IVER JOHNSON ARMS.
The Iver Johnson safety hammer and hammerless automatic revolvers are so constructed that it is impossible to explode the shell unless the finger is on the trigger at the point of firing. The rebounding firing pin is a late improve ment. It rebounds of itself, and is entirely independent of hammer, trigger or action. This device allows the hammer to lie always in its natural position, and no unsightly opening is left by the rebounding of the hammer. Besides this vitally important and original improvement there have been incorporated many other valuable devices, such as the barrel catch, cylinder lock, and extractor cam ; no spring has any tension upon it except when in operation .
The safety hammer comprises three essential parts ; the hammer, firing pin, and intervening lever, or what is termed the raiser. In firing, the revolver, the hammer strikes the raiser, and that, in turn, the firing pin. To illustrate the safe qualities of this weapon :—should the hammer catch in the pocket, or should the hammer, by- any accident, be knocked off while at full cock ; or should the sear be released in any other than the natural way, it is utterly impossible for the pistol to discharge. In order to explode the cartridge, the finger must be on the trigger at the point of firing or when the trigger releases the sear. Drawing the hammer back with the thutnb to almost full cock, the raiser is carried up to a relative position with the firing pin; on. releasing the hammer it drops. but no discharge, as the raiser, being controlled by the hammer, is drawn down and out of line of the firing pin. If, however, we pull the trigger, we repeat the action of the thumb; but, at the point of firing, or as the trigger knocks off the scar, it releases the raiser from the hammer, and the trigger holding the same in line of the firing pin, the hammer strikes in the natural way. After releasing the trigger, the raiser drops down, leaving a receptacle for the rebound of the firing pin. This revolver. Figure 1, is made ill 22, 32, and 38 caliber, with barrels 3, 3A, 4, 5, and 6 inches long,. The chamber is 5 shot and takes S. W. center fire cartridg,e. In the 22 caliber, the barrels are 3. 4, and 5 inches long,. The chamber is 7 shot and takes a rim fire cartridge.
The Iver Johnson safety hammerless revolver embodies all the principal fea tures of the safety hammer revolver, viz.: the action, barrel catch, and rebounding lock, together with the device for locking the cylinder, safety catch, etc. It demands recognition of the following- advantages: fewer parts than any of its kind ; an easy and accessible way to the action, by a top-plate; a quick and effec tive cylinder lock ; and the new safety catch on the trigger, new in itself, and the only catch that will lock the revolver safely. Most revolvers of this class lock the hammer by complicated devices arranged in such a way that, by a slight accident, the safety becomes disarranged, and it is impossible to operate the revolver. The only source of danger to a hammerless revolver is the trigger, and to overcome this the safety catch has been placed in the trigger, operating against the guard and independent of any action of the revolver. Thus we have a safety on the trigger and a safety hammer. This excellent revolver is made in 32 and 38 caliber. The lengths of the barrels are 3, 3%, 4, 5, and 6 inches. The chamber is 5 shot, and takes a S. & W. center fire cartridge.
The Cycle revolvers, 32 caliber, with a barrel 2 inches long, were originally designed for cyclists as a protection against ViC1011S dog:s and highwaymen ; but they are now in use by thousands of people desiring- a light, handy pocket weapon. They are constructed on the sante principle as the regular hammer and hammer less revolvers, from which they are modeled. The same safety features are used, and accidental discharge is impossible.
The time honored American and Boston Bull Dog revolvers, of -which more than 1,5oo,000 have been sold during the last twenty years, have 110W given way to the Iver Johnson Model 190o double action, which is noted for its small number of parts, its new locking device, its fluted cylinder to accommodate long or short cartridges, and its very neat guard and trigger owing to the use of drop forg,ings. It is made in 22, 32, and 38 caliber, with barrels 4% and 6 inches long. The chamber is 5 shot and takes a rim fire cartridg,c for the 22 caliber, a center or rim fire cartridge for the 32 caliber and a center fire cartridge for the 38 caliber.