Talk:Johnson M1941 Rifle/Temp
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| Johnson M1941 | |
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| Type | Semi-automatic rifle |
| Place of origin | |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1941 - 1945 |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Melvin Johnson |
| Designed | 1939 |
| Number built | ~ 20 000 |
| Variants | - |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) |
| Length | 1156 mm |
| Barrel length | 558 mm |
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| Cartridge | .30-06 Springfield 7 x 57 mm Mauser |
| Action | Short-recoil, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | semi-automatic |
| Muzzle velocity | 865 m/s (2840 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 550 m (600 yd) |
| Feed system | 10 round cylindrical magazine |
| Sights | Adjustable Iron Sights |
The M1941 Rifle was an American short-recoil operated semi-automatic rifle designed prior to World War II that competed with the contemporary M1 Garand.
Contents |
[edit] Design
The M1941 rifle used the energy from recoil to operate the rifle. As the bullet and propellant gasses moved down the barrel, they imparted a force on the bolt head that was locked to the barrel. The barrel, together with the bolt, moved a short distance rearward until the bullet left the barrel and pressure in the bore had dropped to safe levels. The barrel then stopped against a shoulder allowing the bolt carrier to continue rearward under the momentum imparted by the initial recoil stage. A cam arrangement then rotated and unlocked the bolt to continue the operating cycle. The Johnson rifle utilized a 10 round rotary magazine and utilized a two-piece stock.
This system had some advantages over the M1 Garand, including less perceived recoil, the ability to take the rifle down for transport, the ability to charge the rifle while it was in battery, and a greater magazine capacity. However, the Johnson employed a number of small parts that were easily lost during field stripping. It was prone to malfunction when a bayonet was attached to the reciprocating barrel.
Johnson also lacked the support of US Army Ordnance. It is worth noting that the Garand first entered service with a completely different gas system than it was later fitted with. Army Ordnance completely redesigned the system during production. Similar defects in the Johnson would have no such leniency. Partially because of this lack of development, the Johnson was more fragile and tended to be less reliable in combat.
[edit] Notes
Melvin Johnson continued to develop small arms. His most successful venture was working with ArmaLite and Colt's Manufacturing Company promoting their AR-15 rifle. This rifle used Johnson's patents for its bolt and bolt carrier. The M1941 bolt and bolt cam system is still manufactured today prolifically in the M16 rifle and all its various subvariations.
[edit] Other firearms
- M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun (Automatic)
- Gewehr 43 (Semi-Auto)
- M1 Garand (Semi-auto)
- Tokarev SVT40 (Semi-auto)
[edit] See also
| United States infantry weapons of World War II and Korea |
|---|
| Side arms |
| Colt M1911/A1 | M1917 revolver | Smith & Wesson "Victory" revolver |
| Rifles & carbines |
| Springfield M1903 | M1 Garand | M1 Carbine | M1941 Johnson | Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) |
| Submachine guns |
| Thompson ("Tommy Gun") M1928/M1/A1 | M3 "Grease Gun" | Reising M50/M55 | United Defense M42 |
| Machine guns & other larger weapons |
| Browning M1917 | Browning M1919 | Johnson LMG | Browning M2 HMG | Bazooka | M2 flamethrower |
