Sold mine 6 years ago. Wished I had kept it. Picked it up in a gunshop for $600 and at the time wondered if it might have been too much. It wasn't. But they're worth a whole lot more now than when I sold mine. Great investment if you're looking for that angle.
I had to shoot it before selling it of course. They are fun to shoot though a bit muzzle light compared to the M1. Charger loading w/'03 Springfield clips is quick and efficient.
I could quickly see why many had their front sight protective wings removed as they are easily mistaken for the front site post. Just the design of the thing.
IIRC they were shipped from the mfg with mixed numbered parts. No attempt was made at the time of assembly to match up parts numbers.
The stocks quite often have a crack at the back of the receiver.
Take down is quick. Unhook the latch under the forend with the point of a cartridge, swivel the arm out of engagement and off comes the barrel.
Winfield Arms Co put quite few together in the 50's from parts and also made up quite a few sporter configurations. Even those Winfield sporters get good money.
They had purchased the remaining stock of parts available from the bankrupt orig mfg.
I think the very first orig mfg rifles were in 7mmMauser and destined for Holland but never made it.
I read somewhere that the very few remaining 1941 Johnson rifles in US military storage were pulled out and given to Bay of Pigs invasion forces obviously never to be seen again. Don't know how much truth there is to that but with the way that whole operation went,,I'd not be surprised.
