M1A1 Rangers' Custom

A circa-1964 custom-built M1A1 Thompson carbine, built from a standard-issue, but machined on the action and foregrip to allow a drum magazine and polymer vertical grip.

The M1A1 Thompson is a submachine gun that fires the .45 ACP round, first designed shortly after the original M1928A1 was adopted by law enforcement and miltary groups in the early 30s. The M1A1 is simply the military variant, with a set-in barrel, heavier build and better sights. The reason for its design was to make a more simple and much more cheap variant of the M'28A1, which did succeed at reducing the price by an entire hundred U.S. Dollars. Significant changes in aesthetics and design were made, including a tougher frame and a fire-select switch. Though replaced almost completely by the even cheaper M3 "Grease Gun" in 1945, some Army officials continued to use the well-known carbine into Vietnam for its durability.

This mid-Cold War modification sports a rubber-coated hard plastic grip and a huge 100 round drum, effectively turning it into a short-range assault rifle. Upgrades such as this were commonplace by special forces soldiers who needed their weapons to work for them, rather than the obverse.