SERIAL NUMBER 7886
BY
GORDON

I hope this will have some value to your readers as an article for the TCN.

Colt Thompson serial number 7886, and then there is Colt Thompson 7886??  Here is the synopsis.

This could be one of the most interesting discoveries of the 20th Century, thanks to my friend Mr. Richard Karlson of Sweden.

This last April just before I published the second edition of my book, "Colt Thompson Serial Numbers", Richard Karlson of Sweden sent an E mail informing me that he had discovered several Colts in a museum in Copenhagen, Denmark. This was a military museum.

Tojhusmuseet
Frederiksholms Kanal 29
1220 Kobenhavn
Danmark (Denmark)

They had three Colt Thompsons in inventory, Nos. 2594, 7822, and 7886. Thompsons 2594 and 7822 were on display. Colt Thompson No. 7886, was not on display because of the condition among other things.

S/N 2594, appeared to be a Model 1922
S/N 7822, is a model 21AC
S/N 7886, appeared to be a 21AC

As I entered these new numbers, with no previous history, I came to Thompson No. 7886.  The question flag went up immediately because the Pocatello, Idaho Police Department name was on this number. Because of this I elected not to enter any Denmark information in the latest edition, until I could confirm all the numbers.

I immediately called the Pocatello Police Department. The Chief there was surprised that someone would call on their old Thompson, that they had had for so many years.  I explained that a museum in Copenhagen, Denmark was also showing that Colt Thompson serial number, 7886.  The Chief confirmed that No. 7886, was indeed their Thompson and that it had never been out of their Department since it was purchased new.

I began E mail conversations with the Curator, Mr. Jens Christensen of the military Museum in Copenhagen. Mr. Christensen informed me that their Thompson No. 7886 was not on display, and that it was in storage in the museum warehouse. He insisted that it was a Colt.

I had my doubts of this but to really confirm what they had in the Copenhagen museum, I requested digital pictures. My assumption was that it was an un-prefixed M1A1 or possibly an early Savage 28A1.

After several months, Mr. Jens Christensen sent me the pictures I had requested. He sent five digital pictures, one of which showed the serial number 7886.

Much to my surprise, the Receiver was indeed a Colt. The Trigger Frame is apparently Savage (Fire-select markings in two lines). The fire select levers are not knurled. The pistol grip was obviously GI. It also showed a GI ejector.

CONCLUSION:

Now comes the speculation as to its existence and how it came to be there. The only logical conclusion has to be, that Russell McGuire, having acquired the inventory and all the left over Colt parts from Auto-Ordnance, simply found a slightly flawed receiver, (7886), assembled it with new production parts and included it into an order of 1928 Al Thompsons on there way to England.

This Receiver No. 7886, was probably a reject, with only a slight flaw. This being the case, did not end up in the scrap heap.