Johnson Light Machine Gun M1941
Johnson Automatics, Inc. · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1941
Also known as: Johnny gun, M1941 LMG, M1944
Overview
The Johnson Light Machine Gun M1941 was an American recoil-operated light machine gun designed by Melvin Johnson, built around the same short-recoil action as his M1941 rifle. Distinctively, it fed from a single-stack box magazine mounted on the left side of the receiver, and the magazine could be topped up via the right-side loading port using standard rifle stripper clips or loose rounds. It was selective fire, firing full-automatic from an open bolt and semi-automatic from a closed bolt for better single-shot accuracy. Lightweight and featuring a quick-detachable barrel and removable buttstock, it proved well suited to airborne and special operations use, seeing service with the USMC Paramarines and the First Special Service Force in the Pacific and other WWII theaters.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 5900 g (208.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1066 mm (41.97") |
| Barrel Length | 558 mm (21.97") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 20 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 850 m/s (2789 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3500 J (2581 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 600 m (656 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .30-06 Springfield · primary — also known as 7.62x63mm, .30-06
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Selective Fire, Open Bolt Full Auto, Closed Bolt Semi Auto, Quick Detach Barrel, Side Mounted Magazine, Stripper Clip Loadable, Single Round Loadable, Bipod, Removable Buttstock
Variants
- Johnson Light Machine Gun M1944 — Improved Model
Service history
Operators
- United States Marine Corps (Paramarines) · adopted 1941 · as M1941
- First Special Service Force (Devil's Brigade) · adopted 1942
- Canadian Army
- Philippine Army
- Netherlands (Dutch East Indies)
Conflicts
- World War II (Pacific Theater) (1942-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 9,500 · Production years: 1940-1945
Approximately 9,500 Johnson light machine guns produced across the M1941 and M1944 patterns; limited service compared to the M1918 BAR.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Melvin Johnson
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Sources disagree on some figures: magazine capacity is variously cited as 20 or 25 rounds, weight as roughly 5.9 to 6.5 kg, and the rate of fire is described as adjustable across a wide band (cited ranges span 200-900 rpm) with a nominal cyclic rate near 600 rpm. Despite favorable field reports, the U.S. Army never adopted it, preferring the M1918 BAR.
Background
Melvin Johnson developed the light machine gun alongside his M1941 rifle, sharing the same short-recoil rotary-bolt action. Nicknamed the 'Johnny gun,' it became a favored weapon of the Marine Paramarines and the joint US-Canadian First Special Service Force, the 'Devil's Brigade.' The improved M1944 swapped the wooden stock for a tubular steel buttstock and replaced the bipod with a lighter folding monopod.