Thompson submachine gun

The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919 that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals. The Thompson was also known informally as: the "Tommy Gun," the "Trench Broom," the "Trench Sweeper," the "Chicago Piano," the "Chicago Typewriter," and the "Chopper."

The Thompson was favored by soldiers, criminals and police alike for its ergonomics, compactness, large .45 ACP cartridge, and high volume of automatic fire and among civilian collectors for its historical significance.

Type	Submachine Gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1938–1971 (officially, U.S. military)
Used by	See Users
Wars	Irish War of Independence Irish Civil War World War II 1948 Arab–Israeli War Chinese Civil War Hukbalahap Rebellion Korean War First Indochina War Vietnam War The Troubles Bosnian War Cuban Revolution
Production history
Designer	John T. Thompson
Designed	1917–1919
Manufacturer	Auto-Ordnance Company (originally) Birmingham Small Arms Colt Savage Arms
Produced	1921–present
Number built	1,700,000 approx.
Variants	Persuader & Annihilator prototypes, M1921, M1921AC, M1921A, M1927, M1928, M1928A1, M1, M1A1
Specifications
Weight	10.8 lb (4.9 kg) empty (M1928A1) 10.6 lb (4.8 kg) empty (M1A1)
Length	33.5 in (851 mm) (M1928A1) 32 in (813 mm) (M1A1/M1) barrel 10.5 in (267 mm) barrel with optional Cutts Compensator 12 in (305 mm)
Cartridge	.45 ACP (11.43 × 23 mm)
Action	Blowback
Rate of fire	600-1200 rpm, depending upon model
Muzzle velocity	920 ft/s (280 m/s)
Effective range	50 m
Feed system	20-round stick/box magazine 30-round stick/box magazine 50-round drum magazine 100-round drum magazine (M1 and M1A1 models do not accept drum magazines)