SOLD - Mint Johnson M1941 Rifle

5/25/18 - This is a minty Johnson M1941 Rifle from World War II! The finish is all original and shows virtually no wear. The wood is excellent with relatively few minor dings and nicks, but it does seem as if the stock received a coating of lacquer or varnish.  It is possible that it is all original stock. I just have never seen one so shiny. But with the rest of the gun being mint - maybe correct? Comes with an excellent Boyt marked sling (dated 1944) and an original bayonet with sheath.   The bore has very strong rifling but shows some frosting and needs a thorough cleaning.  Only 20,000 of this model were manufactured! The Johnson Semi-Automatic rifle was invented by Captain Melvin M. Johnson, Jr. of the US Marine Corps Reserve, also the inventor of the Johnson Light Machine Gun, in 1936. After development completed, manufacture was commenced in 1941 by Johnson Automatics, Incorporated, and its subsidiary, The Johnson Automatics Manufactured Company, at Cranston, Rhode Island. The M1941 was ordered by the Netherlands for issue to the KNIL in the Dutch East Indies, but the Japanese invaded the islands before the rifles could be shipped from California. 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 theatre. By all accounts, the M1941 performed acceptably in combat with the Marines in the early days of the Pacific fighting.