Another desporterization project

[C P 0]

Hello gentlemen.  I recently purchased a sporterized 1941 Johnson from my local Cabelas gun library and am now working on restoring it to it's original type design.

Before I just start building parts I thought it would be worth asking if any of you know where I can find these items:

• Butt plate
• rear sight
• bayonet lug

At this point I have already removed the sporter ramp sight, and am in the process of pinning on the original style one.  there was also a problem with the recoil spring tube where it's recoil stop was never properly secured on both sides with screws.  In fact, all they did was put the stop in, and smoothed out wood putty on top of it.  the result was that the spring tube was no longer secure and got shoved too far back for the spring to engage the locking cam, resulting in a failure to fire.  have a look at my progress!

[Dutch2 0]

Great looking rifle,I made a lot of progress on mine but parts are becoming harder to get.

Sarco used to have butt plates but are sold out and they haven't had bayonet lugs in stock for years.

A good video to watch on Youtube is by mark Novak ,especially the part about the tube for the recoil spring.

Anvil 058: Johnson Automatic Rifle

[camstuff 0]

Finding an original rear sight and bayonet lug will be difficult. You can find reproduction rear sights.  Also, if you find a bayonet lug, It won’t typically just slide onto that sporter barrel, an original barrel will be machined to fit the front sight and will have a shoulder for it rest against, same for the bayonet lug. I’ve seen others post wanting the same parts, but I don’t think they had any luck.  Try SARCO and Numrich parts.    Does yours fire now?   

[C P 0]

Thanks for the info guys! 

Once I solved the spring tube issue I confirmed that the rifle can now fire by running some empty primed cases through it.  they all worked without a problem.  as for a full live fire, not yet.

 In other news I started work on the bayonet lug today.

[Dutch2 0]

Since bayonet lugs seem to be unobtainium I have been thinking about building one myself, keep posting on this project .

[eb in oregon 0]

3 minutes ago, Dutch2 said:

Since bayonet lugs seem to be unobtainium I have been thinking about building one myself, keep posting on this project .

Better be talented if confined to hacksaws, grinders, and files.

[C P 0]

Since there are no blue prints to reference that I am aware of I spent the evening doing a side view drawing of the bayonet lug using internet pictures.

If any of you have a barrel with a lug on it I'd be interested to know how close my measurements are.

[butch 0]

Very close! The one I have is 1.150" tall. Outside diameter is .720. Inside diameter is .589. Your other measurements only differ no more than .003 to .005. Yours being greater. Bottom of lug to bottom of inside diameter bore is .495. Width of lug is .435. and .245 between grooves from side to side Good Luck

[C P 0]

Thanks Butch!  If you don't mind I'll use those measurements going forward.

[Dutch2 0]

16 hours ago, eb in oregon said:

Better be talented if confined to hacksaws, grinders, and files.

No problem, I have a small lathe and milling machine,  the problem is too many hobbies and lack of time, sailing/boating season approaching fast so working on the docks and boat lift..at the moment

Probably a winter project for this guy.

 

[butch 0]

4 hours ago, C P said:

Thanks Butch!  If you don't mind I'll use those measurements going forward.

No problem. I have made a few parts that are hard to find too. I need to make a couple more for another rifle. There are a lot of helpful people on this forum when someone needs something. 

[ArtR 0]

C P

Before you proceed further with any build plans, please check your Private Messages, top of page.

ArtR

[C P 0]

Progress!

[Whitpusmc 0]

Looking good!

[C P 0]

[C P 0]

I found that gluing the part down to a fixture made cutting it out much easier.

[eb in oregon 0]

Good job! Now a little rotary table work and your almost there.

[C P 0]

Ground fully to dimension, hardened and tempered.

[butch 0]

Nice work!

[eb in oregon 0]

3 hours ago, butch said:

Nice work!

Ditto, good work. Well done. I should use my lathe and Bridgeport more, but I haven't had any good project for a bit.

[C P 0]

Barrel complete!  now for the rear sight and stock.

[Whitpusmc 0]

Very well done! Kudos!

 

Whit

[eb in oregon 0]

Looking at the pictures of your progress and the part it's easy to forget exactly how small that part is until you see it's relationship to the barrel and front sight. You did an excellent job with the tools at hand. 

[Brian Alpert 0]

Has anyone ever figured out how to get the chrome plating off the guide and locking collars?

[eb in oregon 0]

6 hours ago, Brian Alpert said:

Has anyone ever figured out how to get the chrome plating off the guide and locking collars?

That requires de-plating of the barrel bushing and in my opinion would cause more problems that it fixes. The barrel would need be stripped and the part de-plated, the bushing blued, and the barrel reassembled. Personally I'd leave it alone and paint it. Nobody's really going to notice and the rifle is a restoration anyway so it won't be perfect. And in my opinion those bits should have been chrome plated originally to reduce wear and corrosion.