Colonel Drewery took the position of AIO near the end of the US 1928 A1 model production run at Auto-Ordnance. The WB inspector’s stamp would be the most common mark encountered on Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport manufactured US 1928 A1 Thompsons. His stamp was often placed on the receiver’s left side, just forward of the Thompson Submachine Gun logo. Drewery who replaced Colonel Broberg, serving as AIO from 1 July 1942, until 15 July 1945. The stamp bearing his initials has been observed impressed on the receiver’s left side above the magazine well area.
Colonel Waldemar Broberg using the stamp WB, served as AIO of the Springfield District from 1 July 1941 until 30 June 1942. The Army Inspectors of Ordnance or AIOs of the Springfield District during WWII were Colonel Waldemar Broberg and Lt. Thompson Guns were inspected and proofed by on site Springfield ordnance inspectors. The Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport plant was under the jurisdiction of the Springfield Ordnance District.
The style (font) of the lettering used on the Savage produced Thompsons was also slightly different than that of the Auto-Ordnance guns. On Savage Thompsons the abbreviation “NO.” was used, while Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport guns used the slightly different “No.” abbreviation. Another detail difference on the receivers was the abbreviation for the word number, stamped before the weapon’s serial number. The receivers of Savage Thompsons were roll-marked on the left side “Model of 1928”, while the receivers manufactured by Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport were marked “Model 1928” without the word “of “ being included. designation, like early Savage Thompsons had no periods after the letters. All 1928 Thompsons manufactured at the Bridgeport factory were US Model 1928 A1’s. The receiver markings on Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport Thompsons differ slightly from those on the Savage guns.
#Auto ordnance serial numbers serial number#
This would mean that a low serial number Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport M1928A1 would have been manufactured at the same time period as a mid-range Savage M1928A1, and so on. The production of Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport M1928A1 models began approximately sixteen months after Savage.
#Auto ordnance serial numbers serial numbers#
The marking of the serial numbers on many Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport guns was rather carelessly done, as the numbers are quite often unevenly spaced and out of line. A duplicate serial number was stamped on the trigger frames, under the stock slide attachment. The serial numbers, like on the Savage and Colt guns, were roll-marked on the center of the left side of the receiver. All 1928 Thompsons that were made at the Bridgeport factory had with the letters “A.O.” preceding the weapon’s serial number. The Thompsons being produced in Bridgeport were identical mechanically and in appearance to those being made by Savage. In January of 1942, Auto-Ordnance began to renovate other buildings on the property to further increase production. The plant ran seven days a week and worked two eleven-hour shifts per day. Their guns were assembled with parts purchased from Savage and other subcontractors. At first Auto-Ordnance only made receivers and frames in house. By August of 1941, the plant was manufacturing the U.S. The first months after the building was occupied were spent renovating the facilities, and making tools and gauges not already supplied by Savage. Russell Maguire opened his Auto-Ordnance factory in a former automotive brake shoe plant located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It wasn’t until the autumn of 1941 that Auto-Ordnance opened its own factory, to assist Savage with the overwhelming wartime demand for the weapon. The Auto-Ordnance Corporation had first relied on Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company in 1921, and then Savage Arms in 1940 to actually manufacture the Thompson for them. Several attempts were made to simplify the weapon in order to expedite manufacture, but these had limited effects on increasing production.Īlthough all Thompson Submachine Guns have the Auto-Ordnance Corporation name roll-marked on the receiver’s right side, only a small portion of the total production were actually manufactured at the Auto-Ordnance Corporation’s own Bridgeport factory, especially when compared to the total number made. The Thompson Submachine Gun ID Guide, Part II: The Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport and Auto-Ordnance, West Hurley 1928ĭuring World War II the Savage Arms Company experienced difficulty in keeping up with the ever-increasing demand for more Thompsons.