Auto-Ordnance / Product Review

Kahr Thompson 1927 A-1 Carbine
Page 66-67, American Rifleman, June 2003

The Kahr/Auto-Ordnance Thompson 1927A-1 carbine is a unique piece of American firearm history you can own. This semi-automatic, .45 ACP-cal. "Tommygun" has great historical interest as Auto-Ordnance manufactured a broadly similar model in the 1930s.

Following World War I, Gen. John Taliferro Thompson conceived the idea of a compact, select fire, delayed blow-back-operated "trench broom" chambered in .45 ACP. Thompson formed the Auto-Ordnance Corp. to market his submachine gun to the military, law enforcement agencies and private security companies. Today, you can own a unique piece of American firearm history in the form of the Auto-Ordnance Thompson Model 1927A-1 semi-automatic carbine. This model has great historical interest as Auto-Ordnance manufactured a broadly similar model Thompson in the 1930s. We recently received a 1927A-1 for test and evaluation from Kahr Arms, which bought the Auto-Ordnance name, manufacturing rights and tooling from the previous owner, Numrich Arms.

Designed nearly 80 years ago for the labor intensive manufacturing techniques of the area, Kahr re-tooled the Thompson for modern CNC machining technology which controlled costs and improved quality, fit and finish. The Kahr/Thompson Model 1927A-1 carbine comes equipped with many historical features closely associated with the Thompson – a Cutts Compensator on the muzzle of a finned barrel, twin vertical pistol grips with finger grooves, a steel receiver with a top-mounted operating knob and a buttstock with considerable drop at the heel. Of course the Thompson 1927A-1 carbine is chambered for the classic .45 ACP cartridge fed from 20- or 30-round, detachable stick magazines.
The 16 1/2" barrel of the Kahr/Thompson gets greater muzzle velocity out of factory .45 ACP ammunition than from a pistol-length barrel. In addition, the 13-lb. Weight, Cutts Compensator and Twin pistol grips of the Thompson significantly reduces actual and perceived recoil, thus making the carbine easier to control.

Kahr's 1927A-1 Thompson features a slotted bolt handle on top of the receiver (above) as well as magazine release and safety levers above the pistol grip just like the original (below)./td>

To conform with Federal requirements, the Kahr/Thompson 1927A-1 carbine differs from originals in several ways. First, the Kahr/Thomson is semi-automatic only and fires from a closed bolt while most original Thompsons were selective-fire and fired from an open bolt.
Second, the barrel of the Kahr/Thompson 1927A-1 carbine is longer than the original in order to meet Federal minimum barrel length requirements. Also to meet Federal requirements, the buttstock assembly of the Kahr/Thompson is fixed, whereas on the original it was detachable. In our opinion, these changes do not detract from the aesthetics, proportion or historical attraction of the Kahr/Thompson 1927A-1.
Our Deluxe test carbine has a "service grade" polish on the metal parts with a rich, deep-blue finish. A "Commando" model with a Parkerized finish is also offered. The walnut stocks feature a non-detachable sling swivel on the toe of the buttstock and a smooth steel buttplate.
Made almost exclusively of machined steel, the Kahr/Thompson is a large, heavy gun. Nonetheless, it comes to the shoulder cleanly and is easy to control. Kahr offers a "light-weight" model with an aluminum receiver weighing 9 1/2 lbs. For those with a yen for a lighter gun.
The 1927A-1 is equipped with a blade front sight and a V-notch rear sight. Raising the ladder assembly changes the rear sight unit to a large aperture. In firing the Kahr/Thompson with a variety of .45 ACP brands and loads, we experienced no failures of any kind with FMJ bullets, but hollow-points tended to hang up. Trigger pull was quite heavy at 8 1/2 lbs. With substantial take-up and a gritty letoff. With most brands of ammunition, the 1927A-1 can consistently place aimed shots on a B-27 silhouette pistol target at 50 yds.
Kahr’s Thompson 1927A-1 carbine will appeal to veterans who carried the Thompson in combat as well as to museums, military collectors, filmmakers and reenactors. In addition, the Kahr 1927A-1 earns high rating from shooters in the "fun to shoot" and "pride of ownership" categories due to its very low recoil and high standard of workmanship.