August 9 in Firearms History

James Paris Lee - (72)
August 9, 1831 – February 24, 1904

Inventor invented action and magazine used in Lee–Metford and Lee–Enfield

1843 - built his first gun at the age of 12

1861 - Developed a breech loading cartridge conversion for the Springfield musket  Model 1861
Acquired a contract for 1,000 rifles from the US Army during the American Civil War.

November 4th, 1879 - patent #221,328 for the vertical box magazine

Melvin M. Johnson Jr
Aug 9, 1909 – Jan 9, 1965

USA

• M1941 Johnson rifle 1935
• One of only seven individuals have invented firearms adopted by the United States Military
• Marine Corps Reserve in 1933 as a Second Lieutenant
• completed Harvard Law School in 1934

Worked With:

• Winchester
• Armalite