IVER JOHNSON "OWL HEAD" .38 REVOLVER

A very nice Iver Johnson “Owl Head” .38; in fact, one of the best I have ever seen. This little revolver is a Third Model, Third Variation, one of 4900 made in the year 1927. It is a top-break chambered for .38 S&W caliber (not .38 Special), and was a strong competitor to S&W’s “Lemon Squeezers” of the same era. The nickname “Owl Head” was applied to IJ guns because of the trademark used, molded it into the hard rubber grips. Most “Owl Heads” are .32’s, the larger frame .38 is much more suitable to self-defense use; and the gun is still compact enough to be carried concealed. Overall condition is Excellent. The plated finish 95%, with a few minor spots of flaking On the left side and the front grip strap. The bore is nearly mint. Lockup is tight, indexing is perfect, and the action works flawlessly. All serial numbers match, on the frame (under the left grip), the trigger guard, and the top strap (hidden by the cylinder) so it is 100% original. IJ was a pioneer in the use of coil springs, rather than the leaf springs other makers used: the springs in this revolver are as vigorous and powerful as the day it left Fitchburg. IJ also invented the transfer bar mechanism used on all current production revolvers by all makers: it is impossible to set this gun off by dropping it on the hammer, a real safety feature, that IJ touted in their ads with the slogan “Hammer The Hammer!” It has been shot, but not much. Made in the “Roaring Twenties,” it might have been originally owned by a businessman or banker, who carried it to defend himself against “gangsters,” or it may have been owned by a gangster! Considering the condition, I suspect it laid in a bedside drawer for most of its long life. It would make an ideal gun for a hunting camp or carrying in a car or truck glove box, always ready if you left another gun at home. While today we regard the .38 S&W as sub-optimal for personal protection, in point of fact it’s still useful in that role, especially with reloads. It is possible to load that caliber to match the standard-power .38 Special; and the fact is that Bad Guys are no tougher now than in 1927. One could do much worse than this dependable, hard-hitting revolver for a personal protection piece! This gun can be sold to a bona fide Virginia resident in a face-to-face sale, if you present me with a driver’s license or other ID showing a Virginia address, and sign a statement that you are not prohibited from owning it. I am not an FFL holder, and can only sell directly to another resident of this state. If you are NOT a Virginia resident it will have to go to an FFL holder (C&R or Dealer). Be absolutely certain, if you use an agent, that he will accept it from a non-FFL, as the law allows him to do. An FFL holder can accept a gun interstate commerce from anyone. contact me for additonal images of this pretty gun.