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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) C. C. Johnson (Read 11733 times)
Andy
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C. C. Johnson
Mar 18th, 2006 at 3:47pm
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Today I brought home a very nice low way sporter in .22 Hornet. Looks like excellent work, to me anyway, and barrel is marked C.C.Johnson. Does C.C.Johnson ring anybodys bell?
Andy
  
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QuestionableMaynard8130
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #1 - Mar 18th, 2006 at 7:58pm
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Andy try the search tool in the upper function bar, type in CC Johnson and set the date perameters for maybe 6 months or a year.  hang onto your hat!  there is a bunch of stuff there.  In addition an upcoming issue of the Journal will have an article abut him---not the next one you get (which is being printed now) , but the one following that
  

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Andy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #2 - Mar 18th, 2006 at 9:13pm
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Thank you. Waiting for the next Journal is always hard and this will just make it worse. Have started to notice a few things like a small trigger pull and the hammer having been turned thin inside the radius under your thumb. It seems also that the block doesn't do any of that little up and down jig before it really goes down. Lever snaps really tight, wonder how he did that without putting the links over center. Butt plate is engraved and pierced with the wood in the piercing checkered with a border, can hardly believe somebody can do this! We get some sun around here will see if it will shoot.
Andy
  
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #3 - Mar 18th, 2006 at 9:43pm
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Andy I'd like to see a photo or two of that butt and buttplate.  Pierced and skeleton buttplates are not commonly found on American SS rifles.  Or better yet bring it to Etna Green so we can see it.
At the Ohio Guns Collectors Assn Show in Jan we (ASSRTA) had an informational booth.  we met a guy from MadRiver Metalworks who is making somne nice ones.  Charlie the Frog has a shord product review--guess what?--in the next issue.  Somehting else to hold your breath for.  don;t turn blue on us!

CCJ, from what I have learned did a lot of barrel and action work but very little stocking, it'd be interesting to learn who did this stock, soends a notch or two above the norm.
  

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Andy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #4 - Mar 19th, 2006 at 8:41pm
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The camera didn't come back from Florida with my wife, hopefully it is now in the mail. As soon as I can I will post some pictures. Am talking of my own personal eye here, and given that, I'm going to say that this rifle stock is beautifully modeled. Somebody knew what they where doing. Spent part of day scubbing oil crud and spots of rust and giving things a good look. I think because of flaming bomb a couple inches from the muzzle and the remnants of sight pin grooves across the barrel it is one of those Springfield barrels. There are #s under the flat spring which I guess I should have written down. The rail [about 6" long] screwed to the barrel for scope mounts is a 1/2" dovetail. All I can find in Brownell's book for rings are for a 3/8" dovetail. Any suggestions or should I start carving on some aluminum. If it stops snowing this should be a good week, have a Ballard #3 with a new sear and wood , a CC Johnson .22 Hornet and a Stevens 44 with a new firing pin to try out in the back yard for the first time.
Andy
  
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DonH
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #5 - Mar 20th, 2006 at 7:48am
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Andy;

There will be a number stamped on the bottom of the barrel about the end of the forearm. This will be the job number which can be researched for info on when and what was done on the rifle by Johnson. Sounds as though your wall was professionally stocked. Many rifles bearing his stamp were self-stocked by the owners - some looking good and many awful!
  
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Andy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #6 - Mar 20th, 2006 at 2:46pm
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Don H,
The # is 54087. Do you know where I should send this?
Andy
  
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marlinguy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #7 - Mar 20th, 2006 at 8:20pm
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With 1/2" rails, it sounds like someone had an old Winchester external adjustment scope fitted to it.
  
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Andy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #8 - Mar 20th, 2006 at 8:56pm
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Hmm, that gives me something to look for, dig out the books first. Did find a set of WEAVER 1"  that fit, no #'s on them of course. Fitted up 6x J. UNERTL "CONDOR" scope purchased new in 1957 by brother in law. Looks like a rifle hooked to a scope instead of the rifle with a scope, know what I mean. I guess I'll go looking.
Thanks Andy
  
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DonH
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #9 - Mar 21st, 2006 at 8:18am
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Andy;

It is my understanding that the first two digits represent the year the job was done and the last three the job number for that year. If I am remembering correctly, your number would represent job #087 and was done in 1954. I had to go look at my own CCJ rifle and found I was wrong about the location of the numbers. 
I believe the use of the Springfield barrels was a fairly common thing as they had a pretty good reputation for accuracy. Your rifle was probably a case of an owner having this barrel on hand and engaging Johnson to install it on the "wall". 
I know Johnson's grandson (who is in possession of the shop records) personally and can pass along info about the rifle for purposes of research. If so desired send me contact info via a private message and I can pass it along. Last time he contacted the rifle owner directly with the info.
  
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Andy
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #10 - Mar 27th, 2006 at 7:08pm
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The individual responsible for this stock work must be noted somewhere, someplace. Cannot believe he did this work in his basement just this once and got away with it.
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marlinguy
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Ballards may be weaker,
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #11 - Mar 27th, 2006 at 8:25pm
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Wonderful gun Andy! Obviously a professional, or extremely advanced stockmaker.
  
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Dale53
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #12 - Mar 27th, 2006 at 11:06pm
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Man, what a beauty! You are one fortunate fellow.

Dale53
  
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DonH
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #13 - Mar 28th, 2006 at 5:51am
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    Johnson worked with various Central Ohio stockmakers over the years. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any definitive way to know which one did what. One of them was a fellow named John Oberlies of Dayton, whose distinguishing mark seemed to have been a small arrowhead inlaid in the stock. Information on Oberlies may be found in a publication called "Ohio Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesmen, Vol. 1", of which I only posess an excerpt.
    I don't have a clue who did the stock work on your rifle Andy but it has some similarities that found on my Stevens. While mine was intended for target work (some aspect of smallbore) and has a high comb and a more pronounced cheekpiece, the manner in which the cheekpiece is shaped at the front is simila,r as is the shape of the grip end.
  
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Green_Frog
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Re: C. C. Johnson
Reply #14 - Mar 28th, 2006 at 11:00am
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As I recall, the shop records of SOME of the work done by CC Johnson had notations concerning who he subbed the stock work out to on that particular job.  I don't know how complete that part of the record is or whether it would be meaningful.  You CAN find out more about CC Johnson's work in the various Grant books (Single Shot Rifles, More Single Shot Rifles, etc.)  He seems to have had a close relationship with Johnson who made up many of his custom projects over the years.

BTW Andy, I think CC's grandson is in the process of sorting all of that stuff out, and occasionally he "stops by" on this board.  Maybe he'll chime in (or Don maybe you might pose the question to him when you see him next.)

Froggie

PS to Andy...that is one of the nicest non-factory design 'wall stocks I believe I have ever laid eyes on.  It's a real trasure!
  
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