What will really bring down the United States?

Just before Christmas, 2011, it was announced that the mission in Iraq was completed; that the mission was accomplished. I am not sure if the mission accomplished was finding weapons of mass destruction (they were never found) or if it was the setting up a long-term democracy in Iraq. Just weeks after the U.S. pullout in Iraq, the various political and religious factions in that country are fighting to such a degree that informed sources feel that Iraq is on the verge of a civil war. Surprise!!

In Afghanistan, we went after the perpetuators of the 9/11 World Trade Center assault. It took some 10 years to find and kill Osama Bin-Laden and the Taliban still roams the countryside spreading terror and destruction. The country and the government still live in a stone age society with a stone age mentality. The leaders of the country are stuffing their pockets with money while the countryside lives in abject poverty.

These wars cost the United States (and its allies) a trillion dollars and thousands of lives of those who served there. What has been gained? In the long run, we have gained nothing. If we let our guard down in the United States, they will strike again at targets in the United States. So learn to love the checks at the airport and security on every train station and subway.

What will really bring down the United States? Will it be the terrorists or will it be our own ineptitude and political bungling? If one studies ancient history, if can be seen that in the long term Rome was Rome's biggest enemy and not those from their far flung colonies. Should we start a new war based on the problems that can weaken and destroy the United States from within?

How about a war on ignorance? Our educational system is in shambles. Every day we hear how our children don't have a grip on math or science or geography or spelling or......! Many countries around the world excel in education, but instead of applying lessons that these countries have learned, we throw money at the problem. If Finland does so well in educating their children, shouldn't we incorporate their system into our educational system? No. We just talk and argue about it and blame the teachers or the principal or what ever and education continues to suffer. Why do we push students through the educational system when they have not learned the course work? How can we allow young people to drop out of school when they are deficient in the subjects at all levels? Those who drop out have a 25% chance of being in trouble with the law within one year. We have money for prisons but we do not have money and ideas to turn our children into educated adults who can hold a job and contribute to society. Let's have a war on ignorance.

How about a war on our outdated political system? Does this mean a violent overthrow of the government? No. It does mean that we need to get rid of the cradle-to-grave politicians who stay in office by getting large amounts of money from contributors and then passing legislation that is favorable to these donors. We need to make it illegal for politicians to unethically benefit from their tenure in office; obscenely high retirement benefits, health care in office far greater than the voters back home have, and lavish and unnecessary perks while in office. Monies earned from book deals should be turned over to charity, ex-politicians should not be allowed to become lobbyists....ever! Term limits need to be imposed so that those serving in office are actually there to serve the electorate and not just working to get re-elected. One 6-year term would be enough. Serve the 6-years in which you serve your real constituents, the voters, and then get out without a lavish pension. Is it possible that the U.S. Congress could do away with pork-barrel projects that do nothing to better our country but just waste the tax-payer's money? Why should bills be tied up in committee on merely partisan grounds and not on their long term benefits to the American people? The list is endless. Lets get back to government that serves the people and not the politician.

How about a war to make America competitive again? Our jobs flow out of the United States to countries that practice unfair trade and monetary policy when it comes to the USA. It is time that we impose a high tax on products produced by United States corporations located in other countries. We need to have a work force that is geared to the 21st. Century and not to the 19th. Century.

How about a war on our aging infrastructure? Our roads and bridges are in horrible shape. Water lines, gas lines and sewer lines are in need of upgrades and repairs. Public buildings, such as schools, are in need of repair, if not replacement. Water purification plants and sewage treatment plants need upgrades to meet the demand of larger populations. How about modern recycling plants instead of dumps (I'm sorry, sanitary landfills). How about modern electrical generation plants that do not spew pollution into the lungs of people, or cause acid rain and climate change. Many of these problems could be addressed by raising the gasoline tax to pay for the improvements. This gas tax would curtail consumption which would end wasteful driving in fuel inefficient vehicles. However, the American people might be their own worst enemy as they want improvements without any cost to them.

Many nations in history have risen and fallen as they wasted money on wars abroad and inefficient programs at home. At all levels of government today the keywords are partisanship and individual egos. The keywords should be cooperation and compromise for a better America. I began voting in 1964 and we are still discussing and debating the same problems and concerns that we had then: war, education, crime, drugs, the postal system, social security, and health care. Change has to come soon as time is running out. As the Chinese say, "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.". It is time we take that first step and start walking together instead of trying to trip the guy who belongs to the other party!!

THE MYSTIQUE OF THE DOUBLE RIFLE – PART TWO

In the early 1980’s I started looking for an affordable double rifle in a caliber that would be suitable for big game. Besides being able to deliver the correct amount of energy on target, it had to be such a caliber that loaded cartridges, cartridge cases, and projectiles would be readily available. To purchase a rifle in 40 caliber, for instance, would exacerbate the problem of obtaining ammunition and loading components.

I would have liked to have a rifle my favorite caliber, 30/06, but rifles chambered in this caliber are fairly scarce. Furthermore, extraction problems can be encountered in rimless calibers. It wasn´t long before I encountered a side-by-side double rifle in 9.3 x 74R caliber. I knew about this cartridge and it made my decision to purchase the rifle that much easier. It plenty of muzzle energy for big game and the components area readily available.

First of all, let me discuss the 9.3 x 74R caliber. In Europe they usually denote a caliber by the diameter of the projectile, the length of the cartridge case and then a suffix which denotes whether the case is rimmed or rimless. Thus this cartridge has a 9.3 mm (.366) diameter projectile and cartridge case is 74 mm (3 inches) long. The “R” means that the case has a rim on the cartridge case for in extraction. The case also has a slight taper which also aids extraction. Extraction is always a concern in a double rifle as the cartridge case is not turned by a bolt for primary extraction. The case is pulled straight back and out” This cartridge is widely used in Europe and today one hears more and more about it in the United States. In fact, some U.S. companies now make the projectiles for reloading and others carry the ammunition and cartridge cases.

The rifle was manufactured by the company Richard Fischer Jr. in Suhl Germany Suhl (Thuringia State) ins the ancient arms marking center of Germany and still produces fine firearms for those with a taste for quality and beauty. The rifle was proofed February 1931 and thus it was manufactured some time before that date.

When purchasing a double rifle, one must check the information available on the “flats” Remove the barrels and turn them over and look at the marks located on the flats directly under the chambers. The caliber will be stamped at this location, mine is stamped 9.3 mm/74.5 It is stamped with an N for nitro proofed or quite simply nitro cellulose, smokeless powder. The projectile weight used in regulating the barrets weighed 18 grams which is in the range of 285 grams. A box 9.3 x 74R cartridges that were manufactured by DWM in Germany shows a 19 gram projectile with3.85 grams of smokeless powder.

A U with a crown above it means that the firearm has had the final proof. The proof mark was used on German firearms prior to 1939 when new proof law was instituted. A stamp, st m G shows that the barrets were proofed for rifled barrels with a steel jacketed projectile. A G with a crown above it means that it was proofed for a firearm with rifled barrels. An E with a crown above is also stamped on the flats which shows that the rifle was proofed for express rifle barrels. Finatty a stylized eagle with spreading wings shows that a proof was carried out on the unfinished barrels. Evidently they did not wand to go thought the final finishing and regulating only out that the barrel(s) had a structural flaw in them.

To be able to ascertain what all of the different proofs mean for the different countries involved in the rifles manufacture, you must have a book on proof marks which is available and is listed at the end of this article.

The reasons that I appreciate this rifle, when I go hunting, are many and varied. First of all, if I am back packing into the mountains the rifle can be broken down into there separate components. The rifle is also light when compared with many of the bolt action rifles chambered for big magnum. U.S. calibers. When the rifle is assembled for use it is well balanced and easy to carry in rough terrain. Due to the fact that there is no long action, as found on bolt action rifles, the rifle can have a 26-inch barrel and still be shorter than a comparable bolt action rifle. I also have two barrels at my disposal that fire powerful cartridges. The first barrel should accomplish the task at hand, but if not, then the second barrel is readily available by merely putting your finger on the second trigger. You do not have to move a bolt or work the slide as on widely used American hunting rifles. Of course one can argue that semi-auto hunting rifles are available where you can send a number of rounds down range by merely squeezing the trigger. That is true, but I am not a proponent of “spray and pray” marksmanship. This is especially true when one considers the number of hunters who traverse hill and dale during the hunting season. People can get wounded or killed by senseless shot after a fleeing game animal. I feel that if you haven´t bagged the animal in one or two shots, it is time to quit firing and look for another opportunity to bag your deer or elk!

