Old Iver Johnson break top

[Tink77]

I have and old Iver Johnson, looking for year if possible.

[Mike Irwin]

I really don't think that's an Iver Johnson. I've never seen an IJ with an action latch anything even remotely like that.

I've also never seen that kind of trigger shape on an Iver Johnson.

I'm really getting a feeling that that is a Belgian or Spanish made gun.

Decidedly not definitive, but that is a strong gut feeling.

[Pahoo]

I have and old Iver Johnson, looking for year if possible.

A couple of years ago, I got involved with some of these and passed what I had, onto a collector friend. During this time I learned a little about these. There were a number of these made, back in the early 1900's. They were H&R and I think that Smith put out a few. Really dig into this one as there "is" information, lightly stamped into these. Mine was stamped on the top of the rib; was a Cop issue and even had the original holster .. ...

The Chrombed plated ones went to Gansta's and Soiled-Doves but they are usually shorter barrels. .....
The Blued ones usually belonged to the cops and military.

There are many of these revolvers and their collectors around and you look forward to more replies. Not much value but still part of "our" history and neat, little guys. ......

Be Safe !!!

[Jim Watson]

Hopkins and Allen used that "pinch" type top latch.
Too bad the gun is too rusty to read markings.

[Tink77]

I think someone sanded the chrome finish off and any marks. I told the guy who owns it that it was a wall hanger.

[Aguila Blanca]

I told the guy who owns it that it was a wall hanger.

Agreed.

A number of years ago I bought something similar, very cheaply, for the sole purpose of having a top-break revolver to show students in my NRA Basic Pistol classes what a top-break revolver is and how they work. I may once have known what make mine is, but I have long since forgotten. It was once plated, but probably 75% of the plating has flaked off and it looks really ugly. But it does what I want it to do -- open and close.

Having seen it happen, I am paranoid about some yahoo coming to a class with a live round in his pocket and trying it out on any demo guns in the classroom. Consequently, I don't have any functional firearms in my box of class props. I have blue guns, airsofts, blank-firing replicas, and this thing. It's chambered in an obscure .32 caliber chambering that's HIGHLY unlikely to be found in some idiot's pocket but, just to be sure, I ruined the gun by filing the firing pin down enough that it won't extend through the breechface.

My guess it was the historical equivalent of a Saturday night special.

[44 AMP]

and I think that Smith put out a few

More than a few. Smith & Wesson put out their No1 and 1 1/2 tip ups in .22 and .32 rimfire then went to the top break No.2, and No.2 1/2 and eventually the No.3 in .44 and later .45 calibers.

My best guess on your wall hanger is a Belgian or possibly Spanish made top break in the style common in the US. Some were actually decent quality guns, and some where poorly made "Saturday Night Special" class crap.

[Bill DeShivs]

These guns were not chrome plated. They were nickel plated.
There is a difference.

[44 AMP]

Nickel plating was the "hard chrome / stainless steel" finish of the era. Not as good as what we later developed but the most "rustless" finish they had back then.

[jar]

Hopkins & Allen did use a somewhat similar latch but I tend towards a Spanish copy or US made bargain knockoff.

[Bob Wright]

As I recall Marlin made a numberr of top break revolvers in .32 and .38 S&W calibers, most of these bore no markings at all, or were marked with the distributor's markings. And most were nickle plated. Most of these had black hard rubber grips but some were pearl gripped.

A friend of mine had one that popped open with each shot. We took the gun to the service station and had the frame lugs built up with a brazing rod, then filed down to work properly. Also made a pair of oversized target grips of walnut.

That gun really was an eye-catcher. He loaned that revolver to the secretery where he worked. She killed herself with that gun after being jilted in a three-way affair with the owner of the company. Never saw that gun again.

Bob Wright