Model 1921 Thompson

by
posted on August 11, 2009
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2009811142312-a1f_mf_gunnotfired_f.jpg

NRA member George Whitehead, after military service in World War II, moved to Portland, Ore., and started a career with the Portland Police Department, eventually spending 27 years on the force. As a detective following up leads, he frequently visited area gun shops and, in 1969, purchased a Thompson submachine gun from a dealer going through financial hard times. This Model 1921 Thompson, serial number 6040, had been sold by a small police department in the Milwaukee area and was still brand new.

For the next 36 years, that Thompson sat unfired in a safe; in all those years, Whitehead never took this submachine gun to the range and never even disassembled the piece, just carefully cleaned and maintained it. Then, in 2005, he contacted the National Firearms Museum and made arrangements for the piece to be legally transferred. Along with three other modern firearms and a circa 1929 Wibrod bulletproof vest, the Thompson arrived at the Museum later that year. Today it rests proudly in the Modern Law Enforcement display with two drum magazines nearby, still unfired. Whitehead passed away in December 2007, but one of his last comments to a close friend was that he was happy his gun had found a long-term home.

Latest

Taurus GX2
Taurus GX2

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.