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Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith (Read 4612 times)

j_c_johnson Full Member Offline C C Johnson's grandson Posts: 122 Location: northeast Indiana Joined: Sep 16^th, 2004	Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Sep 13^th, 2015 at 8:24am	Print Post
	I am C C Johnson's grandson, and after coming to realize there is much confusion regarding my Grandfather, I feel the need to clarify a couple of things, 1) CCJ NEVER bored and rifled barrels. With Charles Diller, a top quality barrelmaker right in Dayton, just a few miles away, he never felt compelled to try to produce his own. He contoured blanks and fitted them to actions, but NEVER made barrels from a bar of steel. Some of the confusion results from the famous Eric Johnson who did make his own barrels. 2) CCJ would fit whatever barrelmaker's blank the customer specified. If asked, he recommended Diller barrels, and after Diller died, Douglas Premium. I still recall the Douglas Barrels calendars on the wall in his shop. 3) CCJ did not make stocks. There were several local hobbyist stockmakers he used, but I have never been successful in finding their names. After WWII CCJ would sometimes fit semiinletted bolt rifle stocks, but he was so busy with metalwork he preferred not to. I hope this clarifies things a bit. Respectfully, Jerry C Johnson
	« Last Edit: Sep 13^th, 2015 at 8:37am by j_c_johnson »

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GeorgeC Oldtimer Offline ASSRA 11411 Posts: 521 Location: Madison, IN Joined: Dec 27^th, 2012	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #1 - Sep 13^th, 2015 at 10:19am	Print Post
	Jerry, thanks for the information you shared. Your grandfather was a fine gunsmith. I had a Ballard No. 4 in .22 RF with a #3 barrel and heavy bench rest fore end made by him. I bought it used in 1981 or 82. It was a 1/2" shooter at a 100 yds. when I did my part.

	Never mind the mule. Just load the wagon.
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Bulseyetom Oldtimer Offline Posts: 950 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #2 - Sep 13^th, 2015 at 11:27am	Print Post
	My Borchardt was built by your grandfather in the early 50's in a 219 Improved Zipper and it still shoots less than 1 moa. At that period would that have been a Dillon or Douglas barrel? Tom


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Schutzenbob Frequent Elocutionist Online Rheinisch-Westfälisc hen Sprengstoff-Fabriken Posts: 2040 Location: Nightingale, California Joined: Oct 24^th, 2005	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #3 - Sep 13^th, 2015 at 12:53pm	Print Post
	This is a pic of C.C. Johnson from Halp's site;


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tim_s Oldtimer Offline Posts: 815 Location: 13066 Joined: Oct 11^th, 2006	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #4 - Sep 21^st, 2015 at 10:37pm	Print Post
	Jerry, I have a highwall done by him with a Hal Hartley stock and have seen at least 3-4 others done by Hartley. Was there any particular relationship between the two that you are aware of? Nice history by the way.

	“ I don’t have to be faster than the bear, I just have to be faster than you”
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j_c_johnson Full Member Offline C C Johnson's grandson Posts: 122 Location: northeast Indiana Joined: Sep 16^th, 2004	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #5 - Sep 22^nd, 2015 at 6:27am	Print Post
	I have not seen anything to document a special relationship. Oral history from my father indicates that CCJ had local hobby stockmakers he used on occasion, but his customers usually sent their rifles to the stockmakers of their choice. Based on what I have seen , some of their choices did not do stock work to rival CCJ's metalwork...


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16009 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #6 - Sep 22^nd, 2015 at 8:18pm	Print Post
	I also had a CC Johnson Hi Wall, in .22LR. The sidewall was cut down on the right side of the receiver to make loading and unloading easier. Had a really gorgeous stock set on it, but done in the typical WWII era sporting style, typical of that era. Wish I'd been more knowledgeable of who CC Johnson was then!

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tim_s Oldtimer Offline Posts: 815 Location: 13066 Joined: Oct 11^th, 2006	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #7 - Sep 24^th, 2015 at 6:33pm	Print Post
	j_c_johnson wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2015 at 6:27am: I have not seen anything to document a special relationship. Oral history from my father indicates that CCJ had local hobby stockmakers he used on occasion, but his customers usually sent their rifles to the stockmakers of their choice. Based on what I have seen , some of their choices did not do stock work to rival CCJ's metalwork... Thanks, no question about the metalwork, my example is an absolute marvel. I am absolutely astounded as to his ability to cut simply beautiful chambers. Since I am a long time BR shooter, it has always the first place I go with the borescope.

	“ I don’t have to be faster than the bear, I just have to be faster than you”
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Ohio_Guy Ex Member	Re: Charles C Johnson, Riflesmith Reply #8 - Mar 22^nd, 2016 at 7:10pm	Print Post
	Sorry to resurrect this thread. But I have been somewhat fascinated by CC Johnson after discovering he lived his earlier years (1933 to 1947?) in Thackery, Ohio. We live about a mile north of Thackery. I would love to know that actual location of his home/shop.


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