Wilkinson Linda..what have I gotten myself into?

Irishmtnmn2001 · December 6, 2004, 02:03 PM

Hi,

I just picked up a Wilkinson Linda 9mm pistol. I knew it was an oddball when I bought it...but now I am worried. I can't find any information about the Wilkinson Arms Company and it looks like I am going to have LOADS OF FUN finding a second magazine. I was wondering if there was a source for information and more importantly it seems...somewhere to find parts and accessories in the future. Thanks! ANY help would be appreciated.

Erich · December 6, 2004, 02:58 PM

Neat gun.

Wilkinson's been out of business since the late '80s, I fear. We had a "Linda" come through a shop I managed in '89, and it sold quickly to a collector out of state. They made a "Diane," too - a smallish .25.

Only source of info I presently have is Dean Grennell's Book of Autoloading Pistols from c. '86, and that's at home. 31-round mags, right? Maybe Forrest has some knock-offs that would work. I think there's a photo of a Linda in Grennell's book that has a scope mount, too, of all things. I wonder if it's factory.

Irishmtnmn2001 · December 6, 2004, 08:33 PM

Thanks Erich,

The purchase went against my long-standing rule....."Never buy something you can't hunt with or don't expect to shoot". I just couldn't resist it! It was a great buy and was different from everything else in my handgun collection....mostly 70 series Colts, a Freedom Arms Casull and a few mint pin-barrel S&W's. Oh well, live and learn.......maybe it will be good trading stock at the next gun show

Erich · December 7, 2004, 10:18 AM

Well, I looked at the Grennell book last night. He has a couple of pictures of the "Linda," as well as one of the diminutive "Diane." No photos of the other Wilkinson pistol, the "Terry," though (Apparently Ray Wilkinson named guns after everyone in his immediate family except himself, which is why we still don't have the "Ray" gun.

).

Grennell says the Linda was a tack-driver, and utterly reliable. I suspect you could find mags for it, but it might take you a year of looking.

DT Guy · December 7, 2004, 09:16 PM

I've always hoped to stumble across one of those cheap. That same article by Dean Grennell (who also proposed changing our national language to 'Usaninan', by the way

) really had me interested.

He was shooting some very impressive groups with his, as I recall. How's your's shoot?

Larry

Erich · December 8, 2004, 10:49 AM

To follow up: Grennell's Weaver-scoped "Linda" also makes an appearance in the second edition of The Gun Digest Book of the 9mm. Author Comus says that it was the most accurate 9mm he's ever shot (!), and reports 25-yd bench-rested groups of between 1/4" and 3/4" . . . and he blames the 3/4" groups on shooter error!

He also mentions that Wilkinson made a full-auto version of the Linda. You might start looking around full-auto forums and shops to see about finding spare mags. . . .

Man, I'd really like to hear a range report myself.

Irishmtnmn2001 · December 8, 2004, 06:16 PM

Thanks Eric and DT! I haven't shot the gun yet! But NOW CATCH THIS!!!!!! The same guy has a PROTYPE LINDA CARBINE FOR SALE!!!! SERIAL NUMBER 00003! I haven't decied yet. Seems like it will be an interesting piece. Thanks for the advice on the gun! Rich

Erich · December 9, 2004, 10:31 AM

Wow.

That would be neat to see.

missourigunner · March 7, 2005, 03:10 AM

In the2003 "Standard Catalog of Firearms, there is a Picture of the "Terry" Carbine with a 30 Round magazine. There is also a picture of the "Diane" no picture of the "Linda"

December 6, 2004, 02:03 PM	#1
Irishmtnmn2001 Member Join Date: December 6, 2004 Location: Northern Colorado Posts: 45	Wilkinson Linda..what have I gotten myself into? Hi, I just picked up a Wilkinson Linda 9mm pistol. I knew it was an oddball when I bought it...but now I am worried. I can't find any information about the Wilkinson Arms Company and it looks like I am going to have LOADS OF FUN finding a second magazine. I was wondering if there was a source for information and more importantly it seems...somewhere to find parts and accessories in the future. Thanks! ANY help would be appreciated.

December 7, 2004, 09:16 PM	#5
DT Guy Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2001 Posts: 959	I've always hoped to stumble across one of those cheap. That same article by Dean Grennell (who also proposed changing our national language to 'Usaninan', by the way ) really had me interested. He was shooting some very impressive groups with his, as I recall. How's your's shoot? Larry __________________ He who fights and runs away had better run pretty damn fast. Government, Anarchy and Chaos

March 7, 2005, 03:10 AM	#9
missourigunner Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2005 Location: Holts Summit, Missouri Posts: 112	Wilkinson In the2003 "Standard Catalog of Firearms, there is a Picture of the "Terry" Carbine with a 30 Round magazine. There is also a picture of the "Diane" no picture of the "Linda"

December 6, 2004, 02:58 PM	#2
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Neat gun. Wilkinson's been out of business since the late '80s, I fear. We had a "Linda" come through a shop I managed in '89, and it sold quickly to a collector out of state. They made a "Diane," too - a smallish .25. Only source of info I presently have is Dean Grennell's Book of Autoloading Pistols from c. '86, and that's at home. 31-round mags, right? Maybe Forrest has some knock-offs that would work. I think there's a photo of a Linda in Grennell's book that has a scope mount, too, of all things. I wonder if it's factory.

December 6, 2004, 08:33 PM	#3
Irishmtnmn2001 Member Join Date: December 6, 2004 Location: Northern Colorado Posts: 45	Thanks Erich, The purchase went against my long-standing rule....."Never buy something you can't hunt with or don't expect to shoot". I just couldn't resist it! It was a great buy and was different from everything else in my handgun collection....mostly 70 series Colts, a Freedom Arms Casull and a few mint pin-barrel S&W's. Oh well, live and learn.......maybe it will be good trading stock at the next gun show

December 7, 2004, 10:18 AM	#4
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Well, I looked at the Grennell book last night. He has a couple of pictures of the "Linda," as well as one of the diminutive "Diane." No photos of the other Wilkinson pistol, the "Terry," though (Apparently Ray Wilkinson named guns after everyone in his immediate family except himself, which is why we still don't have the "Ray" gun. ). Grennell says the Linda was a tack-driver, and utterly reliable. I suspect you could find mags for it, but it might take you a year of looking.

December 8, 2004, 10:49 AM	#6
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	To follow up: Grennell's Weaver-scoped "Linda" also makes an appearance in the second edition of The Gun Digest Book of the 9mm. Author Comus says that it was the most accurate 9mm he's ever shot (!), and reports 25-yd bench-rested groups of between 1/4" and 3/4" . . . and he blames the 3/4" groups on shooter error! He also mentions that Wilkinson made a full-auto version of the Linda. You might start looking around full-auto forums and shops to see about finding spare mags. . . . Man, I'd really like to hear a range report myself.

December 8, 2004, 06:16 PM	#7
Irishmtnmn2001 Member Join Date: December 6, 2004 Location: Northern Colorado Posts: 45	Thanks Eric and DT! I haven't shot the gun yet! But NOW CATCH THIS!!!!!! The same guy has a PROTYPE LINDA CARBINE FOR SALE!!!! SERIAL NUMBER 00003! I haven't decied yet. Seems like it will be an interesting piece. Thanks for the advice on the gun! Rich

December 9, 2004, 10:31 AM	#8
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Wow. That would be neat to see.