View source for M1941 Johnson rifle

{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox weapon
| is_ranged          = yes
| name               = Johnson M1941
| image              = M1941.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = Johnson M1941 Semi-Automatic Rifle with original spike bayonet and leather sheath. The 10-round rotary magazine could be quickly reloaded using two clips of .30 Caliber M2 Ball ammunition.
| origin             = United States
| type               = [[Semi-automatic rifle]]
| designer           = [[Melvin Johnson]]
| manufacturer       = Johnson Automatics  Inc
| production_date    = 1940–1945
| design_date        = 1939
| service            = 1941–1945 <br />1941–1961 (worldwide)
| used_by            = See ''[[#Users|Users]]''
| cartridge          = [[.30-06 Springfield]]<br />[[7×57mm Mauser]] (Chilean variant) [[.270 Winchester]]
| action             = [[Short-recoil]], [[rotating bolt]]
| velocity           = {{convert| 2840|ft/s|0|abbr=on}}
| weight             = {{convert|9.5|lb|kg|2|abbr=on}}
| length             = {{convert|45.87|in|mm|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = {{convert|22|in|mm|abbr=on}}
| feed               = 10 round [[rotary magazine]]
| sights             = Adjustable Iron Sights
| variants           = VF-1 (Argentine copy)
| number             = ~21,988 <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-model-of-1941-johnson-rifle-in-marine-service/ | title=An Official Journal of the NRA &#124; the Model of 1941 Johnson Rifle in Marine Service }}</ref> cost per unit $125|
| wars               = [[World War II]]<br />[[Indonesian National Revolution]]<br />[[Chinese Civil War]]<br /> [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]]
}}

The '''M1941 Johnson Rifle''' is an American [[short-recoil]] operated [[semi-automatic rifle]] designed by [[Melvin Johnson]] prior to [[World War II]]. The M1941 unsuccessfully competed with the contemporary [[M1 Garand rifle|M1 Garand]] rifle but was used in limited numbers by the US Marines<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-model-of-1941-johnson-rifle-in-marine-service/ | title=An Official Journal of the NRA &#124; the Model of 1941 Johnson Rifle in Marine Service }}</ref> during the Second World War.

==Design==
[[File:Senators Inspect Johnson Rifle.jpg|thumb|left|Senator [[Morris Sheppard|Sheppard]], left, Chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee, Maj. Gen. George A. Lynch, U.S. Chief of Infantry, and Senator A. B. Chandler of Kentucky, inspect the M1941 semi-automatic rifle which competed unsuccessfully against the M1 Garand to become the Army's standard weapon]]
[[File:Gen. Marshall, right, & Melvin Johnson LCCN2016877574.jpg|thumb|left|Melvin Johnson and Gen. [[George Marshall]] with a disassembled M1941 rifle]]
The M1941 rifle used the energy from recoil to cycle the rifle. As the bullet and propellant gases move down the barrel, they impart force on the [[bolt (firearm)|bolt]] head which is locked to the barrel. The barrel, together with the bolt, moves a short distance rearward until the bullet leaves the barrel and pressure in the bore drops to safe levels. The barrel then stops against a [[Gun barrel#Components|shoulder]] allowing the bolt carrier to continue rearward under the momentum imparted by the initial recoil stage. The rotating bolt, with eight locking lugs, would then unlock from the chamber as cam arrangement rotates and unlocks the bolt to continue the operating cycle.<ref>{{US Patent|2,094,156}}</ref>  The Johnson rifle utilized a two-piece stock and a unique 10-round rotary magazine, designed to use the same 5-round [[stripper clip]]s already in use by the [[M1903 Springfield|M1903 Rifle]]. Another advantage of this loading method is that the magazine can be topped up while there is still a round in the chamber and the rifle is ready to fire.  Senators and military officials spectating the variants issues with [[Spike bayonet|"dagger" bayonet]] were not suited bayonet fighting.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Bayo_Points_34 | url=http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/bayo_points_34.htm | access-date=2025-06-25 | website=www.usmilitaryknives.com}}</ref>

This system had some advantages in comparison to the M1 Garand rifle, such as a greater magazine capacity combined with the ability to recharge the magazine with ammunition (using 5-round clips or individually) at any time, even with the bolt closed on a chambered round. Also, the Johnson rifle did not — unlike the M1 Rifle — eject an en bloc clip upon firing the last round in the magazine, was considered an advantage by some{{who|date=January 2024}} soldiers.

