These rifles were seriously considered by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as an alternative to the M1 Garand Rifle in 1941. Although the Army never adopted the Johnson rifle, after Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies, the U.S. Marine Corps obtained some of these rifles as a war expedient model, that were subsequently issued to the Marine Parachute and Raider Battalions and used in the early island hopping campaign in the South Pacific in 1943. The Johnson rifles have two unique features: one is a removable barrel for easy storage in a parachute jump bag and the second being that it has a rotary magazine which held ten rounds that could be easily topped off with either single or multiple rounds before or during a battle; something that the M1 Garand rifle did not have the capability to do. The receiver is marked with the standard five line patent dates followed by the four line "JOHNSON AUTOMATICS/MODEL OF 1941" logo, address and the serial number "A2885". The barrel flange is correctly marked ".30-06" above the barrel and "41" below it, and the top rear section of the barrel is also stamped "30-06". A circled five-pointed star and "CRANSTON/ARMS/CO." in a triangle are marked on the right side of the receiver below the rear sight. The rear sight calibrations are correctly marked in meters on the side. The bolt has been stamped with manufacturer's part number "A3839" and it is complete with reproduction bayonet and a leather scabbard.

Excellent with 98% of the original green parkerized finish overall with 90% of the original black painted finish on the rotary magazine. The reoiled stock and forend are both very fine. The reproduction bayonet is in near mint condition. This is a fine example of an early "A" prefix serial numbered rifle.