Iver Johnson with an aluminum forearm?

WV_gunner

New member
I know someone who just acquired an Iver Johnson 12 gauge. The serial number suggests it's no newer than the '20s. it hasa chrome barrel and a chrome reciever. The forearm is polished aluminum. It looks very well done. Is this some rare production piece? Or just someones very good attempt at machining an aluminum forearm for it? I've never seen any gun with an aluminum forearm before.
 
The information I found suggests otherwise but I really have no idea. I don't know much about Iver Johnsons. The only single shots I'm familiar with is the H&R/New England guns.
 
There isn't much out there on IJ shotgun serial numbers. Mr. Goforth blamed it on paper drives, selling the company and the ATF.

www.antiqueguns.com/phorum/read.php?10,10396,10396#msg-10396

Read Mr. goforth's posts in this thread. What little info there is on IJ serial numbers and single barrels, he knew. He even mentions visiting the factory and getting a worker's notebook with the SN system used in the '40s.

Anyway, if it's an early gun it's probably nickel; that was an option.

An aluminum fore end? Never even heard of one.

John
 
I'm not with the gun right now, but I do remember reading on the barrel something about chrome. My first guess is nickel though, so I'm not sure. I'll read what it says exactly tonight.

Yep, the forearm is made from solid aluminum and looks like someone knew what they were doing. Fit and finish is top notch.

I've heard it may have been some sort of an award or trophy at one time because there was allegedly a Winchester 12 gauge with an alumumin forearm as an award for some shooting competition in '50s. So maybe Iver Johnsons were done up similar in the past.

If this is some rare gun, we are going to restore the cracked wood stock or possibly replace it. But if it's just someone's custom work, we are toying with the idea of getting an aluminum stock made for it too.
 
Just a guess, but in the late 40's surplus GI aluminum was everywhere. I had a couple aluminum bows made in the late 40's. For a time frame that would be my guess if it is a factory item.
 
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