A man has been arrested in Sydney for having a Thompson sub-machine gun.

Informed opinion is that the gun is a fake.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-19/man-refused-bail-over-sub-machine-gun-in-bag-in-marrickville/6953370

The gun really looks to good to be true, given that they haven't been made for a number of years and most legally on offer shew plenty of signs of use.

Auto Ordnance in the USA makes a semi-automatic version but I doubt that this is one of theirs as it lacks the strengthening cross bolt in the butt, still it could be an early version.
Auto Ordnance Thompsons were legally imported into Australia in the past.
http://www.tommygunner.com/pages/guns4sale/

There is a genuine Thompson for sale on Gun Broker
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=523603999#PIC

bidding has reached $22,500 US so if anyone wants it jump in with the reserve of $41,500 US and it's yours. ($A 57,894).

Oh! there are a few stringent requirements to be met.

Is Mise,

Nearly checked to see if it was 1 April.

You are having a lend of the hoplophobes, whose nappies are already loaded.

It would be a non-shooting replica wouldn't it? Is anyone shooting a gangster movie? I never bet, but what about London to a brick on it being one of these? See below,

http://www.denix.es/en/catalogue/61/83/#.Vk16GfkrKUk

What a publicity ploy for the NSW Police though. Any changes proposed ATM? They have the media are running about, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling".

Of course a replica even a plastic one can be regarded as a firearm anyhow and penalties apply (regulations).

I wonder if those police would ever volunteer to load it with live ball ammunition and prove its 'automatic' operation before cameras? One shot and pick the bits out of the unfortunate operator?

What is wrong with you two. these are the type of weapons you want to see freely available to the general public.

"Police said they discovered a Thompson branded fully-automatic submachine gun, a clip and almost 200 rounds of ammunition in Avidov's bag."

Are you saying the coppers don't know a gun and ammunition when they see it?

There is nothing to say that the accused, Marc Avidov, does not hold a gun licence. Could even be a member of the Shooters and Hooters Party.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-19/man-refused-bail-over-sub-machine-gun-in-bag-in-marrickville/6953370

Paul,

Spreading disinformation in true Greens' style or is it just that you lack reading comprehension?

From the link that you gave, "Avidov was arrested without incident and charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, acquiring a firearm without a licence and possessing ammunition."

I don't think that he had a licence.

Just for the record the round thing is not a clip, it's a magazine, still we can't expect the media to get it right, that would take the slightest of mental effort.

It is worth saying it again for the open-minded who have only a passing knowledge of firearms that a non-firing replica is treated (and may be described!) as though it is an actual, operative firearm. That is the oddity of the regulations.

Many believe it is irresponsible of police media units to release reports about replicas and toys, describing them as though they are in fact the real thing, which they are not and scaring the daylights out of the uninformed, trusting public.

Until the police can show that rather obvious replica firing, which would be the equivalent of a toy boat competing in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the only 'automatic' is the media knee-jerk reaction, thanks to the police media unit who must enjoy a little publicity.

Similarly, 'bullets', cartridges etc., can be empty and fired cases. Not so long ago a paper did a monstrous beat-up on a fired .22 case that had probably fallen from a farmer's truck. A piece of lettuce would be more capable of causing harm.