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Ed, I believe it's a Johnson Muzzle brake. Though the description is a somewhat "grey" to say the least!

This is the updated description. Still amusing by its vagueness, generalisation and unsubstantiated claims ....oh sorry "this is all reliable information"

I thought it was a very amusing description really. May be this month's amusing ad winner! The "suppressor" is a post-war muzzle brakes Johnson's fitted to some of their custom sporter line.

I believe the front sight posts are higher on the 7mm to allow for the differences in ballistic performance when using the same rear sight, which is calibrated fot the .30-06 M@ ball cartridge.

This is one of those 64 million dollar questions, for which at this moment in time there is or can be no definitive answer. As we know the Chilean Government via their connections with the Miranda brothers purchased 1000 rifles for various units in their military system. Unlike the Netherlands Purchasing Commission whose contracts ran concurrently, they had no in-house inspection team. The inspection method employed by the NPC was on a sub-contractual basis. I don't think it is too far a stretch to say that all receivers that came off the line were batch inspected and marked prior to final assembly. The Chilean guns having exactly the same Cranston Arms in the triangle logo, that was of typical Dutch martial usage. If you check the production log there is no definite batch that were exclusively NPC, Chilean, Boston 500 or trials/U.S. Govt. They are all mixed hither and thither. The guns being assembled with the 7mm components, test fired and packaged. No other distinctive markings are known on Chilean guns other than the Mexican arsenal crests upon the top of the barrel. There are not so many parts that differentiate between the true 7mm and .30-06 rifles. Unfortunately no-one is around to tell us how the manufacturing and assembly process happened these days. The USMC in-house inspector is long gone too, dying in 1962. So all we have is the production log, which as Bob and myself found has errors and discrepancies in it, plus what few original documents survive. Hope that may shed some light.

NO

email me at webmaster@johnsonautomatics.com

S-5 is one of the 7 pre-production standard 1941 pattern rifles that were shot on the first day of production on April 19 1941. Contact me off list for more information.

I think that is the consensus of opinion. The different examiners applying their mark when a particular process they are monitoring has been done and approved to standard. The '3' is nearly always set differently to the '1 and 2', which are as we see a diffrent font size.

This is a Chilean pattern bayonet scabbard. They are marked 'JA' and usually dated 1941. Somewhat rarer than the regular pattern that we are all used to. I have one, picked it up on Ebay a couple of years ago. When will the 'Danish connection' (or is that concoction) come to an end........

Andy I note you have 2 log-ins. Which one do you want? Andy Gordon or Andy G? If you lose your password it can easily be re-set. Let me know so I can delete the spurious account. Happy New Year. PS. There should be marking on the exterior of the barrael in the area of the chamber. This will be J proof , .30-06 and the proof/acceptance dagger mark. These are in addition to markings on the locking collar, and front barrel bushing.

Hey Joe, Could do with a copy for my files

Refer to the two assesment's above and read the article fully. Numbers are found commonly on Dutch issued bayonets and other martial equipment. Compare the bayonet scabbards original to repro. Pay attention to the bottom tips of the scabbards.

I agree with Walt's assessment, it looks original to me from the photos. $350 in that condition is about right at current market value.

The NE mark refers to the New England firearms sub-contractor's conglomeration that was formed to manufacture fireams parts for Ord. Dept. You will remember the BAR's thus made. CA is Cranston Arms of course. Cranston Arms became a mamber of NE groupage in about 1943. I have not seen any CA mags dated after 1942 but of course they may be a few out there.

S/N 2395643 wouldhave been manufactured in February or March of 1944 by Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Barrel should be D35448 W.R.A. readable from Clip Latch Bolt D28287 -1 W.R.A. Op Rod D 35382 -W.R.A. , slant cut type Trigger Housing D28290-W.R.A. , cloverleaf hole type Trigger guard C46025 W.R.A. Trigger "A" Hammer C46008-1 W.R.A. Safety C46015 W.R.A. Bullet Guide "A" Gas Cylinder Screw unmarked single slot type Stocl WRA/GHD There are a number of other manufacturing variations that would be correct for this rifle as it left the factory. I have listed the main Drawing numbered parts as an indicator and idea for your friend.

Alas, no-one has mentioned the Rose Street facility......................... Notes. JA did not own any manufacturing facilities only the Amoskeag Metals plant which was sold in 1943. Gartman Arms bought the remnants of the Custom Gun Business from the workers group sometime in the early 1950's (1953 springs to mind). I have some material covering that somewhere.

Stocks were originally made in-house by Johnson Automatics, however production problems soon became evident, so this process was then sub-contracted to the American Paper Tube Co. in nearby Woonsocket, RI.

Yes indeed I'm working on a follow-up to Bruce, Bob & Ed's book. It will be of a slighly more technical nature however there will be a lot of behind the scenes information also. Some of the material I have will make people sit up in shock when I reveal some the background!!

From records I have in my collection concerning the parts assigned to A- prefix rifles they follow the practice of the pre-prefix guns i.e. no correlation of numbers. This is pretty much the same for LMG's as well.

I'd Imagine the clown was Winfield Arms who offered military versions (as well as their fully sporterized guns) with scopes and mounts.

From my experience, the rifle's with the recoil stop screw holes plugged with wooden dowels are Winfield rebuilds or have a Winfield replacement stock affixed.

Welcome to the new Johnson Rifle Site Message Board, again 100% managed by the owners of this site. Not third party sub-contracted as were were until recently. Take a look at the site, get used to all of the new functions and gizmos. There's a lot to take in and get used to (and about 10 times as much to run it). If you can think of new forums, topics or anything to improve the board let me know. There are numerous things to do with it and we should be able to archive messages from now on. Jim Pullen