Auto Ordnance Deluxe Titanium Gold Thompson Tommy Gun ReviewYeah... this is one of those times where you know spouse will give you the look, but you will actually gleefully sleep on the couch lovingly spooning this stunning $2900 T150TDG Thompson 1927A-1 "Deluxe Semi-Auto", Titanium Gold Plated Tommy Gun against your body. Speaking from experience, when your wife asks for something gold for her anniversary, a violin case with a golden Tommy Gun is probably not what she was expecting and it will be off to spare bedroom or couch with you. Never fear, just the initial excitement phase of owning this gun lasts for months.
FIT, FINISH, FEEL, FEATURES, & FUNCTIONS
Auto-Ordnance was the original manufacturer of the Tommy Gun AKA Chicago Typewriter. The current reformed company is now owned by the same company as Magnum Research and Kahr Arms - all of which are delivering extremely high quality firearms. The current Auto-Ordnance Thompson Tommy Guns are actually higher quality and higher toleranced versions of the 1927A-1 originals, but fire from a closed bolt and in semi-auto only. Quality is superb. If you want a full auto Tommy Machine Gun even as a LEO or Military you have to look into the extremely expensive old pre-ban options. Auto Ordnance does offer NFA registrable factory made short barreled rifle models and also non-functioning display models as well.
The Tommy Gun represents a timeless style which harkens back to the roaring 20s, mobsters, and WWII. The Thompson design ran a long hard used course through history as one of the most heavily purchased and issued machine guns in history by civilians, law enforcement, and military. It was a gun that helped empower the big New York and Chicago mobs, provided LEO & military with reliable firepower for fighting crime and in the trenches, and was also a favorite ranch/truck gun as well. It was pretty accurate, fired the effective .45 ACP round, and the weight and design delivers almost insignificant recoil even with the heaviest .45 ACP loads. If a shooter could actually lift the gun, the recoil would be a non-factor.
Shoulding the Auto-Ordnance Thompson makes you also want to slip on a fedora and pinstripe suit or circa WWII military uniform. This titanium gold nitride plated version with violin case makes you want to upgrade to a Borsalino Fedora and Tom Ford couture suit. After all, the mobster carrying this gun would not be wearing anything cheap.
Essentially the T150TDG Thompson 1927A-1 "Deluxe Semi-Auto", Titanium Gold Nitride Plated Tommy Gun is the same version Auto-Ordnance sells in a variety of configurations. The difference among the many versions is finish quality and the slight variations through the years of production.
The 1927A-1 version is the most popular in the line, so Auto Ordnance decided to offer a special Deluxe edition. This Deluxe model features a mirror polished finish which is then coated with a Titanium Gold Nitride finish. Auto-Ordnance offers this limited edition Deluxe model in this Ti-Gold finish and polished chrome. Both of these models are fully functional and can be shot, however the beautiful Ti-Nitride-Gold finish is the same coating used on top end drill bits so it can take a beating and still look beautiful. Magnum Research uses the same finish on some of the limited edition Desert Eagle pistols and it has proven itself incredibly durable over the years. Once your friends find out you own one, it is hard to keep the Gold Tommy in the safe. With the super durable Ti-Nitride-Gold finish, I will never be worried about keeping it looking factory fresh even after a lot of use.
The T150TG includes both a titanium gold plated 20-round stick and 50-round drum magazine. Now if you are going to drop $2900 on this limited edition gun, then you really should go all the way and order the custom $180 “Violin Case” available in either cello or guitar profiles. Believe me there is giant difference in presentation when pulling this out of a Pelican case or a violin case. Violins are pretty small instruments, so “Violin Case” may be a bit optimistic name, “Cello Case” would be a bit more size appropriate name. The case delivers a luxurious foam interior which can accommodate your Chicago Typewriter, a stick mag and round drum magazine. With the case, this kit pushes past a retail of $3000.WHEN MEN WERE MEN
As I hoisted the 13lb, no that weight is not a typo, muzzle heavy 1927A-1 Tommy Gun to my shoulder I was reminded that in the old days men were not wimps. If you fill and attach the 50-round drum, the Tommy Gun can easily tip the 20-lb mark when it is ready to rumble. This is a freaking beast of a gun that weighs as much or more as a fully loaded heavy barreled sniper rifle. 
Charging the Thompson is difficult with a smallish size charging knob finished in slick gold titanium nitride and wicked strong recoil spring. As I was charging...attempting to charge, holy freaking cow that bolt spring is heavy, good lord this is freaking child safe…. minutes later I found the appropriate leverage point to get the factory new bolt moving backward. Some ancient WWII dude at the range suggested a loop of paracord be used to charge the gun “that’s what we used to use”. If your brain is thinking AR15 charging, the Thompson is not going to be an easy slap to charge at all, however once charged the glorious fun begins.FUNCTIONAL FUN WITH GOOD ACCURACY
Though this Thompson 1927A-1 is equipped with a rear ladder sight which is in theory calibrated to 600-yards, it is not a tack driving gun. The Tommy delivers practical accuracy of around 1.5” groups at 25-yards which equated to 5”-7” groups at the 100-yard ranges in my testing. At 200-yards I was still able to ring a standard steel silhouette and usually ring it eight out of ten times at 300 yards. Defensively accuracy? Absolutely and a whole bucket of fun in the process, but 500-600-yards would have some luck involved. During the hundred of rounds I had zero issues with feeding and functioning - reliability is definitely not an issue.
$400 IN AMMO GONE IN NO TIME
Well, the T150TDG Thompson 1927A-1 "Deluxe Semi-Auto", Titanium Gold Plated Tommy Gun may not shoot rounds quite as fast as an AR15, however the case of .45 ACP rounds seemed to evaporate stunningly fast.
There were sad faces all around after a little over 1000 rounds moved through the Thompson. This is a blast to shoot, it delivers zero recoil to the shooter, and is way more accurate than it should be for a 1927 design that has been polished and gold titanium plated. Honestly, I want to take it rabbit and squirrel hunting - that would be a blast.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With all this discussion about outlawing deadly AR15s, I have not heard anyone say peep about Tommy Guns… at least that was my justification to my wife. This was the defensive carbine of the 1920s, 1940s, and all the way to the 1970s when the AR15 started to get into civilian hands.
The T150TDG Thompson 1927A-1 "Deluxe Semi-Auto", Titanium Gold Plated Tommy Gun are limited edition and will not be around forever. If you want something special, something unique and something that brings a wow factor to any range session you had better get one on order. This is not only a unique collector piece which Tommy gun fans will value highly down the line, but it delivers a huge fun factor. I cannot recommend this wonderful gun enough. Suck it up and whip out the Amex, it is worth it.SPECS
Auto Ordnance Deluxe Titanium Gold Tommy Gun
ModelsT150DTG
Caliber.45 ACP
Barrel16.5", Finned (with compensator 18")
Weight13 lbs.
Length41" overall
SightBlade front, open rear adjustable
FinishTitanium Gold
StockWalnut fixed stock and vertical foregrip
MagazinesOne each 50 Round Drum and 20 Round Stick Magazines
Warranty1 year
* Specifications subject to change without notice
MSRP: $2,963.00
SOURCES
Auto Ordnance - http://www.auto-ordnance.com