What do I have here???

Bernie Link · June 11, 2018, 09:40 AM

I traded a guy a knife for this gun. Can anyone help me identify the gun because I have no idea. It's a .22, 8 shot revolver. The markings are hard to read but at the top of the frame near the fixed sights I think it reads "IJ Target sealed 8, JA&C wks, ??? Mass USA. Serial # M 1952 5. It seems like I have to take the cylinder pin out & remove the cylinder to eject the spent rounds. I'd like to know what it is, when & where it was made, etc.

Help??? I hope the pic came through.

FITASC · June 11, 2018, 09:43 AM

IJ is most likely Iver Johnson

Bernie Link · June 11, 2018, 09:44 AM

MTT TL · June 11, 2018, 09:52 AM

Iver Johnson Sealed 8. Not worth a whole lot, they made lots of them and quality was mediocre.

Bernie Link · June 11, 2018, 08:28 PM

Can anyone tell me about when it was made or where I can find out?

lamarw · June 11, 2018, 08:45 PM

You might try here: http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...serial-number/

tallball · June 11, 2018, 08:50 PM

Iver Johnson, more than likely. I think "bicycle works" was part of their name. They made mid-quality handguns in something like the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Bernie Link · June 11, 2018, 09:10 PM

Hope this pic goes through

lee n. field · June 11, 2018, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernie Link

Hope this pic goes through[ IMG]https://www.facebook.com/link45gallery/photos/a.848501988688091.1073741829.848384618699828/922360597968896/?type=3&theater[/ IMG]

You're trying to directly link to something in the book of faces. Don't think that's going to work.

Bernie Link · June 11, 2018, 10:16 PM

The pic is here: http://s1353.photobucket.com/user/be...tml?sort=3&o=3

RJay · June 12, 2018, 12:26 AM

You have a gun made by Iver Johnson's Arms and Cycle Works. It is a Target Sealed Eight it was made post war some time between 1945 and 1993 That M 1952 is not the serial number , it may be the date made. It is a very accurate Woods Gun " , made for the working man ( there was a recession in the aftermath of the Korean war, there wasn't a lot of spare money floating around.) It served it's purpose as an inexpensive working gun for the farmer, trapper, hunter. People knock it as a cheap gun, no it was not a cheap gun, it was an inexpensive gun made for the times. made in the times when it was more important to put put food on the table rather than toy.s

Bernie Link · June 12, 2018, 08:59 AM

Thanks RJay, If M1952 is not the serial # where do I find it?

Jim Watson · June 12, 2018, 09:23 AM

M1952 probably is the serial number, the Target Sealed 8 had prefixes of M or N.
Low M number is pretty old but round barrel indicates post WWII manufacture.
Any road, it would have cost $10.50 in 1939.
The only way to be sure to pin it down would be Bill Goforth's book on Iver Johnsons, I don't think there is a free www source.

RJay · June 12, 2018, 09:29 AM

Jim, Bill's book is where I got my information

Bernie Link · June 12, 2018, 10:17 AM

Thanks guys, You've been a great help. I don't care what the gun is worth, it's really fun & cheap to shoot, I'll keep & enjoy it. I thought it was an old gun, now thanks to you, I have the history on it. Really appreciate your knowledge & time on this!

Jim Watson · June 12, 2018, 07:44 PM

Ron, did Mr Goforth conclude that IJ put the year on guns rather than an actual serial number?

RJay · June 12, 2018, 09:02 PM

No, that's why I wrote " Maybe ", M prefix was used 1904 and that is a post war gun, . while most pre war Iver's can be dated to a precise date, not so the post war guns. Frankly Scarlet, I don't know what M1952 means. There is a lot of information missing from after 1945, Iver Johnson was going thru a lot of changes trying to come up with a long term winning formulae . So; don't know, It's not listed as a post war prefix and it looks like a date. so it was just a guess on my part. I could be wrong, I think I've been wroung before, no, on reflection I can safely say, I know I've been wrong before

