Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question - The Firearms Forum

olhippie · 02-28-2012, 08:50 PM

...I've got an Iver Johnson safety hammerless breaktop 38 S&W revolver. It does not have a serial number prefaced by a letter code. In fact the serial number is on the bottom surface of the grip butt. It is clearly a second model, since it has a dual post top latch and a trigger safety insert. My particular gun is nickle plated with black ornate owl head grips. The serial number reads 9801 on the butt (no numbers under the grips) The pat'd dates appear along the barrel top rib surface and read as follows "Apr. 6 '86, Feb 15 '87,Dec 28 '93 (the print is VERY small, but that is thebest my old eyes can do). Any idea on a positive date of mmanufacture?...I'm planning to mount the gun in a display frame for wall hanging along with a period advertisement of the gun I found and copied from the internet. The gun was being used with modern ammo, but has sloppy timing that I'd not trust, and I would not risk the old gun to any use but a human interest conversation piece.The condition is as follows: nickle plate approx. 80-85% (some missing around where the gasses have removed the plating adjcent the cylinder top strap area0 grips show all detail, unworn, near mint. no rust. bore is still shiny, no visible pitting in the bore or anywhere on the gun..

hrf · 02-28-2012, 09:08 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Your gun is an antique made 1895, but should also have patent date May 10, 87 between Feb 87 and Dec 93 dates.

olhippie · 02-29-2012, 09:19 PM

It does in fact have that date too, just as you've said. I missed liting it earlier. I'm surprized it's that old! It sure doesn't show it's age....It'll be a really cool framed wall hanger. A real piece of history! Thanks for your help..

codygx123 · 09-30-2012, 03:58 PM

i have the same BUT the Sn's are as followed
SN on trigger guard : 32919
SN under grip : B32319
Dates on Butt : June 16 96 Aug 25 96
T.16.04 PETS PEND
can anyone tell me what the age is and if its safe to use modern ammo.

RJay · 09-30-2012, 04:34 PM

Double check that prefix under the left grip, are you sure that it is a B or perhaps it could be a R?. use a magnifying glass.

hrf · 09-30-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codygx123

i have the same BUT the Sn's are as followed
SN on trigger guard : 32919
SN under grip : B32319
Dates on Butt : June 16 96 Aug 25 96
T.16.04 PETS PEND
can anyone tell me what the age is and if its safe to use modern ammo.

See reply to your first post.

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=72489

RJay · 09-30-2012, 05:44 PM

The patten number could also be PAT"D.JUN.16.96AUG.25.96.
SEPT.4.04.PAT'S. PENDING
Three patent dates which more closely refects what he posted, which is also for a double post hammerless

hrf · 09-30-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJay

The patten number could also be PAT"D.JUN.16.96AUG.25.96.
SEPT.4.04.PAT'S. PENDING
Three patent dates which more closely refects what he posted, which is also for a double post hammerless

RJay, although Bill listed last patent date as Sept.4.04 on page 57, The examples listed and pictured on page 65 show that it was Sept.6.04

02-28-2012, 08:50 PM	#1
olhippie Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4	Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question ...I've got an Iver Johnson safety hammerless breaktop 38 S&W revolver. It does not have a serial number prefaced by a letter code. In fact the serial number is on the bottom surface of the grip butt. It is clearly a second model, since it has a dual post top latch and a trigger safety insert. My particular gun is nickle plated with black ornate owl head grips. The serial number reads 9801 on the butt (no numbers under the grips) The pat'd dates appear along the barrel top rib surface and read as follows "Apr. 6 '86, Feb 15 '87,Dec 28 '93 (the print is VERY small, but that is thebest my old eyes can do). Any idea on a positive date of mmanufacture?...I'm planning to mount the gun in a display frame for wall hanging along with a period advertisement of the gun I found and copied from the internet. The gun was being used with modern ammo, but has sloppy timing that I'd not trust, and I would not risk the old gun to any use but a human interest conversation piece.The condition is as follows: nickle plate approx. 80-85% (some missing around where the gasses have removed the plating adjcent the cylinder top strap area0 grips show all detail, unworn, near mint. no rust. bore is still shiny, no visible pitting in the bore or anywhere on the gun.. --> Last edited by olhippie; 02-28-2012 at 09:00 PM.. Reason: Add condition

02-28-2012, 09:08 PM	#2
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,277	Re: Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question Welcome to the forum. Your gun is an antique made 1895, but should also have patent date May 10, 87 between Feb 87 and Dec 93 dates.

02-29-2012, 09:19 PM	#3
olhippie Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4	Re: Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question It does in fact have that date too, just as you've said. I missed liting it earlier. I'm surprized it's that old! It sure doesn't show it's age....It'll be a really cool framed wall hanger. A real piece of history! Thanks for your help..

09-30-2012, 03:58 PM	#4
codygx123 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Re: Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question i have the same BUT the Sn's are as followed SN on trigger guard : 32919 SN under grip : B32319 Dates on Butt : June 16 96 Aug 25 96 T.16.04 PETS PEND can anyone tell me what the age is and if its safe to use modern ammo.

09-30-2012, 04:34 PM	#5
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question Double check that prefix under the left grip, are you sure that it is a B or perhaps it could be a R?. use a magnifying glass. __________________ RonJames

09-30-2012, 05:44 PM	#7
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Old Iver Johnson automatic Safety Hammerless question The patten number could also be PAT"D.JUN.16.96AUG.25.96. SEPT.4.04.PAT'S. PENDING Three patent dates which more closely refects what he posted, which is also for a double post hammerless __________________ RonJames Last edited by RJay; 09-30-2012 at 05:47 PM..