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Big Al1
Senior MemberPosts: 8,496 Senior Member
Finally took the Johnson to the range!!
Big Al1
Senior MemberPosts: 8,496 Senior Member
It finally cooled down this week so I figured it's a good time took take the Johnson to the range and air it out!!
I also took the M-1 Carbine and my 1917 Enfield and 1903 Springfield for a .30 cal. day.
I shot new PPU M2 ball in the Johnson and new PPU .30 carbine ammo.
The Johnson was actually a pleasure to shoot. The trigger doesn't have the two stage like a lot of old military rifles and broke clean at about seven pounds. I really like the combat sights, old eyes like the peeps!! The action really cycles FAST considering it's a short recoil barrel and not gas operated. Felt recoil is less than a Garand, even though the Johnson weighs less. Unfortunately, the accuracy wasn't the best. I set the targets at 50yards and you can see the results. I talked to my BIL about it, (if you remember it's a loaner from him) and he said the barrel is shot out of this one, to much corrosive ammo went through it. But, it was minute of gong at 100 yards, five for five, so anytime I get that satisfying "clang", I'm happy.
The carbine was just plain FUN. It shot great and was surprisingly accurate. Good groups at 50 yards, and the 100 yard gong stayed in motion, couldn't miss!! Considering the round, IMHO it's a legit 50 yard offensive weapon and defensive at 100 yards and beyond.
Between the 1917 and 1903, I shoot the Enfield a lot better, mainly because of the rear peep sight. Old eyes and small, hard to see sights on the '03 make it hard for me to get the full potential out of the '03. But of the two, the Springfield is lighter, has a slightly smoother action and better trigger. I destroyed the six inch gong with the Enfield!!
All in all, a fun range day.
Johnson target!!
Carbine target
I also took the M-1 Carbine and my 1917 Enfield and 1903 Springfield for a .30 cal. day.
I shot new PPU M2 ball in the Johnson and new PPU .30 carbine ammo.
The Johnson was actually a pleasure to shoot. The trigger doesn't have the two stage like a lot of old military rifles and broke clean at about seven pounds. I really like the combat sights, old eyes like the peeps!! The action really cycles FAST considering it's a short recoil barrel and not gas operated. Felt recoil is less than a Garand, even though the Johnson weighs less. Unfortunately, the accuracy wasn't the best. I set the targets at 50yards and you can see the results. I talked to my BIL about it, (if you remember it's a loaner from him) and he said the barrel is shot out of this one, to much corrosive ammo went through it. But, it was minute of gong at 100 yards, five for five, so anytime I get that satisfying "clang", I'm happy.
The carbine was just plain FUN. It shot great and was surprisingly accurate. Good groups at 50 yards, and the 100 yard gong stayed in motion, couldn't miss!! Considering the round, IMHO it's a legit 50 yard offensive weapon and defensive at 100 yards and beyond.
Between the 1917 and 1903, I shoot the Enfield a lot better, mainly because of the rear peep sight. Old eyes and small, hard to see sights on the '03 make it hard for me to get the full potential out of the '03. But of the two, the Springfield is lighter, has a slightly smoother action and better trigger. I destroyed the six inch gong with the Enfield!!
All in all, a fun range day.
Johnson target!! Carbine target 
Replies
Nice-looking bunch of old warhorses!
Jerry
Maybe a re-crowning job could tight up the group; if barrel is already corroded and it was usually cleaned by the muzzle, can't hurt to try.
Looks like you had more fun than a barrel of monkeys :guns::guns:
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
It should also move back and forth when you shake it (the gas plug) or blow and suck into to bbl.
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
You must of had a deprived puberty :jester:
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
I don't yearn for one.
Your punctuation needs work!!:jester: Or you could just take out the spaces and make it one big word!!
Gene, I never had a desire to own one, but I do enjoy the history behind the weapon and the unique design. They filled a gap until enough M-1's could get produced and into the field.
Aw heck, he could email the same message to his Commander In Chief..........but he can't.
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
Jerry
After I posted, I looked it up. Because of the recoiling barrel, the extra mass of the bayonet on the rifle could cause misfires, and they had more parts and they were a lot smaller.
They weren't a gap-filling weapon, the M 1 was available roughly contemporaneously with the Johnson. But the Marine Corps picked a design by one of their own. And apparently didn't budget for M 1s until later on.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
George Carlin
I was shooting some very old M-2 ball in the 03 and the 1917, 150 grain. The 1917 shoots it good, but the stuff is from the fifties so there are a lot of miss fires. I used new M-2 ammo in the Johnson. I refer to the 1917 as a bolt action Garand. To me it's weight and handling is similar to the Garand, along with the sights. I love the history behind all these old rifles and like to study the design and similarities between other weapons of that era and today!!
Irving Berlin
I have an Inland carbine that was a guard gun in San Quentin. The rifle is worn on the outside but perfect bore. I was amazed how well it shot! Small groups and it printed right to the sights. I'd place stones on a fence rail and shoot them off with few misses. Carbines are better guns that we have always been led to believe.
I recall in the early '60s some guys equipping their wives or youngsters with carbines for hunting deer. Probably few were ever actually fired in anger, and fewer still actually produced hits "in the hair", but they were in the field where I grew up nevertheless.
Irving Berlin
Venezuelan contract if memory doesn't fails me
BIL used to have an FN-49 in 7x57, don't know why he sold it. Guess he got an offer he couldn't refuse!!