Iver johnson

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Boydog

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Received a Iver Johnson top breech pocket pistol. Not sure of the caliber or year it was manufactured. I located serial numbers. Trying to determine caliber, year, and which generation 1st,2nd or 3rd. It also has the owl handles facing the barrel. but I know they could have been replaced.
 

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I make it a small frame 'safety automatic' fourth variation. Probably 1896. Tells are the barrel rib text, the 'A' serial number and its location. As to caliber, if it's a six-shooter it's a .22. If five shot it's either a .32 or .38 S&W (i.e., 'short') and you need a caliper to tell. Or take it to a gunsmith. Black powder in any case.
 
The leaf springs mark it as black powder. Later smokeless rated models would have coil springs.
 
It's in great shape but has little collector value. There are not a lot of reference materials available on IJ revolvers of that era and the changes are subtle. In my research the "A" serial number would indicate a second model variation along with the 1896 ending patent date. (If I am reading that right as '96) Production was something like 950,000. The only 'claim to fame is a 2nd model was used to shoot President McKinley in 1901.
 
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