Old Iver Johnson Manufacture Date??

[MrScharfenberger]

Hello All...

I have an old Iver Johnson 5 shot .32 S&W pistol that has been in my family for decades (or is it a centruy or more?). My father passed recently and now it is mine. I don't care about value but I'm trying to figure out the year it was manufactured. In the case the gun came in were 5 bullets that had "Peters" and .32 S&W on the bottom. Very old ammo for sure. The gun works great. I bought some new ammo from Bass Pro Shops and fired off all 50 shots. The gun is in really good condition overall compared to others that I've seen pictures of online. I've tried to figure out the year it was made by myself but have failed miserably.....so here I am. I've read numerous threads that basically ask the same question I'm asking so I know the drill. The serial number is 292xx on the bottom of the trigger guard and below are pictures. I have not taken off the left hand grip to verify the number but I assume it is the same. Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

Serial Number: 292xx

 

[Ron James]

You need to remove the left handgrip, if there is a letter prefix it will be there. That is why the number under the grip is considered the true serial number. The trigger guard seems to bend easily and they are easy to replace.. I have seen a number of them that did not match the grip number. The letter prefix or the lack of one can mean as much as 50 years in dating it. Give the proper information and I will date it for you and tell you how many were made that year.

 

[MrScharfenberger]

Thanks for the reply Mr. James. It is most appreciated. It took a little bit of work to get the handle off but I got it done without breaking it. The thing had clearly been on there a LONG time. Below is a picture of what I found. The beginning letter looks like an "A" to me but it appears to be a light stamp on the left side. You can see for yourself and tell me what you think. The serial number under the grip did match what was on the trigger guard. I'll post the picture below and also a link to the original picture that is very large. Thanks again for the help!

http://www.MrScharfenberger.com/Guns/IverSN.jpg

 

[Sarge7402]

Also the later models have a different locking bolt notches on the cylinder. Your's appears to be one made late 20's to late 30's

 

[Ron James]

Well, boon daggle, I can not make out that mangled letter prefix. These were hand stamped and when it was stamped the hammer slipped and the picture is fuzzy. Tell you what , I'll give you the info and you make the call. A - 1909 . G - 1915, H - 1923 , J - 1927. But you can clearly see how the letter prefix makes a difference. BTW, someone used a power buffer on it , didn't they? That's a no-no on old guns as a rule. PS: It looks like an A

 

[MrScharfenberger]

Well, boon daggle, I can not make out that mangled letter prefix. These were hand stamped and when it was stamped the hammer slipped and the picture is fuzzy. Tell you what , I'll give you the info and you make the call. A - 1909 . G - 1915, H - 1923 , J - 1927. But you can clearly see how the letter prefix makes a difference. BTW, someone used a power buffer on it , didn't they? That's a no-no on old guns as a rule. PS: It looks like an A

Thanks! It really looked like an "A" before I saw the dates and it still looks like an A to me now. As far as the power buffer goes if it was power buffed it was before I got it. But with that being said the gun has a nickle coating on it and those can be shiny. The gun was in a velvet lined case so there could be a chance it is in original condition. The bullets in the case with it had "Peters" stamped on the bottom of them so they are very old. I think the gun had very little use and probably sat in the velvet lined box most of its life. It doesn't appear to have been carried. There are no wear marks on it anywhere. My dad got this gun from his parents after they both passed. My dad was not a gun guy at all so he would of never had anything done to it. He just stuck the small box in his dresser. In fact there was also a rifle that he gave away because it was too big and he didn't want it in the closet. I have no idea what that gun was but I wish I had it.

I appreciate you and Sarge taking the time to give me more information about this old Iver Johnson gun. I'm going to write down the info and put it back in the velvet lined box. That way i another 108 years my great, great, great grandson who I will never meet will know what he has. Thanks again!

 

[damyankee425]

hello guys. I've got one with diffrent letter prefix . D

 

[Coyote3855]

Given the overall condition of the revolver, I doubt it was power buffed. All edges appear sharp and undeformed. Screw holes are not dished. The trigger guard, trigger, and hammer appear to have original coloration and/or patina. I believe the OP is correct in that the little gun was kept in its box and not used much. The stamp looks like an "A" to me. Nice old family heirloom.