Walther Olympia
Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1932
Also known as: Olympia-Pistole, Walther Olympic, Olympia-Modell, Walther Sport (early variant)
Overview
The Walther Olympia is a single-action, blowback-operated .22 caliber semi-automatic target pistol designed by Fritz Walther and introduced in 1932 for the Los Angeles Olympics. The 1936 redesign - timed for the Berlin Olympics - became one of the most successful competition pistols of the 20th century, sweeping multiple gold medals at the Berlin Games. Built on a fixed-barrel blowback action with an integrated under-barrel slot for removable barrel weights, the Olympia offered exceptional accuracy through its long 190mm (7.48-inch) barrel, large precise adjustable target sights, ergonomic wraparound wood grips, and a finely tuned single-stage target trigger. Available in .22 LR (Sport, Fünfkampf, Jägerschaftspistole models) and .22 Short (Schnellfeuer rapid-fire model with aluminum slide), the Olympia remained Walther's flagship target pistol until production ceased with the destruction of the Zella-Mehlis factory in 1944.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 879 g (31.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 305 mm (12.01") |
| Barrel Length | 190 mm (7.48") |
| Height | 145 mm (5.71") |
| Width | 30 mm (1.18") |
| Sight Radius | 245 mm (9.65") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
- .22 Short — also known as .22 S, 5.6x10mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Disconnect
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Adjustable Target Sights, Ergonomic Target Grip, Under Barrel Weight Slot, Single Action Target Trigger, Removable Barrel Weights
Variants
- Walther Olympia Sport (Standard) — Competition Standard
- Walther Olympia Fünfkampf — Pentathlon Long Barrel
- Walther Olympia Jägerschaftspistole — Hunter Compact
- Walther Olympia Schnellfeuer — Rapid Fire 22 Short
Service history
Operators
- German Olympic Shooting Team · adopted 1932
- Swiss Olympic Shooting Team
- International competitive shooters · adopted 1932
Production
Estimated total produced: 25,000 · Production years: 1932-1944, 1952-present (Hämmerli-Walther license)
Original Walther production estimated 20,000-30,000 units across all four variants from 1932-1944. Post-war Hämmerli-Walther licensed production continued the design from 1952. Exact figures unrecorded due to wartime destruction of Walther factory records.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Fritz Walther
Discontinued: 1944
Notes
The Olympia was the first true purpose-built modern Olympic-pattern target pistol and effectively defined the category for the next half-century. Its design directly influenced the Smith & Wesson Model 41 (1957) and Hämmerli's later target pistols. Production was reintroduced under license by Hämmerli-Walther in 1952 and continued for several decades. The four main variants reflected different ISSF/UIT shooting disciplines: Sport (free pistol, slow fire), Fünfkampf (modern pentathlon, 9.5-inch barrel), Jägerschaftspistole (compact 4-inch hunter, 1938+), and Schnellfeuer (rapid fire, .22 Short with aluminum slide).
Background
The Walther Olympia delivered such overwhelming Olympic success - five gold medals in pistol events at the 1936 Berlin Games - that it effectively forced the international target shooting community to adopt the design pattern as the new standard. Its Schnellfeuer variant in .22 Short defined the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event for decades and gave Germany an effectively unbroken stranglehold on Olympic rapid-fire pistol gold medals from 1932 well into the 1960s, until rule changes and challengers from Eastern Europe finally caught up.