You may not have ever heard the name Eric Johnson before, but it is a name many old timer match shooters and appreciators of fine rimfire rifles would know. A custom barrel maker of high regard. Famous for his ability to make rim fire barrels that seemed to be magical. The “Eric Johnson 5 Star Barrel” is what you will see as a roll mark on some custom target rifle barrels or in reference when seeing a vintage target rifle for sell.

Not only was he a master barrel maker, he was a a champion prone shooter/ The two images recently turned up from some old guys estate records.

I first became aware of Johnson through my friend who ones a BSA Martini single shot match rifle with a Johnson 5 Star Barrel.

Eric Johnson was the 1926 National Gallery Champion and the 1929 National Small Bore Champion. Eric Johnson grew up in Orebro, Sweden a short distance from Stockholm. At the urging of a close friend he moved to America in 1904 and joined that friend at Fyrberg & Son at Worcester, Massachusetts. When Sears acquired the company?s assets and moved the operation to Meriden, Johnson also relocated. By 1907 Eric was the assistant foreman in the Meriden Fire Arms Company barrel shop and by 1908 he was the foreman. At this time Johnson was also a known marksman competing with the Second Infantry rifle team.

Johnson remained with the plant through its acquisitions and worked on Colt barrels for the BAR (Browning automatic rifle). In May of 1923 Frank Hoffman offered Johnson a job as barrel maker for the Hoffman Arms Company. Eric Johnson took the job and brought his friend John Dubiel with him to Cleveland, Ohio. After his time with Hoffman he partnered with Dubiel in producing custom rifles. He eventually returned to Connecticut always specializing in small bore barrels.