# Can a Thompson SMG actually fit into a violin case? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529 "2012-09-22T20:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/21 "2012-09-23T16:34:42Z")
“They bring a violin, you bring a cello. That’s the Chicago way.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/22 "2012-09-23T16:41:46Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > But are those violin or viola cases? One would have to ascertain the snob factor of the owner to know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/23 "2012-09-23T18:52:10Z")
The ones made up _at the time_ for law enforcement agencies were converted trombone cases. The result was very heavy, especially if the magazines were loaded, and the leather handle inherited from the musical instrument case would probably break if you tried to run with it. > **[Photobucket | Make your memories fun!](https://s452.photobucket.com/albums/qq248/rat-tat-tat/old%20case%20pictures/)** > > Make your memories fun! ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/24 "2012-09-23T19:09:07Z")
^^^ Good lord! Ignorance fought and a weak joke’s fallen flat (speaking of things musical). ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/25 "2012-09-24T04:55:45Z")
FWIW, according to Peter Maas in _The Valachi Papers_, Joe Valachi claimed “Buster from Chicago” carried a machine gun in a violin case. Valachi’s verity has been questioned, but I don’t know why he’d make up something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/26 "2012-09-24T08:08:50Z")
See you, and…raise. [http://www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/Heligun/heliguncase.jpg](http://www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/Heligun/heliguncase.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/27 "2012-09-24T14:43:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “They bring a violin, you bring a cello. That’s the Chicago way.” [Antonio Banderas and friends agree.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBmwUTjAYes) (Yeah, yeah; they’re guitar cases—work with me a little.) Didn’t the old [AT-3 “Sagger” ATGM](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K11_Malyutka) fit into a suitcase? I think that might be what you’d bring in the cello case. Thanks for the info up above, **pkbites**. Had I the coin, I’d look at Rohrbaugh or “settle” for a Kahr. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/28 "2012-09-24T15:11:31Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > He thought so. Turned out it was just the Violin section of the local Philharmonic out for some lunch. There’s too much violins in modern culture. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/29 "2012-09-24T15:59:36Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Thanks for the info up above, **pkbites**. Had I the coin, I’d look at Rohrbaugh or “settle” for a Kahr. Are you talking about a 9mm or 9mm short (.380)? I’ve never fired one personally, but everyone I know who has, and everything I’ve seem online says the Rohrbaugh 9mm kicks like a mutha [fukka!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQLo1Zb8ss), and is not fun to shoot. I had a Kahr PM9 9mm. Beautifully made 9mm pocket pistol. For a small frame it handled recoil well. But the steel single stack magazines were sub par. If I carried an extra mag in my pocket or a pouch there was always a round of ammo laying around. The magazine upper lip didn’t hold the top round very securely. But that was my only complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/30 "2012-09-24T21:45:20Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > There’s too much violins in modern culture. Too much _sax_ and violins, imo. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/31 "2012-09-25T05:28:22Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Most violinists nowadays use a rectangular case. The major reason is that it has a bit of extra storage space for other things that the musician needs to carry However, more than one violinist has told me that they always get smart-ass remarks about machine guns if they use a violin-shaped case, so the rectangular case is preferred for that reason as well. Ironic, considering that the rectangular case is the only one that will hold a fully-assembled Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529/32 "2012-09-25T06:11:25Z")
My gf was a violininst. Her playing was so bad that when she opened the violin case, people prayed she would pull out a Thompson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thompson-smg-actually-fit-into-a-violin-case/635529.md?page=1)