Iver Johnson 32 cal revolver

[hps]

I received this neat little revolver from a friend, It was her late husbands and she said she wanted me to have it.
Its marked "Iver Johnson cycle works"

Its obviously for a rimmed cartridge, where does one find this ammo? the lock up on this firearm is really tight and I'd be willing to shoot it. Its a centerfire not a rimfire.

 

[kalrez]

Is it a top break revolver? It probably uses .32 S&W (Short). Fairly hard to come by. Sometimes places like ammotogo.com or cheaperthandirt.com have it. Last time I saw some was at a gun show and it was some European brand. Here is a link to an article about a similar gun: Gun Review: Iver Johnson .32 S&W - The Truth About Guns

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Just as a heads up some of the oldest Iver Johnson revolvers are for black powder cartridges and will not safely handle smokeless powder cartidges. Make sure of what you have before you shoot it.

 

[walt o]

I have found that I.J pistols that have 4 pins in the frame are smokeless rated

 

[cziemer]

If its chambered in .32 long, I've found Rural King to stock lead RN 98 gr pretty commonly...

 

[walt o]

they are not chambered in long . Must use the S&W short

 

[possum_128]

Martinsville Rural King, we have a few boxes.

 

[Hoosier8]

Does the owl look forward or straight ahead?

This is what the grip looks like on the black powder. The owl faces towards the barrel.

 

[hps]

The one I have is hammerless. The owls on the grips were rubbed or sanded off. There are 5 pins in the frame not counting the screw that the barrel pivots on.

 

[walt o]

do not count the hammer pivot pin . The grips can be changed ,can't count on that as an indicator. It sounds like you have 4 pins in the frame ___not__ counting the hammer pivot and the barrel pivot.

 

[cziemer]

they are not chambered in long . Must use the S&W short

Really? I have an H&R Break top .32 S&W Long "Large Frame, Hammerless - Auto-Ejecting" (as the blue book of guns calls it), that were produced from 1905 until after WWII. I can't see why they're closest competition wouldn't offer a gun in the same cartridge, but then again I've never owned or shot an IJ...

 

[hps]

 

[Hoosier8]

Yours looks to be a later version and should handle smokeless powder.

Black powder.

Smokeless powder

 

[Huzrjim]

Interesting discussion. My now late aunt gave me one of these that her late husband had in the house. It was the smokeless .32 S&W much like the one above, except in a mostly worn off nickel finish. He also had a small bag of rounds for it. I shot it a couple times to make sure it works, but the cylinder was so loose, I never felt it was a safe gun. I should probably let it go to someone that would appreciate it more, but for now it sits hidden in my garage along with a rusty shotgun, just in case guns that I don't mind getting further weather worn are required for service no matter the reason.

 

[walt o]

Don't compare H&R and I .J. without The full story . H&R started stamping the caliber on the barrel when they strengthened the gun for smokeless powder. The B.P.guns did not have such stampings on the barrel. I.J. made some changes and added a 4th pin THAT denotes a smokeless powder gun. It pays to know what manufacture you are dealing with.

 

[Stang51d]

I have an IJ 38 s&w. Looks just like those but bigger wood grips and loose as a goose. I shoot it, you can hit three guys at one time. At your 12:00, 3:00 and 9:00. Lol. My grandpa had it and never ever shot it, he let us play with it when we were kids. It's been dry fired more times then most guns will ever get fired. We would use it and 3 old jap rifles that he brought home to play war back in the day.

I can send a pic to someone if they want to post it, I can't from this device.

 

[cziemer]

Don't compare H&R and I .J. without The full story . H&R started stamping the caliber on the barrel when they strengthened the gun for smokeless powder. The B.P.guns did not have such stampings on the barrel. I.J. made some changes and added a 4th pin THAT denotes a smokeless powder gun. It pays to know what manufacture you are dealing with.

Just to be clear, I wasn't giving advice as to whether to shoot smokeless powder in the gun or not, I would just be amazed if IJ didn't chamber a revolver in .32 s&w long, but yes in Harrington and Richardson revolvers that are OK to shoot smokeless out of, the barrel is marked " .32 S&W CTGE." These guns can either be chambered in .32 short or .32 long (Colt New Police if you must), based on cylinder length, mine happens to be a .32 Long. I have not messed with any IJ revolvers, and was more asking if they really never chambered a gun .32 long, sorry if it was construed as giving bad advice, it was not meant that way.