A widely held belief among US soldiers (when surveyed in 1952, 27% of soldiers held this opinion) was that the M1 Garand's distinctive clip ejection sound, the well-known "M1 ping", presented a danger when fighting an enemy force, as the sound could signal that the soldier's M1 rifle was empty. Regardless of any anecdotal beliefs, and despite the popularity of the story, there are no verified cases of an enemy using the "M1 ping" sound to their advantage up through the [[Korean War]].<ref>Donovan, G. N. "Use of Infantry Weapons and Equipment in Korea" US Army, 1952</ref><ref>"Summary of ORO Special Projects and Field Operations" US Army, 1952</ref>

Despite the several advantages the Johnson Rifle design had over the M1 Garand rifle, the existing disadvantages were too great to change US rifle production from the M1 Garand. The Johnson's [[short recoil]] reciprocating barrel mechanism resulted in excessive vertical shot dispersion that was never fully cured during its production life and was prone to malfunction when a bayonet was attached to the reciprocating barrel (short recoil weapons require specific barrel weights to cycle correctly). Additionally, the complex movements of the barrel required for proper operation would be subject to unacceptable stress upon a bayonet thrust into a target. The Johnson also employed a number of small parts that were easily lost during field stripping. Partially because of lack of development, the M1941 was less rugged and reliable than the M1, though this was a matter of personal preference and was not universally opined among those that had used both weapons in combat.<ref>Dickson, Jim. "The Johnson Rifle and LMG," Firearms News, Volume 72 Issue 2, January 2018.</ref>

As was Johnson's practice, he gave all of his weapons a "pet" nickname. Johnson christened his semi-automatic rifle ''Betsy'' and the [[M1941 Johnson machine gun|Light Machine Gun]] ''Emma''.

Melvin Johnson continued to develop small arms. He worked with [[ArmaLite]] and [[Colt's Manufacturing Company]] as an advocate for the [[AR-15]]. The AR-15 used a similar bolt design to the M1941 Johnson, though of course the AR-15 employs a "direct impingement"  gas operated action. This design eliminates the operating rod (used in such arms as the M1 Garand, M14, and AK47), making the rifle lighter and reliable.<ref>Barnes, Frank C., ''Cartridges of the World'', DBI Books, 1989</ref><ref>Ezell, Edward Clinton (1983). Small Arms of the World. New York: Stackpole Books. pp. 746–762.</ref>

==History==
[[File:KNIL. Een oefening met machingeweren in een opleidingskamp op Nieuw-Guinea, Bestanddeelnr 29013 013.jpg|thumb|Soldiers of the [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army]] in July 1945. The soldier on the right carries a Johnson rifle.]]
In mid-1930s, the U.S. Army was looking for a semi-automatic rifle, and John Garand from the [[Springfield Armory]] won the tender with his candidate. Melvin Johnson, a lawyer by profession, a Marine officer and a gun hobbyist, was skeptical of the adopted design (for example, he doubted that wartime ammunition would be consistent enough for a gas-operated rifle to work reliably) and decided to develop his own.<ref name="Barry">{{Cite web|url=https://www.practicallyshooting.com/m1941-johnson-semiauto-rifle-part-1-history|title = M1941 Johnson Semiauto Rifle, Part 1, History &#124; Practically Shooting}}</ref> In February 1936, when the Garand had just been adopted, he had his first working model, which had an unprecedented 10 locking lugs in its rotating bolt, manufactured in a machine shop for $300. In April, Johnson filed for a patent, and in August the first complete prototype rifle was completed.<ref name="Barry" /> He continued the development during 1937-1938 while Garand's already adopted design was being tweaked and maturing. In 1938-40, the early prototype model R-14 rifle had support to mount a sword bayonet such as the [[M1905 bayonet]] pattern, despite a failed US Army trial.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://armourersbench.com/2019/10/20/early-johnson-rifle-with-handguard-bayonet-lug/ | title=Early Johnson Rifle with Handguard & Bayonet Lug | date=20 October 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/porters_page_29.htm | title=Porters_Page_29 }}</ref>

