ST Louis PD auctioning off 29 '30s era Thompson Machine Guns

[PeaShooter]

St. Louis PD selling machine guns, but don't worry--only to rich people - St. Louis gun rights | Examiner.com

 

[GunSlinger]

For me this is the top of my gun bucket list. I wonder if these will be transferable on a form 4.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Ah, yes--with prices of fully-automatic firearms vastly and artificially inflated by the Hughes Amendment's prohibition of private ownership of post-1986 machine guns, only the wealthy will be buying the department's Tommy guns.

I don't know if I could afford to shoot one of these very often but it would be sweet when I could. I wonder what these things would be selling for now (or current production units) if that 1986 law were repealed....*sigh*

 

[Leadeye]

Back in the "golden age" just about any Colt Thompson brought nearly 2K in working condition and went up from there.

 

[ShootnCut]

Here's a price list from Roger Cox who's no longer in business. I believe it dates from 1986.

 

[Mark 1911]

An old high school bud of my dad's is a retired 2-star USMC general. He has an insurance business now. Has a Thompson in a presentation case hanging on his wall. Its engraved and has some fancy gold inlay. Not sure if full auto but based on the fact he has had it a long time, maybe.

 

[ShootnCut]

According to what I've read there were 85 WWII Commeratives made in 1983; 145 Korean War Commeratives made in 1984; and 17 Vietnam War Commeratives made in 1985. These were all select fire 28s and made by Numrich in West Hurley, New York prior to the May 1986 ban. A number of semi-auto commeratives were made and can be recognized by the 16" barrels. I don't think they did any in the SBR configuration but I can't say for sure.

Here's the Midas Thompson. It was engraved by Colt I believe sometime in the 1970's.


Here's another fine Colt 21.

 

[Mark 1911]

Shoot cut - that looks like it! He is a Korean vet so I think his had something to do with his service there.

 

[ShootnCut]

David Spiwak - Machine Guns

 

[Scutter01]

I got to shoot a Thompson at NFA Day a couple of years ago. It was sublime. I believe the owner who generously shared it rated its value at $25,000-$30,000.

 

[Leadeye]

Here's a price list from Roger Cox who's no longer in business. I believe it dates from 1986.

I still have an autographed copy of Roger's book from the good old days. That looks about right for that time period.

 

[ShootnCut]

Leadeye,
Got the book and supplement but they're not autographed. I always wanted the gun he pictured on the book jacket.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

So where is the link to bid??

 

[Destro]

I wonder if these will be transferable on a form 4.

These do not transfer on a form 4, they transfer tax free on a form 5.

 

[Birds Away]

No one seems to have a problem this guy being so anti-gun...until his dept. can make a few bucks from it?

 

[ScouT6a]

From the David Spiwak link:
H&K MP5 Terry Dyer rework push-pin/swing down in new condition. No photo available, as gun is in storage. Satisfaction guaranteed $34,000.

Wow!! Kicking myself hard!! In 2002/2003 I had an opportunity to purchase an H&K MP5SD collapsible stock with the H&K suppressor, H&K laser, 4 or 5 mags, H&K soft sided padded case, all in excellent condition for $4500. What the hell was I thinking?

On a lighter note, a cousin has one of these Thompsons in full auto that I can fire any time I want.

 

[ryknoll3]

$34K is a WAY high price for an MP5, but they are in the mid-20's right now.

 

[possumpacker]

terre haute pd has 2 thompsons that were given to them by u.s. govt in the 30's. bout 30 years ago an officer had them at riley cons club an while i was drooling on them he ask if i would like to shoot one. ive never forgotten that experience. they had never been fired before and the dept wanted to sell them to buy new equip but couldnt cause that was part of the deal with the govt. at that time they had been offered 75k for the 2 guns with consec serial numbers from a collector in okla.

 

[ShootnCut]

No one seems to have a problem this guy being so anti-gun...until his dept. can make a few bucks from it?

Agreed. I'm sure he's justifying his decision to release those "dangerous weapons" by assuring everyone around that if they go into the NFA registry there's almost no chance they will be used for nefarious purposes. And that position is actually correct.
However the bottom line is money talks. It's not really responsible to keep such things in their inventory when they can be turned into more usable weapons or equipment. Even though they're still quite effective, they are running a police department not a museum. (I kind of wonder why they're keeping the two Lewis guns.) But I'd just about bet the price of one of those nice Colt 21s that if someone offered him $1,000,000.00 cash if he'd dispose of them, he would smile, take the money, chop them up into pieces, and they'd never see the light of day. Then he could get everything they needed and be politically correct all at the same time.

 

[calcot7]

Agreed. I'm sure he's justifying his decision to release those "dangerous weapons" by assuring everyone around that if they go into the NFA registry there's almost no chance they will be used for nefarious purposes. And that position is actually correct.
However the bottom line is money talks. It's not really responsible to keep such things in their inventory when they can be turned into more usable weapons or equipment. Even though they're still quite effective, they are running a police department not a museum. (I kind of wonder why they're keeping the two Lewis guns.) But I'd just about bet the price of one of those nice Colt 21s that if someone offered him $1,000,000.00 cash if he'd dispose of them, he would smile, take the money, chop them up into pieces, and they'd never see the light of day. Then he could get everything they needed and be politically correct all at the same time.

Better call Bloomberg and see if he wants to do that kind of deal so he has a better chance of getting a good spot in Heaven.