Tell me about Whitney Wolverine
- Thread starter BoogieMan
- Start date
Are you talking about the NEW Whitney Wolverines made by Olympic? Or the originals?
The originals were good guns, some of the people I knew who had owned them didn't like the extreme rake to the grip, but they shot well. They are a period piece, definitely have that late 1950's "tail fins and space ships" look to them(kinda like the Nylon 66). They were very high quality investment castings, since all that aircraft fabrication equipment was left over after WW2.
Olympic Arms makes and sell a polymer framed version, but it doesn't really look like the originals at all. And with Olympic going out of business, it may be challenging finding parts for them in the near future.
The originals were good guns, some of the people I knew who had owned them didn't like the extreme rake to the grip, but they shot well. They are a period piece, definitely have that late 1950's "tail fins and space ships" look to them(kinda like the Nylon 66). They were very high quality investment castings, since all that aircraft fabrication equipment was left over after WW2.
Olympic Arms makes and sell a polymer framed version, but it doesn't really look like the originals at all. And with Olympic going out of business, it may be challenging finding parts for them in the near future.
Jim Watson
New member
Aluminum. Plinker for sure, it is not as fine a gun as contemporary Colt or High Standard target pistols.
A year or so ago, I started bidding on an original Wolverine with box and papers at a nearby live auction. I stopped bidding at $875.00. I saw the same serial numbered pistol at the Rock Island auction a few months later. It seemed someone was looking for well over a grand for it.
The originals have become serious collectors items. They were not bad pistols but the shooting world is pretty conservative and the looks just weren't everyone's idea of what a gun should look like. They are very light but fairly large. They have a serious problem. If you decide to strip one and don't have the manual or don't take notes, you can have the old "leftover parts" problem, not a good place to be.
They were made with a black anodized finish and also nickel plated, the latter being rarer, only c. 900 guns vs 13,000 black. The company was in business from c. 1955-1962..
Still, the problems were not so much with the gun but with the finance end, not the guns themselves.
Jim
They were made with a black anodized finish and also nickel plated, the latter being rarer, only c. 900 guns vs 13,000 black. The company was in business from c. 1955-1962..
Still, the problems were not so much with the gun but with the finance end, not the guns themselves.
Jim
g.willikers
New member
What no pictures.
And they are so neat, too.
Here's the original:
https://claytonecramer.blogspot.com/2012/05/whitney-wolverine.html
Here's the Olympic version:
http://www.olyarms.com/shop/pistols/pistols-whitney/ww.html
Pretty cool, either one.
And they are so neat, too.
Here's the original:
https://claytonecramer.blogspot.com/2012/05/whitney-wolverine.html
Here's the Olympic version:
http://www.olyarms.com/shop/pistols/pistols-whitney/ww.html
Pretty cool, either one.
the possum
New member
I got one a couple years back because I always loved the way the grip feels in my hand. It points very naturally for me, and is a joy to plink with. It's like I don't even have to use the sights.
These have a reputation for needing full powered ammo to function, and that's true for mine. Most cheap bulk pack ammo doesn't have enough power to reliably cycle the action. It will give failures to eject, or doesn't push the slide back far enough to strip a new round from the mag. So far, Rem Thunderbolts (oddly enough) are about the only bulk ammo I've found that works well. High velocity Winchesters & CCI work great though. It also seems to like running wet, with plenty of lube.
I've never really tried to bench mine for target accuracy yet. It shoots better than I do offhand; pretty much like any other .22 pistol in my hands.
They are a full sized gun, but so light they feel like a toy. I'd consider them a well made plinker.
Some features were common for their era, but are considered less desirable now. I.E., they have a heel magazine catch, mag disconnect safety, no bolt hold-open, and "backwards" thumb safety (up to fire, down for safe). These quirks don't bother me, but may be a deal breaker for some.
I read all kinds of bad stuff about field stripping them too, but I think it's way overblown. Just unscrew the barrel nut, and all the "guts" come out the back. Never yet had any issue putting it back together.
Most of the small parts interchange with the new Olympic Arms remakes. I bought a new hammer spring, firing pin, & its retaining clip thingie for mine. Get 'em while you can. However, the new magazines do not work in the old guns- the feed lips are shaped differently. I found an original extra mag for mine on Numrich. The mag follower has a hole so you can insert a .22 round or casing, to push the follower down for easy loading.
These have a reputation for needing full powered ammo to function, and that's true for mine. Most cheap bulk pack ammo doesn't have enough power to reliably cycle the action. It will give failures to eject, or doesn't push the slide back far enough to strip a new round from the mag. So far, Rem Thunderbolts (oddly enough) are about the only bulk ammo I've found that works well. High velocity Winchesters & CCI work great though. It also seems to like running wet, with plenty of lube.
I've never really tried to bench mine for target accuracy yet. It shoots better than I do offhand; pretty much like any other .22 pistol in my hands.
They are a full sized gun, but so light they feel like a toy. I'd consider them a well made plinker.
Some features were common for their era, but are considered less desirable now. I.E., they have a heel magazine catch, mag disconnect safety, no bolt hold-open, and "backwards" thumb safety (up to fire, down for safe). These quirks don't bother me, but may be a deal breaker for some.
I read all kinds of bad stuff about field stripping them too, but I think it's way overblown. Just unscrew the barrel nut, and all the "guts" come out the back. Never yet had any issue putting it back together.
Most of the small parts interchange with the new Olympic Arms remakes. I bought a new hammer spring, firing pin, & its retaining clip thingie for mine. Get 'em while you can. However, the new magazines do not work in the old guns- the feed lips are shaped differently. I found an original extra mag for mine on Numrich. The mag follower has a hole so you can insert a .22 round or casing, to push the follower down for easy loading.
spacecoast
New member
This thread needs some pictures:
Original:
Olympic Arms version:
Original:
Olympic Arms version: