You Tube video

[M48TANKER 0]

I just happened to run across this YouTube video and thought some of you might like to see it. I enjoyed watching the rifle from the right side as it fired. There are some other videos of the 1941 Johnsons on YouTube as well. Are any of our members to thank for posting this to YouTube? "https://www.youtube.com/embed/aWIRjid5k7w?rel=0"

[ryche_me 0]

I have seen this video before and MAN do i wish i was there. I would probably give up a body part to play with a JLMG :D

Tanker thanks for putting it up here!! hope the others take a look.

Ryche

[Ed Johnson 0]

Many Thanks to Tanker for the U-Tube of Dad's LMG being fired. I have distributed it accordingly, but WITHOUT the following comments.....

1) On the first set of short bursts, photographed from the left side, I note what appears to be a closed bolt at the end of that sequence.

2) On the second set of bursts, photographed from the right (ejection) side, I noticed the same thing. I was also thankful that the photographer didn't get hit with the extracted shells !

I am assuming that the LMG had been emptied at the end of both sequences. Otherwise, if a round was jammed and not extracted manually within a short period of time (perhaps 5 to 10 seconds)there would be the possible risk of a "cook-off" due to the heat of the barrel. Granted, this is more likely to happen if there was more sustained fire, hence, more heat.

Bob Lamoreaux owned one of these at one point and fired it extensively. He may want to comment on this point. Ed J

[emmagee1917 0]

The gun was firing from an open bolt as could be seen between the bursts. I'm not sure if these had the hold open on the last round feature or not or , if like the rifles , was optional depending on if the part was installed or not.

Chris

[Ed Johnson 0]

The gun was firing from an open bolt as could be seen between the bursts. I'm not sure if these had the hold open on the last round feature or not or , if like the rifles , was optional depending on if the part was installed or not.

Chris

I agree...the bolt was open between bursts...and only closed at the end. Not sure about the hold-open after last round. I do know that you can switch to semi auto fire with the JLMG and in that case, because the heat is not usually as intense, the bolt functions from the closed position. What I noticed, when firing it years ago, was that...per round...this feature made the LMG more accurate for the single shots.

[M48TANKER 0]

Thanks Ed and everyone else. I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I first saw the video. Even after watching it several times I wasn't sure if it was firing from an open bolt or not, because of it closing on the last round. It looked like it fired from an open bolt on the first round, but then the bolt stayed closed at the end. What a GREAT weapon. Too bad the full auto JLMG is beyond my present financail means, even if one could be found that was for sale.

[Gonzo 0]

Nice video made on the Johnson SAR. This rifle belong to anyone here?

http://youtu.be/7yifKfSfTro

[M48TANKER 0]

Gonzo, thanks for the video. That rifle looks very much like a Miltech restoration to me. I have one identical to it. Almost too nice. I love watching these rifles in action. That was pretty good marksmanship on the bowling pins too. FUN. FUN, FUN

[ArtR 0]

While I cannot comment on open or closed bolt from left side, it definitely fired from open bolt from the right side. However, in both right and left videos, after finishing firing, the bolt is closed when firing is completed, and it APPEARS that it may be stuck, most notably when viewed from the left side when operator tries to move bolt to rear!

ArtR

[Ed Johnson 0]

I had not seen this JSAR U-tube before. It will not surprise many of you that I don't agree with some of the speaker's remarks, including the one about costs. I suspect he had not read the Canfield-Lamoreaux book "Johnson Rifles and Machine Guns" or he would have understood cost factors better.

As for the problems with rifles firing with bayonets, Dad never wanted bayonets in the first place...this wasn't WWI anymore...but he was forced to make the adoption to satisfy the military. In fact, Dad was better at THROWING the "tent peg" bayonets, rather than using them on the rifle.

The speaker failed to point out, although he did actually demonstrate, a major advantage of the Johnson over the Garand. You had to load the Garand full strips at a time. With the Johnson, you could load rounds individually, to keep a full magazine. And I don't know why the shooters were unable to load 10 rounds, unless the company who restored the rifle made a modification to internal magazine components.

I agree that the U-Tube rifle is very likely a Miltech restoration, probably without the bolt hold-open device. Too bad they didn't show the 100 yard groupings but at least the two shooters hit the bowling pins. All in all, this was a decent shooting demo of the rifle. Note the lack of heavy recoil, in part due to the design of the unlocking system which reduces the sharpness of the "jolt" to the shoulder. I think Bob Lamoreaux noticed this also when firing the JLMR versus the BAR.

[dash 0]

Both vids are great, but I don't know which I prefer more...seeing bowling pins fall or hearing the Johnson bark. There is another video of someone shooting steel plates in the distance. I really like hearing that ring.

[emmagee1917 0]

If you install the little flat door spring in the mag, housing up-side-down , it will cut it down to an 8-rounder or so. Don't ask me how I know....

Chris

[Gonzo 0]

http://www.americanrifleman.org/videos/johnson-model-1941/

[ryche_me 0]

Hey: I found out about that door spring thing the hard way also.

My old shooter would only ever take 8 in the mag, so i pulled the mag out and was trying to see what was stopping it.

I noticed that the spring would contact the follower before full capacity.

HMMMMM i wonder??? Took the spring out turned it upside down and lo and behold it would then take 10.

Just fun little tid bits to make you think.

Ryche