Black Tom

For anyone who might be interested, there is a JLMG for sale on an auction. I don't know how to post the link but you can check it out on: www.sturmgewehr.com Go to the NFA/Semi forum board and you will see the auction advertised as the "Stern" collection. I think the JLMG is #30. Also a couple of JSAR's and at least two L.C. Smith delux grade shotguns. How often do you see an Elsie delux for sale? B.T.

Bruce & Art: My computer has been T.U. for the last 10 days and I just got it back on line. Thanks for your responses. Bruce, how do I order your book? Thanks, B.T.

Yep, I saw it at the Ventura show also and heard the same story about the USMC/ FBI. Only difference was he quoted a price of $11k just before the show opened. Went up by $500 by the time Brian saw it. Brian, did it look refinished to you? The Cranston Arms logo was almost gone. Do you live in Ventura Co.? I'm in the Thousand Oaks area. B.T.

Benny: Pass this story along to your friend and I ask that everyone humor me--I'm an old man and I tend to ramble. I grew up near Phila. PA but both of my parents were from the deep south, Dad from Tenn. and Mom from Texas. Both of my great grandfathers had been Confederate soldiers, with the one on my Dad's side dying at Franklin and on Mom's side fighting under Hood but making it through the war. Mom's maiden name was McKean and her grand father was an unreconstructed rebel, and even though his grand father had signed the Declaration of Independence, I feel certain that when he died he was, at least in his mind, attacking the center of the Union line with a Colt in one hand his saber in the other, and screaming a rebel yell. When I was 14 my folks sent me to Austin, Texas to spend the summer with an adult bachelor cousin who lived in a small house on some scrub land outside of town. On the second or third day, my cousin who was a mailman and who had to work, gave me a .22 rifle and told me to shoot some rabbits to feed to his dog. I quickly shot up the box of bullets--didn't hit any rabbits--and went to rummaging through my cousin's garage looking for more .22's. During my search I came across an old odd looking rifle and some old cartridges with the lead turning white with age. I pushed the rifle and cartridges aside and kept looking for .22's. It wasn't until years later that I saw a picture of a similar rifle and discovered that it was a Spencer. I have wondered, ever since, if my great grandfather had taken the Spencer, that I found in my cousin's garage, from the hands of a Northern soldier whom he had just killed. Mom and all of her family have long since pased away and I have no idea what ever happened to that Spencer but I certainly wish that it was still with our family. I'm glad to read that your friend has decided against selling his Johnson, but pass this true story along to him and it may help to keep from selling that rifle when times get tough. B.T.

The Dutch rifles were .30-06. I believe the Chilian were 7x57mm. You might remove the barrel and look for the Netherlands acceptance stamp. Keep it, they are hard to find. B.T.

Take a look on the "Collector" board of sturmgewehr.com Someone has some JSAR pars for sale at $200 or best offer. B.T.

A few weeks ago I was at a local gun shop trying to find a screw for my JSAR. The store owner said that he had a detachable "clip" for my rifle. He brought out what I think was a mag. for a JLMG and claimed that it would fit into the loading gate of my rifle. I didn't let him try--I didn't need a busted rifle. I did not examine it closely but it looked like it would hold about 20 rds and had a slight curve. What kind of markings should it have, what would be the value at 80% condition and is there a market for these. Thanks for any input. B.T.

Savoy6: I have a copy of the 2nd edition of Small Arms of the World by W.H.B. Smith. It has two pages on the JLMG which include some spec's. (weight, bbl. length, OAL etc) loading, firing, field stripping etc If you, or anyone else, wants a copy of those pages, ( or anything else from the book) send me your address, off board, at the e-mail address below. No charge for the copies but a SASE would be appreciated. Incidentally, Buddy Hinton on the Sturmgewehr board has this same edition listed for sale. I think he wants $45, and it's well worth the money. B.T. thomasdandp@hotmail.com

Welcome New Guy; I have a feeling that you, Alasdair and me were all looking at the SAME high priced gun. SFO, Ventura and Costa Mesa, all within 30 days and all on the W. Coast. Did the vendor, who had the $12K rifle, have a lot of tables all with military rifles, mostly 1903A3's, M-1 Garands & M-1 carbines as well as lots of parts? B.T.

Check with Curt Robinson in Donalsonville, GA gundoc19@yahoo.com I'm not certain that Curt can/will Park but if he does the job will be SUPER!! I have a P-38 (ac-42) that I bought about 6-7 yrs ago sight unseen. When it arrived it looked like it had been dragged through every battlefield in France; finish was gone, lots of pitting--just looked real bad, but it shot good. Tried to sell it for what I had in it--$300--no takers. I had heard of Curt and sent ot to him. Came back two weeks later. It did not look like a new gun, it looked like a 60 yr. old gun that had been very well cared for and it had the right finish for a P-38. B.T.

