Johnson M1941 (rifle)
| M1941 Johnson semi-automatic rifle | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| general information | |
| Country of operation: | USA , Netherlands |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Melvin Maynard Johnson |
| Manufacturer country: | United States |
| Production time: | 1941 to 1945 |
| Weapon Category: | Self-loading rifle |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1156 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.31 kg |
| Barrel length : | 558 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : |
.30-06 Springfield , 7 × 57 mm Mauser |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 10 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | fixed magazine |
| Cadence : | 30 rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Number of trains : | 4th |
| Twist : | right |
| Visor : | open sights |
| Closure : | Turret lock |
| Charging principle: | Recoil loader |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Johnson M1941 was an American self-loading rifle . It was designed by Melvin Johnson, who was hoping for orders from the US military with his design .
history
When Johnson began designing in 1936, the US Army had already added the M1 Garand to its arsenal. No large numbers had been shipped at the time, and Johnson persisted with government agencies testing his weapon as well. He still figured he had chances of winning the large order for the new standard rifle until his weapon was finally rejected after a few comparative shootings. After that, Johnson sought export licenses. The Dutch government-in-exile ordered 70,000 pieces to equip the colonial troops in Indonesia and the navy.
commitment
Some of the copies from the Dutch order went to the US military after all, as the Dutch colonies had already been conquered by Japan before the order could be completely delivered. In addition, when Japan entered the war, all available rifles were ordered by the US military and export orders were postponed. As long as the Garand model was not available in sufficient quantities, the Marine Corps used the Johnson M1941 in addition to the aged Springfield M1903 . About 20,000 were used, which were withdrawn from active use by 1944. The remaining stocks were given to resistance groups in occupied Europe. A total of around 30,000 copies were made (compared to more than 4 million Garands by 1945).
technology
The Johnson rifle is a recoil loader with a short slide back barrel and a rotating head bolt. The closure has 8 locking lugs. When the shot breaks, the barrel and slide run back together a short distance (about 3 mm), the slide being unlocked by the control cam. Then the barrel is moved forwards again by its own return spring, while the slide continues to run back, ejects the case and, during the subsequent forward movement, inserts a new cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. The drum magazine holds 10 rounds and can also be loaded with individual cartridges. A 4- round box magazine was also available for pre-war copies .
Because a knife bayonet with its relatively high mass would have impaired reloading of the weapon, a spout bayonet was included. Johnson used the same basic design for his light machine gun , which resulted in the M1941 rifle being fitted with a quick-release mechanism, which is unusual for a self-loading rifle. This is very desirable for a machine gun with high barrel wear, but it only made the Johnson rifle unnecessarily complicated.
In adverse combat conditions, the weapon turned out to be less reliable than the Garand.
Users
-
United States (Marine Corps) -
Netherlands colonial troops in Southeast Asia
-
Chile caliber 7 × 57 mm , small number until 1944
literature
- Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 2 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 558-560 .
Web links
- Maxim Popenker: M1941 Johnson. In: Modern Firearms. modernfirearms.net, accessed August 19, 2017 .