Few firearms are as recognizable as the Thompson submachine gun or “Tommy Gun.” The iconic gun of the Roaring Twenties and World War II GIs, since the 1970s, semi-automatic rifle versions of the Thompson have been made by the successors of the original Auto-Ordnance Corporation. New for 2025, the Kahr Firearms-owned iteration of Auto-Ordnance is introducing the 1927A-1C Lightweight Deluxe Thompson, a version that uses aluminum alloy and polymer furniture to keep both the rifle’s weight and price low.
While Kahr has previously introduced lightweight versions of the Thompson that used aluminum alloy for their receiver and frame, the 1927A-1C Lightweight takes the lightening process one step further by using polymer furniture with a wood-grain finish for its vertical foregrip and fixed buttstock. The result is a rifle that drops about five pounds over the original version, at just 8 lbs. without a magazine. The new lightweight Thompsons not only shave weight off the original-style guns, they also come with a cost savings. The base model is nearly $1,000 less than the all-steel receiver and walnut furniture version.
The remainder of the 1927A-1C Lightweight’s features are classic Thompson. Its 16.5” finned barrel is brought to 18” with the attachments of a Cutts compensator. The rear sight is a M1 Thompson-style fixed “L” aperture, and the gun's charging handle is positioned on the top of the receiver.
The Auto-Ordnance 1927A-1C Lightweight Deluxe Thompson is available in three magazine packages — a single XX (20 round) magazine (T5P - $1,558), one L-drum (50 rounds) and 20-round magazine (T5P50D - $1,970), and one C-drum (100 rounds) and one 20-round magazine (T5P100D - $2,140). For more information, see the company’s website.
