Iver Johnson

[Pressman]

While I am familiar with Iver Johnson revolvers I was unaware that they made a 22 rifle. Out on a road trip yesterday I stopped in at a quaint gun shop in Story City Iowa. Setting on the rack was an Iver Johnson single shot rifle. Since I have an affinity for old single shots, I gave it a serious looking over. It's a Model X-2 and in genuinely nice condition. What sets it apart is the odd safety, the tiny, flimsy appearing rear sight and that it uses the sliding cradle extractor from the GECO rifles. Though it has a retaining cross pin to prevent it from coming out and disappearing.
The safety is automatically applied when the bolt is closed. It is the cocking piece knob with a hinge that flips it up as the bolt moves forward, to fire the rifle it must be pushed down.

Polishing the bluing and rubbing out the stock is all this gem of a rifle requires. These were made between 1930 and 1955 in the Iver Johnson plant at Fitchburg MA. There is no way to determine the actual date of manufacture that I have found. There is a Canadian patent number stamped on the receiver that gives forth with the story these are Cooey made rifles. They are not.

285520

285521

[beemer]

While don't collect or know a lot about old single shot 22 rifle, I do appreciate their simplicity and usefulness. Most of these rifles were made when a family needed a economical 22 rifle, sometimes for their very survival. Wonder where yours has been ?

My cousin has the Stevens Favorite that my Dad fed his siblings with after their Father died. I have a good story about that from my Dad. That old rifle is not usable or valuable but the story is priceless.

Not trying to get OT but it crossed my mind while looking at the rifle. Let us know how it shoots, hope you enjoy it.

Dave

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That's pretty nice. Never saw one before.

DG

[Pressman]

An update, this neat little rifle went from shooter to wall hanger when I began cleaning the bore. The roughest road I had ever traveled and emphasizing the need for a borescope.

What I found is not pretty, but highly unusual. The picture is 5 inches from the muzzle, though the entire bore looks like this. There is no rifling and apparently never was. From the chamber end there is 1 inch of clean rifling then is stops with a professional appearing ending, like the machine was stopped on purpose.

I scrubbed the bore with De-Rusto and JB Bore paste for over an hour of stroking that rod, there is no trace of rifling.

It needs to be relined to finish making it into a real rifle. Maybe someday.

286157

[obssd1958]

Was it possibly manufactured as a version of a garden gun?
Not sure if the intitial rifling would make the shotshell open up more or not, but I would try it and see how it does.
Heck, I would even try a regular .22 cartridge - you never know until you try!

[Pressman]

I test fired it at 25 feet, the boolits were spinning, end over end.

[barrabruce]

I test fired it at 25 feet, the boolits were spinning, end over end.

Just makes them more efficient.

Interesting design thou.
I don’t collect them but I am drawn to the simplicity of a single shot rifle.

[Gtek]

And another tale of the Gun Store/Show brain valve circuit malfunction. It gets stuck in the oh-oh-oh position and get home unlatching to find the No-No-No position. I myself (more than one time:sad:) and are sure many here know of your pain Sir.

[smithnframe]

I always carry a pocket flashlight in my pocket…….I concur with obssd1958 that perhaps it was a smooth bore garden gun.

[rayh]

Pressman, that was my 2nd gun. Dad bought it for me at 12-13 years old for 8.00. Back in the mid 50's that was a lot of money to a country boy. I took a lot of squirrels and rabbits and God knows what else with it. Mine did shoot great. The cocking piece is subject to wear. At one time Gun Parts had replacement parts and I rebuilt mine. I shot standard vel Long Rifle shells in mine. Reline it, you won't regret doing it.

[405grain]

Have it bored out and a liner installed. I've built several 22lr barrels for 10-22's that have a 7075 aluminum barrel with a Redman liner. They work great and are very accurate. A good gunsmith could easily install a liner and chamber it. The rifle looks nice and it is possible to make it a shooter again.