Good morning. I acquired a U.S revolver .38 short. It was my grandfathers but where he got it we don't really know. From the research I've done I'm thinking its one of the first made of the 3 rd generation. It's model # on the bottom of the trigger guard says 5298. Thanks for your help in advance.
Irver Johnson .38 S&w 5 shot age.
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Two Old Dogs
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U. S. Revolver Company was a house brand manufactured by Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works in the period 1910 to 1935 with some 690,000 being produced.
This revolver was introduced to use the excess Second Model Safety Automatic revolver parts that IJ had left in inventory after introducing the Third Model Safety Automatic Revolvers. It does not have the "hammer the hammer " action of the Third Model. All U. S. Revolver Company Revolvers were made to use smokeless powder cartridges. The full serial number is located under the left grip.
The U. S. Revolver Company revolvers were never listed in the Iver Johnson catalog and were marketed through wholesale and mail order channels, not as a cheaper line, but merely a separate line of merchandise.
This revolver was introduced to use the excess Second Model Safety Automatic revolver parts that IJ had left in inventory after introducing the Third Model Safety Automatic Revolvers. It does not have the "hammer the hammer " action of the Third Model. All U. S. Revolver Company Revolvers were made to use smokeless powder cartridges. The full serial number is located under the left grip.
The U. S. Revolver Company revolvers were never listed in the Iver Johnson catalog and were marketed through wholesale and mail order channels, not as a cheaper line, but merely a separate line of merchandise.
On each model Iver Johnson started out with serial number 00001 and at 100,000 they would add a alpha letter, such as A00001. If there is a prefix { As stated above by Two old dogs } it will be under the left grip. Another reason for considering the number under the grip as the true serial number is that the trigger guard is easily broken and just as easily replaced. Most times the number under the grip will be the same as the trigger guard except for a possible letter prefix, however I have seen cases where the trigger guard number was completely difference ( due to replacement. ). Also need to know if it is a solid frame of top break. The solid frame is a version of Iver Johnsons model 1900, the top break is a version of their Safety Automatic.
I don't know what you have, on both Model types of US revolvers Iver Johnson started with 00001 in 1909, The US revolvers never had just a 4 digit serial number, so I'm afraid I can't help you with identification or age. Sorry about that. If perchance there is a Zero in front of that number it was made in 1909 and should be considered a black powder gun.
If I am reading Goforth correctly, a U.S. large frame hammerless in 38 S&W with a four digit number and no prefix would have been made in 1910. They went to 99999 in 1916 then added a D prefix and started over, ending production in 1924 at about D30450. FWIW, the gun is not an antique under Federal law, since it was made after 1 January 1899.
Jim
Jim
Jim, All the US revolvers have at least a 5 digit serial number Starting with 00001 and ending with 85500 in 1915, in 1916 the year ended with a 6 digit number. So, there has to be a zero in front of that 5298, if not then I don't know,. ADDED: Upon reflection, Bill could have made an error in regards to all the zeros , He's not here to ask so I guess this is one time we have to assume that instead of all the models starting with 4 zeros they may started with 4 or even none.
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