tuskinventor

Thanks fellas for all the information. Really learning a lot on this board. Appreciate all.

Took the time over the past couple of days to completely disassemble and clean a rifle I picked up last year. A9926 came from a very picky collector in western Michigan and he also had the owners manual signed by Mr Johnson that I have posted about previously. Wanted to share pics of the rifle and get comments as appropriate. I did shoot about 10 rounds out of the rifle—worked flawlessly. https://imgur.com/gallery/PSpNB32

Does anyone have a copy of the December 1939 test report conducted at Aberdeen Proving Grounds? I am specifically trying to find the name of the shooters of test #5 and #8 of the test. Why? I have an operators manual inscribed by Mr Johnson on Dec 26th to a Mr Henry Lawrence congratulating him on his accuracy when firing the rifle—suspect he might have been a shooter/tester at APG during this test. Thanks in advance.

I tried to contact the GB seller in an attempt to get a copy of the 1939 APG test report. No reply to date. If anyone has a copy, I sure would like to read it.

Thanks so much to all the folks who are showing interest in my research. Still no response from the cousin of Henry Lawrence, but I am beginning to think that perhaps I am searching for the name and not the actual event. Woonsocket was actually bigger in 1940 than it is today. Almost 45k then. Perhaps several “Henry Lawrences “ lived in the town at the time. Assuming the inscription is real...doesn’t it make sense that perhaps Henry Lawrence was actually a government marksman provided by Aberdeen for the December of 1939 tests? Perhaps Mr Johnson thanked him by writing him a personal note? I know, total conjecture, but I think it is worth some more time and research. I have done some work at APG in the past and perhaps I can find some more information on long ago testing! It continues...

So today’s update is not too exciting. I found the draft and census records for Henry Lawrence. He was indeed a resident of Woonsocket, but not of the Taft-Pierce factory. He was a mill worker in a factory that was very close, and was inducted into the Army in 1942, serving until 1946. He passed away in 1989. He was 27 years old in the 1940 census. I have found a relative (cousin) and have reached out to see if he was somehow connected to the development of the rifle. My search and investigation continues!! Also, thanks to Ed Johnson who has reached out to me via PM.

So I thought the same thing “hmmm, seems strange to me about the dates” and I could be dead wrong as I play detective through the internet. I believe that this early manual was developed in conjunction with the first Taft-Pierce prototypes and then provided for the first trials/testing at APG in late 39. Although the term “1940 manual” is used to describe this particular manual—it is very possible, that copies were available sooner to support advertising and the formal testing. I have seen a couple of reproductions that stated the first copies were actually printed in 1938 (again, this could be just internet BS). My latest search is for the name “Henry Lawrence”, who is the man the note is made out to...I am trying to find the employee records of Taft-Pierce in 1939 and cross check the names (no luck yet)-I did find that a widow of a Henry Lawrence of Woonsocket RI (home of the Taft-pierce factory) died a couple of years ago at 94. Age seems about right...the quest continues and even if it is a forgery—it’s still super fun to try to Prove legit. Please chime in folks as I am just learning about the rifle in detail now and could always use real data to help in the final conclusion. chad in Michigan

Thank you sir for your time and thoughts. I found another similarly noted manual on “open library” that is to a USMC Colonel that is signed “MM Johnson”. Hand writing looks very similar.

Thanks Brian—without a doubt the timeline of the rifle and the manual do not match—hoping that the note from Mr Johnson is authentic more than anything. I am convinced the manual is real—the note I am not sure.

It is a super cool piece of history. Hoping the note is real as well.

Pages 5-8 are NOT missing. They detail out the parts of each major assembly

Trying to post pics but it’s not letting me. Too big maybe? Think I got it now.

Fellas, brand new member here is sunny Detroit and wanted to thank you for letting me join. Recently purchased serial # A9926 and was given an original owners manual that appears to be signed/note by MR Johnson himself. Does anyone else have something like this? Was it common? And even more important...is it real?