S/N

[Natham 0]

Hi, to fellow collectors. Can any one of you help. I have in my collection a Johnson 1941 S/N 8314, bolt same 8314 S/N, and the Barrel S/N 8314 the same. There is a very long history with this JSR. It has been in the family since 1943. any info would be great. Thank you. Natham

[Brian Alpert 0]

Natham, Here are the part #s listed in the production log for JSAR #8314 Received from Cranston Arms.3/7/42 Stock #2 Bbl #1196F Hammer block #8393 Hammer #7129 Bolt #A0317 Locking cam #1090 Firing pin #A2578 Extractor #8493 Magazine #5845 Transferred to NPC 3/10/42 The only JSARs I have seen with matching #s were the so called "Queens Guard Carbines" with "W" crests which were obviously altered. Post some pictures of the numbers on the bbl and bolt

[Ed Johnson 0]

Brian, I agree. To date, I am not aware of any matching numbers, much less matching receiver, barrel and bolt. Pictures might tell us something. ej

[johnnygun 0]

If they bothered numbering all the pieces, why didn't Johnson assemble them with matching numbers? Numbering all the parts wouldn't seem worth the bother. John

[Natham 0]

Thanks Guys, I will take photos tomorrow. I have never posted photos before on this site but will try. Thank, Natham.

[Ed Johnson 0]

As to the question, "why not match the numbers" there is a legality issue involving the manufacturer of firearms and requiring numbers on parts. But matching the numbers would not have improved the performance of the weapon. It was easier and less expensive (less time consuming) to simply grab components, throw them together, test the weapon and ship it out. All the parts were supposed to work interchangeably. These were not products that were "fine tuned" such as a modern target rifle. But...the military quality was still there.

[johnnygun 0]

Ed-I understand it is easier to grab any part and that they should all interchange, but you would see lugers, mausers or enfields with matching numbers and they were produced with the same wartime rush. On something like a garand or carbine, all they had was a part serial number and manufacturer identified. It's a shame that on such a finely built item as a Johnson that the company didn't take the time, even though it did not matter to functionality.

[ryche_me 0]

Actually on Lugers and Mausers there was alot of hand fitting done. It was time consuming but the quality was there. The serial #'s were put on after fitting to keep the matching parts together. This is also why the Luger was replaced with the P-38 and the attempt to replace the Mauser with the G-43. Both mass part produced weapons, by several different company's. The Germans still had a tendency to serial alot of the parts, but not as many as the hand fitted guns. Ryche

[Joseph Scott 0]

Over the years, I have formed the opinion that the numbering was for accounting purposes. I believe the Nederland Purchasing Commission wanted to know how many parts were made for their money. As for German numbering of gun parts, they had a very long history of hand fitting, numbering, polishing and disassembly for blueing, then reassembly. As war progressed, numbering and finishing decreased. America's system of interchangeable parts did not require matching numbers. I have seen several matched number guns which were not factory numbered but done by an owner.

[Natham 0]

Here are the images hope it works out guys. Natham http://imgur.com/3T1tdCq bolt http://imgur.com/6w9CSsF reciever http://imgur.com/mUFK2Yy barrel A http://imgur.com/b5Ujp4a barrel B

[Brian Alpert 0]

Natham, The bolt was obviously restamped. If you look closely, you can see a faint 1 7 above the restamped # where the original # was not completely removed. The correct # for the bolt should be A0317. The number on the bbl is not the appropriate size and I do not see the same # on the locking collar. Why someone would do this is beyond me....unless they believed the rifle was not original unless the #s matched, a most common misconception further enhanced by a few of the "blue books" of gun values which often state that the JSAR needed to have matching #s.

[Natham 0]

Thank you for the info Brian, you have been a great help. Natham.

[ArtR 0]

I agree with Brian on the bolt, and as for the barrel SN, if you look just to the right and slightly up on the barrel #8, you will see the remnants of a number, possibly a bad strike on the #8 or remnants of another number, possibly a 3

[oldtirediron 0]

Just another person trying to make the rifle "Original" I agree that the parts were numbered for accounting purposes; Where foreign firarms were hand fit and the parts were numbered to keeps the parts for one weapon together ! I have seen personally many Mauser rifles that the so called matching numbers were a digit off or mistamped when the rifle was built not common but they are out there!! I also had a P-08 luger that was all matching but on the barrel extension the last digit was restamped at the factory; someone had stamped a "0" instead of a "9" in the last digit, then they just stamped the "9" over the Zero! You could see that the last digit was somewhat different but without a magnifying glass you would never see it and the most important lesson here is that these firearms were made to shoot--NOT to be a collector's item!