June 11, 2018, 09:40 AM	#1
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	What do I have here??? I traded a guy a knife for this gun. Can anyone help me identify the gun because I have no idea. It's a .22, 8 shot revolver. The markings are hard to read but at the top of the frame near the fixed sights I think it reads "IJ Target sealed 8, JA&C wks, ??? Mass USA. Serial # M 1952 5. It seems like I have to take the cylinder pin out & remove the cylinder to eject the spent rounds. I'd like to know what it is, when & where it was made, etc. Help??? I hope the pic came through. Last edited by Bernie Link; June 11, 2018 at 10:11 PM. Reason: adding picture

June 11, 2018, 09:43 AM	#2
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	IJ is most likely Iver Johnson __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

June 11, 2018, 09:52 AM	#4
MTT TL Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Quadling Country Posts: 2,780	Iver Johnson Sealed 8. Not worth a whole lot, they made lots of them and quality was mediocre. __________________ Thus a man should endeavor to reach this high place of courage with all his heart, and, so trying, never be backward in war.

June 11, 2018, 09:10 PM	#8
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	Pic Hope this pic goes through Last edited by Bernie Link; June 11, 2018 at 10:14 PM. Reason: Trying to upload pic

June 12, 2018, 12:26 AM	#11
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	You have a gun made by Iver Johnson's Arms and Cycle Works. It is a Target Sealed Eight it was made post war some time between 1945 and 1993 That M 1952 is not the serial number , it may be the date made. It is a very accurate Woods Gun " , made for the working man ( there was a recession in the aftermath of the Korean war, there wasn't a lot of spare money floating around.) It served it's purpose as an inexpensive working gun for the farmer, trapper, hunter. People knock it as a cheap gun, no it was not a cheap gun, it was an inexpensive gun made for the times. made in the times when it was more important to put put food on the table rather than toy.s __________________ Ron James

June 11, 2018, 09:44 AM	#3
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56

June 11, 2018, 08:28 PM	#5
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	Can anyone tell me about when it was made or where I can find out?

June 11, 2018, 08:45 PM	#6
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	You might try here: http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...serial-number/

June 11, 2018, 08:50 PM	#7
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	Iver Johnson, more than likely. I think "bicycle works" was part of their name. They made mid-quality handguns in something like the late 1800's and early 1900's.

June 11, 2018, 10:16 PM	#10
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	The pic is here: http://s1353.photobucket.com/user/be...tml?sort=3&o=3

June 12, 2018, 08:59 AM	#12
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	Thanks RJay, If M1952 is not the serial # where do I find it?

June 12, 2018, 09:23 AM	#13
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	M1952 probably is the serial number, the Target Sealed 8 had prefixes of M or N. Low M number is pretty old but round barrel indicates post WWII manufacture. Any road, it would have cost $10.50 in 1939. The only way to be sure to pin it down would be Bill Goforth's book on Iver Johnsons, I don't think there is a free www source.

June 12, 2018, 09:29 AM	#14
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	Jim, Bill's book is where I got my information __________________ Ron James

June 12, 2018, 10:17 AM	#15
Bernie Link Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Location: Roswell Posts: 56	Thanks guys, You've been a great help. I don't care what the gun is worth, it's really fun & cheap to shoot, I'll keep & enjoy it. I thought it was an old gun, now thanks to you, I have the history on it. Really appreciate your knowledge & time on this!

June 12, 2018, 07:44 PM	#16
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Ron, did Mr Goforth conclude that IJ put the year on guns rather than an actual serial number?

June 12, 2018, 09:02 PM	#17
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	No, that's why I wrote " Maybe ", M prefix was used 1904 and that is a post war gun, . while most pre war Iver's can be dated to a precise date, not so the post war guns. Frankly Scarlet, I don't know what M1952 means. There is a lot of information missing from after 1945, Iver Johnson was going thru a lot of changes trying to come up with a long term winning formulae . So; don't know, It's not listed as a post war prefix and it looks like a date. so it was just a guess on my part. I could be wrong, I think I've been wroung before, no, on reflection I can safely say, I know I've been wrong before __________________ Ron James Last edited by RJay; June 13, 2018 at 12:37 PM.