This particular double rifle does not have automatic ejectors as is the cases most doubles. Automatic ejectors will increase the price of the rifle for one thing. The other is that with dangerous game it is felt that the ping of cartridge cases catapulting out of the rifle will attract the attention of a wounded, dangerous animal. If you are reloading the ammunition, it also allows you to put fired cartridge cases in your pocket rather than digging through the snow looking for them.

When this double is turned over, there is a trap door at the toe of the butt stock which houses four cartridges. This you always have spare ammunition with you if need be I am not one that goes into the forest with a box or two or ammunition as I am hunting and going on seek and destroy mission. If you can´t bag your animal with a half dozen rounds or less, it is time to spend more time on the range or gbe more selective when choosing your shots.

As I got older, I added a 23/4X scope to the rail built in between the barrels. This aids me in sighting in the rifle as well as scanning the brush or trees to see if an animal is legal… before pulling the trigger(s). There is no reason to have a 3 x  9 variable scope installed on the rifle as a double rifle a 100 to 150 yard rifle. Furthermore I am hunting and stalking the animal to get within a decent range which is part of the hunting.

Experience if I just wanted to put meat on the table, I wound use a heavy caliber sniper rifle and shoot at targets at 500 to 1000 yards. That is not my idea of hunting and I will stick to the 100 to 150 yard shots. Remember the thrill of hunting is summed up in the first four letters of the word hunting… HUNT!!

Finally we come to regulation of the rifle. It had been regulated at the firearms factory, but with modern components, that make up newly manufactured cartridges, it is required that you find which lot of ammunition or manufacturer gives you the best results in your particular rifle. I have fired factory loads, reloads with the cast bullets first. It is safe to say that my experience with cast bullets left groups at 50 looked like the path of a swarm of killer bees. In short my experience with these has been dismal at the best. Accuracy such as this was not seen since the Napoleonic Wars!!

Jacketed bullets have brought excellent to mediocre results. One needs to vary the powder charge, the powder type and of course the projectile weight and type. The number of permutations and combinations can be extreme to say the least. After many rounds fired, I came onto a winning combination. I use 286 grain loadings of RWS and Norma ammunition with an RWS loading in one barrel and a Norma factory loading in the other. This gives fine results; so easy yet so long to find this perfect combination.

 

When it comes to reloading I have found that you do not repeatedly reload the cases as many times as you would with a bolt action rifle. I use my case 3 times and then move on to new cases. Repeated use can result in head separations which is not advisable.

When I hunt with reloaded ammunition, I use virgin brass so that I do not have a problem in the field. I might add that when a head separation results, I do not need any toll other than a cleaning rod wit a brass bristle brush of 38 caliber. The tapered case, which aids extraction, also lends itself to removing a headless case!!

If you have not tried a double rifle for hunting, I recommend that you look it. This is not a rifle for the average “meat hunter” who goes into the forest to put meat on the table. It is comparable to fly fishing which is also for certain type of fisherman. If you want fish, just grab a cheap casting rod and reel and a can of worms. However there are some of us who appreciate the finest in fly rods and rifles to create the finest experience in field and stream. In the case of hunting, a double rifle can be a love affair of wood and metal for the hunter and gun enthusiasts.

For information on proof marks, consult the following publication.

Wirnsberger, Gerhard. The Standard Directory of Proof Marks. Published by Jolex, Inc.

THE MYSTIQUE OF THE DOUBLE RIFLE – PART ONE

For those who know anything about firearms, the double rifle has always elicited awe and respect. It reminds of the early days of hunting dangerous game in India and Africa; when men pitted their hunting prowess against the most dangerous game on the “dark continent. It elicits respect due to the fine workmanship bestowed on double rifles as well as the technology involved to make the rifle into a highly efficient firearm.

Prior to the invention of smokeless powder, semi-automatic rifles or even bolt action rifles, it was the hunter armed with a single shot rifle and cartridges loaded with black powder. What was needed was a large and thus powerful cartridge in order to bring down an elephant or charging lion with the one shot at the hunter´s disposal. If this shot failed, then there would be one less hunter on the planet!! Enter the double rifle. If still fired a large diameter projectile with black powder, but it had two barrels if the first shot should fail. These rifles were made in large calibers such as the 12 bore (12 gauge) so that the black powder propellant could deliver maximum shock to the target. Some of the these double rifles were designed into what is called a paradox double rifle. The first part of the barrel was smooth bore and toward the end of the barrel it was rifled to give the projectile a spin and thus give stabilization through its flight.

As the gun smithing art progressed, calibers such as the 577, 577/450, 450, 470 and eventually the 600 nitro express were placed on the market with the double rifles chambered for these cartridges. At first some of the these cartridges use black powder as the propellant but later the cartridges were loaded with smokeless powder and were dubbed nitro express rounds. The smokeless cartridges had several advantages: first when the cartridge was fired there was no large cloud of smoke to give away the hunters position and second they had a much higher chamber pressure and thus more foot pounds of deliverable energy when an animal was hit. I might add that collects in the bore of a rifle fired with black powder can produce a caustic mix that can pit the barrels. Remember, black powder has a key ingredient, sulfur which can form sulfuric acid when mixed with water.

Witch these large powerful cartridges, there was a great deal of recoil and which was transmitted to the hunter´s shoulder. These double rifles were made heavy to decrease this heavy recoil generated by the powerful cartridge and could weight in the 15 to 25 pound range. This rifle would be a heavy load for a hunter of middle age or order to carry through the tropical heat of Africa or India so gun bears were used to carry these heavy rifles. When game was spotted, the loaded rifle was handed to the hunter for the shot. After the shot was fired, the rifle was handed back to the bearer.

Normally the double rifle cartridges had a tapered case with a rim at the base to facilitate extraction. In modern times some double rifles were manufactured with rimless cartridges, but the extraction of these rimless cases can fail with the inherent problems associated with a cartridge case stuck in the chamber.

Double rifles are made with both box locks (the least expensive) and side locks (the most expensive). The side locks cab be hand detachable and thus can be removed in the field if a spring breaks, for instance. Of course, an extra ser of side locks would have to be carried in the field and this raised the price of the rifle with hand detachable side locks.

Besides the inherent labor required to produce a fine double rifle, most of the well to do hunters of the era had the stocks and metal embellished with engraving, carving, inlays, and checkering. This could drive the price skyward, depending on the owners taste for the very best that money could buy.

Regulating a double rifle, to have both barrels hit within a specified area at 100 or 150 meters, was a gun maker´s nightmare. After the barrels were made and fitted as best that could be done, the rifle was taken to the range and fired with the specified load for which the new rifle was to be regulated. After firing, the barrels would have to be readjusted and re-soldered and fire again, and again…. and again. the process was only stopped when the proper regulation of the barrels was achieved. Firing expensive, high intensity cartridges was a tedious and expensive part of the final manufacturing process.

The double rifle is a rifle of close to moderate range and is not for varmint shooting at ranges of three to five hundred meters. Once the range is extended beyond the distance in which the rifle was regulated, the point of impact for the two projectiles will deviate greatly. Not only are we talking about the normal bullet drop as the range increases but the lateral dispersion of the projectiles.

The point of impact for the two projectiles can also be altered depending on the powder charge used, the type of powder used, the weight of the projectiles, the type of jacket material used on the projectiles, etc. When a double rifle is regulated, then this act of using a standard load in the rifle prevents one from going to the gun shop and saying, “Give me a box of ammo of this caliber”! Stick to the regulated load for the double rifle.

