IVER JOHNSON & S&W TOP BREAK REVOLVERS

[DrRandyHester]

Recently, at an online auction, I came across an Iver Johnson Top Break revolver. It was very attracted to its appearance. I entered a bid and won it for $250. I usually collect older S&W DAs and Colt SAAs. My only experience with one is my Webley & Scott Mark IV .38 S&W

I think top breaks are neat, and this style seems to involve only nominal financial investments. Not knowing much about Iver Johnsons I did some online research and would like to check and see if my findings are correct. I'm also wondering how it compares to S&W Top Breaks of the same time period.

.From what I could ascertain, this is a smokeless powder 3rd Model Large Frame 6 shot Safety Automatic Hammer is.32 Long. The firearm's serial number (?) is 5955X, with no letters. This number is on the bottom of the trigger guard. There is also a number on the left side of the frame under the grip. It is 477X, with no letters. I've read that the 3rd model was produced from 1909-1919 with numeric-only SNs, and after that, alpha/numeric SNs were used. The top rib bears the standard "IVER JOHNSON ARMS AND CYCLE WORKS FITCHBURG MASS U.S.A.inscription. It has a coil mainspring. The six-shot cylinder is 1.26" long. It has a 6-inch barrel, is blued and has one-piece walnut grips that I understand were called "Western" grips and were optional. It also came with a period leather holster.

I am very impressed with the quality of workmanship and fits & finishing. It appears to be in line with my older S&Ws and Colts I own. The bluing is of very good quality, and the steel is well-polished. The bore is pristine, and the action, both in function and timing, is perfect. The trigger pull is a bit heavy but smooth and breaks cleanly. In my research, I could not find many examples in this particular configuration. Most were 4" nickel-plated, five-shot, chambered for S&W .32. Is this specific model uncommon? There is a lot more written about S&Ws than Iver Johnsons.

 

[Exmilcop]

I don't know jack about those revolvers but you are one lucky individual! That's a seriously attractive pistol. Alas, as a canuck, I couldn't bid on it. The looney tunes current administration has enacted law that we can't buy, sell, or transfer a handgun. That one doesn't qualify as antique status up here since it was manufactured post 1898. I am truly envious.

 

[max503]

I've seen various 32's on the auction sites. You got a nice one!

But when you start adding shipping, transfer, internet fees, etc, you got to watch out! Many sites have a 15% internet fee. I saw one with 22.5%. Then they'll add in a fee for using a credit card.

 

[waelkhntr]

DrRandyHester,
I have one of each and like both of them equally. The Iver Johnson has nice fit and finish, solid action. And cost me less than my equivalent S&W top break.

Terry

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In 1938 an Iver Johnson very similar to yours saved my 6-year-old father and his family from starvation. You wouldn't think a 4-inch revolver would make a good rabbit gun! Their daily ration had been a slice of bread and a matchbox of shelled black walnuts. The addition of rabbit soup and later rabbit stew kept away hunger for a broke family of 4!

My gun is not in as good of condition, but to me it is priceless! Dad inherited it in 1958. In about 2010 I traded four boxes of Remington 32 ACP FMJ I got on close out for $7 each, Dad thought he was ripping me off! I felt I am the one that got the bargain!

Ivan

 

[jimmyj]

I have not seen one in .32 Long caliber. My Mother carried a Iver Johnson five shot B/T .32 short caliber in Her kitchen apron pocket forever. Mom was convinced that it would stop a mad elephant charge with one shot.
When I started my L.E. career in 1962 I gave Her a S&W Model 36 2" RB but She continued to CCW the Iver Johnson.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

My Iver Johnson Top Break .38 S&W. It belonged to my grandfather.

 

[glowe]

These 1920s & 1930s large frame Iver Johnson revolvers compared well to S&W 38 Double Action revolvers. I had a 22LR Model 88 SuperShot Sealed Eight Revolver at one time and found it to be a great revolver. Trigger pull for these guns were very smooth and light compared to the 38 DAs, I think due in part to the small coil mainspring. Size of both revolvers were the same, and often wondered why S&W never thought about making the 38 DA in other calibers. The history of IJ revolvers was not great, with their early pre-1900 guns being cheaply made and hard to keep operating. By the 1920s, quality had improved greatly, but too late to save the company.

 

[Model19man]

Back when they were new the Iver Johnson revolvers had the same marketing strategy as the H&R line - people who had less money to spend would buy something that was cheaper. Build quality was a little less on those revolvers because they were cheaper.

I would not shoot one today for that reason.

 

[old tanker]

Iver Johnson was a very innovative company. You Third Model, easily identified by the coil mainspring and cylinder stop notch, was intended for smokeless ammunition. I-J's "large frame" revolvers were generally 5 shot .38 S&W and less commonly,6 shot .32 S&W Long.

You have a really nice looking one. .32 S&W is a pleasant and accurate cartridge to shoot. I am fond of those old "Owl Head revolvers."

The six inch dates to 1911. The five inch dates to 1921 while the hammerless model dates to 1929. S&B makes a nice load with a 100 grain flat point bullet that resembles the classic Colt .32 New Police cartridge. I have no qualms in shooting these revolvers. Iver Johnson, along with H&R, made revolvers that filled a need. That they built to a price point does not mean they were dangerous.

 

[desi2358]

I collected Iver Johnsons for a while. They are an interesting company who brought out a number of good design features. For instance the transfer bar system seen on so many revolvers nowadays was invented by them. The third model top breaks introduced an all coil spring action, a great improvement in both cost and durability over the common leaf spring designs of the time (especially the economy models).

As I am prone to do my collecting tastes changed and I sold off most of my Iver Johnson collection. They don't hold the value of a better known brand such as S&W but guns in nice shape, especially if they are anything other than the most common pocket versions, can still bring a fair price.

The OP's third model was the peak of their designs and many of it's features were used in later models. They were still in business making revolvers until @ 1974 when the company was sold. After that they mainly marketed rebranded auto pistols and were involved with the 2'd and 3'rd generation Colt cap & ball revolvers.

I have held on to a couple of my favorites including a 22 caliber version of the OP's gun. It is still tight and capable of good accuracy when I do my part. Biggest issue is the tiny sights and my old eyes LOL. They made a good product for the money that many people could afford.

 

[BMur]

IJ Bulldogs

Johnson & Bye later Iver Johnson had an outstanding line of bulldog revolvers in the latter part of the 1800’s. My favorite line is the Eagle gripped Model 2 circa 1884-1890’s. Fun black powder shooters too!

Murph

 

[waelkhntr]

DrRandyHester,
I have one of each and like both of them equally. The Iver Johnson has nice fit and finish, solid action. And cost me less than my equivalent S&W tob break.

Terry

a couple early displays