oiler, and another where a spare parts package was stored. The barrel is marked 30-06 and ’41. Adjustment is done by simply sliding the ramp back and engaging a 'tooth' One feature that the Marines liked about the Johnson was that the weapon could be easily broken down for transporting.
A subcontractor in Mexico manufactured the 7mm barrels for Cranston Arms Co.
About 20 feet from us a group of young men pulled in and began shooting a variety of surplus rifles. Demonstrating the M1941 Johnson semi automatic rifle’s unique nondetachable rotary magazine. In the late 1930's and early 1940's the Johnson semi-automatic rifle was one of the most modern and innovative designs. I’ve done hundred of rounds with no problem. The balance of the finish shows natural age discoloration and surface marking.
extractor, firing pin and hammer spring - all heavily greased for storage. It has the rifle's serial At this time, the U.S. Marine Corps found itself in need of a modern fast-firing infantry rifle, and acquired some rifles from the Dutch East Indies shipment for issue to its Para-marine battalions then preparing to deploy for action in the Pacific theatre. I have an incomplete A 1941 johnson. All Types"A" Names
Identification of the Johnson 1941 Rifle is quite easy to do. calibrated for metres.
due to the large Dutch Govt. Melvin Johnson was a gun designer who felt that the M1 Garand rifle had several significant flaws – so he developed his own semiauto .30-06 rifle to supplement the M1. The recoil action of the Johnson is a very interesting design. Any interest in selling this M1941 Johnson? The belt loop on the scabbard is only about an inch wide. There is some wear on the left side of the barrel and frosting on the upper tang.
This gun retains about 85% of its metal finish. The metal is exceptionally good on this rifle.
With only small quantities of the new (at that time) M-1 Garand being produced, the Johnson was a serious contender to be the U.S. service rifle. is quite easy to do. This caused the Marine Corps to take a second look at the Johnson. I am told that it originally had another scope mounted.
The Marines felt that this would be an asset for their newly formed paratrooper battalions where the rifles could be easily carried when disassembled.
We have not fired this rifle. I just bought a sporterized one today at a sporting goods store. Winfield offered these in several grades, from original military to highly polished and blued guns with the original stocks replaced with fancy wood. The semi-automatic Johnson rifles today have far surpassed the average M1 Garand in price. I have the original scabbard, but it is dry rotted. My grandpa was a marine paratrooper with the OSS and loves rifle.
About 30,000 were produced for the Dutch East Indies by Johnson Automatics, but Japan conquered the islands before they were delivered. and ancillary parts are still in place on the receiver. If it wasn’t a significant improvement over the Garand, Ordnance didn’t see the use in siphoning off resources to produce a second rifle. "G" Names In 1940 a few minor serviceability problems with the M1 Garand began to surface. The bayonet was extremely light at .35 pounds and had a triangular 8” blade. The double-tapping is because of soft-primers on commercial ammunition. Most USMC rifles apparently had distinctive modifications done to the sights by USMC armorers. front sight (similar to that used on Mauser rifles). My brother had a Johnson and tried to compare the two rifles. the buttplate. electro-arc welded together in a special jig. The weapon though was hard on the brass. NPC guns have a small acceptance and inspection star above the Cranston Arms logo, and a Netherlands property sword on the barrel. 1941 "D" Names Johnson Rifles and Machine Guns: The Story of Melvin Maynard Johnson, Jr. and His Guns. Like most websites today, Olive-Drab.com requires Javascript to function. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Never fired. We never got a closeup look at it. Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are lightly oiled wood. I hadn’t seen another Johnson 1941 semi auto with a scope. Johnsons were produced from 1941 to 1944, with the year indicated by a letter prefix to the serial number. Was the scoped LMG your father carried issued with the scope? Col. Melvin M. Johnson, Jr., a captain in the Marine Reserve, was a gifted inventor whose company produced the Johnson Semiautomatic rifle and two models of the machine gun, the Johnson Model 1941 and the Model 1944. The .9 pound bayonet was attached to the forearm of the stock. other than those parts, it seems to be complete.
Melvin Johnson campaigned heavily for the adoption of the Johnson rifle by the U.S. Army and other service branches. Surplus Some earlier prototypes of the Johnson rifle were designed for a conventional box style magazine.
I recently came upon a 1941 Johnson rifle that was purchased in 1941 by a worker in the RI plant direct from the company. Military Issue equipment, clothing, boots, MREs, MOLLE gear and much more.
Serial number is B1680 and it has a stamp above the Cranston Arms receiver emblem (I believe it is the Dutch five point stamp). If no letter, the rifle was produced in 1941. Secondly, Mine has been repaired at the rear of the receiver on the left side. the fore stock was missing and the bolt retainer was missing.
A forum community dedicated to AK rifle and AK variant rifle owners and enthusiasts. All rights reserved worldwide. I cannot find information on that serial except for the possibility that it was a pre production prototype?
The finish is original on this one, and the bore is perfect. It has the standard US military dark, uncheckered,
Rifle looks like it is 98% (or better) original condition, made by Cranston Arms Co.. The M1941 competed unsuccessfully with the U.S. M1 Rifle. The Cranston arms mark has definitely not been refinished over, nor have the markings on the top of the frame.
– charging handle from Remington Model 8, right? Was there a sniper version of the Johnson? The front sight is a post, protected by two ears. Rear Sight is made from stamped sheet steel The Receiver is 20 inches in length, made
Action Type: Semi Auto Rifle, Internal Magazine eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'olive_drab_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',321,'0','0'])); The M1941 was ordered by the Netherlands for issue to the KNIL in the Dutch East Indies, but only 1,999 rifles were shipped to the Dutch East Indies before the Japanese invaded. Howard as a calling card when this leaflet was presented to Hoffman Arms Col. Melvin M. Johnson, Jr., a captain in the Marine Reserve, was a gifted inventor whose company produced the Johnson Semiautomatic rifle and two models of the machine gun, the Johnson Model 1941 and the Model 1944. “30-06” is marked on top of the barrel. In 1941 the Netherlands ordered 70,000 of the M1941 Johnson semi-auto rifles for the Dutch East Indies Defense Force. The Johnson Model 1941 was the only new design rifle introduced during the war. Front and rear sights are perfect and untampered with “30.06” at twelve o’clock and “41” at six o’clock are stamped on the barrel. The Johnson rifle was designed by Marine Reserve Captain Melvin M. Johnson Jr., a Harvard educated attorney. The exposed portion of the barrel also caused some concern.
The barrel is marked 30-06 and ’41. Robert, My Dad’s Johnson LMG came with a scope. Ordnance markings to distinguish a Marine Corps issued rifle.
The first block of serial numbers of the rifles ascends up to 9,999. The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp and deep. If you don’t have one yet, here it is and if you already have one, this one is probably an improvement! For good results, try entering this: m1941 johnson. Some claimed it was superior to the M-1 Garand, but Army tests did not confirm that claim. In addition to the Garand, the U.S. produced the semi-automatic M1 carbine in even greater numbers. repro scabbard had a little tag on it saying it was made in India. Sights / Optics: The gun is mounted with a winged front sight and a frame mounted windage and elevation adjustable rear sight. Can’t wait to get it to the range. These 'spares packages' were found in the lightening cut located under There are a few gouges on the left side of the forearm and left side of the stock. That weapon was the 30’06 M1941 Johnson Rifle. trigger is grooved for grip and comfort.
are no other US military accessories for the Johnson Rifle. We discussed it and all agreed that this was not possible. Chambered in .30-06, the gun could be fed with old Springfield 1903 stripper clips or … We have not fired this rifle. An improved model, the 1944 LMG, was later introduced and manufactured in limited numbers. The Johnson rifle was procured in limited quantities during World War II, used by US Special Forces, including the joint Canadian-American First Special Service Force (FSSF), and by the USMC, in the Raiders and paratroopers. Love this stuff. My rifle also shows signs of a wood patch just behind the rotary magazine. If a serial number is present, it was likely applied in foreign service. The buttplate This is an example of a WWII Model 1941 Johnson Semi-Automatic Rifle. the reason I ask is that some rare pieces lately are being reproduced, and whoever is doing the work did their homework. The barrel offered only lateral support, and the barrel moved freely while the bayonet remained stationary. The rotating bolt head is locked to the barrel by eight lugs. The Johnson design was unique for a major caliber rifle because it was recoil operated. Cocking Handle is It is a graduated in metres for distance rather than in yards this was The Marines procured a limited number of the Johnson rifle for issue to the 1st Parachute Battalion in 1942. SERIAL NUMBER A9179, IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION, THE BORE IS BRIGHT WITH STRONG RIFLING, STOCK IS IN GREAT CONDITION WITH ORIGINAL. Sat in closet unfired, and now in my gun safe. order which specified the sights were to be After several unsuccessful attempts to interest the U.S. military in the Johnson rifle, Johnson’s company began seeking foreign contracts.