Iver Johnson Revolver Serial Number Database Best _verified_ Jun 2026

To access the absolute verification mark, carefully remove the grip panels. The letter prefix required to accurately date the weapon is often explicitly hidden on the frame under these grips. The Three Main Eras of Safety Automatic Revolvers

, it was made between 1896 and 1908. Common prefixes include: No Prefix:

Older models produced around the turn of the 20th century were often designed specifically for black powder. Using modern smokeless ammunition in firearms not designed for those pressures can result in catastrophic equipment failure and severe injury. Iver Johnson Revolver Serial Number Database BEST

Many models feature the raw numeric sequence stamped directly on the bottom metal strap.

Iver Johnson often "hidden" serial numbers to prevent tampering. Check these three key locations: To access the absolute verification mark, carefully remove

A: This was a "trade brand" used by Iver Johnson for revolvers sold by large retailers like Sears & Roebuck from 1910 to 1935. These guns typically lack a letter prefix in their serial number. A .38 top break in this line with a serial number of 680, for example, dates to 1910.

If you are holding a top-break, hammerless, or solid-frame revolver stamped with the iconic "Iver Johnson" name, you are holding a piece of American industrial history. For over 80 years, Iver Johnson’s Arms & Cycle Works of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, produced some of the most popular and affordable firearms in the United States. From "The Owl Head" to the famous "Safety Automatic" models, these revolvers are beloved by collectors, Cowboy Action shooters, and historians. Common prefixes include: No Prefix: Older models produced

Many collectors mistake assembly batch numbers for the actual serial number. Iver Johnson frequently stamped matching numbers or single letters under the top strap, under the grip panels, or on the bottom of the trigger guard.

: Some models used a letter-to-number code based on their hometown, Fitchburg, MA: F=1, I=2, T=3, C=4, H=5, B=6, U=7, R=8, G=9, O=0 Trusted Resources for Verification Expert Reference Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works 1871-1993 W.E. Goforth

Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works, active from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, produced millions of affordable, reliable revolvers. Because of the sheer volume and lack of centralized documentation during the era, dating these firearms can be difficult.