Melvin Johnson campaigned heavily for the adoption of his rifle by the U.S. Army and other service branches. However, after limited testing, the Army rejected Johnson's rifle in favor of the M1 rifle they already had.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Johnson's History|url=http://www.johnsonautomatics.com/History.htm|access-date=|website=Johnson Automatics}}</ref>  The M1941 was ordered by the Netherlands for issue to the [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army|KNIL]] in the [[Dutch East Indies]], but only 1,999 rifles were shipped to the Dutch East Indies before the Japanese invaded.<ref name="KNIL">{{cite book|title=Royal Netherlands East Indies Army 1936–42|series=Men-at-Arms 521|first=Marc|last= Lohnstein |date=23 Aug 2018|isbn=9781472833754 |pages=22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U2dkDwAAQBAJ}}</ref> At this time, the U.S. Marine Corps found itself in need of a modern fast-firing infantry rifle, and acquired some rifles from the Dutch East Indies shipment for issue to its [[Paramarine]] battalions then preparing to deploy for action in the Pacific theater.  By all accounts,{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} the M1941 performed acceptably in combat with the Marines in the early days of the Pacific fighting.

Weapon serial number A0009 was issued to USMC Captain [[Robert Hugo Dunlap]], of Monmouth, Illinois, and he carried it into combat in the battle for Iwo Jima, beginning 19 February 1945. Captain Dunlap was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in that battle, and he retained and displayed the weapon until his death in 2000. He praised the rifle and credited it with saving his life and the lives of others.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tomlin |first1=Gary |title=War hero's rifle bought by local shop |url=https://www.galesburg.com/article/20140303/News/140309932 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |work=The Register-Mail |date=March 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413093410/https://www.galesburg.com/article/20140303/News/140309932 |archive-date=April 13, 2019}}</ref>

Despite repeated requests by the Marine Corps to adopt the rifle,<ref>Weeks, John, WWII Small Arms, Galahad Books, 1980 {{page needed|date=March 2019}}</ref> the Johnson rifle lacked the support of US Army Ordnance, which had already invested considerable sums in the development of the M1 Garand and its revised gas operating system, then just going into full production. Johnson was successful in selling small quantities of the [[M1941 Johnson machine gun|M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun]] to the U.S. armed forces, and this weapon was later used by both [[Paramarines]] and the Army's [[First Special Service Force]].<ref>Pikula, Sam (Maj.), ''The Armalite AR-10'', 1998</ref>

Besides Netherlands, Norway received samples in 1939<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npItAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA3175|title = Investigation of the Progress of the War Effort: Hearings Before the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, Seventy-eighth Congress, Second Session, Pursuant to H. Res. 30, a Resolution Authorizing and Directing an Investigation of the Progress of the War Effort|year = 1943}}</ref> (but there was no order due to subsequent German invasion), and in the early 1940s the [[Chilean military]] ordered 1,000 rifles in [[7x57]] (the difference in caliber necessitated procuring barrels from Mexico<ref name="Barry" />), which were delivered in 1943.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/JohnsonM1941.html|title = Johnson M.1941 Rifle}}</ref> Serial numbers are all 4 digit with the 2nd block having an A prefix and the 3rd having a B. Not all numbers were produced which means total production was under 30,000 including all Light Machine Gun models. Some sources claim 70,000, but this is impossible based on the actual serial number range.

