"US" Marking

[Dave Southard 0]

Canfield's book states at page 254 that "some if not all of" the 100 Johnson Rifles purchased by Johnson Rifles from the USMC in early 1945 "had a small 'US' stamped on the metal."

I know the chances of lucking into a USMC Johnson is approx. zero, but am wondering whether there are any pictures of that marking, and whether it was stamped in the same place / area consistently?

[Joseph Scott 0]

I have a documented USMC rifle and there are no US stamps on it. I do not agree that they were so stamped. I have seen a faked gun with 13 US stamps on it. Soo phoney, the metal was still bright inside the stampings. You have to go by the serial numbers or if you can get the paperwork that Johnson Automatics provide with the surplus rifles which they sold postwar.

[Bruce Canfield 0]

I have a documented USMC rifle and there are no US stamps on it. I do not agree that they were so stamped. I have seen a faked gun with 13 US stamps on it. Soo phoney, the metal was still bright inside the stampings. You have to go by the serial numbers or if you can get the paperwork that Johnson Automatics provide with the surplus rifles which they sold postwar.

I also have a documented USMC M1941 Johnson rifle and it has no added markings ("US" or anything else). The few others I've seem were the same way.

The "US" marking referred to in the book pertained only to those rifles purchased by Melvin Johnson in early 1945. It has only been reported that the guns were marked in such a manner. If true, the markings was almost certainly applied when sold by the USMC to Johnson to identify the rifles. I would be extremely wary of any Johnson rifle on the market today with one or more "US" or "USMC" markings. As stated, all the original USMC rifles observed to date do not have such markings.

[Dave Southard 0]

I also have a documented USMC M1941 Johnson rifle and it has no added markings ("US" or anything else). The few others I've seem were the same way.

The "US" marking referred to in the book pertained only to those rifles purchased by Melvin Johnson in early 1945. It has only been reported that the guns were marked in such a manner. If true, the markings was almost certainly applied when sold by the USMC to Johnson to identify the rifles. I would be extremely wary of any Johnson rifle on the market today with one or more "US" or "USMC" markings. As stated, all the original USMC rifles observed to date do not have such markings.

Thanks - Have not seen an example purporting to show the referenced marks; was just curious whether anyone else had.

thanks