Iver Johnson

[seahorseseahell]

I am interested in finding out about this gun. The only thing I have heard is that it has been in our family for a long time. I believe it was my great grandfather's. He was a pharmacist and used it in his drug store for protection.

There are some numbers scratched into the gun in the corner. I think it says 178311.

I tried looking online to find out about it and really just don't know enough about guns to identify the model. I have found plently of IJ's but not one that looks like this with the mother of pearl handle.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

[b.goforth]

this is a iver johnson's arms & cycle works second model safety automatic hammerless revolver. it was made after 1900 but that is about all i can say with out more information. please see below;

INFORMATION NEEDED TO IDENTIFY
IVER JOHNSON’S ARMS & CYCLE WORKS SAFETY AUTOMATIC REVOLVERS

1. EXACT MARKINGS;
A. TOP OF BARREL
B. LEFT SIDE OF BARREL
C. BOTTOM OF BUTT STRAP

2. SERIAL NUMBER FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GRIP STRAP UNDER THE GRIP PANEL (MAIN LOCATION SINCE 1896). THE SERIAL NUMBER FOUND ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TRIGGER GUARD WAS ONLY USED AFTER 1904 AND SINCE TRIGGER GUARDS ARE INTERCHANGABLE AND THIS LOCATION DOES NOT HAVE THE LETTER CODE IT CANNOT BE USED FOR PROPER IDENTIFICATION

3. BARREL LENGTH;
A. STANDARD BARREL LENGTH FOR LARGE FRAME IS 3 ¼ INCHES
B. STANDARD BARREL LENGTH FOR SMALL FRAME IS 3 INCHES

4. HAMMER SPRING
A. FIRST AND SECOND MODELS SINGLE FLAT LEAF
BLACK POWDER MODELS
B. THIRD MODEL CAPTIVE COIL
SMOKELESS POWDER

CALIBERS:
A. FIRST MODEL LARGE FRAME HAMMER OR HAMMERLESS 38 S&W (5)
FIRST MODEL SMALL FRAME HAMMER 22 RIMFIRE, 32 S&W (5)
FIRST MODEL SMALL FRAME HAMMERLESS 32 S&W (5)
B. SECOND MODEL LARGE FRAME HAMMER OR HAMMERLESS 38 S&W (5)
SECOND MODEL SMALL FRAME HAMMER 22 RIMFIRE (7), 32 S&W (5)
SECOND MODEL SMALL FRAME HAMMERLESS 32 S&W (5)
C. THIRD MODEL LARGE FRAME HAMMER OR HAMMERLESS
32 S&W LONG (6) AND 38 S&W (5)
THIRD MODEL SMALL FRAME HAMMER OR HAMMERLESS
22 RIMFIRE (7), 32 S&W (5)

[3/2 STA SS]

How many Iver Johnson's were made? It seems like they are everywhere.

[b.goforth]

it would be hard to come up with an exact number as there are no known records for the early spur trigger model. i believe it is safety to say that between 1871 and 1978 there were between 8 and 10 million iver johnson's arms & cycle works manufactured. about 60% of this total were for black powder cartridges and all iver johnson's revolvers were originally made for the civilian market.

if you add in the number of H&R revolver manufactured (almost that many) there were a lot of them made. in the early days before wwI unless you were well off or needed it for your job you didn't buy a colt or S&W you went to the local feed or general store and bought a Iver Johnson or H&R revolver or shotgun because they were cheaper and would do the job.
bill

[3/2 STA SS]

it would be hard to come up with an exact number as there are no known records for the early spur trigger model. i believe it is safety to say that between 1871 and 1978 there were between 8 and 10 million iver johnson's arms & cycle works manufactured. about 60% of this total were for black powder cartridges and all iver johnson's revolvers were originally made for the civilian market.

if you add in the number of H&R revolver manufactured (almost that many) there were a lot of them made. in the early days before wwI unless you were well off or needed it for your job you didn't buy a colt or S&W you went to the local feed or general store and bought a Iver Johnson or H&R revolver or shotgun because they were cheaper and would do the job.
bill

Thanks for the response. As a deputy I have found many of these on duty and mainly on kids ( our wanna be gang members ) and almost always they were .22lr or .32 colt.

[johnlives4christ]

pretty neat old gun. i've never seen one with a glock style trigger safety like that

[b.goforth]

all the iver johnson first & second model hammerless revolvers featured the safety in the trigger as well as a couple of earlier models. it is covered in an 1886 patent #339301 by iver johnson, andrew fyrberg and r.t. torkelson.

bill

[redman.com1]

as far as worth you are looking at about $125