Iver Johnson: Arms & Cycle Works Firearms 1871-1993

[cluttonfred]

I am not quite sure where to post this, but this seems as good a place as any. I just picked up a copy of Iver Johnson: Arms & Cycle Works Firearms 1871-1993 by the late W.E. Goforth and, while not a book review, I did want to give this book a plug.

It's a great (and perhaps the only) reference to these innovative and often overlooked guns. There is very little info on products of the company's late years (M1 Carbines, some auto pistols, even a sniper rifle) and not much on the company's early longarms (mostly single-shot and double-barrel shotguns) but there is tons on the Iver Johnson single- and double-action revolvers from 1871 through WWII, which are the ones that interest me most in any case.

Not only will it allow you to identify the various models (especially the many top-breaks) and the many sold under other names, it underscores some of the real innovations of company over the years (transfer bar safety before Ruger, trigger safety before Glock, even a few "Secret Service" revolvers with a manual safety, which was less successful). Overall, it shows a company that, except for its final days, managed to put out a quality product at an affordable price to arm the ordinary citizen.

The only "problem" is that now I can't want to get back to the USA to troll the gun shops and shows to build up a complete collection of "Little Owls!"

Cheers,

Matthew

 

[Jim K]

Both IJ and H&R revolvers are getting increased collector attention since the prices of many Colt and S&W revolvers have gone quite high. That book is up to now the only decent book on Iver Johnson. I understand Mr. Goforth was working on an H&R book but he has passed away and completion of that book is in limbo.

Both companies were long "second tier" among U.S. revolver makers, though at one time around 1900 both made high quality guns that were competitive with S&W and Colt. The story is an old one. They made and sold many guns and made money, but became complacent and failed to put money into r&d, with the result that their guns became more and more obsolescent and less and less desirable except for those who could not afford better.

Jim

 

[cluttonfred]

Agreed, though I would say that up until WWII they were still making a quality no-frills product, things got a little wonky after that. Personally, I'd like to put together a series of Safety Hammerless top-breaks, 1st and 2nd and 3rd models, large and small frame, and start reloading .32 S&W and .38 S&W, black powder and smokeless, to feed them. One of these days....

 

[Jim K]

About 1909, IJ revised both their materials and their lockwork*, improving it greatly, while retaining their transfer bar safety, the first company to use that system. They retained reasonably good quality through WWII and a few IJ revolvers were purchased by the government, including some 1500 by the Navy; some of the latter were transferred to the OSS who used them in training.

Not being a major supplier to either the armed forces or for wartime civilian needs, IJ was unable to obtain critical materials, so wartime production was very limited. The result was that they made little wartime profit and were unable to build up capital. The result, coupled with corporate short-sightedness, was a gradual downhill slide, resulting in cessation of operations of the original company in 1984.

*At that time, IJ also made their revolvers for smokeless powder.

Jim

 

[governmentmodel45]

H&R Book by Bill Goforth

Hi Jim K:

I'm just responding to your message about Bill Goforth's book on H&R firearms. It was published and it's available from the publisher Gun Show Books Publishing at the link below. Bill Goforth's Iver Johnson Book is available there too.

H&R Arms Co. 1871 - 1986 - A Historical Reference for the Modern Collector
http://www.gunshowbooks.com/

 

[pocket biscuits]

I'm not bashing the OP here, but every Iver Johnson gun I've seen was a hunk of junk that functioned at less than 75%. Maybe they were just old and abused, idk.

 

[Jim K]

Thanks much for the info on the H&R book.

As to the condition of IJ (and H&R) revolvers, neither were "junk" when originally made, but they were inexpensive guns and not as well made as a Colt or S&W, so they didn't last as long. They were not made for long term use or for a lot of shooting. Further, since they were not expensive, many owners didn't give them the care afforded to more expensive guns. When they had a problem they weren't taken to a gunsmith, they were tossed in the junk box along with parts for the hay baler and either forgotten about or given to the kids to play cowboys with.

Jim

 

[Dr.Rob]

IJ made some great target revolvers post WW2. I would put them on par with S&W or Colt 22's of the time.