![]() ![]() M1941 JOHNSON STOCK CRACK SERIAL NUMBERSThese rifles had three distinct sets of serial numbers from 1 to 10,000 with no prefix, then the second batch had an “A” prefix and finally the last batch had a “B” prefix. The Netherlands contract resulted in approximately 30,000 (or less) of the l941 rifles. Thus we have two basic groups of Johnson rifles those sold to the Netherlands and those used in very small quantities by the U.S. The Netherlands did purchase both Johnson rifles and light machine guns. The “French Connection” did not transpire due to the march of events in 19. One of these potential clients was prewar France, as well as the Netherlands. While he worked with the Corps unceasingly, while working with other governments in order to get a contract and pay the bills. Thus he had a special mission to try to get a better weapons into the hands of the Marine Corps than the 1903 Springfield and the BAR automatic rifle. worked unceasingly with the Marine Corps as he was a Lieutenant and then a Captain in the U.S. I do however believe that a soldier who has had proper instruction with this weapon can operate it satisfactorily under average field conditions, and I personally condemn any criticism of the Garand Rifle which tends to destroy the American Soldier’s confidence in the Garand Rifle as it is a weapon with which he can properly defend himself in battle.” I personally believe that it has very many admirable features, while at the same time I believe that it has certain features which are not desirable. I have personally fired the Garand Rifle on several occasions and made some very excellent rapid-fire scores with it at 600 yards. “In conclusion we must respectfully deny any specific criticism of the Garand M-1 rifle if we had been obliged to make comparisons with this rifle in the past. To put this into his own words which came from an undated document entitled, Marine Corps which always got cast offs from other branches of the service due to their smaller, if not more specialized units and missions. He did feel that both the Johnson 1941 rifle and light machine gun had their place….especially in the U.S. came up with a prototype of his rifle with which to obtain a patent! Melvin Johnson did not try to derail the M-1 rifle program nor did he try to have M-1 rifle production stopped so that his rifle could be produced instead. This was the same year that Melvin Johnson Jr. Army and thus the Johnson rifle was a little bit late in the trials and acceptance by the U.S. In 1936, John Garand’s rifle, the M-1, was adopted by the U.S. In a very short period of time he designed and worked out the innumerable bugs for a short recoil, rotary magazine, semi-automatic rifle. ![]() The l941 semi-automatic rifle and later the M-19 light machine guns were the brain child of gun enthusiast and lawyer (Harvard Law School) Melvin Johnson Jr. ![]() This probably has more to do with the lack of concrete, primary source information which was unavailable to the general public over the years rather any sinister intent. One of the fanciful stories that are thrown around the gun show circuit is that the M-1941 Johnson rifle on the table is a “marine model” and saw service in the Southwest Pacific. Included in this renewed interest in the Johnson rifle, are the various myths and stories which abound and which are promulgated by the uninformed and the hucksters who embellish or denigrate the Johnson that they may want to sell or purchase. Today they are more like $3,400 to $4,000 with some bidding going over $7,000. In the 1960’s, a Johnson could be obtained in the $100 to $120 range. This increased interest has led to skyrocketing prices. ![]() In the past ten to fifteen years there has been a greater (much greater) interest in the Johnson 1941 semi-automatic rifle. ![]()
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