Brian Alpert

You have 2 choices. Get a proper military stock or modify the one you have (along with the buttplate.. There are 3 areas to modify in a shorter stock conversion: the buttplate,the rear sling swivel and the small stock key which is covered. If you choose to modify the stock to fit the buttplate, you must 1st inlet the top to fit the tongue of the buttplate. This is not particularly difficult using rotary motor dremel tool, The buttplate is now bent as needed and fitted to stock butt. The screw holes in the top and butt are drilled and the buttplate fixed to the stock with the screws. Overhang of the buttplate if present, is marked, ground off and polished. Now inlet and fit the rear sling swivel. Expose the small stock key which fixed the mainspring tube, place a proper one along with cover screws

I have seen "W" crested and Mexican crested and heard of French crested but this is the 1st Cuban crested I have seen. The crests are all post manufacture and done with a pantograph and are generally credited to Old Benicia Armory. Cuban use of JSARs date to Castro's revolution which overthrew Battista in 1956 and later the CIA sponsored Insurrectos were armed with scoped JSARs at the Bay of Pigs.

Yes, The cover screw is missing from the cross bolt

The 1st model Dror 303 Br horizontal mag is virtually impossible to find. I looked for 3 years world wide and ended up paying over $1000 so if you find one, grab it fast and don't dicker.

According to his website, they are available from Murray for $1075/set! http://www.murraysgunstocks.com/MilitaryGunstocks.php

Joseph Scott used to produce the best "drop-in"military style buttstocks. He is no longer producing them. Several months ago Murray's Gunstocks in Ore4gon (I think) was in the process of making them. I sent Murray a mint stock to copy. He was apparently having problems having the holes drilled (which really determined correct fits and function). I don't know if he ever got any finished. There were many posts on this forum from those in waiting. Hopefully someone will respond as to final outcome Here you go http://www.murraysgunstocks.com/MilitaryGunstocks.php Rather pricey but currently the only game in town!

My mistake. The 1st Special Service Force had JLMGs, not JSARs

In my 25+ years in dealing with JSARS, I have come to a number of conclusions regarding value/price realized on sale. In my opinion, the hierarchy of value is as follows: 1. JSARs with documented US provenance and those with individual combatant provenance. Realize that only around 800 JSARs were in US service.....Marines, 1st Special Service Force, OSS, etc 2. Original mint condition JSARs with or without correct, as issued numbers 3. Originals in lesser condition 4. JSARs restored to original configuration with replacement stocks, bbl, rear sights, etc. The more replacement parts, the less it is worth. 5. Previously polished and blued JSARs restored to original with replacement parts 6. Restored JSARs with receivers drilled and tapped for scope mounts 7. Winfield Standard Sporters. These are easier to restore than Deluxe as the receivers have not been polished and blued 8. Winfield Deluxe Sporters 9. Sporters which have been drilled and tapped Chilean 7mm JSARs (imported by Navy Arms in late 70's), even with correct #s bring less than 30/06 rifles in comparable condition. Miltech restorations are at the high end of restored rifles. The majority of JSARs in the US came from Winfield Arms. Cecil Jackson bought the entire Dutch inventory in the late 40's as well as most of the parts inventory from Numrich and these emerged as Winfield in Los Angeles Auctions and online auction sites are sometimes a "crap shoot" I have seen Sporters go for $5000 and nice originals go for under $4000. Occasionally, one, even without provenance will reach "telephone numbers". I believe the record is around $12000 but realistically, choice originals may reach $7500. Decent restorations $4500, lesser on down.

It looks to me like a Winfield Standard Sporter (plain sporter stock with receiver NOT polished and blued) with a Deluxe bbl. The standard sporter bbl was usually made from a Garand bbl and had a JSAR front sight but no bayonet lug. The deluxe bbl was newly made, polished and blued with a ramp front sight. These are somewhat easier to restore to military configuration as the receiver has not been messed with.

Your bbl was made from a Garand bbl, a common replacement on Winfield Standard Sporters. The bayonet lug was left off and it was somewhat shorter. You can tell its origin by the remnants of the grooves for the hand guard clip as well as the groove in mid bbl for the lower band retaining pin

It is rare indeed if a 30/06 matches. The only ones which often match are the 7mm Chilean contract rifles. They were apparently stored and seldom dissembled or rebuilt

Here is the info on JSAR #8796 Received from Cranston Arms 2/17/42 Stock #2 Bbl #3423E Hammer block #7395 Hammer #1761A Bolt #2408 Locking cam #6366 Firing pin #A1208 Extractor #4868 Magazine #A566 Transferred to NPC 2/20/42

The seller describes the bore as "strong, shiny rifling". If you can pick it up for under $1000 it is a good buy. Original JSAR bbls with good bores and original finish are seldom available and outrageously priced.

