Johnson LMG

Light Machine Gun / Squad Support Weapon [ 1941 ]

The Johnson Light Machine Gun was used in limited quantities by several forces of the world during World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/01/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The Johnson Model 1941 Light Machine Gun (LMG) was a product of the Cranston Arms Company of Providence, Rhode Island and categorized as a light support weapon. The Model 1941 emerged from the work by Melvin Johnson, Jr. who served as a reservist in the United States Marine Corps (USMC). Johnson furthered both a semi-automatic rifle design (to compete with the M1 Garand) as well as a light machine gun form - the latter borrowing much from the rifle including its short recoil, rotating bolt system. Work on the weapon spanned from 1936 to 1938.

The gun was chambered for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge and the rounds were fed through a 25-round detachable box magazine inserted into the left side of the receiver. The magazines were a single stack arrangement which promoted a very slim, though lengthy, profile. Additionally, the weapon supported reloading via single cartridges or the American standard five-round clip (charger) from the right side of the receiver with the box magazine in place. This feature was born from the military requirement to have the LMG be belt-fed.©MilitaryFactory.com

Overall weight was 13lbs with an overall length of 42 inches and a barrel measuring 22 inches long. Rate-of-fire was adjustable by way of managing the tension of the buffer spring - between 200 and 900 rounds per minute being theoretically possible. The short-recoil method of operation made the Johnson LMG one of the few light machine guns to actually use this action in its design. The machine gun also incorporated single-shot and full-automatic fire functionality which used a closed bolt and open bolt operation, respectively.

By 1940, the design was more or less finalized and production began that same year while spanning into 1945 - the final year of World War 2. However, the guns were manufactured to a high standard which meant that it made a rather poor choice for wartime serial production where expediency in stocking inventories was key. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) trialled the weapon, but this exercise did not lead to formal adoption of the system and this left the weapon to the foreign market to which the Dutch placed the only notable order. The Johnson LMG was intended to stock the Netherlands East Army in response to encroaching actions by the Japanese Empire nearby. However, the Japanese advanced on Dutch territory and future orders were cancelled since their arrival would come too late to be useful. It was only through limited use by Army Rangers and other special operative groups during the war that the Johnson LMG persevered to the end of the conflict (and in production). It also saw service with the Philippine Army during the Japanese occupation of the country and with select forces of Canada and the United Kingdom.

At its core, the Johnson Model 1941 was a functional, though complicated and expensive, portable machine gun designed to provide the infantryman with a less cumbersome alternative to the World War 1-era M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) while retaining all the usefulness of the .30-06 cartridge it employed. Some reports noted weak design (leading to breakages) and regular jamming of the action when the weapon was pushed under battlefield conditions. The primary production model was the M1941 which was identified by its wooden buttstock as well as a folding bipod held under the fore-end. The alternative model became the M1944 which brought along a twin-tube shoulder stock (replacing the wood one) and a cylindrical monopod (taking the place of the original bipod).

What examples of the Johnson LMG that remained in circulation after the Japanese surrender stayed in action into the 1960s.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1941

Origin

United States

Classification

Light Machine Gun / Squad Support Weapon

Cranston Arms Company - USA

(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)

Canada; Netherlands; Philippines; United Kingdom; United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Fire Support
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.

Overall Length

1,100 mm
43.31 in

Barrel Length

560 mm
22.05 in

Empty Wgt

13.01 lb
5.90 kg

Sights

Iron Front and Rear

Action

Short Recoil Operated; Single-Shot / Full-Automatic

Full-Automatic
Rounds are automatically ejected from the breech, a new cartridge stripped from the feed and set in the chamber, and rounds are continuously fired so long as the trigger is pulled and an ammunition supply exists.

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)

Caliber(s)*

30-06 Springfield

Rounds / Feed

25-round detachable box

*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.

Rate-of-Fire

600
rds/min

Muzzle Velocity

2,800 ft/sec
(853 m/sec)

Johnson Light Machine Gun - Base Series Name

Model 1941 - Model of 1941 with wooden shoulder stock and folding metal bipod.

Model 1944; Model of 1944 with twin-tube shoulder strock and tubular monopod.

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery

1 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)