To fire a double rifle, fire the right barrel first and then the left barrel. For best results fire left barrel within five seconds of the right barrel. If not the heat generated in the right barrel can cause the barrel to move with a resultant loss in accuracy. Do not hold the barrel with you free hand! Lightly grasp the fore end, without any undue pressure and then fire the rifle. Do not let the barrel rest on a fence rail, branches or the side of a tree trunk.

Why would want a double rifle after reading the few points outlined in the paragraphs above. Well first of all, a double rifle is not for everyone. In fact it is only for the chosen few. You must follow the rules carefully if you are going to have any luck firing the rifle accurately. If you can find factory loads that work well in your rifle then you can stick to these loads. If not, you may want to reload. Reloading is also a requisite if you have a rifle in an absolute caliber or it the factory ammunition is very expensive. Cartridges for the fairly new (in double rifle years). 7000 Nitro Express can cost in the neighborhood of $ 70 per ROUND! Of course, anyone who awns a. 700 Nitro Express doesn´t have to worry about the cost of ammunition as he loads his double rifle into his Rolls Royce.

What do double rifles cost? The textbook answer to this questions is … whatever your want to pay for them. The double rifles of continental Europe are the least expensive. The British double rifles are the most expensive as they are virtually hand made and hand fitted with the finest finish, engraving and stock wood. As a ball park figure, the best British double rifle will cost some $ 60,000 on the low end. Used European doubles can be had for $ 5,000 on up. I might say, for clarification, that some good buys can be has in Britain for used double rifles which are not of the Royal grade.

If you are interested in a double rifle, check the many firearms auctions that are held around the country. Get a copy of the Double Gun Journal at Barnes and Noble and get some books on double rifles. One that comes to mind is Shooting the British Doubke Rifle by Graeme Wright.

I hope I have piqued your interest on the world of double rifles. In the second part of this discussion I will go over a German double rifle that I have had for many years and is still my favorite rifle.

Using Old, Old Wood for a New New Rifle

During the last ice age vast areas of the northern latitudes of what is now the United States were covered with, yes, ice. Glaciers slowly moved across the land and ground the bedrock into dust. Everything in their path was pushed out of the way and deposited far from their original source. As proof of this, walrus and caribou remains have been found as far south as the Carolinas. Trees slowly moved south as the temperature cooled.

When the climate warmed and the glaciers retreated signs of their visit remained. Large boulders in New York’s Central Park still have the grooves in them caused by the glaciers. Long Island, NY is a terminal moraine left behind as the glaciers retreated. Potholes and lakes were formed as the glaciers melted and turned to water. Eventually, vegetation began to carpet the landscape once again and as the cycle of living and dying ensued, the rotting vegetation began to form soil once again to provide a substrate for a new forest.

During the periods of heavy rainfall and snow melt in the spring, some of this vegetation was washed downstream and was deposited in the bottoms of ponds and lakes. Parts of trees and even full sized trees ended up in lakes, became water logged, and sank to the bottom. In time they were covered with clay and other sediment and were lost far below the lakes surface, not to be seen again for thousands of years.

One of these lakes lay north of New Haven, CT in the town of Hamden. The organic debris from the forest was washed into the lake and sank to the bottom. In times of heavy rainfall and flooding, layers of leaves, twigs and nuts were buried. Logs and various other wood debris were also covered and would not be seen again until the area was mined for clay to make bricks.
The logs which are found in this area are generally Eastern hemlock, various oaks, and sycamore. Buried deep under a tomb of clay they do not rot because the temperature is cold, oxygen is in short supply and the moisture content is high.

Yale University (especially the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies) has carried out radio carbon dating to determine how long these logs have been buried. This determination is based on the half life of Carbon 14 and has given quite accurate results over the years.
This author had a sample of Eastern hemlock carbon dated and found that it had died 1,250 years ago. An oak log was dated as having died 4,200 years ago. It has been found that sycamore logs are some of the oldest trees having been dated some 6,200 years! This probably attests to the fact that some 6,000 years ago the hills of Connecticut were made up of a large number of sycamore trees.

In the mid 70´s I noticed a large log, more than 2 feet in diameter, which had been pulled from the clay pit. A thought quickly came to mind: “How about making a gun stock from this ancient tree?” A chainsaw and 10 minutes of cutting led to a stock blank that was the approximate size of a normal rifle stock and about 3.5 inches thick. As a person who holds a BS in forestry and as well as a Masters Degree in forestry from Yale, I new that some quick work needed to be done to prevent the rapid deterioration of the stock blank. Rapid drying and shrinking of the wood stock blank would result in checking and splitting much to the chagrin of the gunsmith who would turn a rough piece of wood into a thing of beauty.

The wood was taken to a nearby stream and with the help of a large rock, was submerged in the water. This was left in situ for nearly a month. Now the wood was completely saturated and was ready for a chemical stabilization process. I took several pounds of polyethylene glycol (which looks like a block of paraffin in its solid state) and dissolved it in a special long vat of warm water. To keep the water warm a gold fish tank heater was installed. The stock blank was now immersed into this vat and left for several months. Remember “Haste makes waste.”

The technical explanation of this process is as follows: The wood must be thoroughly soaked with water for the PEG to be able to move through the wood cells. After this chemical has completely saturated the wood it is slowly dried over many months in a dark cool place. The PEG turns back into a solid after drying and fills the cell walls of the wood. If the cell walls are saturated with a solid material they cannot shrink when the wood is dried. If the wood cannot shrink, then it cannot crack and split.

After the initial several months of drying in a cool location, the stock blank was set aside and nothing more was done to it for 5 years. Then I sent it to a gunstock maker and had the sycamore stock blank semi-inleted for a Martini action which had been rebarrelled to .22 hornet caliber. A friend of mine (Rick Dotzenrod at Big Sky Firearms & Outfitters Incorporated) has a gunsmith shop and he engraved the action on both sides and used silver for the relief engraving of a fox and a crow. Additionally, he fitted the old wood onto the new rifle. Finally, to embellish the rifle further, he finished the exterior of the stock to a high gloss.

The stock does not have the brown color of normal sycamore wood, but looks more like mahogany. Referencing the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook I found that sycamore gets red with age and this piece was certainly old. It is unfortunate that I did not save a piece of the raw wood to be carbon dated but like they say “Too soon we get old, to late we get smart. ”

The end result is a beautiful little .22 hornet single shot rifle that is more than a little unique. Everytime I take the rifle out for target shooting I think of the long and interesting process that was required to bring the gun to fruition. I must say that my good friend, Rick Dotzenrod, did most of the labor for this project. It goes to show that two heads are better than one.

Clyde can be contacted at 719 547 2135 or www.WesternLogHomeSupply.com

MOSIN – NAGANT MODEL 1891 RIFLE – U.S. MANUFACTURED

World War broke out with a vengeance in August, 1914. It wasn’t long before all of the combatants were looking for increased supplies of food, money and weapons. The United States traded with England, France and Russia. Germany and its allies were not recipients of our largess. This was the state of mind of our international politics; we traded with one side in the conflict while we told the world that we were neutral. If you look up the word neutral in the dictionary it does not correspond with the meaning of neutrality that the Wilson Administration had at that time.

The Russians were off to a bad start militarily from the very beginning. The soldiers were under trained and they were short of supplies which included rifles. In 1915, the Russian government signed contracts with Remington Arms and Westinghouse to build rifles for them. Westinghouse received an order for nearly 2 million rifles and these were produced at the Savage Arms Co. plant in Chicopee Falls, Mass. As Westinghouse did not have any rifle production facilities.

Many of these rifles were shipped but the political situation in Russian prevented all of them from being accepted by the Russian government. This was the case with both Westinghouse rifles as well as Remington. With a large surplus of rifles on hand in the USA that could not be delivered, the U.S. government purchased some 250,000 of these rifles and used them to train the large numbers of recruits that were mobilized after our entry into the war in April, 1917. They were not of the correct caliber, but they were certainly better than broomsticks which were being used in training.

The Russian M-1891 rifle in my collection was made by Westinghouse. Its serial number is a little over the 1.3 million range. The bolt and the receiver serial number match on the rifle which is always a plus. On the left side of the breech is an U.S. ordnance bomb stamped into the metal. This signifies its use by the U.S. military (army) in WWI.