Additionally, in April 1944, the United States War Department offered the Free French military the use of approximately 10,500 Johnson rifles and 1,500 Johnson light machine guns; these guns were from undelivered Dutch/Netherlands contracts taken over by the United States Government in 1942. The French requested them for issue to their "Sovereignty troops" (i.e. second line units remaining in North Africa), but this order was not followed through.<ref name="French">{{cite book|last=Vigneras|first=Marcel |title=Rearming the French|series= The United States Army in World War II, Special Studies, Publication 11-6|publisher=Center of Military History, United States Army|location=Washington, D.C.|year= 1989|orig-year=1957 |page=252|url=https://history.army.mil/html/books/011/11-6/CMH_Pub_11-6.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927093224/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/011/11-6/CMH_Pub_11-6.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2012}}</ref>

Some rifles were reportedly sent to [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Nationalist China]],<ref name="China" /><ref>{{Cite web| title=Civil war 1946-49 | url=https://i.postimg.cc/mDLH4Vpq/Johnson.png | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201102945/https://i.postimg.cc/mDLH4Vpq/Johnson.png | archive-date=2021-12-01}}</ref> and a few were captured by the [[People's Liberation Army]] during the later stages of the [[Chinese Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/jttya9/communist_chinese_during_the_chinese_civil_war/|title=R/ForgottenWeapons - Communist Chinese during the Chinese Civil War, armed with the American Johnson M1941 semi-automatic rifle, 1949|date=14 November 2020 }}</ref> The .30-06 Springfield and Enfield M1917 rifles were supplied in large numbers to the [[National Revolutionary Army|KMT]] by the USA pre-1945, to arm [[Y Force|Y]] and [[X Force (Chinese Expeditionary Force)|X Force]]s in [[Chinese Expeditionary Force|Burma]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jowett|first=Philip S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59138681|title=The Chinese Army 1937-49 : World War II and Civil War|date=2005|publisher=Osprey|others=Walsh, Stephen|isbn=1-84176-904-5|location=Oxford|pages=19|oclc=59138681}}</ref> About 30% of Nationalist small arms were of US origin, 30% captured Japanese, and the remainder from various Chinese sources.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Jowett|first=Philip S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59138681|title=The Chinese Army 1937-49 : World War II and Civil War|date=2005|publisher=Osprey|others=Walsh, Stephen|isbn=1-84176-904-5|location=Oxford|pages=20|oclc=59138681}}</ref> One US military source states that between September and November 1948 the Nationalists lost 230,000 rifles to the Communists. In early 1949 the total figure reached over 400,000 of which at least 100,000 were US types.<ref name=":0" />

At the beginning of the [[Indonesian National Revolution]], some M1941 rifles were still in service within Dutch forces. While the KNIL handed over many [[Geweer M. 95]] and [[Lee-Enfield]] rifles to Indonesia after the end of the war, the Johnson rifles were brought to the Netherlands. They were eventually sold in the surplus market in 1953.<ref name="ArmsControl">{{cite book|title=The Control of local conflict : a design study on arms control and limited war in the developing areas|volume=3|last1=Bloomfield|first1= Lincoln P.|last2=Leiss|first2=Amelia Catherine<!--|last3=Legere|first3= Laurence J.|last4= Barringer|first4= Richard E.|last5=Fisher|first5= R. Lucas|last6= Hoagland|first6= John H.|last7=Fraser|first7= Janet|last8=Ramers|first8=Robert K-->|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for International Studies|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA324492.pdf#page=92|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804022404/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA324492.pdf#page=92|url-status=live|archive-date=4 August 2020|date=30 June 1967|hdl=2027/uiug.30112064404368|pages=78, 85, 89}}</ref>

In late 1946, Argentina expressed an interest in Johnson's arms, and Johnson fabricated a prototype, the [[M1947 Johnson auto carbine|Model 1947 auto carbine]], a semi automatic rifle variant of the light machine gun with the 10 round cylindrical magazine. While specific details are sketchy, it apparently bore little resemblance, but shared some features with the Johnson M1941 light machine gun. Argentina apparently declined to purchase any, and the M1947 auto carbine never went into production. In any event, the post-war years were not kind to the Johnson organisation. The entity filed for bankruptcy and was liquidated in early 1949.

