Iver Johnson 12 Ga. ???????

Master Shucker

Hello Friends,
I'm a 1st timer here and could really use some sound advise. I just bought a Dbl. barrel 12ga. "Hercules Grade" with the following Engravings...1)Underside of Barrel; 278 E F Otherside of Barrel;M
2) Near the firing pins;278 E otherside; Pat Pending March 16 1915 Below that;April 27 1915 There is a Picture of a "Hunting Dog" on the Left side.
3) this comes apart in 3 pieces. The Stock wood is Real Nice. And there is a "Brass" sight on the end of the Barrel.
Ok, so what do i have here? Can i use this for home protection USING,00 Buck?? My concern is the age of this gun. Can it stand up to "todays" ammo? bigmikesbbq@gmail.com Mike

b.goforth

these are the two patents used on all iver johnson double barrel shotguns, 3-16-1915 number 1131984 and 4-27-1915 number1137045. you rarely see them marked on the "Hercules Grade" models, mostly on the mono-bloc early model. this is a very early "Hercules Grade" model. the one thing i would check is the chamber length to make sure it is 2 3/4. the one thing you can be sure of it is not 3 inch (unless rechambered in the last few years). after checking the chamber length and asserting it is 2 3/4 you should not have any problem firing factory standard velocity ammo.

IVER JOHNSON HAMMERLESS (MONO-BLOC)

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1914-1923
Box lock side by side double barrel; breech sleeve area is solid one piece (Mono-Bloc), dropped forged; hammers can be lowered without snapping them on empty chambers; automatic safety and automatic extractors; double triggers; 12 gague only; Browned Barrels and case hardened receiver; 28 and 30 inch barrels, choked left full and right modified, 32 inch barrels chocked full and full; American Black Walnut butt stock and fore-end, pistol grip checkered no grip cap; hard rubber butt plate; weight with 30 inch barrels 7? pounds; overall length with 30 inch barrels 46 3/8 inch.
VALUE 100%=$600 60%=$300

IVER JOHNSON HAMMERLESS HERCULES GRADE

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1924-1935*
Box lock side by side double barrel; each barrel and lug forged as one piece then joined together; 12, 16 & 20 Gauge; Browned barrels and case hardened receiver; American Black Walnut butt stock and fore-end, hand checkered; plain extractor model has slim fore-end and automatic ejector model has beavertail fore-end with D & E fastener; hard rubber butt plate and pistol grip cap; butt stock is 14 inches in length, butt stock drop at comb is 1_ inches and at heel is 2 _ inches; automatic safety; double triggers; overall length with 30 inch barrel 46 3/8 inches; weight 7_ pounds. Hunting dog etching on the left side of the frame. Some of these double barrel shotguns have been seen with Canadian marking, these were most likely shipped to Canada and then marked as there is no evidence that Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works ever had a manufacturing factory in Canada. It has been reported that a special run of the Hercules double gun was manufactured for Montgomery Wards & Co. in the 1930's Marked "WESTERN FIELD MODEL 53".
*Exact year undetermined
VALUE: 100%=$1100 60%=$525
Add 15% for auto-ejectors model
Add 25% for single trigger

IVER JOHNSON HAMMERLESS (HAMMER FORGED MODEL)

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1936*-1941
Same as Hercules Grade except left side of frame marked IVER JOHNSON HAMMER FORGED in two lines and right side of frame marked with company name and address,
*Exact year undetermined
VALUE: SAME AS HERCULES GRADE

bill

11b6r

To add briefly to the very good info from Mr. Goforth- simply slipping a shell into the chamber is NOT a measure of chamber length. When a shotshell fires, it opens out, and there must be room for the length of the OPEN shell, or chamber pressures may jump into a dangerous range. There WERE earlier shells shorter than 2 3/4 inch- so have a smith check the chamber length. Congrats on a nice bit of history.

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

Welcome to the Forums and <gunbroker.coms' Ask the Experts...Iver Johnson made the Hercules, Double Barrel Series in Side-by-Side..Six Models..They are all marked as MODERN, but I would only shoot Low Base Shells in this Gun...This particular series all show to be worth $375.00 up to $550.00....depending upon Condition...If You can post clear Photos and give a complete and TOTAL discription of this particular gun....I'm sure there will be someone come along with More Concise information......

Master Shucker

Hello Friends,
One more time, "Can i use 00 Buck shot-Safely" Or should i see a (Gunsmith) 1st? I DON"T want to harm myself or The Gun. And what exactly does "low base shells" mean? Any "Gunsmith" referrals in the Daytona Beach-Orlando,Fl. Area??? Thanks

11b6r

See the smith first, to make certain you can use modern day 2 3/4 inch shells (there used to a a 2 1/2 inch 12 g- very bad ju-ju to fire a modern 2 3/4 shell in a 2 1/2 gun- VERY bad ju-ju)

If the smith gives it a thumbs up (and he likely will- we are fairly cautious folks, but for good reasons) then you should be able to use 2 3/4 inch 12 g 00 buck.

The reference to low base- in the days of the old paper shells, low brass base was a lighter loaded shell. The high brass base was the hotter load (they did that to keep bigger powder charge from burning thru the paper shell) Nowdays, it would mean steer clear of very hot, baby magnum type shells- you have an older shotgun, feed it regular buckshot loads. May well be 100 years on that shotgun- so treat it nice.