On the left side of the butt stock is an imprint in the wood; Angliskii Zakaz which translates into English Contract. The equipment at the Chicopee Falls, Mass. Plant was owned by the British Government and they were paying for these Russian-Westinghouse rifles. As they say, Truth can be stranger than fiction!

After the Great War many of these rifles were sold to the American citizens as it was a non-standard arm and it was not worth keeping in U.S. Ordnance inventory. Many were turned into sporting rifles by cutting the wood back and in some cases the barrel length was also reduced. The original rifles can still be found on racks at pawn shops and at gun shows. It is a very interesting rifle of World War I and a nice addition to any collection.

Soviet Era Model 91/30 Rifle Used in the Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 and raged for several years with the usual ferocity that only a religious war could top!  Germany backed Franco with weapons and manpower; the Soviets backed the Republicans with war material as well. American volunteers went over to help the Republicans as the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Ernest Hemmingway put the conflict into words in his book For Whom the Bells Toll.

 

This author obtained a Model 91/30 rifle for the paltry sum of $10.00 in l961. What peaked my interest was the inscription on the side of the receiver; Made in USSR. This was in English letters and not Cyrillic as used by the Soviets/Russians. Why would anyone put this on the side of the receiver? Anyone who knows anything about military firearms would know that this was a Soviet weapon especially with the hammer and sickle embossed on the top of the receiver.

 

A few years back I was talking to a fellow military weapons collector and he told me how he was in Spain looking for firearms in the late 1950s. He met a Major from the Spanish Army in a bar and he mentioned to the Major that he was looking for interesting firearms. The Major said, “If you are interested in firearms, meet me here at 0900 in the morning.” In the morning, they took a ride together to an old castle and on opening the massive door, the building was packed from floor to ceiling with captured weapons from the Spanish Civil War.

 

The amount of weapons located here was beyond George’s financial means and so he contacted Interarmco.  He said there I was in my early 20’s and watched the deal being made. The rifles, mostly 9l/30’s, sold for less than $2.00 each.

 

With this lucky piece of information, I was able to piece the puzzle together. The rifle in my possession was not stamped SA meaning Suomen Armeija and that it was once the property of the Finnish Army. The date on my rifle was 1936 which was the start of the civil war and was made at Izhevsk arsenal in the USSR. A book on the Spanish Civil War that I read some years ago gave the total Russian contribution of rifles to Spain as 500,000.

 

Why was the rifle stamped: MADE IN THE USSR?  A Golden State Arms Corp.  advertisement, from that period, offers these rifles for the sum of $14.95 each. The advertisement is headlined: HUNTERS – CONFISCATED ‘MN’ RUSSIAN RIFLES. It has a disclaimer that says; “Their sale in no way aids any iron curtain country.”

 

This was the McCarthy era and one had better be careful in word and deed if they were not to be branded a Communist sympathizer. To be sure that no one purchased one of these rifles and later found out that it was manufactured, and probably purchased, from the “commies” and additional notation was stamped on the receiver.

 

I have seen several other rifles with this inscription and all were made in 1936. This does not mean that rifles with other dates were not also sold to the Spanish government and used in the civil war. If the rifle does not have the import marks stamped on the rifle circa 1970’s and/or was purchased in the late 1950’s or 1960’s and is not stamped with an SA, it could very well be one of the Spanish rifles. The only other sources would be a GI weapon brought back from the Korean War. It is probably safe to say that not all importers were so politically correct to stamp the rifles “Made in USSR” The advertisement that lists the sale of these rifles also shows Spanish M-1893 Mauser carbines in 7 mm caliber for $19.95. These were most likely some of the weapons mixed in with the Model 91/30 rifles.

 

The provenance of any military weapon is always of prime importance to those in this field of collecting and who have even the slightest interest in history. This is certainly an interesting rifle to have in any collection and gives one the incentive to look for weapons of this type at pawn shops or gun shows.

Mosin Nagant Rifle Model 91 / 30 - Korean War Capture

During the Korean War, the United Nations forces captured 100,000 of weapons; many of these were the 91/30 Mosin – Nagant rifles and carbines. These rifles did not have the fine workmanship of the German Mauser of WWII and thus they were not highly sought after as a souvenir.  I have talked to veterans of the conflict and learned that piles of these captured weapons were put to the torch.

 Some of these captured weapons were reissued to the ROK (Republic of Korea) forces if not for a front line weapon, but as a weapon for guard duty or rear line use. A 91/30 in my collection was manufactured by Izhevsk Arsenal in the Soviet Union. It is stamped with the date of manufacture which is 1936.

 The interesting thing about the rifle is the Korean lettering on the stock in white paint. I have taken it to a local man of Korean birth and had it interpreted. It says basically; BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN LOADING THIS RIFLE.  This evidently refers to the caliber in 7.62 Russian. They did not want some recruit with minimal knowledge of ordnance to try and fire a .30 U.S or .303 British round in the rifle. This was probably a prudent precaution when one considers the level of training of recruits drafted in any army. They may know just the bare minimum about the rifle in which they were issued and from there on it’s a matter of luck that the recipient of a rifle doesn’t shoot himself of a peer. A soldier in WWI wrote home in 1918; “If the men keep shooting themselves in firearms accidents, the Germans will win the war without firing a shot!”

The rifle in this short dissertation is a most interesting one. It is not just another rifle which was made in a foreign country for the military, but was actually used in one of our “limited” wars. Was it discovered in a front line cache or was it part of the great Chinese invasion of Korea in November, 1950?  We can sit here, while holding the rifle, and think up scenarios of the possible story behind the rifle, but in some cases, dreaming can be as interesting as the real facts.

NOTE: The name of the rifle is Mosin – Nagant.  Mosin is pronounced MO-seen and Nagant, is pronounced Nah-GON (the second syllable is nasalized). The word Nagant is Walloon  and is a Belgiun-French name.

It is not known how many 91/30 rifles were manufactured in 1936 but some 17.5 million 91/30 rifles were produced from 1939 to 1945.

The information was taken from the excellent book on the rifle entitled: The Mosin-Nagant Rifle by Terence W. Lapin. It is published by North Cape publications and is recommended for those interested in a lot more on this series of rifles. 

The Johnson Marine Corps. Rifle - P and US Markings

To view high resolution photos of the Johnson rifle, sight details, and all drawings by PVT. Treadway and letters to Melven Johnson please visit the following link: Johnson Rifle

In response to a question about the P and US markings on the Johnson Rifle:

1)      The P stamped on the barrel is evidently a proof mark. The final stage of firearms manufacture is to fire a proof load in the rifle to test its strength. These are in the range of 55,000 lbs per sq. inch. The barrel on my rifle is not the one that it had when it left the factory and may have come from another rifle or been a replacement barrel. In Europe, this proof testing is sanctioned by the government and various stamps are used to make sure that the firearm has been proofed.

2)      My rifle does not have a proof mark on the receiver.

3)      The US mark on my rifle remains a mystery and may always remain so. It was certainly not put on at the factory as I mentioned in my article.

4)      If the Marine Corps had placed an identifying mark on the rifle it certainly would have been USMC.

5)      If Johnson Automatics would have purchased this rifle after the war, it would certainly have been reconditioned with a new barrel, stock, etc. as he had plenty of parts on hand. In his advertisement he states that the rifles were reconditioned. Thus Johnson Automatics certainly did not mark the gun with the US.

6)      If a firearms owner had wanted to show possession of the rifle I expect he would have stamped his name or initials on some spot on the rifle. Who ever did this certainly had a mission in mind.

7)      The stamp was placed on the rifle well down the line, after it left the factory. The barrel in the rifle is not the one that was on it when it left the factory as I found the original manufacturing records and took down all of the numbers on the bolt, barrel, magazine, etc. when it left the factory.

8)      So where did it come from? Who knows who did it or when. I mention it in the article because it is on the rifle and that is all. Sometime dreaming about the history of a firearm is part of the fun of collecting. I have never seen another mark such as this on any Johnson rifle so it was a very localized form of identification.

