According to the records on page 257 of Herigstad's "Colt Thompson Serial Numbers & Histories", this Model 1921 was purchased by the Police Department of Kansas City, Missouri in 1931, as part of a 5-piece order. Additional narrative and articles supplied with the consignment describes it as a hard-used gun, not just shoved in a closet somewhere for a rainy day, but posted to a patrol vehicle, one of four used to outfit "Car 103", an armored pursuit vehicle which would play an inglorious role in the Kansas City Massacre. On a normal day, Car 103 would carry two Thompsons, whose specific numbers went unrecorded. Tasked to meet Federal agents at a train station to help transport escapee Frank Nash to Leavenworth Penitentiary, Car 103 was disarmed before being sent out, reportedly on orders from John Lazia, bootlegger, gangster and agent of the political machine of Tom Pendergast. Stripped of their most potent weapons, the men assigned to Car 103, W.J. Grooms and Frank Hermanson (alternately identified as officers or detectives in different sources), would be the first of five men to die in a criminal ambush, along with their prisoner Nash. The exact motives behind the massacre are unclear; it's speculated that it was either a botched breakout or a shining example of how to kill a guy before he could talk. Adding an additional layer of cruelty, it is suspected that Lazia supplied at least one Thompson to the ambushers, which may have come out of police stores; there's a possibility that Grooms and Hermanson were murdered with one of their own Thompsons. After the item was acquired by the narrative writer in 1986 it was actively used as a reenactment weapon, being fitted out with a special Cutts-style compensator threaded for a detachable blank adaptor, and featured on the television shows "Rivals" (Bonnie & Clyde vs Sheriff Ted Hinton, Discovery Channel, 1996) and "Tales of the Gun" (Gangster Guns of the 20s and 30s, History Channel, 1999, used by the actor portraying George "Baby Face" Nelson) as well as in publications such as Thompson Collector's News and SWAT Magazine (February 1996 issue included, which provides much of the above info on Car 103). One of the most famous submachine guns in the world, the Thompson SMG rates as one of the truly signature American weapons. While advancements in manufacturing techniques and materials would allow later designs to match or exceed the Thompson's performance, none of them have managed to do the job with the same level of style and craftsmanship. The Thompson, a product of old-school hand craftsmanship, is virtually synonymous with the Roaring 20s and the Great Depression, being found on both sides of the law during the "gangland" era of American history, and also serving on all Allied fronts of World War II, where it stood tall among its more cost-effective stamped steel substitutes. Blade front and folding adjustable peep rear sights, with the signature Cutts compensator and cooling fins on the barrel, the model and address markings on the left side of the receiver and the Auto-Ordnance patents and address on the right, which has also been stamped "K.C.MO. POLICE DEPT.". The trigger group is numbered to match beneath the stock, with the area also stamped "K.C.MO. POLICE DEPT.", and fitted with a set of fully functional selector and safety switches. The main bolt body is in the white, with a blued cocking handle, brass "Blish Lock", felt-padded spring steel bolt oiler, and a thick spring and spring guide. The detachable stock is unnumbered. Two black leather covered cases are included; one a large flat "briefcase" with straps and clips for the SMG and multiple magazines, and a more traditional "FBI" pattern case. Also included are two Auto-Ordnance 50-round "L" drums, an extra stick magazine, hardwood display stand, assorted small parts, a blank firing adaptor, and four boxes of Stembridge Gun Rental blanks. The drums both come in a Stembridge box, which including letters of authenticity from Stembridge identifying them as part of their stock of Thompson accessories; the drums are described as 20s-30s vintage acquisition, used in "countless movies", and last documented to the production of the film Dick Tracy in 1990.

Very good as repaired, with about half of the refinished blue finish, showing some covered pitting, edge/contact point wear, and a number of light scratches and scuffs. Some notable dings are present on the rear sight wings, along with some scattered deeper pitting; the narrative attributes the former as the wings having done their job when dropped on duty, and mentions a second-hand source implying some of the pitting may have been due to blood exposure. Some filled-in chips and cracks are present on the custom made highly figured replacement buttstock, with the wood overall showing evidence of cleaning, mild dings and dents, and a highly attractive color and grain. The accessories are all in good order, showing wear appropriate to use, and the cases are very nice modern production items. Mechanically very good. A fine field and screen used Thompson 1921 SMG, connected to a hotbed of Prohibition activity and possibly one of the most notorious incidents of the Public Enemy phase of American history. NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.