Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot.....report

[M48TANKER 0]

I just returned from the Knob Creek Machinegun Shoot at Westpoint, Kentucky. (near Fort Knox). It was there that I saw my first couple of 1941 Johnsons for sale about 15 years ago. At that time, one was priced at $900.00 and the other was priced at $1100.00 and I thought, "That's just too much money...I'll keep looking and find one cheaper". Yeah, Right ! I gave up the hunt for the "cheaper" nice Johnson just last year, and proceeded to buy a couple of very expensive specimins.

So, yesterday I saw two more 1941 Johnsons at Knob Creek. One of the Johnsons, a Winfield deluxe sporter was priced at $3650.00 and was serial #6194. It had a blued barrel with Dahl ramped front sight. The receiver was parkerized and adorned with a couple of scope bases instead of the original rear sight. The wood was typical Winfield Sporter: cheek piece, rubber buttpad, matching front forearm with high gloss finish. I'd be generous to rate the wood at 70% overall. The metal probably about the same.

The second 1941 Johnson was the epitome of a battlefield pick-up rifle !!!! I've never seen a Johnson in that condition. It was most definitley all original, un-messed with, and had a very dark, rusted bore. The NPC acceptance mark was on the right rear of the receiver. To say the wood was beaten up would be an understatement. The metal didn't fare much better. There was literally NO finish left on the metal or wood. However, the rifle was all there and most likely would still function. The serial number was "A4721" and the price was $4000.00. I wish I had taken a picture of it. It was just like a well worn and very mistreated war rifle would look like. The only thing I've ever seen to compare it with was a veteran bring-back AK 47 shown in a periodical magazine once. If only this Johnson could talk. Oh the stories of the many battles it must have seen. I shudder to think of the fate of the soldier who carried it. Perhaps the fact that this 1941 Johnson is back in the United States means that the man who fought with it came back too. Even in it's present condition it might have been worth the asking price. I wonder how it escaped being "refurbished" ????

[Adriaan de Jong 0]

[The second 1941 Johnson was the epitome of a battlefield pick-up rifle !!!!

Something like this one?:

I bought this one overhere in Germany. Originally it was imported from Australia. This rifle definitely saw some action, look at the muzzle, it was fired at least once with an obstructed barrel.

The stock is almost black, it looks a lot like the M95 carbines from the Dutch indies I own.

As you can see the stock at the magazin is straight. Hard to say if it was like that originally, or if the laminated parts got lost.

My second Johnson(see the last picture) was imported by me from Canada and looks like new. The wood is original, I just cleaned/rubbed it with linseed oil. Unfortunately the bore is not in a good condition.

Adriaan

by the way:you can find some more pictures of my rifles in the Gallery, finally found the time to make/upload them.

[butch 0]

Awesome looking pair, Adriaan. Love that been there, done that look too.

[Brian Alpert 0]

Isn't Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot a trip! It is a real happening. I saw those 2 "fire poke" JSARs. Most of that vendor's rifles were in the same condition. My 2nd JSAR, for which I paid $1400 back in 99, was (actually still is) a rough customer out of New Zealand. It was a low number, possibly having made it to the Dutch East Indies before the Japanese invasion, and evacuated to Australia. The bore is like a sewer pipe and the finish could be described as "patina", the collectors term for rust. The stock is black with many chips and dents. The rifle functioned flawlessly and was reasonably accurate. I actually used it in a couple Garand matches. It is one of my favorites.

[M48TANKER 0]

Adriaan, thanks for the photos. Yes, your battle field pick-up is very much like the one I saw. They might have been in the same battles! Now, I'm going to have to use that business card I picked up from the vendor who had the rifles. Maybe he'll trade the "Veteran" for something? I can't justify the $4000.00 pricetag, but I might be able to work something out with him. Or....I could get out my sandblaster, propane torch, handaxe, muriatic acid, and then go bury one of my present rifles after all the abuse is done......... No, just joking, couldn't do that.

Brian, you're right about Knob Creek Machine Gun shoot being a "happening". Where else could you put all those thousands of diverse people and gun nuts together in one crowded place and not ever hear, or see, any dischord? It's true that "An armed society is a polite society". People from all over the world converge at Knob Creek twice a year for two weekends of continous full auto gunfire, explosions, tracers, flame throwers, grenades, miniguns, helicopters, tanks, armored personel carriers, WW2 re-enactors, and a huge gathering of vendors and arms merchants with a plethora of merchandise. I am in attendance every year and enjoy it more each time.

[Adriaan de Jong 0]

Allthough you cannot really compare the Prices for Johnson's in the USA and in Europe: I paid 2000 USD for my battle horse(no way it will ever be restored, I like it as it is....).

That Knob Creek shoot is something that would be worth a Holiday in the USA

Adriaan

[dash 0]

I just may have to start going to Knob Creek now that the Patton Museum doesn't hold the living history days anymore.

[ryche_me 0]

A friend of mine, a couple of years ago called me at work just as the opening bell rang on the fire line.

Being familiar with full autos i knew what i was hearing. When he finally got to some place where he could hear me, i called him a few choice names and thanked him for the wake up call. I hope to attend that show sometime, as I've never been. Maybe Tanker will let me crash on his couch. :lol: The day before.

Thanks for the report and good luck on the battlefield lady.

Ryche

[M48TANKER 0]

Ryche, sure you can crash on my couch! Anyone else too. The more the merrier. The next shoot is October 14,15,and 16th. We've already got our motel reservations made for that weekend. If you don't reserve well in advance, there is literally "no room at the inn".

With a bit of planning we could arrange a large contingent of 1941 Johnson Owners. TANKER

[Barry in IN 0]

It is something everyone should see at least once.

I haven't been in about 12 years. It was getting too crowded for my tastes then, and I bet it's worse now. A far cry from when my buddy started going and knew almost everyone by name.

I'll never forget my first time though. I have to describe it so those who have never been can get the feel:

We parked and started walking in, and I heard the sound of rushing water nearby. I assumed there was a swollen creek nearby (it always rains buckets for days leading up to the shoot). I asked my buddy, who had been several times, about this and he didn't know what I was talking about.

As we walked, I kept hearing it so I asked again once or twice. He kept wondering what I was talking about. He thought I was nuts.

Then the sound just stopped.

And I understood.

The rushing noise was not rapids or a waterfall, but MGs in the distance. There were so many being fired at once that it was one solid sound. When the sound stopped, it was due to calling a regular cease fire. I thought I knew what it would sound like from hearing MGs before, but I had never heard so many at once which was quite different. A wall of noise.

This guy and I also like to talk about that time since we had $10K in cash between us and that would have bought most things there. Now, besides us not being able to scare up $10K, it wouldn't touch hardly anything if we could.