9)      The US marks were on the rifle when it came into my possession in 1961. I did not add them to enhance the value of the firearm. I would not have done this as even back then I knew that working over a historical firearm to your liking is a good way to ruin the monetary value, if not historical value of the firearm. To put false stamps and identification of firearms is fraud in my book!

10)  When I went through the records which were compiled by Johnson Automatics, all three legers were at my disposal. These included the non-prefix numbers, the A and the B. I have been told the only one left at the non prefix ledger. The others have been lost. It is unfortunate that I didn’t have then photo copied for posterity. So soon we get old…so late we get smart!

11)  As luck would have it, the serial number of my rifle appears in Bruce Canfield’s excellent book on the Johnson Firearms. It appears on page 249 on the second edition of the book entitled: Johnson’s Rifle and Machineguns published by Andrew Mowbray Publishers in 2006. There are serial numbers for 29 rifles that are known to have been shipped to the marines and mine is one of them. How many survived the war or are sitting in someone’s closet, undiscovered, will never be known.

If I can be of further assistance in your search for information on your Johnson rifles or mine, do feel free to contact me.

 

Clyde Cremer

Soldier of the Argonne - Introduction Part 1

As one travels through northern France and Flanders, the images that become imprinted in one's mind are the vast cemeteries with their thousands of white marble headstones.

These silent monuments of stone represent the fallen warriors of the First World War who came from a multitude of various countries and military units.

As one walks among the graves of the dead, you begin to realize that each grave contains a body of a once living person, a soldier; each one contains a now muffled tale of life.... and death.

It is reminiscent of the haunting lyrics in the song, Green Fields of France/No Man's Land:

Well, how do you do
Private William McBride?
Do you mind if I sit here
down by your graveside?

And rest for awhile beneath the warm summer sun
I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done

And I see by your gravestone, you're only nineteen
When you joined the great fallen in nineteen sixteen
Well I hope you died quickly, I hope you died clean
Or poor Willy McBride, was it slow and obscene?

Did they beat the drums slowly?
Did they play the pipes lowly?
Did the bugles carry you over as they lowered you down?
And did the band play "The Last Post" in chorus?
Did the pipes play "The Flowers of the Forest"?

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined?
And though you died back in nineteen-sixteen
In that faithful heart are you always nineteen?

Or are you a stranger without a name?
Forever enshrined behind some glass pane
In an old photograph, torn and tattered, and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame.

Ah the sun's shining now on these green fields of France
The warm winds blow gently and the red poppies dance
The trenches have vanished under the plough
No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now
But here in the graveyard it's still No-Man's Land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To Man's blind indifference to his fellow-man
To a whole generation who were butchered and damned

And I can't help but wonder now William McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause
Did you really believe that this war would end wars
Well the suffering and the sorrow and the glory, the shame
The killing the dying, the dying, it was all done in vain
For Willie McBride, it all happened again
And again, and again and again and again.

-Eric Bogle

Soldier of the Argonne - Preface

I had been researching a large amount of diverse information for a number of years which would eventually be brought together as the Life and Times of Julius Holthaus. One day I needed a break from the tedium of making a living, so I switched to a project that I came to enjoy…researching the long forgotten fragments of Julius’ life. As my research progressed, there had been a nagging question, as to just where and when Julius met his fate. Of course the exact spot where he was killed still existed somewhere in the Argonne Forest…as did the cartridge case and the 8 mm projectile that brought his life to a premature end. Once again I went through Julius’ disinterment records looking for some clue which I may have overlooked. On the Grave Location Blank which listed all of the specifics regarding the recovery of Julius’ body from the battle field, I found a set of grid coordinates; E295.2 / N 272.8. On a hunch I unrolled a copy of a French map of the Argonne region which was used by the AEF in WWI. I took the first three sets of digits from the grid coordinates and moved my fingers along the map to the right; then I took the last set of digits and moved up the map. Where these two points met crossed was the spot where they had recovered Julius’ body. I now knew where he had fallen in this shell pocked forest!

1941 Marine Model Johnson Semi-Automatic Rifle

To view high resolution photos of the Johnson rifle, sight details, and all drawings by PVT. Treadway and letters to Melven Johnson please visit the following link: Johnson Rifle

In the past ten to fifteen years there has been a greater (much greater) interest in the Johnson 1941 semi-automatic rifle. This increased interest has led to skyrocketing prices. In the 1960’s, a Johnson could be obtained in the $100 to $120 range. Today they are more like $3,400 to $4,000 with some bidding going over $7,000. 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. 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. 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.

The l941 semi-automatic rifle and later the M-1941 and 1944 light machine guns were the brain child of gun enthusiast and lawyer (Harvard Law School) Melvin Johnson Jr. In a very short period of time he designed and worked out the innumerable bugs for a short recoil, rotary magazine, semi-automatic rifle. In 1936, John Garand’s rifle, the M-1, was adopted by the U.S. Army and thus the Johnson rifle was a little bit late in the trials and acceptance by the U.S. Army. This was the same year that Melvin Johnson Jr. 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. He did feel that both the Johnson 1941 rifle and light machine gun had their place….especially in the U.S. Marine Corps which always got cast offs from other branches of the service due to their smaller, if not more specialized units and missions.

To put this into his own words which came from an undated document entitled,

Statement of Melvin M. Johnson, Jr.,

President Johnson Automatics, Inc.

Relative to a so-called Garand Vs. Johnson Rifle Controversy

“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. I have personally fired the Garand Rifle on several occasions and made some very excellent rapid-fire scores with it at 600 yards. 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 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.”

Melvin Johnson Jr. worked unceasingly with the Marine Corps as he was a Lieutenant and then a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. 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. While he worked with the Corps unceasingly, while working with other governments in order to get a contract and pay the bills. One of these potential clients was prewar France, as well as the Netherlands. The “French Connection” did not transpire due to the march of events in 1939 and 1940. The Netherlands did purchase both Johnson rifles and light machine guns. 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. Marine Corps.

The Netherlands contract resulted in approximately 30,000 (or less) of the l941 rifles. These 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. I have seen articles and stories at the gun show circuit, of the “C”, “D”, “E”, “F” prefix. Well, it never happened. I have been to more gun shows and gun stores than I dare tell my wife about and I have looked at large numbers of Johnson rifles. The serial number prefix beyond “B” does not exist!! Furthermore, I have researched the actual manufacturing/shipping ledgers from Johnson Automatics which had been in storage since the cessation of business at Johnson Automatics. There were three ledgers, as I have mentioned earlier, and no more…period. Due to the rapid movement of the war, most of these export rifles never fired a shot in anger and thus they are found in very good or better condition. Storage/shipping marks deter from the overall condition of these rifles more than any combat fatigue.

In the early 1960’s, International Armament Corp. (Interarmco) came upon the treasure trove of Johnson M-1941 rifles purchased by the Netherlands and subsequently purchased them from an underling for a paltry sum. So little, in fact that the Netherlands’s Parliament was outraged enough to and pass a law that all future sales of surplus equipment had to go through the parliament for approval. These were then sold by Interarmco for around $100 in the early 1960’s. Winfield Arms Co. sold some of these Johnson rifles in the military configuration, as well as highly sporterized versions, much to the chagrin of military collectors.

The U.S. Marine Corps rifles are a story completely separate and different from the Netherlands rifles. First of all there were very few M-1941 rifles used by the Marine Corps. Except for a few prototype and test rifles, the rest went to the Southwest Pacific in order to lend greater firepower to the Marines who were mostly equipped with the venerable 1903 Springfield rifle. Of course these Johnson rifles were not used in any fighting early in the war such as when the Philippines or Wake Island were invaded. They made their first debut on Guadalcanal and the environs of that Island; Choseul, Guvutu and Tonobago. Both the Johnson rifles and the Johnson M-1941 light machine gun gave excellent service in these early engagements and were given very high marks when they repelled the attacking Japanese trying to retake Henderson Field. Both of these weapons proved superior to the M-1903 Springfield and the BAR in delivering a high rate of firepower under difficult conditions.

The beginning of the Johnson Marine Corps saga begins in the early days of the rifle’s development. A new, unproven design does not get issued to the Corps until it can be properly tested to see how it will hold up in combat.

