The Whitney Wolverine is a semi-automatic .22 LR caliber pistol created in 1956. Notable for its advanced, "space-aged" looks and then-new aluminum construction, it has a 10-round magazine, a barrel 4.625 inches (117.5 mm) long and a weight of only 23 ounces (650 g).[2]
The Wolverine was engineered by Robert Hillberg, who learned about aluminum casting during WWII while working with aircraft guns and later became research engineer for High Standard Manufacturing Company.[3] Only 13,371 of these .22 semi automatic pistols were made in its short period of production between 1956 and 1958.[4] There were approximately 500 nickel-plated according to company records, the rest finished in varying shades of anodized blue. The plastic grips came in either a black, dark brown or white; the white grips are found mostly on the nickel-plated models. Investment casting of the frame by Alcoa was a new idea for the gun industry at the time; now it is widely used by almost every major gun manufacturer.[5]
Its name, Wolverine, was after Hillberg's favorite football team, the University of Michigan Wolverines. The Whitney name was used because the factory was located near the old Eli Whitney factory site.[6] A victim of extremely poor marketing in the beginning, financial problems and then being under priced by $2.00 by both Ruger and Colt with their new semi-automatics .22, the company was doomed.[7]
The original retail price was $39.95 blue and $44.95 nickel-plated (equivalent to $398 and $448 now).[1][2][8]
Revival attempts
Two companies have attempted to revive the Wolverine model originally design by Whitney, with one of them having succeeded.
Olympic Arms manufactured and sold a version[9] with a polymer frame, instead of aluminum.[1][10] The Olympic Arms version of the Wolverine model Whitney pistol began production in 2002. Its one-piece polymer frame was available in a range of colors: black, brown, tan or pink.[11] However, as of January 2017, Olympic Arms had shut down production and the Wolverine is no longer available.[12]
Samson Manufacturing Corporation had planned on creating their own version, but it never came to fruition. Samson stated that they had the original molds and dies, and had a huge inventory of original parts from the 1950s that they obtained from the original manufacturer.[13][14]
References
^ abcWhitney Wolverine Owner's Manual(PDF). Olympia, WA: Olympic Arms. July 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
^ ab(PDF). Guns. August 1956. pp. 24–27, 66–69. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
^Card, James (4 September 2012). "Robert Hillberg, 1917–2012". Gun Digest. F+W Media. Retrieved 19 June 2014. History will surely remember Robert L. Hillberg as one of the foremost firearms designers of the 20th century.
^Taglienti, Antonio (2008). The Whitney Wolverine: .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Woonsocket, RI: Mowbray Publishers. ISBN978-1931464352.
^Bodinson, Holt (July 2009). "Space gun Redux: return of the Whitney Wolverine". Guns. Retrieved 21 June 2014 – via The Free Library.
^Wood, J.B. (29 July 2013). "Writer Gets His Whitney Wolverine After Long Wait For Unusual .22". The Gun Mag. Second Amendment Foundation. from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
^"Rise and Fall of the Whitney Wolverine". Rock Island Auction. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
^1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 16 April 2022.
^. Olympic Arms. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017.
^Tartaro, Joe (5 August 2013). "Gun Review: At Long Last, the Whitney Wolverine". Bearing Arms. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
^Horman, B. Gil (20 June 2014). "Olympic Arms Whitney Wolverine .22 LR Pistol". American Rifleman. National Rifle Association. Retrieved 21 June 2014. This polymer revival of R. Hillberg's 1950s rimfire 'ray gun' is sleek, light and fun to shoot.
^Eger, Chris (26 January 2017). "Longtime AR Maker Olympic Arms Going Out of Business". Guns.com. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
^Xavier (10 January 2006). "Whitney Wolverine Range Report". Nurse With a Gun. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
^. Samson Manufacturing Corp. Archived from the original on 31 May 2007.
Taglienti, Antonio J. (2008). The Whitney Wolverine .22 Caliber Semi-Automatic Pistol. Andrew Mowbray Publishers, Inc. ISBN978-1-931464-35-2.
Smith, Walter Harold Black (1968). The W.H.B. Smith Classic Book of Pistols. Stackpole Books. p. 791.