A notable example is the FMA VF-1 manufactured in Argentina.

The Johnson rifle was also used in training by the anti-Castro [[Brigade 2506]] and carried to the 1961 [[Bay of Pigs invasion]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Moss|first1=Matthew|title=The Bay of Pigs & The Johnson M1941|url=http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/116672110644/the-bay-of-pigs-the-johnson-m1941-on-the-17th|website=Historical Firearms|access-date=17 August 2017}}</ref> as evidenced by a photo with Castro.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/04/21/the-guns-of-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion/ |title=The Guns of the Bay of Pigs Invasion - |date=21 April 2015 }}</ref>

==Users==
<!--READ FIRST: This section is for cited entries only. Please do not add entries into this list without a citation from a reliable source. All entries without a citation will be removed. Thank you.-->

===State users===
*{{flag|Chile}}<ref name="World">{{cite book|page=190|title=Rifles of the World|author=John Walter|year=2006|publisher=Krause Publications |isbn=0896892417}}</ref>
*{{flagcountry|ROC}}<ref name="China">{{cite book|title=China's Wars: Rousing the Dragon 1894-1949|series=General Military|first= Philip|last= Jowett|date=20 Nov 2013 |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|isbn=9781782004073 |page=347}}</ref>
*{{flag|Cuba}}<ref>{{cite book|page=76|title=The Last American Rebel In Cuba|year=2012|isbn=978-1468594294|author=Terry K. Sanderlin Ed D.|publisher=AuthorHouse }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/failuresofpresid00crau/page/176 176]|title=Failures of the Presidents: From the Whiskey Rebellion and War of 1812 to the Bay of Pigs and War in Iraq|author=Thomas J. Craughwell|isbn=978-1592332991|year=2008|publisher=Fair Winds Press |url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/failuresofpresid00crau/page/176}}</ref>
*{{flag|Netherlands}}
**{{flag|Dutch East Indies}} ([[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army|KNIL]])<ref name="World"/>
*{{flag|Philippines|1936}}
*{{flag|United States}}<ref name="World"/>

===Non-state users===
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Brigade 2506.svg}} [[Brigade 2506]] <!-- Technically non-state, but was propped up by the CIA -->

==See also==
* [[List of clip-fed firearms]]
* [[Ferdinand Mannlicher#Mannlicher's automatic rifle designs|Mannlicher 1885 semi-automatic rifle]]
* Stendebach Model 1936 rifle, German semi-automatic prototype
* [[Pedersen rifle]]
* [[Automatgevär m/42]]
* [[Thompson Autorifle]]
* [[M1947 Johnson auto carbine]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Smith, Joseph E., ''Small Arms of the World'', Stackpole Books, 1969.
*Weeks, John, ''WWII Small Arms'', Galahad Books, 1980.
*Barnes, Frank C., ''Cartridges of the World'', DBI Books, 1989
*Pikula, Sam (Maj.), ''The Armalite AR-10'', 1998.
*Canfield, Bruce N., ''Johnson Rifles and Machine Guns,'' Mowbray Publishing, 2002.

{{Commons category|M1941 Johnson}}

{{Clip-fed firearms}}
{{WWIIUSInfWeaponsNav}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:M1941 Johnson Rifle}}
[[Category:Semi-automatic rifles of the United States]]
[[Category:.270 Winchester semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:.30-06 Springfield semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:7×57mm Mauser semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:Firearms by Melvin Johnson]]
[[Category:Rotary magazine firearms]]
[[Category:Clip-fed firearms]]
[[Category:Short recoil firearms]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1941]]
[[Category:Weapons of the Philippine Army]]
[[Category:World War II firearms of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II semi-automatic rifles]]
[[Category:World War II infantry weapons of the United States]]