If the bore is decent, (I just asked the seller) it is a fair starting price for an original bbl considering it needs a bayonet lug and front sight. ($75 for front sight from Sarco, bayonet lugs are currently unavailable) Original bbl with VG bores go for $1000 and up sometimes way up! Note also the MG (shark fin) bbl @$1395

It is amazing what people want to believe. Many years ago when the subject of Queens Guard Carbines came up, there were literally arguments about the authenticity of the carbines. I remember one individual stating that if these were not factory made, they should have been. Doc has never fessed up to producing them yet they all came from his firm Old Benicia Armory. At one point he said that the lot were in a partially finished state when he bought out the remnants of Winfield and he just finished them up. It would bet interesting to see how many are out there. I know of 3 but there must be a few more.

Doc was not the only fakir of rare Johnson prototypes. Another well known Southern California dealer who specialized in in mint Colt 1911s produced a number of fake prototypes. I remember one in particular with an 8mm Dror box magazine grafted on a 41 JLMG.

Here are a few more "creations" offered as Crested originals....Queens Guard Carbines and Mexican crested LMG semi-autos. There were supposedly some done with Fench crests but I have not seen one. The crests were done with pantograph machines and when we compared 2 several years ago at a Johnson gathering, they were of different sizes. They are all beautifully done but not Johnson factory creations. They occasionally appear for sale as rare prototypes or unique factory creations.

Go by the old adage "buy the gun, not the story" Sometime when I get a chance, I will post pictures of some of these "creations"

Hal "Doc" Ross AKA Old Benicia Armory supposedly bought out the remnants of Winfield Arms when it went under in the 60's They produced and sold the "Queens Guard Carbines" and other rare Johnson items. He also claimed to have had a number of things from the Johnson estate. When challenged on this, he claimed that her got the things from someone, deceased, who got them from the Johnson estate. I am sure Ed will shed more light on this.

In looking at deluxe stock, bluing and bbl with ramp front sight, I believe you have a Custom Sporter. Standard Sporters were not blued, had a plain stock without cheek piece and a bbl (usually made from a Garand bbl) with original front sight but no bayonet lug.

Winfield over the years marketed a number of different configurations: Military....as issued. This was their least expensive $68.50 in 53 to $88.50 Deluxe Improved Military.....military configuration but metal polished and blued with new military stock and bbl. (There was little interest in standard military rifles in the 50's $104.50 Standard Sporter....Unaltered metal and rear sight, simple sporter stock with recoil pad, replacement bbl, often made from Garand bbl with correct front sight but no bayonet lug. This is the most common variety of Winfield $129.50-139.50 Custom Sporter,,,polished and blued, standard rear sight, Monte Carlo stock by WR Hutchins, often checkered, High gloss replacement sporter bbl with ramp front sight, also available in 270 WCF and 7mm $159.50 Custom Scoped Sporter...as above but with 4X Weaver or Bushnell scope with Winfield custom mount accepting Weaver rings..the most expensive $228.50 - 233.50.... This was a lot of money ion the 50's! Note that bayonets were $2.50!

To create a 41 JLMG look-a-like from a JLMG parts set, begin with a 41 JSAR receiver and modify it to accept the lower fire control and magazine support assembly. We are already practically home as the receiver is marked Johnson semi auto rifle! The fire control is modified as follows: Remove and discard the trip plunger, spring and retainer from the bolt rear. Grind the retaining holes off the top of the bolt catch support assembly so the assembly (which is discarded) cannot be installed. Also discard the bolt catch support spring. Now either weld a pin on the outside of the control group to prevent the change lever from rotating all the way to the left (full auto) or modify the change lever with an appropriate weld to prevent it from rotating into the full auto position. This makes a neater conversion.

Read this excellent review by Walt Liss http://www.johnsonautomatics.com/bayoadvice.html

They look ok but the original batch from a few years ago were quite brittle and needed appropriate heat treatment for use other than looks.

Great photos. The 1st , published in Life magazine, is of contras training for the Bay of Pigs invasion armed with CIA supplied scoped JSARs. The 2nd is of the victorious rebels led by Fidel Castro, one of whom is armed with a JSAR. Here are some more. There is an entire history, as yet unwritten, of JSAR use following WWII