I have an Iver Johnson .38S&W that belonged to my father-in-law. It is a piece of history, but lame by comparison to today's firearms. It had a special sliding bar between the hammer and the firing pin that prevented the revolver from discharging if dropped; even if you hit the hammer hard, it still wouldnt go off. That was an important safety feature back then, as many lives were lost by accidentally dropping a weapon. It wouldnt even fire if you pulled the hammer back and released it before it was fully-cocked. Say what you will, it was an innovation a hundred years ago.