Gunshows are dangerous. Whitneyville Pocket

[KingOfKindling]

Went looking for any cool black powder stuff, and found this thing. Thought it was a chopped Whitney Navy at first glance.

It's smaller though. Didn't realize Whitney made a pocket pistol that wasn't an oddball attempt to get around patents. It's just like the Whitney navy, just small.

Quite close in size to a colt pocket. And internals are basically identical to colt. 5 shot 31 (maybe, chambers look a bit bigger than repro 31 cals). Will need to get home and check after the weekend.





Original finish is gone, but function is perfect. Lockup and timing are solid and spot on. I'm also amazed at how smooth action is. Way, way smoother than any reproduction revolver I own. Well, one that haven't been aggressively tuned.

Only real issue is a broken arbor pin release key/screw. Think I'm gonna have to make one, when I can get the broken piece out.



Think I'll be cutting a screw slot into the broken pin with a tiny bit and dremel. Hopefully some pb blaster will loosen things up.

Anyway, couldn't find a single thread on these here, and thought you all might find it interesting.

 

[KingOfKindling]

Well, the "broken" key is just a pin. I thought it was the same as the full size guns. Glad I decided to push on the back side of it.



That's simple. Don't see threads in the pin holes. May be worn out or something.


I now know all the numbers match, which is cool. They stamped just about everything.

Can also now see the bore much better. Rifling is shallow, but in good shape. Muzzle end is a bit pitted.

Here's the cylinder next to a tiny 1963 Remington. Chamber mouths might be slightly larger, or it's just an optical illusion.

Seems possible they're tapered. Will need tools from home to find out.

 

[Trot]

I've always found the Whitneys to be fascinating. I've been planning on getting one, but something else always seems to get in the way.

 

[BCWILL]

Nice piece

 

[KingOfKindling]

I've always found the Whitneys to be fascinating. I've been planning on getting one, but something else always seems to get in the way.

I'm surprised there aren't more reproductions of them. There were a good number involved in the war, as well as a lot of civilian models. Guess the Whitney name doesn't have the pull of Remington, even if what we call an 1858 is essentially a copy of the Whitney.

I'd like to grab a Whitney Navy at some point. Having a frame size between a pocket and a Colt Navy would be good. Always found the 1851's to be heavy for their caliber.

Nice piece

It ain't pretty at the moment, but I think after the surface rust is carefully removed it'll be quite a bit nicer. Will be fun to see how it shoots.

Don't think the nipples are going to be easy to remove. May shoot it before tackling them. Heard boiling the cylinder can help. Then maybe put it in a bag of penetrating oil and drop onto the ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[springfield art]

Went looking for any cool black powder stuff, and found this thing. Thought it was a chopped Whitney Navy at first glance.

It's smaller though. Didn't realize Whitney made a pocket pistol that wasn't an oddball attempt to get around patents. It's just like the Whitney navy, just small.

Quite close in size to a colt pocket. And internals are basically identical to colt. 5 shot 31 (maybe, chambers look a bit bigger than repro 31 cals). Will need to get home and check after the weekend.

View attachment 363862

View attachment 363863

Original finish is gone, but function is perfect. Lockup and timing are solid and spot on. I'm also amazed at how smooth action is. Way, way smoother than any reproduction revolver I own. Well, one that haven't been aggressively tuned.

Only real issue is a broken arbor pin release key/screw. Think I'm gonna have to make one, when I can get the broken piece out.

View attachment 363864

Think I'll be cutting a screw slot into the broken pin with a tiny bit and dremel. Hopefully some pb blaster will loosen things up.

Anyway, couldn't find a single thread on these here, and thought you all might find it interesting.

Very handy! Great little gun! Bet a replica from Uberti, et al, would sell well!

 

[bpd303]

Then maybe put it in a bag of penetrating oil

A 50/50 mix of Dexron II ATF and acetone will out preform any commercial penetrating oil on the market. It is on a par with Kroil and a lot less expensive.

 

[KingOfKindling]

A 50/50 mix of Dexron II ATF and acetone will out preform any commercial penetrating oil on the market. It is on a par with Kroil and a lot less expensive.

Might give that a shot. Got plenty of acetone and various partial containers of ATF. Currently have the frame soaking in PB blaster, the trigger and bolt screws did not want to budge, and have had plenty of abuse heaped upon them in the past. If PB blaster doesn't do the trick, I'll break out the custom blend.

