Our display was similar to the one that took "Best of Show" (1st p lace two ears ago. The display begins with the introduction of the Blish Pistol, followed with three Model of 1919s. Next were prototype drums and magazines, then came the Colts production. The next fifty feet included prototype guns, auto rifles, BSA guns, World War II production guns and right on through the West Hurley full and semi-autos. New additions to this display were general Thompson’s personal gun, the Texas Ranger display and a British W.W.II Model of 1928 with a British spotlight illuminator. The British display generated a lot of interest from the crowd.
Yes, the hours are long, but not tiring. After all how could anyone get tired of talking Thompsons. This is one subject that I love to talk about. Just ask my wife about our phone bill. She'll tell you how much I enjoy gathering information and searching for ways to improve and add to my collection. This the perfect occasion to learn more about, my favorite past time and share what I know with the public when they as questions. Ask questions they did. Ranging from "How many times a year does the ATF visit your home?" to "Is it possible for me to buy a Thompson and join your group?" Several asked questions about the $1000 per gun, per year tax and I’m sure they were trying to estimate how expensive it is to maintain a hobby such as ours. Writing this article and arguing with my wife as to how it should be written and what should be included was not an easy task or me. I can’t imagine what it would be like to do it every month (It Look me two weeks to sit down and write this.) So thank you, Tracie Hill, for all the work you do to keep this newsletter running. Tracie asked me to write a few notes on the show, because after the show I saw him wearing a wrist splint. Carpal tunnel syndrome set in after signing so many of his books. One last thing and it might be the most important. That is the friendship created from the love of the Thompsons. For those of you who have never attended the Show and Shoot in August or the Western Shoot in Arizona, you will never know the many friends I have made since joining the TCA. They are too numerous to mention. A special thanks goes out to Sutton Coffman, Dave Dillon, Tom Woods and Tracie Hill, for their help in making the OGCA display so successful. A very special thanks goes out to my dad for talking to me about his Thompson in W.W.II and watching all those combat programs with me. I also thought back to when I was looking to purchase my first gun and how hesitant I was until my wife forced me into it. Thanks M.J.
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Being a
Thompson collector I find just putting the display together most interesting. How many
Thompson collectors have been able to handle three Model of 1919s and hold General
Thompson's gun in one day. To this collector it doesn't get any better than this. To me
there is a big difference between seeing it pictured in book
and handling it. This was a great treat.
