You are asking about 38 top-break double action revolvers - right? Most were visual copies of the S&W, being designed to look like a 38 S&W DA. There are hundreds of brand names out there that were made by only a handful of companies. An example is the US Revolver you refer to, that was not a manufacturer, but rather a brand name of Iver Johnson.

Major US Manufacturers of S&W look-alikes include Hopkins Allen, Forehand Wadsworth, Harrington Richardson, Meridan Firearms, Crescent Firearms, Forehand Arms, Marlin, etc. As stated above, European and Spanish gun makers also copied the top-break design of S&W, plus there were private manufacturers that made guns for Sears, Wards, etc. retail companies.

There is some controversy about who came first? S&Ws first 38 DA was manufactured in 1880, while IJ Safety revolver did not start until 1894. H&R 38 DAs started around 1887. Forehand started in 1898; Marlin in 1887; and Meriden started in 1895. My thoughts are that S&W was the first US company to produce the 38 top-break, so all others are copies in one form or another.

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Gary
SWCA 2515