What year is my Iver Johnson? - The Firearms Forum

norsk_jaeger · 06-15-2011, 05:08 PM

Hello to all, and thank you for such a great Forum! A friend recently purchased for me an Iver Johnson safety hammer third model, simply because the gun was designed by a Norwegian, and I happen to be Norwegian. The Patent dates are found on the bottom of the butt, and read June 16 96 Aug 25 96 6.04 - Pats pending. The serial number under the left grip is A54xxx. Can anyone tell me what year this gun may be? Oh, and you can screw off the cylinder. From what I have read that places it after 1913, but what do I know?

Thanks in advance!

hrf · 06-15-2011, 05:26 PM

Welcome to the forum and my compliments regarding your perfect English!

According to Bill Goforth's book, the letter code A was used only on the small frame hammer model .32, and A54xxx was made 1911. It also indicates that only the Aug 25 96 patent date should appear on the butt, but indicates there are exceptions.

norsk_jaeger · 06-16-2011, 12:10 PM

Thank you so much for the information! It is indeed a small frame .32. I just had it checked out by a gunsmith, and a friend gave me a box of .32 S&W shorts, so I am excited to try it out at least for a couple of rounds. I appreciate the compliment on my English. It was, after all, what I studied in college.

Jd32 · 07-28-2011, 07:09 PM

i got a 32 S&W 3 - 3 1/4 in barrel iver johnson the patent dates are june 16 96 and august 25 96 serial number P315xx anyone able to tell me what year it is made and whether its suitable for smokeless or not.

hrf · 07-28-2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jd32

i got a 32 S&W 3 - 3 1/4 in barrel iver johnson the patent dates are june 16 96 and august 25 96 serial number P315xx anyone able to tell me what year it is made and whether its suitable for smokeless or not.

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, your small frame .32 was made in 1906 for black powder ammo. While smokeless powder will not likely cause catastrophic failure, it will loosen the old gun's lockup more quickly.

Jd32 · 07-29-2011, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrf

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, your small frame .32 was made in 1906 for black powder ammo. While smokeless powder will not likely cause catastrophic failure, it will loosen the old gun's lockup more quickly.

Thank you. From what I had read on here i was thinking it was 1905-1907 but i didnt know for sure what the P was and now I do know thanks.

06-15-2011, 05:08 PM	#1
norsk_jaeger Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 2	What year is my Iver Johnson? Hello to all, and thank you for such a great Forum! A friend recently purchased for me an Iver Johnson safety hammer third model, simply because the gun was designed by a Norwegian, and I happen to be Norwegian. The Patent dates are found on the bottom of the butt, and read June 16 96 Aug 25 96 6.04 - Pats pending. The serial number under the left grip is A54xxx. Can anyone tell me what year this gun may be? Oh, and you can screw off the cylinder. From what I have read that places it after 1913, but what do I know? Thanks in advance! -->

06-15-2011, 05:26 PM	#2
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,277	Re: What year is my Iver Johnson? Welcome to the forum and my compliments regarding your perfect English! According to Bill Goforth's book, the letter code A was used only on the small frame hammer model .32, and A54xxx was made 1911. It also indicates that only the Aug 25 96 patent date should appear on the butt, but indicates there are exceptions. Last edited by hrf; 06-15-2011 at 09:36 PM..

06-16-2011, 12:10 PM	#3
norsk_jaeger Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 2	Re: What year is my Iver Johnson? Thank you so much for the information! It is indeed a small frame .32. I just had it checked out by a gunsmith, and a friend gave me a box of .32 S&W shorts, so I am excited to try it out at least for a couple of rounds. I appreciate the compliment on my English. It was, after all, what I studied in college.

07-28-2011, 07:09 PM	#4
Jd32 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2	Re: What year is my Iver Johnson? i got a 32 S&W 3 - 3 1/4 in barrel iver johnson the patent dates are june 16 96 and august 25 96 serial number P315xx anyone able to tell me what year it is made and whether its suitable for smokeless or not.