Hey knp:
I’m going to try and attach a picture of that Beretta smg too.
Incidently, you’re right about the nationalist Chinese using the Thompson. There were even copies made in some Chinese arsenals (though I’m not sure if they were quality licensed copies.) In fact, the desire to have pistols and smg’s in the same caliber even caused one Chinese warlord to make a .45 version of the Broomhandle Mauser, of all things! Here’s the Wikipedia article FYI:
Shansi Type 17 (.45 ACP)
During the Warlord era of Chinese History in the early 20th century, the province of Shansi was ruled by the warlord Yen Hsi-shan, who had established a modern arms factory in his capital city of Taiyuan. Yen was equipping his troops with a locally produced copy of the Thompson sub machine gun, chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge, but was experiencing supply difficulties as his troops’ sidearms were 7.63mm calibre C96 handguns.[18]
His solution was to produce a .45 ACP calibre version of the C96, thus standardising ammunition and making supply easier.[18] Designated Type 17, production on the .45 calibre handgun began in 1929 at the Taiyuan Arsenal. They are inscribed (in Chinese) “Type 17” on the left hand side of the gun, and “Republic Year Eighteen, Made in Shansi” on the right hand side.[18] They were issued (along with Thompson SMGs) to railway guards in the province as defence against bandits and other warlords.
Besides being chambered for a larger cartridge, the Shansi .45 pistols are noticeably bigger than their 7.63mm counterparts, with the 10-round magazine extending below the trigger guard. It was loaded using two 5-round stripper clips rather than the single 10-round stripper clips of the standard 7.63mm Mauser.
Most of the Shansi .45 pistols were melted down after the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, largely due to their odd calibre for Communist Regulations, but a few examples were exported overseas for sale on the commercial market.[18] Approximately 8,500 Shansi .45 calibre Broomhandle pistols are believed to have been produced by the Taiyuan Arsenal, but there is some debate as to how many of the Shansi .45 calibre Broomhandle pistols currently on the commercial market were actually produced for Yen’s troops, and how many are more recent productions for the US collectors’ market.