U.S. Revolver Co. Top Break .38

[kwe45919]

This is my Great GrandFathers pistol handed down through the years and now my father has it. Soon it will be mine even though it's not really worth much.

The only things I really know are, the U.S. Revolver Co. was actually Iver Johnson's Arms and Cycle Works. It seems to be a late 1800's or early 1900's model but there is little info out there on them. Just figured I'd post a little more history here since I posted my Father-Inlaws Navy Colt Revolver.

On the top of the barrel it says:

U.S. Revolver Co.

Made in USA

On the bottom of the trigger is 24680, with the 24 being smaller than the 680. I was told by my father that this was an issued Calvery Officers pistol in WW1 but some how I think my father is lieing.

Edited August 19, 2009 by kwe45919

[Moped]

Cool! I tend to agree with you that it wasn't an issued pistol. I think the army only issued 1911s and 1917 revolvers during all of WWI. That doesn't mean that it wasn't carried as a back up piece though.

You see a lot of these old pistols like this at different places. It's something to hand down in the family though!

[Guest oxman647]

This is my Great GrandFathers pistol handed down through the years and now my father has it. Soon it will be mine even though it's not really worth much.

The only things I really know are, the U.S. Revolver Co. was actually Iver Johnson's Arms and Cycle Works. It seems to be a late 1800's or early 1900's model but there is little info out there on them. Just figured I'd post a little more history here since I posted my Father-Inlaws Navy Colt Revolver.

On the top of the barrel it says:

U.S. Revolver Co.

Made in USA

On the bottom of the trigger is 24680, with the 24 being smaller than the 680. I was told by my father that this was an issued Calvery Officers pistol in WW1 but some how I think my father is lieing.

[Guest gcrookston]

That's one of the nicest U.S. Revolver Co. pieces I've ever seen. You are correct they were made by Iver Johnson. Basically they were cheaper versions of an already inexpensive gun, skimping on things like the hammer safety and fit-finish. I'd guess yours was made sometime between 1900 and 1910.

Your father isn't lying. He's simply mistaken (as are many). These arms were never issued to military personnel and were never intended for military sales.

[flyfishooltewah]

That sure is a pretty gun!

[1gewehr]

However, many of them WERE taken overseas by soldiers during WWI and WWII. You could do that back then.

They are fun little revolvers to shoot. A .36 round ball thumb-pressed on top of a 5gr charge of FFF black powder makes a nice plinking load. Be careful about the grips, they are relatively fragile now that they are 100 years old!

[JAB]

My grandfather in law also has one of these in the old .38 S&W chambering. His maternal grandfather and grandmother owned a country store when he was a little kid. His grandfather also taught school so his grandmother would tend the store alone during the day. She kept the little revolver there, just in case.

He has told me that I can fire it if I want. However, he only has a couple of rounds for it and I don't know how old they are so I'd want to get some new ones and I'd want to be sure to find some that are low-powered enough that they won't hurt the old girl - especially since these revolvers were apparently originally designed for black powder cartridges. My wife is also interested in shooting it as it was her great-great-grandmother's gun.

Because of this little revolver, I looked up some information about the U.S. Revolver company. Basically, as you say, the U.S. Revolver Company was a mark of Iver Johnson. In fact, these were the same revolvers that had once been sold as Iver Johnson revolvers. When new technology such as the aforementioned safety features came about, Iver Johnson adopted those features for the guns bearing the Iver Johnson mark. However, they still had materials, parts, etc. onhand for the older design. In order to utilize those parts, materials, etc. they continued to manufacture revolvers with the older design and market them with the U.S. Revolver Company mark as a 'bargain line' of revolvers. These were sold via the catalogs of companies such as Montgomery Ward, etc. The information I have found indicates that these revolvers were only manufactured until all the old parts/materials were used up and then were discontinued which is why they were only made for a few years.

Here are some pics of my grandfather in law's. As you can see, the grips were cracked and he has tape on them to keep them together. The rounds lying next to it are the ones he still has and the surface it is lying on is, to my understanding, a side-saddle that belonged to either his grandmother or his great-grandmother (I can't remember which at the moment.)

Edited February 2, 2010 by JAB

[Guest leewsee]

I too have one of these guns. never fired it...doesn't look safe. Mine is comlete with holster and is in far better condition than the guns pictured in this thread. #4861 stamped on trigger guard and 430 on back side of the holster. If you or anyone you know would be interested in this gun, i would sell.

[bajabuc]

These things are better left as "lookers" Most of them didn't index very well and the hardening of pawl and hand pretty much wears out quick. My repo 1901 sears catalogue says 1.75 each in .32 and 2.00 for .38. Back when I was a kid...like 9 or 10...I had a 5 gallon bucket of them given to me. "here, see what you can do with them." My mom wasn't happy. I never did make one shoot (probably because nobody would sell me ammo) but they made great "cops and robbers" toys. A couple of years later I looked for them but we'd broken them all. I think I got a quarter for the metal at the junkyard. Which reminds me...That particular scrap metal place had STACKS of barreled rifle actions with the stocks burned off. Before you freak...I was 10 in 1952 and people did things different. The doors were never locked and my dad left the keys in the car all night. I'm not saying it was better then...but it was a lot more fun.

[Guest munchrr69]

i have a top break 32. cal it is identical to your firearm, only mine does not have a scratch on it, i shoot it every once in a bit, my granfather gave it to me before he passed on. i never knew where it camr from untill you posted your thread, and i had a chance to see ur replies. i thank you, and for the recoed, they are very cool!!! oh and mine is also hammerless.

Edited May 17, 2011 by munchrr69

[TNBuck2]

I have recently come into possession of one of these .38 top break revolvers. Mine was used by my grandparents and great-grandparents in their general store and postoffice for protection. After some investigating, I have found that this was manufactured by the Harrington and Richardson Arms Co. in Worcester Massachusetts between 1897 and 1904. Mine has the name of the company and five patent dates stamped on the top of the barrel. It is in remarkably good shape, but I think it has been kept in a safe by my 94 year old great aunt. My revolver looks to be EXACTLY the same as the OP's revolver except for the emblem on the grip. Mine is a 5-shot, auto ejecting model.

[Guest jackblock]

:cool:Hello to All,

Just wanted to say thanks to all the posts about this gun, and to share pics of mine. It was handed down to me. My Grandmother carried it in her purse on the road as a Vaudeville Singer/Dancer.<br>

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Edited November 20, 2011 by jackblock
Made a mistake in html

[Guest jackblock]

[Guest jackblock]

Will someone please advise me on the proper method of posting html pictures from photobucket on this site. Thanks

[Guest jackblock]

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[Ramjo]

Very nice!