Thompson M1928 Submachinegun
(c. 1930's)

The Thompson sub-machine gun is an air-cooled, blowback-operated, magazine-fed weapon. It is designed to be fired from the hip or shoulder in either full or semi-automatic mode. Ammunition feed comes from a choice of two drum magazines holding 50 or 100 rounds, or two box-magazines having capacities of 20 and 30 rounds, of .45-calibre. Weight 4.9 Kg, overall length 85cm, cyclic rate-of-fire 700 rpm, effective range 50m.

Originally introduced in 1919, the Thompson sub-machinegun was first known as the M1921, then the M1923 (which fired a more-powerful .45 cartridge in an attempt to increase the effective range), and even a semi-automatic M1927 version. But it was as the M1928 that it saw its greatest success. It was an excellently-designed weapon; too much so, in fact, requiring the US Government to order a less-sophisticated (and cheaper) version for mass-production during World War II. This model, known as the M1928A1, lacked the front pistol grip. In 1943 the M1 dispensed with the Cutts Compensator (the vented muzzle-piece, which ejected gases upwards to dampen the heavy recoil which often forced the user to 'pull up' when firing), and the M1A1 had a simpler rear sight.

Seen in Star Trek: First Contact. On the holodeck with safety protocols disengaged it was able to kill two Borg drones.

Picard isn't the only Starfleet officer to wield a Chicago typewriter, either! Kirk and Spock found them useful in alleviating a horrendous breach of the Prime Directive on the planet Iotia, which had modelled itself after the Mob-ridden Chicago of the 1930's. Many fans have expressed a desire for 'modern' Trek to return to see how the Iotians are getting on. . .