HELP -1941 Johnson rifle value
I just aquired a 1941 Johnson Rife in approx 90 % condition SN# A48xx. Can anyone advise approximate value on this gun and any other info. Marked Cranston arms co on reciever & made in providence RI -USA. Thanks
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This is the weapon I have been dreaming about. Most of the ones I have seen for sale run from $3,000 to $4,000.
Can you post a picture of it? I would love to see it. These things are the baddest looking things ever made in my opinion. Sort of look like a snake that just ate something.
TOOLS
When I was a child, I thought as a child. But now that I am growen, I just wish I could act like a child and get away with it.0 -
HAEDPULLER, the Johnson has a history as interesting as the late Col. Melvin Johnson himself. Dispite many attempts to get his design adopted in place of the M1 Garand it seemed that his name sake was headed for oblivion when the Dutch Government contrated his frim to produce the rifle for their use. Johnson Automatic Arms had no factory so Cranston Arms did the manufacturing. There was a problem when the Dutch were forced to surrender to the Germans and the contract rifles were in a sort of limbo.
The United States MArines, who suddenly heard that there were extra rifles of ANY TYPE lying around unclaimed- I believe that they were the last in line for M1's, snapped up as many as they could get. The OSS and some Army special operations forces also took quite a few. The Johnson rifles were easy to break down for easy carry, so some paratroop units also aquiered a few.
It is interesting to note that your rifles M1941 designation was strictly a commercial model number chossen by Mr. Johnson. The "Model of" designation, like on the M1903 was discontinued by the time the Johnson hit the scene. Any new army rifle would have been designated M2. This was a slick marketing ploy by Johnson to make it appear that his rifle had won acceptence by the military. Johnson serial numbers ran in blocks of 10,000 starting with the A prefix. Your rifle is one of the first off the line.
After the war the Johnson was more or less forgotten by our military and most were sold off. Some new manufacturing continued and sales were made to a few South American countries. There was also a sporting rifle manufactured, but it was not a commercial sucess. Johnson himself continued in the arms business and worked for a while as a consultant for the then new firm of Armalite. He also delevloped a high velocity 5.7mm cartridge and had some M1 carbines rebarreled to fire it. Sales were small and Melvin Johnson died in 1965.
For many years the M1941 was not given much consideration by US military arms collectors- after all, who wanted a rifle that finished behind the Garand? There were a number of South American re-imports in the late 1980's and these rifle sold in the $700-$800 range. Nice US Military Johnson Rifles brought more, but not that much. About ten years ago this all began to change and prices have sky rocketed. Just about any Johnson in good, as issued condtion- that is one that has not been modified by removing the bayonet lug or adding a recoil pad, will bring $2500 and up. I've seen these sell at auctions for even more and saw a like new example bring close to $4000 at a big military arms auction couple of years back. This is a very brief look at a long and complicated subject. These are interesting rifles and the prices will no doubt continue to rise.
Mark T. Christian
Edited by - mark christian on 10/25/2002 21:18:410 -
I'll be at the Indy Gun show tomorrow selling it - so you live close to IN? 0 -
Mark- On the Johnson Rifle Message board page I thought I read that the serial numbers started with just numbers and the when it got to 9999 it went to A prefix. Are you sure they started with A prefix? 0 -
HAEDPULLER, that could very well be correct about the serial numbers strating without a prefix. I guess I mis read your post about wanting information, if you were already on a Johnson message board you probably knew the story of your rifle before I even told it- off the top of my head. Sorry about that.
Mark T. Christian0 -
Mark- any info is helpfull- Really trying to find out what the going rate is on one so I don't get ripped off. Thanks 0
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