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Stripper clips used in reloading the '41 LMG mag


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The Johnson M1941 LMG requires mag reload .30-06 stripper clips manufactured with side nibs correctly positioned and projecting sufficiently to stop the stripper against the guide lips so it doesn't move into the feedway along with the cartridges when they are pressed into the port. Strippers that do not have correctly positioned nibs will follow the cartridges into the mag when the rounds are press into the feedway and mag.
From pics in Canfield's Johnson book, the strippers appear to have two nibs on each side and each placed the correct distance back of the ends to appropriately stop the stripper from going into the feedway.

Does anyone have a few of theses they'd sell to me or a source for them?

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OK, in the boxes of chargers I've accumulated from mil surp ammo over many years there isn't a 1903 type to be found! Even with .30-06......
If someone wants to trade some other rifle chargers, links, belts, or MG strippers, etc for some 1903 type chargers, let me know.

Thanks for the help.

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also you could top off the gun without removing the mag,,just use stripper in side of gun at loading port,,johnson made a big deal about that feature also, as BAR you had to remove mag to top off or garand you had to fire whole clip to reload, just sayn

Yeah, I understand that. I have had a '41 for many years and never tried out the charger reload of the mag. Took the gun out the other day and decided to try a charger reload but the chargers that I had taken along to use weren't correct for the gun which I didn't realize. So here I am......

As for BARs, I enjoy the Johnson far more. I have a lot of experience with BARs from reactivations in my business and having owned a couple, but the Johnson is far more complex and unique. The simplicity of the BAR is an admirable virtue, of course, and it's service history amazing. A Johnson LMG raises more questions that it answers along the lines of "that's an interesting design, but what the hell was he thinking?" FWIW

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Well , if you want to pick nits , there is a Johnson magazine reloading tool , an empty Springfield stripper clip ! Place that between the magazine body and the spring to lift the spring halfway out of the feed "lips" ( if they had had any ) . This allows easier insertion of the rounds from the stripper while protruding enough to hold the rounds in .

Chris

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Yes, but with sufficient pressure the rounds will pass by the spring hook in the mouth of the mag. The entire concept of the magazine loading and feed system for the '41 adopted by Johnson provokes a "what were you thinking?"
Easy to criticize from the 20/20 perspective, but still it is so cumbersome. However, it is another endearing mechanical attribute of the guns!

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I'm not sure I follow you there . The magazine cannot produce enough pressure to bypass the spring hook , not even when held half open . As you slam it into the mag well a pair of " shark fins " lifts up the spring and snaps into it . This releases the rounds and locks the magazine into the well .

Chris

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I was addressing the comment about loading of the mags and the use of an auxiliary tool to wedge under the spring in order to raise the hook high enough to allow rounds to pass by the hook. Johnson's clever design of the hook spring and it's strategic placement easily facilitates loading the rounds directly into the mouth of the mag without wedging the spring up. .

The shape of the "hook" end of the mag top spring is most of a half round which is slightly offset to the topside of the mag by a nib on the top of the mag under the spring. Placing a round against the top of the hook for loading into the mag positions the contact of the case and the hook significantly to the underside of the centerline of the hook. When the cartridge case is pressed against the hook, the pressure is biased enough against the underside of the hook to force it up and allow the case to pass by the end of it. When past the end of the hook, the case then rises into the hook.
Next round does the same thing but there is the slight added resistance to forcing the end of the hook up and over the round already loaded below so the hook can move sideways to allow the next round to go by. The end of the hook is fairly short so the added resistance is minor,

I have no trouble loading the Johnson mags by just inserting rounds into the mouth of the mag and have loaded many.

This design is a variation of the design of the Madsen LMG mags. In both cases removing a partially loaded mag leaves several loose rounds in the feedway since there are no feedlips to restrain loaded rounds in the mag when the partially loaded mag is removed. At least Johnson added the offside charger loading port option to top up the mag. This is not an option with the Madsen.

In my view, feedlips are far more efficient. Another endearing curiosity of the Johnson design. FWIW

Edited by BRMCII
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BRMCII,

 

I just got home and unfortunately the 1903 stripper clips I had are now AWOL. I must have disposed of them and forgot about it. If they should magically appear from some deep dark hiding place I'll let you know.

Edited by DougStump
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Well, from my own experiments, placing a wedge under the spring to raise the hook slightly creates several new problems such as the wedge falling out from under the spring every time a round is pushed past the hook since the hook is raised close to its limits to allow the round to pass by. The loader is presented with the further complication of learning to keep a wedge in place under the spring while loading the mag and keeping it from shifting position and then holding the hook just open enough so that previously loaded rounds can't squeeze out. Once fifteen or so rounds are loaded the spring pressure forcing the follower up is significant and the hook becomes critical in keeping the rounds in the mag.
Hand loading the mag one round at a time or from a charger keeps constant pressure on the cartridge stack and if that pressure is released the hook immediately stops the column of rounds from further release. It works very well.
With all due respect to the persons with whom you talked, such tricks are common with all soldiers who are often practical types and will try anything to save effort or improve efficiency but such a trick with a wedge would not necessarily be widely used due to the added juggling required. Especially under stress.

There is no doubt in my mind, given the design, placement and mechanical advantage provided by the offset of the hook, etc in the mouth of the mag that Johnson was well aware of and anticipated the possible use of a wedge by future mag loaders. His design allows the mags to be loaded without such cumbersome expedients. Johnson was a master of mechanical details, mechanically very precise and sophisticated, in my opinion.

A wedge is an obvious trick but doesn't make sense, in my opinion, when the rounds go into the mag quite easily with the way it is designed.

FWIW

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Not sure I'm following all of this.

 

Right, there were no special stripper clips made for the M1941 LMG. A selling point of the gun was for it to use ammunition already in the Marine's supply system, which was M2 ball .30-06 rounds on stripper clips as provided for M1903 rifles, or loose rounds.

Edited by TSMGguy
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