I was watching the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" on the History channel. it was said that the Capone's guys made one run on the "hitee" using blanks in the Thompsons. then after the "hitee" had relaxed little bit they made another run using real ammo and really made a mess of things. I have always been under the impression that to make most guns work with blanks that something had to be done them to let them feed and cycle properly. I can't imagine having two sets of guns so was the Thompson different?
Thompson
- Thread starter steveno
- Start date
#1, some of the information on the History channel is neither accurate, nor history.
ALL semi and full auto guns require some kind of back pressure to work the action when there is no bullet. The military uses a blank adaptor that fastens to the outside of the gun, and plugs the bore (with a small vent hole).
Hollywood prop guns use an plug inside to the barrel, to preserve the look of an unmodified gun. Live ammo cannot be safely fired with the plug in place.
Some guns (those with locking actions) are sometimes machined into straight blowback systems for use with blanks. Doing this permanently renders them unsafe with live ammo.
I don't see Capone's gang using a blank only Tommygun. Possible, I suppose, but highly unlikely. Much more likely is that the History channel is repeating a story that was ...embellished some time in the past.
ALL semi and full auto guns require some kind of back pressure to work the action when there is no bullet. The military uses a blank adaptor that fastens to the outside of the gun, and plugs the bore (with a small vent hole).
Hollywood prop guns use an plug inside to the barrel, to preserve the look of an unmodified gun. Live ammo cannot be safely fired with the plug in place.
Some guns (those with locking actions) are sometimes machined into straight blowback systems for use with blanks. Doing this permanently renders them unsafe with live ammo.
I don't see Capone's gang using a blank only Tommygun. Possible, I suppose, but highly unlikely. Much more likely is that the History channel is repeating a story that was ...embellished some time in the past.
Armed_Chicagoan
New member
I'm surprised the History Channel didn't claim Capone was really a space alien.
Theohazard
New member
You, sir, win the Internet for today.Armed_Chicagoan said:
I'll third the notion that much of what the History Channel broadcasts is total and complete you-know-what. It's a good story, but unless it's verified by a much better source (and they explain how it was done technically), I'd remain skeptical.
Machineguntony
New member
I used to love the History Channel, until they brought in the supernatural BS. Then it went completely downhill.
On a side note relevant to this thread, if you pause certain scenes in Predator, you will see the blank adapters inside the barrels.
On a side note relevant to this thread, if you pause certain scenes in Predator, you will see the blank adapters inside the barrels.
Apparently there was an incident that might have involved blank cartridges -
Hymie plans a on the spot attack against Capone in Cicero September 20,1926, eight car loads of Northsiders drive past Capone's headquarters.They let loose with a first volley of blanks from a machinegun to make any Capone gangsters appear, but none show up as Capone himself is thrown to the ground by his bodyguard Frank Rio.The real shooting begins and about a 1,000 rounds are poured in the Hawthorne Hotel. (Blanks being used were questioned by many historians.It's quite possible that they shot the thompson machine gun in the air to make the hotel occupants come out).
http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id89.htm
As noted, the shots might have been fired into the air.
If blanks really were used, who said the weapon was necessarily a Thompson? It is my understanding that the Army issued blank-firing adapters for the 1918 BAR.....
Hymie plans a on the spot attack against Capone in Cicero September 20,1926, eight car loads of Northsiders drive past Capone's headquarters.They let loose with a first volley of blanks from a machinegun to make any Capone gangsters appear, but none show up as Capone himself is thrown to the ground by his bodyguard Frank Rio.The real shooting begins and about a 1,000 rounds are poured in the Hawthorne Hotel. (Blanks being used were questioned by many historians.It's quite possible that they shot the thompson machine gun in the air to make the hotel occupants come out).
http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id89.htm
As noted, the shots might have been fired into the air.
If blanks really were used, who said the weapon was necessarily a Thompson? It is my understanding that the Army issued blank-firing adapters for the 1918 BAR.....
No, no. The Capone gang used M16's brought to Chicago by the Knights Templar when they trekked across the North American continent in chain mail carrying the Ark of the Covenant. That was while space aliens were building the Washington Monument, and before Lenny da Vinci proved that Jesus was married to Queen Elizabeth II and they had the child we know as Barack Obama. If there is anything I hate it is inaccurate history.
Jim
Jim
Willie Lowman
New member
^^^^ The History Channel summed up perfectly in one post ^^^^