In September, 1939 the first tests of the Johnson rifle were given by Captain Van Orden (USMC) at Wakefield, Massachusetts. In December 1939, unrelated tests were carried out at Aberdeen Proving grounds in Maryland on two R-2 rifles. The “R” designates a Johnson rifle with a 10-round rotary magazine which could be topped off using 5-round Springfield charger clips. Those in attendance at the Aberdeen Proving Ground demonstrations were Lt. Col. Merritt Edson, USMC and Captain George O. Van Orden, USMC. Colonel Merritt Edson was to distinguish himself on Guadalcanal in 1942 at Edson’s Ridge and received the Medal of Honor.

Another test at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia was conducted for members of Congress, the Chief of Staff and a number of other officials. In attendance were Colonel Pedro del Valle, Lt. Col. Merritt A. Edson and Captain George O. Van Orden all of the U.S. Marne Corps. Melvin Johnson was starting to get attention for his rifle in the right places.

On March 12, 1940 Melvin Johnson Jr. offers the Johnson 1941 rifle to the U.S. Marine Corps.for adoption. His letter states:

Major General Commandant

Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps

Washington D.C.

Dear Sirs:

We take pleasure at this time in offering you for consideration for adoption by the Marine Corps the Johnson Semi-Automatic Rifle, Cal. .30-06 (M-1 and M-2), with rotary feed magazine of 10-round capacity (plus 1 round in chamber making total capacity 11 rounds). A copy of our handbook giving its specifications and other pertinent date in connection therewith is enclosed.

This is the same type of rifle that was submitted to and tested by the Ordnance Department of the United States Army during the last two weeks of December, 1939, which tests were witnessed by:

Major M.A. Edson

Major J.H. Strother

Captain G. O. Van Orden

representing the U.S. Marine Corps. The performance of our rifle and its characteristics demonstrated during such tests are no doubt familiar to you. All rifles used in those tests were made from production drawings fully developed for this organization by the Taft-Peirce Manufacturing Company of Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

These rifles have been fully developed and engineered for large-scale production (see article by C.B. Gardiner in MACHINERY for January, 1940, a reprint of which is likewise enclosed), and on the basis thereof it is estimated that deliveries can be commenced within 6 to 12 months of receipt of order.

We have also negotiated for an tentatively been assured of adequate facilities for the production of these rifles at rates of from 50 to 1000 rifles per day, subject to final arrangements being made upon receipt of a substantial order of orders.

Based upon very thorough estimates made for us and checked with various independent manufacturers, we feel that we can furnish these rifles in reasonable quantities, at a cost to you less than that of any other available semi-automatic rifle of the caliber in question. Manufacturing arrangements would be made through American Semi-Automatic Arms Corporation, United States licensee, which corporation is presently owned and controlled by this organization.

As to the continued availability of these rifles and parts therefore, we feel warranted in assuring you, because of the active interest by friendly foreign countries, that once production has been begun it will continue indefinitely. Furthermore, all parts except barrels can be made in any reasonably well equipped machine shop from standard manufacturing drawings. Standard Springfield, Remington, Winchester, Savage or other barrels may be readily utilized if desired in place of barrels of our own specifications. For your protection we should be glad to include a licensing provision in any arrangements made with the Marine Corps, so that it could manufacture or procure manufacture in the event that we should cease to do so.

In conclusion, we should be very happy to have the opportunity of furnishing the Marine Corps with these rifles, and to arrange to quote prices and discuss terms as to any quantity that might be desired at this time.

We wish to take this opportunity to express our appreciation of the interest which the Marine Corps has shown in the development and testing of our weapon, and for the many courtesies which have been extended to our organization by the Marine Corps in the past.

Respectfully yours,

Johnson Automatics, Inc.

Melvin M. Johnson Jr. President

On May 29, 1940 Lt. Col. Edson appeared before the Committee on Military Affairs concerning S-3983 of the U.S. Senate. This bill, if passed would provide for adoption of the Johnson Rifle for U.S. Forces. Melvin M. Johnson appears before the same Committee. There was a keen interest in his rifle, but the bill did not pass and did not change the course of history. The final blow for the mass procurement of Johnson rifles came in a letter from the Marine Corps Commandant more than a year before hostilities developed between the United States and the Axis powers.

Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps

Washington

24 June, 1940

Gentlemen:

Referring to your letter of March 20, 1940, the Marine Corps is not a sufficiently large organization to undertake the development and procurement of a semi-automatic rifle which has not been adopted as standard equipment for the U.S. Army or U.S. Navy. In time of major emergency we must look to these larger organizations for the supply of our small arms and spare parts therefore.

We appreciate the information contained in your letter and the offer to furnish the Marine Corps with a quantity of Johnson Semiautomatic rifles. However, it would be decidedly unsound practice to procure any rifle in quantity which has not undergone a thorough field test to demonstrate its suitability as a service weapon prior to its adoption as a standard weapon.

After very careful consideration, it has been decided that we cannot accept your offer for the reasons previously stated.`

Very truly yours,

T. Holcomb

Major General Commandant.

It is an interesting to note from the Commandants letter concerning the Marine Corps and weapons that were not standard with the Army or Navy. The marines later procured Reising submachine guns to augment their supply of rapid fire weapons; the Reising got poor marks for its reliability in combat with the marines.

This should be the end of the story on the Johnson M-1941 rifle and the U.S. Marine Corps. However, that is not how it works in Washington, D.C. or with weapons procurement carried out by the various services, U.S. Ordnance not withstanding.

On August 18, 1940 the Detroit Sunday Times had an article entitled “Marines Turn Thumbs Down on Garand Rifle – Leathernecks’ Prefer Gun Invented by Ex-Officer in Corps”.

“There is only one semiautomatic rifle as far as members of the United States Marine Corps League are concerned…it’s the Johnson rifle. The marines, by unanimous vote, have turned thumbs down on the Garand rifle, which the government is building at the rate of only 1,000 a month.”

On September 25, 1940 the U.S. Marine Corps asks for four rifles for test; one to be fired to destruction. The two rifles which were sent were Serial No. R -15 and R – 17 fitted with barrels S-28 and S-30 respectively. The request was made by Lt. Col. Merritt Edson to Melvin M. Johnson Jr. They were to be equipped with 22-inch barrels, one dagger bayonet, spare parts, one micrometer peep sight, one standard military type peep sight. They were delivered on October 30 and were valued at $2,000 each as they were basically hand made and hand fitted prototypes. The spare parts were valued at $200.

On November 12, 1940 a competitive tests were held at Marine Corps Base No. B, San Diego, California. The tests included not only the Johnson rifle, but 12, 1903 Springfields, 12, M-1 Garands and 4, Winchester experimental semi-automatic rifle. The tests were completed on December 12, 1940.

Excerpts from the test results are as follows:

“The Johnson rifle was superior to the other semi-automatic rifles in the abuse tests, not because it functioned mechanically, but because it could always be manually operated with comparative ease.”

“Both rifles, Johnson and Garand, had the same percentage of technical malfunctions in the endurance test. The other Johnson Rifle No. R15 had less malfunctions, and the other three Garand Rifles had less than that.”

“In the first 5,150 rounds of the endurance test, the Garand had a percentage of 1.9% malfunctions. The Johnson No. R17 at Aberdeen 5,150 round test had 0.9% malfunctions, or less than half as many, and had two broken, and one replaced parts. The total of 5,150 rounds at Aberdeen plus 5,148 rounds in the first of the San Diego endurance test with Johnson R17 gives a total of 10,298 rounds which can be more accurately compared with the 10,298 rounds fired in the Garand No. 13 as follows: Johnson R17 percentage of malfunctions 2.6%."

A comparison of the Johnson with the Springfield and the Garand in this test is as follows:

Johnson – 10.25 shots per minute, 4.30 hits per minute, efficiency percentage 0.419.

Garand – 12 shots per minute, 4.23 hits per minute, efficiency percentage 0.352.

Springfield – 8.8 shots per minute, 3.85 hits per minute, efficiency percentage 0.437.