whitney, wolverine, semi, automatic, caliber, pistol, created, 1956, notable, advanced, space, aged, looks, then, aluminum, construction, round, magazine, barrel, inches, long, weight, only, ounces, typesemi, automatic, pistolplace, originusproduction, history. The Whitney Wolverine is a semi automatic 22 LR caliber pistol created in 1956 Notable for its advanced space aged looks and then new aluminum construction it has a 10 round magazine a barrel 4 625 inches 117 5 mm long and a weight of only 23 ounces 650 g 2 Whitney WolverineTypeSemi automatic pistolPlace of originUSProduction historyDesignerRobert HillbergDesigned1953ManufacturerWhitney Firearms Inc subsidiary of Bellmore Johnson Tool Co Produced1956 1957No built13 371 1 VariantsNickel Model 900 produced SpecificationsMass23 oz 650 g Length9 in 230 mm Barrel length4 625 inches 117 5 mm Cartridge 22 LRActionBlowbackFeed system10 round magazine Contents 1 History 2 Revival attempts 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditThe Wolverine was engineered by Robert Hillberg who learned about aluminum casting during WWII while working with aircraft guns and later became research engineer for High Standard Manufacturing Company 3 Only 13 371 of these 22 semi automatic pistols were made in its short period of production between 1956 and 1958 4 There were approximately 500 nickel plated according to company records the rest finished in varying shades of anodized blue The plastic grips came in either a black dark brown or white the white grips are found mostly on the nickel plated models Investment casting of the frame by Alcoa was a new idea for the gun industry at the time now it is widely used by almost every major gun manufacturer 5 Its name Wolverine was after Hillberg s favorite football team the University of Michigan Wolverines The Whitney name was used because the factory was located near the old Eli Whitney factory site 6 A victim of extremely poor marketing in the beginning financial problems and then being under priced by 2 00 by both Ruger and Colt with their new semi automatics 22 the company was doomed 7 The original retail price was 39 95 blue and 44 95 nickel plated equivalent to 398 and 448 now 1 2 8 Revival attempts EditTwo companies have attempted to revive the Wolverine model originally design by Whitney with one of them having succeeded Olympic Arms manufactured and sold a version 9 with a polymer frame instead of aluminum 1 10 The Olympic Arms version of the Wolverine model Whitney pistol began production in 2002 Its one piece polymer frame was available in a range of colors black brown tan or pink 11 However as of January 2017 Olympic Arms had shut down production and the Wolverine is no longer available 12 Samson Manufacturing Corporation had planned on creating their own version but it never came to fruition Samson stated that they had the original molds and dies and had a huge inventory of original parts from the 1950s that they obtained from the original manufacturer 13 14 References Edit a b c Whitney Wolverine Owner s Manual PDF Olympia WA Olympic Arms July 2005 Retrieved 20 June 2014 a b The Oldest Name in Guns Comes Back PDF Guns August 1956 pp 24 27 66 69 Archived from the original PDF on 4 March 2016 Card James 4 September 2012 Robert Hillberg 1917 2012 Gun Digest F W Media Retrieved 19 June 2014 History will surely remember Robert L Hillberg as one of the foremost firearms designers of the 20th century Taglienti Antonio 2008 The Whitney Wolverine 22 caliber semi automatic pistol Woonsocket RI Mowbray Publishers ISBN 978 1931464352 Bodinson Holt July 2009 Space gun Redux return of the Whitney Wolverine Guns Retrieved 21 June 2014 via The Free Library Wood J B 29 July 2013 Writer Gets His Whitney Wolverine After Long Wait For Unusual 22 The Gun Mag Second Amendment Foundation Archived from the original on 7 April 2016 Retrieved 21 June 2014 Rise and Fall of the Whitney Wolverine Rock Island Auction 30 May 2014 Retrieved 20 June 2014 1634 1699 McCusker J J 1997 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States Addenda et Corrigenda PDF American Antiquarian Society 1700 1799 McCusker J J 1992 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States PDF American Antiquarian Society 1800 present Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Consumer Price Index estimate 1800 Retrieved 16 April 2022 Whitney Wolverine Olympic Arms Archived from the original on 30 September 2017 Tartaro Joe 5 August 2013 Gun Review At Long Last the Whitney Wolverine Bearing Arms Retrieved 20 June 2014 Horman B Gil 20 June 2014 Olympic Arms Whitney Wolverine 22 LR Pistol American Rifleman National Rifle Association Retrieved 21 June 2014 This polymer revival of R Hillberg s 1950s rimfire ray gun is sleek light and fun to shoot Eger Chris 26 January 2017 Longtime AR Maker Olympic Arms Going Out of Business Guns com Retrieved 10 October 2021 Xavier 10 January 2006 Whitney Wolverine Range Report Nurse With a Gun Retrieved 20 June 2014 Coming Soon The Whitney Wolverine Samson Manufacturing Corp Archived from the original on 31 May 2007 Taglienti Antonio J 2008 The Whitney Wolverine 22 Caliber Semi Automatic Pistol Andrew Mowbray Publishers Inc ISBN 978 1 931464 35 2 Smith Walter Harold Black 1968 The W H B Smith Classic Book of Pistols Stackpole Books p 791 External links Edit 1 Rock Island Auction Whitney Wolverine Forgotten Weapons Manual Whitney pistol s patent US 3060810 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Whitney Wolverine amp oldid 1134094039, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
