1941 johnson rifle

[woodpile]

I recently inhereted a 1941 Johnson rifle. I got the chance to take it to the range yesterday and fire a couple of shots. The recipricating barrel make it feel different then anything I have ever shot before. I will say I got a lot of wierd looks at the range. I took 4 rifles with me I was in a miiltary mood. I took the Johnson rifle, a 98 Krag carbine, a 1917 eddystone, and a Garand.

https://imgur.com/6W6XjCF

[GONRA]

If you handload for these, GONRA suggests you make DAM SURE reloads
FREELY CHAMBER and use CCI military primers to avoid slamfires.
These are wonderful "short recoil action" rifles - for collectors and shooters.
BUT - not necessarily up to today's safety expectations!

[Stewbaby]

lucky you! Enjoy. They’re almost worth too much to even shoot. If something breaks…

[r80rt]

I've seen ONE Johnson rifle in my life, the guy let my kid hold it and said "Young man, this is something you'll probably never do again".

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Yours appears to be in very nice condition. Definitely a treasure. Last one I saw for sale in that shape was asking $3,200.

DG

[woodpile]

the paperwork that came with it show my uncle bought it 1999. I shoot all firearms in my collection some only come out every couple of years.

[Bmi48219]

I shot a nearly mint Johnson a few years back. Until then I had only seen pictures of them. Sure made my day.

[Alstep]

I remember these for sale in the Rifleman, and racks of them in surplus stores in the 1950's for $69.95. An '03 for $49.95. Along with Mausers, Lugers, Russian Tokarevs, SMLE's. That was a huge amount of money for a kid back then. Never did get one.

[CastingFool]

I have only seen one of those at a gun show, years ago. The American Rifleman had a nice article about them.

[Adam Helmer]

Back in the early 1990s I was working a criminal case in upstate Maine and always visited all the gun shops. In a small town on a late Friday afternoon I was allowing the time allowed to fit the need of the case. In an old hardware store I saw a rack of a few long arms. I chatted with the store keeper and asked about the Johnson on the rack with a $500 price tag. He handed it over for my exam and said, " It is sold and the buyer will be here soon."

He said, " A widow woman brought this gun by last month after her WWII husband died. He was a Marine veteran and sent this gun home." The storekeeper said he put a $100 tag on it and increased it $100 per week until a guy snapped it up at $500. It was a true NRA Excellent rifle with potential capture papers available.

Adam

[turtlezx]

1 currently on GB $10,000

[Buck Shot]

Ol' Betsy. Nice gun.

[roverboy]

They are extremely rare. I think around 70,000 were ordered but, I don't believe they delivered anywhere near that. Mine has been rebarreled by Winfield but, everything else is original.

[turtlezx]

not *** but think number made was 14k

[roverboy]

Ok, I knew it wasn't to many.

[jimb16]

I used to have one. Shot the heck out of it with jacketed and cast bullets. Didn't seem to care which I used as long as there was enough recoil. I finally sold it. I just couldn't fall in love with it. It was one of the Dutch order.

[bedbugbilly]

I can remember the days when you could order a Johnson through some of the gun magazines - a bit more expensive than the run of the mill '03s and ''17s - but they were all considered "surplus" in those days. I only remember seeing two Johnsons and both were in museums.

Enjoy your Johnson - certainly a unique rifle and a prize if you are fortunate enough to have one.

[Adam Helmer]

The Johnson had its place in WWII history and if it was great, it would still be sold today.

Adam

[woodpile]

Definately fun to shoot. It is proving more accurate then most of the Garands I have fired. I believe this was built from left over parts from the Danish contract.

[roverboy]

The Johnson had its place in WWII history and if it was great, it would still be sold today.

Adam

I agree, I've read paratroopers liked it. But, overall it wasn't that popular.