[AGE]

Ed,

I believe the Thompson was a civilian gun. It had a vertical forward grip, a compensator, a finned barrel and evidently a 100 round drum magazine. The sheriff mentioned that the previous sheriff had sold the drum (but couldn't sell the gun) to buy other guns. My understanding is that the military guns can't be used with a drum.

I once had a neighbor (now deceased) who fought in Europe in WWII using a Thompson. He told me that he participated in a lot of house clearing. He held the gun sideways and let the recoil move it around the room. He insisted that it was very effective. I imagine the room would be shot up, but suspect anybody crouching behind cover would be safe until reload time. Then bang bang (ouch).

In WV out in the country the sheriff is THE law enforcement. There are town and city police in bigger communities and highway patrolmen on the interstates but only sheriff's deputies in the boonies. FL is the same way. With today's terrorist concerns, I don't know if I would have loaned a tommy gun to an old fart like me, but this sheriff did even before I treated him to a few of my guns.

I'll probably stay away from big crowds of LE people. Some eager young punk might decide to get nosy and be a pain. I have never had a problem, but I believe in discretion. I have been a shooter for 60 years, got a letter in high school on the rifle team, have had CCW permits in 3 states, etc. etc. Nevertheless, LE people have got to be a lot more suspicious of the population than ever before.