Olympic Arms

Olympic Arms began life as Schuetzen Gun Works in 1956. George Schuetz founded it in Colorado Springs, CO, where it primarily concentrated on barrel production.

The company moved to Olympia, WA, in 1975 and changed its name to Olympic Arms. There it began making modern sporting rifles and pistols, although it also offered custom bolt-action rifles under the Schuetzen Gun Works label.

Business was good and Olympic Arms acquired M-S Safari Arms in 1987, a Phoenix, AZ-based firm specializing in 1911 pistols. Safari Arms was the name used for the pistols afterward.

In 2004 Olympic Arms resurrected the Whitney Wolverine, semi-auto .22 LR-chambered pistol. This time the frame was polymer instead of aluminum. The profile was nearly identical to the original. Barrel and overall length were the same, along with chambering and magazine capacity. Weight dropped to 19.2 ounces, however.

Reception from enthusiasts was lukewarm and the toll from more and more companies producing ARs slowly grew. In early 2017 the company announced it was closing. It sold excess inventory for months afterward, but it’s gone today.  

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