Measured the Cylinder, the size difference was largely an optical illusion due to a more significant chamfer, and the larger cylinder diameter. At the mouth, they cylinder bore is .316 - .3165. That about a thousandth larger than the modern Remington. An insignificant difference.

The interesting difference is that the cylinder bores are in fact tapered. My smallest telescopic guage was only small enough to get about half way down, but it's clear there is a taper. At the halfway point the size has shrunk to .310 consistently in all chambers. Maybe after some some more cleaning I'll bust out some gauge pins and see what size they are in the very bottom.

 

[bpalbee]

Might give that a shot. Got plenty of acetone and various partial containers of ATF. Currently have the frame soaking in PB blaster, the trigger and bolt screws did not want to budge, and have had plenty of abuse heaped upon them in the past. If PB blaster doesn't do the trick, I'll break out the custom blend.

Measured the Cylinder, the size difference was largely an optical illusion due to a more significant chamfer, and the larger cylinder diameter. At the mouth, they cylinder bore is .316 - .3165. That about a thousandth larger than the modern Remington. An insignificant difference.

The interesting difference is that the cylinder bores are in fact tapered. My smallest telescopic guage was only small enough to get about half way down, but it's clear there is a taper. At the halfway point the size has shrunk to .310 consistently in all chambers. Maybe after some some more cleaning I'll bust out some gauge pins and see what size they are in the very bottom.

Might try a really small acetylene torch too too, if you can get those cones cherry red it should burn off the rust on the threads. I'm not a gunsmith, but that works on old engine parts and other mechanical things. I always try to re use the original hardware on antiques, and I find if I burn off the rust with heat they come apart easy without stripping and rounding off bolt heads. As they cool you can drop a little oil to wick into the warm threads with capillary action too, works really well.

 

[bpd303]

Don't know if you know the trick to holding the cylinder still while trying to take the cones out when it's out of the frame. I use 2 pieces of dowel rod that fit the chambers snug, then clamp the dowels in the vise, keeps the cylinder from turning. A good fitting nipple/cone wrench and try to loosen then tighten and usually the cone will start unscrewing, a little penetrating oil then work the cone back & forth until they are out.

 

[Rich44]

Nice Find !!
I would take those stocks off and let it soak in that 50-50 mix and forget it for a week. Then try and strip it down. Anyway Good Luck with your great find.

 

[KingOfKindling]

Might try a really small acetylene torch too too, if you can get those cones cherry red it should burn off the rust on the threads. I'm not a gunsmith, but that works on old engine parts and other mechanical things. I always try to re use the original hardware on antiques, and I find if I burn off the rust with heat they come apart easy without stripping and rounding off bolt heads. As they cool you can drop a little oil to wick into the warm threads with capillary action too, works really well.

Be a good excuse to get a tiny torch. My oxy-acetylene rig is for big stuff, and I've used it to good results on car/tractor parts.

Heat will be a last resort though, as I don't want to overheat a cylinder with questionable steel. At least a real Whitney will have better steel than what the confederate clones had available. Sound like a very large percentage of those blew up during proofing.

Don't know if you know the trick to holding the cylinder still while trying to take the cones out when it's out of the frame. I use 2 pieces of dowel rod that fit the chambers snug, then clamp the dowels in the vise, keeps the cylinder from turning. A good fitting nipple/cone wrench and try to loosen then tighten and usually the cone will start unscrewing, a little penetrating oil then work the cone back & forth until they are out.

I've seen some videos of people locking the wrench in a vise. Either way is probably a good option, less things to try and keep straight. Gonna turn down a wrench to fit as close as possible, the current standard size is too big.

Nice Find !!
I would take those stocks off and let it soak in that 50-50 mix and forget it for a week. Then try and strip it down. Anyway Good Luck with your great find.

The frame has been soaking in a bag full of PB blaster for the last few days. Gonna give it several more before trying the trigger and bolt screws. Should get some small stainless containers or something for soaking parts. A mix of 50% acetone would probably eat through a Ziploc, I know 100% acetone does them in in about a half hour.

Once the frame has sat long enough, I'll probably add more oil to the bag, then drop the whole bag into an ultrasonic cleaner full of water. Give that several good cycles, before trying the screws.