Iver Johnston Cadet 55-SA Manufacture Date

HMC8404 · December 27, 2014, 11:05 AM

Can anyone help me with the approximate manufacture year of an Iver Johnson Cadet 55-SA, Serial # G120XX? Always wanted one of these little old .38 S&W wheel guns. It is mint, probably unfired, and has what was described to me as rare factory target grips...they look like brown bakelite or plastic with the owl on each side.

Thanks much!

RJay · December 27, 2014, 12:26 PM

Well, no. The early Iver Johnson's ( up to WWII ) were fairly well documented, however the post war guns are not. The Cadet 55SA used the G prefix from 1963 until 1974. The G Prefix was also used in 1899 and 1900 but rest assured your gun is not one of those. Sorry about that.

James K · December 29, 2014, 09:26 PM

The G prefix was used for the .38 S&W caliber, the J prefix for .38 Special. At that time, IJ was making an effort to break into the lower level police/guard and self-defense market, an effort that never achieved any great success. IIRC, those guns all had short barrels, round butts, and regular (not target) grips.

To confuse things still further, IJ also used the J prefix on the Model 57 .22 caliber revolver.

Jim

December 27, 2014, 11:05 AM	#1
HMC8404 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2012 Location: Coastal Washington Posts: 102	Iver Johnston Cadet 55-SA Manufacture Date Can anyone help me with the approximate manufacture year of an Iver Johnson Cadet 55-SA, Serial # G120XX? Always wanted one of these little old .38 S&W wheel guns. It is mint, probably unfired, and has what was described to me as rare factory target grips...they look like brown bakelite or plastic with the owl on each side. Thanks much! __________________ Control THIS!

December 27, 2014, 12:26 PM	#2
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	Well, no. The early Iver Johnson's ( up to WWII ) were fairly well documented, however the post war guns are not. The Cadet 55SA used the G prefix from 1963 until 1974. The G Prefix was also used in 1899 and 1900 but rest assured your gun is not one of those. Sorry about that. __________________ Ron James

December 29, 2014, 09:26 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The G prefix was used for the .38 S&W caliber, the J prefix for .38 Special. At that time, IJ was making an effort to break into the lower level police/guard and self-defense market, an effort that never achieved any great success. IIRC, those guns all had short barrels, round butts, and regular (not target) grips. To confuse things still further, IJ also used the J prefix on the Model 57 .22 caliber revolver. Jim Last edited by James K; December 29, 2014 at 09:32 PM.