Holy Abomination!!

[Jimbocious 0]

OMG!    https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1037/652/johnson-model-1941-semiautomatic-rifle-with-scope 

[Brian Alpert 0]

An abomination today but remember (and I am old enough to) that in the 40's and 50's nobody was interested in military rifles and many custom gunmakers like Griffin and Howe and others, including Johnson Automatics specialized in converting military rifles....Mausers, Springfields, Mannlichers and even Johnsons to custom hunting rifles.  Winfield Arms who was responsible for most of the JSARs in the US today sold their Deluxe scoped sporters for more than double what they sold the military versions for.  Times and tastes change.

[ArtR 0]

Brian
In the early '60's, I remember going to Sears, Roebuck, & Co, and could buy M1 Carbines, and 1903 and 03A3 Springfield's, off the rack, for what by today's standards would still have been cheap. Carbines were like $34 and '03's were like $45. And these were pure military. I wanted a carbine so badly, and my dad would not allow me to 'waste" my money. Oh, in 20-20 hind site, I wish I had wasted tons!

[eb in oregon 0]

If that is "an abomination" so is every custom rifle made out of a former military rifle. Of which there are many thousands, if not more. I sure wish people would stop judging the past by modern society. Nobody 50 or 60 years ago had a clue as to the future of firearms direction or the eventual collectability of many of those old rifles. And as Brian mentioned in the 1950s and 1960s nobody wanted an old military rifle except for those of us that had to scrimp and save to buy a $13.00 surplus rifle.

[ArtR 0]

And.....on closer examination, that appears to be a Winfield Deluxe Sporter that had the stock carved

[Brian Alpert 0]

I believe that one is the work of a custom gunsmith from the Chicago area.  I had one just like it with the gold plated swivel studs, ejector and trigger and guard.  I got it off GB years ago for a song after it sat for over a year  without a bid.  The carved stock had been broken at the wrist and repaired but it was not safe to shoot.  I replaced it with a Winfield Deluxe stock which I ended up with in a trade.  Gorgeous rifle but I got barely over $2K on GB after I tired of dragging it tough shows.

[DMZ 0]

Here's a photo of a forearm that was on GB (tried to find it today -- no luck).  Must be from the same source as the Rock Island piece.  

[M48TANKER 0]

I'll confess to now owning Brian's Old Custom Sporter and it's sure a beauty. Brian had adorned it with checkered wood instead of what's pictured in this topic. I would LOVE to have the original carved custom stock or one just like it.

Also, I'm the lucky guy who bid on and won that forestock in the picture. Got it pretty cheap.

The rifle is chambered in .270 according to Brian. There is a story behind that broken stock from days of old. It occurred during shipping or so I read in one article. I believe it was used in one of the North Western states to hunt moose? I'll try to find the article which had the information.

[Jimbocious 0]

Tastes and styles do change and are always individual.  In the case of this gun, the auction market has now spoken, to the tune of $4,025 (buyer premium included).

Two other JSARs sold at same auction:

And now I'm curious whether this modded version counts as an abomination? :-)

[ArtR 0]

unfortunately, that one has reared its ugly face a few times....we only have to hope that a true rifle was not harmed or injured in the filming of that disaster

[camstuff 0]

I actually contacted this seller about 18 months ago or so or maybe longer.  I had asked if they would take the barrel off and take some detailed  pictures.  They declined,  but they did offer the rifle to me at a discounted price.  (Referring to the custom 338)