ALL ABOUT GUNS DICTIONARY-J
Jezail -- Muzzleloading, black powder musket once in common use during the 1800s in Afghanistan, Hindustan, Iran and Central Asia. Jezails are generally characterized by their long barrels and were usually fitted, at least in Afghanistan and Sind, with a distinctive, triangular buttstock that resembles an upswept fishtail. Firearms of the Islamic World in the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait, pgs. 121 & 169-170 by Robert Elgood describes it as a “wall-piece” fitted with a long barrel that often measured seven to eight feet in length, firing a large musket ball and that it was employed with a prong or rest. As noted in The Great Game, pg. 261-269 by Peter Hopkirk, jezails were used by Afghan tribesmen to inflict severe losses on British Army troops in January 1842 during their retreat from Kabul, Afghanistan to Jalalabad. -- September 28, 2015
Johnson, Melvin Maynard Jr. (b. 1909 - d. 1965) -- American attorney, USMC officer, author and gun designer best known for designing the Johnson M1941 semiautomatic rifle and the M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun. Both weapons were originally intended for use by Dutch armed forces but limited quantities were used during World War 2 by U.S. Marine Corps parachute units. The USMC Raiders also used a small number of Johnson LMGs during World War 2. Johnson’s Rifles and Machine Guns, pg. 155 by Bruce N. Canfield, documents that the Johnson M1941 LMG was used successfully by the U.S. Army First Special Service Force in World War 2, most notably at Anzio, Italy. -- Dec. 31, 2013
Jungle carbine -- Nickname given to the No. 5 MK 1 Lee-Enfield bolt action rifle. The “jungle carbine” was a shorter, lighter rifle than the No. 4 MK 1 and was fitted with a flash hider and hard rubber buttplate. Although the “jungle carbine” was well received by the personnel it was issued to No. 5 rifles sometimes had what was referred to as a “wandering zero” which made it difficult, if not impossible, to shoot with an acceptable level of accuracy. The Lee-Enfield Story, pg. 226 by Ian Skennerton states that one possible reason the No. 5 MK 1 rifle could not maintain an acceptable level of accuracy may have been a result of too much metal being removed from the receiver near the locking shoulders. Some No. 5 Mk 1 rifles were modified in Malaya by having No. 4 receivers installed in an attempt to alleviate the problem with favorable results. The same source also notes that omitting the “flash eliminator cone” beyond the muzzle improved accuracy. Ultimately, after extensive investigation and with no solution to the problem, the “jungle carbine” was declared obsolete in July 1947. -- December 30, 2015
Copyright December 2015 John Swikart