Alasdair: The one you saw at the Cow Palace for $10k--was that "SOG" that had it for sale and was it a "B" block rifle? If so, he had it at Ventura, CA priced at $9,200 without the bayonet. The Ventura show was crowded and they had a big "do not handle" sign but said it came from a museum. I didn't get a good look at it but from what I saw it looked too nice. The Cranston Arms triangle and receiver lettering was rather faint and the wood had a lot of figure in it, more than I would have expected in a military rifle. If it's the same one, it appreciated pretty good in two weeks. At that rate it will be worth more than the Hope Diamond in a couple of years. B.T.

I have an opportunity to buy, what I am told is, an original JSAR bayonet & scabbard. I have not seen these yet, but will next week and I'm pretty sure I can determine if they are originals versus reproductions. I do know that the bayonet has numbers on the muzzle ring, and there are some numbers on the scabbard--different from the numbers on the bayonet. If I buy these, and assuming that both are in good (not pristine) condition is there anyone who will be interested in buying them from me for about $400? Thanks, B.T.

Jim & diggeri: You guys are right, and I apologize. If I buy this rig I will set a price and advertise it first on this board if it is ok with the webmaster. Incidentally, I don't think that eBay is accepting anything that is firearm related. I'll check, maybe they do accept bayonets. Thanks, B.T.

What I thought was a "T" could be an "I" and the last letter is an "A", so what i am seeing may be "IA CO----CA". The letters are about 1/16" in height but they are not at the rear of the receiver, they are on the left side of the radiator, just fwd. of the mag and just above the forearm wood. There is nothing on the other side except the Cranston Arms logo and the small star just above the logo. Everything else being equal, what effect does this import mark have on the value? Thanks for everyone's help. B.T.

I recently acquired JSAR s/n 3570. It was made in Dec. 1941 for the N.P.C. It has a very small & very old import stamp on the left side of the radiator, just above the forearm. The space is about 3/4" in length and probably held 5-6 letters at one time, each about 1/16" in height. Now I can only make out two letters, a "P" or a "T"--not sure which--and a "A", the rest are gone. The rifle is all Johnson, not a Winfield, and it didn't come from Chile. Does anyone know who the importer was, and where this rifle may have been imported from? Everything else being equal, how much does this stamp effect the value? Thanks, B.T.

I was having a similar problem with mine, but I knew it had a bolt stop as it had been working properly. I contacted Joseph Scott and he told me how to correct the problem--only took a minute, did it while I had him on the phone. He also has replacement bolt stops if yours is broken. B.T.

I will try to post a pic, but my computer skills are so poor it may never work. As far as the sequence of letters; the "T' is the first letter and the "A" is the last. I'm sure it's an import stamp and not a person's name. I have looked at it with a magnifying glass and in bright sunlight and cannot make it out. Thanks, B.T.

I found one, Joe Scott has them. B.T.

I need one butt stock recoil lug screw. Just the screw and just one of those. Anyone have one for sale? Thanks, B.T.

Is there any record of the serial number range of the rifles that were actually shipped to the Dutch East Indies? I'm aware that some rifles were made for Chile in 7x57 caliber. Does anyone know how many were made for Chile and did they have the Chilean nat'l crest stamped on the receiver? What other countries purchased/used the JSAR and in what calibers? Thanks, B.T.

Keep in mind that the WW2 military ammo. has a corrosive primer and most currently available bore cleaners will not remove the corrosive salts. Be sure to clean your barrel with hot, soapy water or WW2 bore cleaner.

I just acquired s/n 3570 and need some advice. 1.The butt stock and forearm appear to be original and both have numerous dings and the wood is VERY dark from, what looks like 66 yrs of oil, dirt & sweat. I would like to clean it up without sanding. 2. The safety is not reliable. It will move from the safe position to fire with just the lighest touch. 3. I have removed the bbl. and found the following markings: "JA 30-06" top of chamber, letter "J", s/n 4438E and some kind of proof mark (cannot make it out) on the bottom of the chamber. Then s/n 4483E on the locking lug. Transposed numbers? 4. It came with a bayonet and scabbard, and based on the bayonet & scabbard info. that I have pulled off this board, they appear to be originals--not repos--HOWEVER the bayonet has numbers (1269) stamped into the top of the muzzle ring. I was under the impression that original bayonets were never numbered. The scabbard has no markings. Does anyone have any thoughts/advice on cleaning the wood, repairing the safety, the transposed s/n's on the bbl. and the bayonet? Thanks, B.T.

I am considering purchasing a 1941 Johnson serial number 3570 (no letter prefix). Does anyone have any info.? Thanks

I am on the verge of buying JAR s/n 3570 which appears to be fairly original (the bolt and barrel were replaced at some point in time) although the stock does show the usual handling marks of a 65 yr. old rifle I now see that there is a Miltech JAR, with a repo bayonet but no wooden Miltech box, on GunBroker with an opening price of $4,200 but no bids and a closing date of 7-30. The price of # 3570 is about the same and includes an original bayonet and scabbard. The Miltech is much nicer looking but, of course, has been rebuilt/restocked etc. Assuming that # 3570 functions properly, which would be the better buy? I am leaning toward the original but I'm open to other opinions. Thanks, B.T.