The disclosed device is based on the Thompson submachine gun. The disclosed device is specifically designed to only fire blanks, or a firearm cartridge that contains gunpowder but no bullet, shot, or projectile. Blanks can be fired in fully automatic fashion, just as a standard machine gun. Numerous features are disclosed that prevent the disclosed device from being modified to fire live cartridges. The result is a blank-firing device with the appearance of a genuine firearm, while being unable to fire live cartridges, and thus not regulated by state or federal laws, or regulations to possess, use, and/or transfer.