wrong) but, I believe the conversion into pulse rifle requires adding length to the barrel?

I know the stock must be removed which would probably knock the length way down but, that could be gotten around if the sliding stock is attached directly to the gun and makes the whole thing 26 inches when fully extended. At least, I'm pretty sure that's how it works. I'll be sure to check and check well before I actually do anything. If I do anything.

This is still in the "this might be cool if I can figure out how to do it and do it right" stage.
 
GrenadeKing said:
...cutting the barrel below 16 inches or reducing the overall lenght to below 26 inches however, makes it fall into NFA territory where the tax stamps come into play.

I'm not sure, as it's been awhile since I looked at anything PR related (and correct me if I'm wrong) but, I believe the conversion into pulse rifle requires adding length to the barrel?
Click to expand...

The barrel on my one-piece resin PR looks to be 11 inches; 5 less than the 16" min. Definitely SBR territory to look right.

GrenadeKing said:
I know the stock must be removed which would probably knock the length way down but, that could be gotten around if the sliding stock is attached directly to the gun and makes the whole thing 26 inches when fully extended.
Click to expand...

The stock doesn't enter into it because the action of the Thompson, esp. with the PR shrouding adds 10 inches-plus, but all that doesn't matter if you go the SBR route. The PR is about 26"-27" with the 11" barrel, so if you built one with a 16" bbl, OAL wouldn't be a problem.

This is a very do-able project, just TIME, MONEY and GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION intensive.

Mike
 
The M1A1 Thompson has a 10.5 inch barrel in it's WW2 configureation so even a semi one would require the SBR stamp from the feds.
 
Think if the Stock is attached it then becomes SBR in AFT eyes. Not 100% sure but would be a ***** to find out the hard way.
 
In response to the OP question 'How easy would it be to do?' Easy and your on the right track. It gets costly depending how accurate you want it. Full auto, and firing 870 will be expensive. Go for the semi auto and demilled 870. You can get the shotgun for $250 used on gunbroker.

Thompson $1,000
Spas cage $350
870 $250
Vents-stock $150
GL block $75?
Shrouds $250?

Thats the basics, with your time, a welder, grinder and some raw materials. A static lighted counter can be made for a few bucks. The main stress would come from a live shotgun. It would have to be welded to the Thompson receiver and barrel. Tommin makes a great GL adapter but it switches out the barrel of the Thompson. The day I move out of California this is on the list of to do.
 
That's why I love living inn Kentucky, this kind of project is like... a normal thing for this neck of the woods. :lol

If I do this, I want the who shebang, minus the stupidly expensive full auto.

So, folding stock would make pistol Thompson no good... barrel under 11 inches makes cheap Thompson into SBR. Looks to be unavoidable for it.

The shotgun, I might be able to get an AOW shotgun and avoid the $200 stamp. I'd still have to register it but, the tax would on be $5.

Just thinking out loud and looking for feedback right now. I wont be able to do it financially or legally for another few months. Once I settle on the weapons and buy them, it'll probably be another few months for the ATF paperwork to get back to me as well. Definitely a time consuming project but, that time give time to work out all the kinks, which is what this thread was intended for more or less. :cool
 
Sup Mat! How was HK?
My plan would be to have the stock in a fixed extended position so the overall length would be legal.
 
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