There are other items in the test report which gives the semi-auto rifles greater ease and accuracy over the Springfield rifle but this but this is out of the scope of this article.

Johnson rifle, Serial No. S-1 (sample #1) was fired 19 April, 1941 at 4:53 PM Eastern Standard Time. The first shot fired was ejected from the rifle. Johnson Automatics could now begin assembly line production of rifles for the Netherlands. Thus when the U.S. Marine Corps requested 100 Johnson rifles in September, 1941, their request had to be turned down due to the production of rifles for the Netherlands. This did not preclude the corps from ordering and using the M-1941 Johnson light machine gun in order to increase the fire power of marine units. As time went on, Johnson Automatics diverted rifles from the Netherlands order and sent them to the marines. On August 7, 1942 the U.S. Marines land on Red Beach, Guadalcanal. They were primarily armed with Springfield rifles reportedly because of Marine Corps preference) with some M-l rifles sprinkled in as well. They also had a number of M-1941 rifles and light machine guns. Once the marines saw the advantages of the semi-automatic rifle, such as the M-1, they tried to obtain one by any means possible…. including midnight requisition.

In September, 1942 the Japanese attacked Henderson airfield and Johnson rifles and machine guns aided in providing firepower to repel the enemy.

In 1943, a Special Marine Corps Parachute Raider Battalion operated with three teams of three men per squad plus the squad leader. Each team was armed with one M-1941 Johnson LMG and two M-1941 Johnson semi-automatic rifles. It is presumed that the squad leader was armed with a weapon of his choice.

On March 13, 1943 ten Johnson rifles were loaned to the USMC Equipment Board at Quantico, Virginia. They were rifle numbers: B7642, A8899, B7269, A9967, B7349, B4562, B8082, B4135, B8057 and B4426. However, don’t go running down to your gun vault to see if your Johnson has one of these serial numbers…they were all destroyed in a fire and Johnson was reimbursed to the tune of $1,305.00 for their loss.

On January 3, 1944 Melvin M. Johnson Jr. sends a note of thanks to the First Marine Parachute Regiment for their help in testing and using his weapons. No more Johnson rifles were to be produced as the contract to the Netherlands Purchasing Commission was completed and the U.S. Marine Corps had only purchased token quantities of Johnson rifles. He would now concentrate on producing and improving the light machine guns and to a certain extent the Johnson rifle. By January, 1945 development work on the rifle is nearing the end.

On October 28, 1944, 100 Johnson M-1941 rifles were up for bid by the U.S. Marine Corps and Johnson Automatics receives a bid form at that time. In February 12, 1945 Johnson Automatics receives a letter stating that his bid of $50.00 per rifle has been accepted. Although an invoice is made out for the amount, there are no serial numbers attached to the invoice. Which rifles these were is anyone’s guess today. In May, 1947 the rifles were sold for $110.00 primarily to law enforcement personnel. Later these prices increase to $250.00 for the general public as completely reconditioned rifles.

The sale of rifles to the U.S. Marine Corps and also to the U.S. Army must have been extremely frustrating to Melvin Johnson and Johnson Automatics. It was probably a case of too little too late as the M-1 rifle was being mass produced and any delay in the manufacture of this rifle, considering world events, would have been unwarranted if not catastrophic. Many have talked of various reasons why the Johnson rifle was not adopted and reliability and field maintenance are at the top of the list. . However, let it be said that those who used it in combat had nothing but praise for it. The quick change barrel, its ability to be loaded with loose rounds or the 5-round Springfield clips, its accuracy and reliability were all positive aspects of the Johnson. Some say that the rotary magazine could be easily dented or that it was hard to field strip. However these comments do not reflect the opinions of the marines who used it in some of the toughest climatic conditions in the world.

A letter was received by Melvin Johnson at Johnson Automatics from Platoon.Sgt. Arthur R Graham written 24 September, 1945. It states:

Dear Captain:

This letter has a dual purpose, one – to express my enthusiasm for and appreciation of your weapons and second to obtain a bit of information.

I was a member of Company “A” First Parachute Battalion when you first introduced us to the Johnson weapons, first the Light Machine Gun, then the Carbine and later the Johnson Rifle. I was armed with the rifle and as one who appreciates a good rifle you can imagine how proud I was of it.

I feel it is my duty to tell you I never saw one of your weapons fail in combat, the Johnson light machine gun is in a class by itself. You can readily perceive how disappointing it was to turn these weapons in upon the disbandment of our unit.

My quest for information is on the following tack, will your rifle be on the market in the near future and what will be its price range? Any information as to the procedure necessary to obtain one of your rifles will be gratefully received.

I wish to thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Very truly yours,

Arthur R. Graham

Plat. Sgt. U.S. Marine Corps.

Another story of a marine who used a Johnson rifle from Guadalcanal and through the various island campaigns was Private Treadway, USMC. He used the rifle against the enemy in a number of encounters, especially when the Japanese tried to retake Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, and thought highly of it. He wanted to purchase one from Johnson Automatics but production schedules did not allow this to be done. Furthermore Melvin Johnson had received a letter dated March 23, 1945 from General G.C. Thomas (USMC) stated: “Since every Marine in a combat area is provided with an individual weapon, according to the specific duty which may have been assigned him, there is no real necessity for sending privately owned weapons overseas. Although Private Treadway did not get his personal Johnson rifle, he did do a number of charcoal drawings of marines in action with the Johnson rifle and light machine gun. Johnson Automatics paid Pvt. Treadway $25.00 each for these drawings. Later he did a sculpture, from a tropical hardwood, of a marine using a Johnson light machine gun. Pvt. Treadway, after fighting, and surviving, across so many jungle battlefields, was killed on Okinawa.

Johnson M-1941 rifle – Serial No. A 5264

On November 10, `1944 Johnson Automatics receives a letter from lst Lieut. M.A. Sorensen, Salvage Officer, USMC, San Francisco, CA. that 100 Johnson M-1941 rifles, in serviceable condition, are being sold as surplus. On February 5^th, 1945 Johnson Automatics is informed that they are the successful bidder for 100 Johnson rifles for $50.00 each. A USMC invoice from the Depot of Supplies dated February 12, 1945 states the final figure of $5,000.00 with a $1,250.00 deposit being paid for the rifles. Much to the chagrin of this writer and to collectors of Johnson rifles, a list of serial numbers does not accompany the invoice, nor was one ever found in the files, by this writer.

The Johnson rifle in the author’s collection was the subject of investigation for a number of years. Purchased, via trade, in 1961 for the equivalent of $55.00 it was displayed on the author’s gun rack as a mere item of interest. The sales transaction came with the one small piece of information, “It was used by the U.S. Marine Corps in WWII.” This didn’t pique my interest as Johnson’s were being sold at very reasonable prices due to minimal interest in them at the time. More interest was given to M-1 rifles and carbines than to Johnson rifles at that time.

In the early 1970’s the author was working on his Masters Degree in at Yale University in New Haven, CT when he was introduced to Melvin Johnson’s family. After a short discussion permission was given to peruse the extensive files of Johnson Automatics that had been languishing in storage for decades. For a history buff/gun collector this was a dream made in heaven. The files were stored in the basement and were musty with some water damage from recent rains that seeped into the basement. These files were just as they were since the heyday of Johnson Automatics…rusty paper clips, deteriorating file boxes, and all.

It wasn’t long before I found the manufacturing/shipping ledger for the Johnson rifles. These consisted of three ledgers; the first batch of 10,000 without the prefix, the second with an “A” prefix and the last with the “B” prefix. I quickly looked up the serial number for my rifle and found the following:

Manufacture date: October 8, 1942

Barrel No. 2827G

Hammer block No. A5114

Bolt No. B0262

Locking Cam No. A4447

Firing Pine No. C3191

Extractor No. F1253

Date of Disposition: October 9, 1942

Disposition: Netherlands Purchasing Commission

It wasn’t until I began going through more files that I found a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps stating that an undisclosed number of Johnson M-1941 rifle had been sent to the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton on October 9, 1942. This was normal procedure between Johnson Automatics and the U.S. Marine Corps; both rifles and light machine guns would be pulled from the Johnson plant at Cranston, R.I. and sent to the marines. This is the only way that these rifles and machine guns could be sent to the marines as the U.S. Marine Corps did not have a signed contract with Johnson Automatics for any weapons. Melvin Johnson was a good friend of Lt. Col Merritt Edson who was trying to put together the First Marine Raider Battalion and was trying to beg, borrow and steal modern weapons to increase the firepower of this mobile marine unit.

