Dantankerous Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 On several occasions while watching Wild Bunch videos on YouTube I have seen where a competitor comes to the line with a Tommy Gun. I'm guessing this is something only done at the club level and never allowed at a match (nor do I remember there being a Tommy Gun in the movie...) as the gun was invented after the 1899 time frame Wild Bunch uses for its rifles. Looks like a heck of a lot of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goatneck Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Rumor has it EOT Top Gun Wild Bunch shoot off shooters for 2017 will be shooting a Tommy Gun. Stay tuned. Goatneck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 I have no problem with a side match at a WBAS match using a Tommy Gun, but to have shooters who have little experience or maybe NEVER handled a full auto during a main activity such as a stage or a shoot off I am OPPOSED to. If it could be incorporated as the starting gun I think it would be cool but I do NOT want anyone handling one for the first time during a main activity. There is another SASS spinoff called ZOOT Shooting that uses a full auto Thompson. I think it was started in the Denver, CO area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Happy Jack, What I've been seeing in some of these videos is a semi-automatic version of the Tommy Gun. Currently made by Auto-Ordnance under Kahr. Now, I have seen full auto versions of the Tommy Gun being used in Zoot Suit shooting and that looks even more fun. My understanding is that Zoot Suit is run by guys who have done lots of cowboy, steel challenge, IPSC, etc, and are very accomplished shooters. I have no idea which model Goatneck might be referring to for the upcoming End of Trail but the model I was asking about is certainly the semi auto version only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Frank Norfleet Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Ran an experiment a couple months ago at a monthly match. Everyone got to handle and cock the Thompson before the stage. They were given instructions as a group and individually as they handled it. Shooters started a stage with a Thompson in hand, mag loaded with 5 rounds inserted and one of the Founders Ranch huge cowboy targets at 20 yards. At the beep the shooters had to cock the Thompson and fire the 5 rounds at the target, ground it on a table and then finish the stage. They had to put at least one round on the big cowboy and no round over the berm. Most put all five rounds on the target. The purpose was to see how shooters who had never shot or had little experience with a Thompson responded. Saw a lot of grins that day, a new experience for many. I convinced myself that it could be done safely and make a spectacular stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV9YtN9zivw Another, looks like same match. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-DYYq8fKfA And another. Same match. He's getting after it here. 8) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zmO4pcpTsY I am guessing this was done just for fun an evaluated as a P for the wrong firearm. I am pretty sure I have see other videos of the TG at a WB match but cannot find them now. Whatever the case, looks like fun. ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUSTY BODDAMS Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Dan ;D ;D ;D that shooter is gett'n after it in the third video! I've got a Thompson carbine and a few others that I shoot with have the carbine or genuine real deal full autos. They are lots of fun and well made. Thru generous friends I have fired the full autos a considerable amount and have even competed with them in a machine gun match and done quite well. We have also done a couple of off the books stages and used the Thompson carbines as a prop in those and it was successful. J. Frank, a wise introduction. Limited round count and you gave them a mini school. The Thompson has to be one of the best machine guns for introducing new shooters with the forward weight and good weight in general. Also interesting is just how accurate they are with the switch flipped. My carbine is really accurate also but of course is longer barreled I put a m1 Thompson forearm on mine and like it better than the vert grip with the longer barrel. Dusty Boddams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Frank Norfleet Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 The introduction and individual handling didn't add 10 minutes to the total stage time. While I worked with those who wanted handle the Thompson, everyone else was loading and rehearsing the stage. With 5 rounds I was confident that it wouldn't get away from them. Explained that the first shot should be aimed at the lower left corner and it would "walk" to the upper right corner. Also explained how to modulate the trigger. To my surprise the new shooters shot it in 2 and 3 shot bursts. All in all they got it. Had also decided that any malfunction would be treated as a prop failure and the shooter started over. In the process I found a magazine with a sticky follower so we had a couple do overs. JFN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe E.S. Corpus Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 The Belton Bushwhackers (local SASS affiliated club) occasionally offers a game called "Road to Perdition" which is much like WBAS except that a semiauto Thompson is used for the rifle. They also offer Wild Bunch at those matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 That Road to Perdition match sounds like a hoot. However, I am not trying to stir anything up here with respect to adding a Tommy Gun to WB. I only observed that I had seen a TG in a WB match on video and had in inquire. Heck, itsa Tommy Gun. How could I not? Thanks all! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUSTY BODDAMS Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 Cantankerous, shoot no! We don't think your trying to stir anything. We just consider it good conversation. Thing about most all WB folks you meet we are shooters thru and thru. We play WB by the rule set but the background of all is amazing. Lots of these folks shoot in combat style matches, cmp, sporting clays,trap,skeet,cowboy,zoot shoot, long distance etc. being accomplished shooters a variety of hardware is owned by all. Therefore every so often a oddity will be seen at the local WB match. Won't be competing generally but will be used by all that have an interest. Thompson carbines being one of those Suomi's being another, all fun and very interesting. When you dive off into BAMM if not already a lot of interesting old bolt guns make there way to the firing line. Dusty Boddams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostvaquero Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Oh yes! Let's get the Thompson into WB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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