Jan Libourel, gun rag editor, wrote 10 years ago that the most common question they received was about an inherited old Iver Johnson break top revolver.
I remember in the 70's the pawn shops in down town Seattle strung them vertically on a wire threaded through the trigger guard. The wire was attached to the back counter.
At gunshows 4 years ago they traded at $35. That is up now to $65 for one that works, $35 for one that is broken.
I have been buying them and fixing them.
Numerich is a big pain to deal with. They charge more for the shipping than the parts. They are rude on the phone. They have no toll free number. They send the wrong parts. They send parts in worse condition than those to be replaced. But where you gonna go?
I was shooting some 38 Super max loads with 158 gr. .357" XTP bullets in a 100 year old break top 38 S&W, when the break top latch stretched ~.010". I was showing it to big time gun designer and talking about pressure. The old guy pointed out to me that the latch stretch was not a direct result of chamber pressure. He said that bullet friction and recoil yanking on the mass of the barrel were what was stretching the latch. That took me days of thinking to understand, but I think I've got it now.
Now when I load for the 38 S&W break top, I use soft lead balls and wimpy powder charges. 2 gr. of Bullseye or 4 gr. of Unique work well.
There are web sites that say, ~"Don't shoot them, they were meant for black powder and they are too old and in too bad condition."
There are probably web sites that say to never do anything, just lie down and hold still to avoid dangers.
My grandfather had one in the Alaskan gold rush, and to my family it is a very valuable family heirloom, and worth $65 at a gunshow.