These two pieces of information convinced me of the fact that this particular rifle was used by the marines. There were a couple of other items that were unusual for this rifle. First of all, the front sight protectors had been removed on each side of the front sight. This was a modification done by the Marine Raiders so that the marine wouldn’t mistake a sight guard for the front sight in the heat of battle and the thick vegetation of the jungle. When they were first issued the M-1 rifle they also were concerned about the front sight with the large sight protectors, as they were familiar to the M-1903 Springfield rifle which merely had a front sight without any sight protectors to distract them when firing the weapon. The front sight “ears” on the M-1 was also a point of concern for National Match participants as in the heat of firing the shooter could sight on one of the ears and not the front sight.

The rear sight of this Johnson had been replaced with a M-1903-A3 aperture sight. This was certainly a matter of “field expediency” in the far flung reaches of the southwest Pacific, far from the normal supply lines. A letter dated May 3, 1945 from Platoon. Sgt. H.W. Emree USMC, H & S Co, 22^nd Marines, 6^th Marine Division brings this problem to the fore considering the limited quantity number of the non-standard Johnson rifles and light machine guns in service.

Dear Sir:

It was my privilege to be member of the Testing Squad at the Marine Corps Rifle Range in San Diego while experiments were being carried out with the Johnson, Winchester, and M-1 Semi Automatic Rifles during the fall of 1940.

At that time you were developing and improving a light machine gun similar to the rifle; about a year ago I had the good fortune to obtain one (#0242) through an intimate associate who was a member of the Paratroop’s and have been carrying it ever since.

The opportunity to put it into operation has arisen at various occasions and it’s performance was exceedingly excellent. Your idea of the horizontal magazine loaded with five round clips, is simple and efficient. This simplified method has insured prompt reloading and has enabled me to transfer magazines with precision. Never have I been confronted by an empty magazine.

Approximately 4,000 rounds of ammunition have been fired. During the weapons operation, stoppages were very few and insignificant. From personal experience with numerous types of weapons which are under the Marine Corps surveillance it is my firm belief that as an all around weapon, it is superior to the BAR.

At the present moment it is difficult to obtain spare parts; although the 4^th Regiment was equipped with a few I managed to acquire an extra barrel. But at this precise moment I am in desperate need of another magazine, a complete rear sight, striker, and an extractor. I would deeply appreciate it if at your convenience you would kindly forward a price list of spare parts by return mail. Also, would it be possible to purchase direct from you one of your redesigned Johnson Light Machine Guns to which my attention has been recently attracted.

I remain

Sincerely Yours,

H.W. Emree

Plt. Sgt. USMC

This letter not only points out the fact that parts for the Johnson’s were hard to come by, but it also is a good example of what combat infantrymen thought of the Johnson weapons in combat under the most trying conditions. The Johnson LMG had the same basic system as the rifle and thus problems did not appear in either weapon due to its short recoil action, the feed system, or stamped parts scattered within the weapons.

As the war moved across the PTO marine and army units crossed paths and fought in the same battle. This is probably where the 1903-A3 rear sight was obtained as the marines were equipped with the older 1903 Springfield before they received M-1 rifles and M-1 carbines.

The rifle has seen extended service under rough conditions and it is not one of the excellent to pristine Johnson rifles that were released by the Netherlands. The rifle barrel has seen prolonged firing. A bore scope was used on the barrel and although the throat is not shot out, the lands are shallow from use. Near the end of the barrel is a small crack which may have been caused by a round being fired when there was an obstruction in the barrel.

At the top of the stock wrist, a piece of wood had splintered off due to the recoil of prolonged firing. This has been put back on with the use of small brads. Another point of interest is that the stock is dark black and not a bright walnut finish as is the case with rifles that have seen little of no service, such as the NPC rifles. I can only speculate, as a profession forester and one who had worked extensively with wood that this is due to the reaction of linseed oil and a hot, humid tropical environment. This fact has been substantiated by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin.

A number of the parts do not match those that were on the rifle when it left the factory. Evidently these were replaced as they fell into disrepair and could have come from a salvaged rifle that was cannibalized. Many of the parts are stamped with “US”. If this was a gimmick to make the rifle more saleable as a marine rifle by some basement entrepreneur they would have put large USMC stamps on the rifle and not merely “US”. As the saying goes, “if it seems too good to be true it probably is.” At the low purchase price, even by 1961 standards, it is doubtful if anyone had this in mind. Was this one of the 100 Johnson rifles purchased by Johnson Automatics from the U.S. Marine Corps? Again, I find this doubtful. In an advertisement by Johnson Automatics in May, 1946 it states:

“We are pleased to announce that we have been able to repurchase a very limited number of Johnson Semi-Automatic Military rifles, rotary type, Model of 1941, magazine capacity 10 shots, caliber .30-06 weight approximately 9 ½ pounds. According, we are offering these rifles to members of the National Rifle Association only as souvenirs of World War II and as Collector’s items. Each rifle will be accompanied by a Certificate outlining its background and service during World War II."

These rifles have been reconditioned and fully test fired, but they are weapons which have seen extended service and are offered as such. Price: $250.00. At what point did Johnson stop the reconditioning process? Did they merely headspace and test fire the rifles? If that is all that they did, then `rifle A5264 would fit the bill of one of these marine rifles, “which have seen extended service” and which were sold by Johnson Automatics after the war.

What is the meaning behind the “US” stamped on various parts of the rifle including the receiver? Why would Johnson Automatics disfigure this rifle by putting an ugly “US’ stamp all over it? Was this to differentiate the rifle from the rifles that were sold through normal channels to the NPC?

I have looked at many Johnson rifles over the years and. none of them have the “US’ stamp on them and all of them were in excellent condition; these were NPC rifles which never experienced the mud and grime of extended use on the battlefield.

I cannot come to a scientific conclusion as to the meaning of the “US”,I do know that it is a USMC rifle, by the data found in the Johnson files, and that until further evidence surfaces to the contrary I feel that it was brought back by a marine serving in the southwest Pacific. Back in my heyday of gun collecting in the late 1950’s and the 1960’s, the gun shows were full of veteran “bring backs” and they sold for a song….even considering what little disposable income I had back then. Hopefully a reader can bring me more details on a Johnson rifle that they may have with these same markings. Until then, I can only be content with the remark, “if only that gun could talk!”

So what was the final score? A letter to Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Williams, USMC dated August 15,1944 Melvin Johnson that his best estimate is that 625 Johnson light machine guns and 600 Johnson M-1941rifles saw considerable combat use. Although some of the Johnson light machine guns saw service with the U.S. Army which includes the 125 used by the Special Service Forces, most of the Johnson rifles were used by the U.S. Marine Corps.

A final footnote on the Johnson M-1941 rifle is a tribute to Melvin Johnson Jr. After reading literally thousands of letters and documents, I must say that he was a man of utmost integrity, honesty and ethics. In all of the correspondence between Melvin Johnson Jr. and government and marine officials, I never found one transgression in terms of ethics or honesty. He always championed the American soldier and was constantly trying to offer the military a better weapon than they had at the time. He was not out to “line his pockets” with easy government money during a time of crisis, but rather talked of the common soldier and of his having the best weapon that could be designed. He constantly ran into government bureaucracy and indifference even as hostilities unfolded across the world. If those in positions of power would have taken his weapon designs seriously, the marines may not have fought in the early island campaigns using the WW1 Springfield rifle and BAR’s. What a difference the M-1941 rifle and light machine gun would have made if every marine unit was equipped with them when they fought the close combat engagements of Guadalcanal and beyond. In the final analysis Melvin M. Johnson Jr. should not only be remembered for his contributions to military firearms design, but for his integrity and honesty during war- time when questionable business practices could have reaped him large profits.