When John and Pat Hipwell opened their firearms business north of Virden twenty six years ago, it was a small operation out of a back bedroom. However, over the years it has grown to become an international dealership in all manner of firearms and related items.
Wolverine Supplies’ customers include private individuals and police and military contracts.
However, since, 2006, the shop has been keen to recognize its many area customers who range from competitive shooters, deer hunters, big game hunters and backyard tin can plunkers.
This they have done with an annual customer appreciation day, now know as Wolverine Days, with the shop featuring special sale items, tax breaks, door prizes, firearms raffles, range events and grand prize draws.
This year the event was held over two days, with perfect weather, with 23 regular workers plus extra staff on hand to help any level of customer with service, advice and instruction.
There was a steady stream of customers through the shop who could talk to firearm and equipment manufacturing representatives. These same reps would be on live firing line to demonstrate their products.
However, it was the live fire opportunity at the shop’s range that drew everyone at sometime during their visit to Wolverine Supplies.
For five dollars, a customer could buy different amounts of cartridges of various caliber to fire on the range. The first thing one would notice at the live fire events was the high degree of safety protocols. Range staff were well identified, knowledgeable and trained with the firearm they were controlling. There were boundary lines at several places in the firing area to keep everyone safe.
Whenever the shooting started the red danger flag was raised and whenever it was lowered all fire arms were laid down. In the event of any mishap, a trained first-aid person was on hand with a full emergency kit.
Sales of ammunition for the range were brisk, and in order increase the safety factor, after you paid your $5.00, you were given a ticket and only once you were on the firing line were you given the actual ammunition to load in your choice of firearm. And what a choice you had, from many arms dealers such as Barrett, Stoeger, Browning, Vortex, North Group, and Daniel Defense.
Depending on what firearms you wanted to shoot, you could get one shot with the 50 BMG sniping rifle, 10 shots in a modern assault weapon, 10 shots with a 9mm or 45 caliber hand gun, or five shots in a Western style six shooter; shot guns and Winchester type rifles.
Anyone who shot was provided with ear and eye protectors if they didn’t bring their own.
All manner of people came up to try the various fire arms - male and female, young and old. Many of them would go back to buy more tickets to try another firearm or the same one again. A few people went down the whole line of guns to experience each one.
In the mid-morning and afternoon, there were demonstrations of classic WWI and WWII and Cold War firearms, by shop staff with the weapons being from the shop’s Currahee Military Museum’s weapons collection.
John Hipwell demonstrated the British WWI Lewis Machine Gun with its circular drum magazine that mounted on top of the gun, with the 303 caliber bullets dropping down into the breech.
Also shown were the 1920s’ era Thompson machine gun, also known as the Tommy Gun of Prohibition era fame, the U.S. M-3 machine gun also known as the “Grease Gun” or “Cake Decorator” and a contemporary item, the Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, the choice of many worldwide terrorist organizations. These heavily restricted and controlled firearms are capable of shooting hundreds of rounds a minute and are specific in purpose.
As the crowd watched from behind the safety rope, the empty brass casings flew off behind the shooter, as bullets sped down range. It is both an amazing and frightening sight and also very noisy. I f one needed a break from all the action, the First Virden Scout Group were on hand offering a fresh and cheerful barbecue lunch.
Over the two day event more than 400 people showed up, including Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire and MP for Dauphin-Swan River- Marquette Robert Sopuck, who both have many firearms enthusiasts in their ridings.
During the range events many of the non-shooting staff came by to try out some of the various firearms, with some being very accurate for their first attempts.
One of the areas that I found of interest, having been a military firearms shooter most of my life, was the Cowboy Action shooters. John O’Brian and Kevin Archibald, complete with cowboy garb, six-shooters, repeating rifles and shotguns were a popular item with the crowd. During my time with them I learned a few safety tips about the hobby of Cowboy Action Shooting.
Overall the two day event was a win-win-win situation. The shop helped out regular customers and made new ones; the public had an opportunity to learn about the safe and enjoyable hobby of firearms use; and finally I would suggest that Virden and area businesses got a lot of spin-off from the event.
Said Pat Hipwell about the two-day event: “Wolverine Days, for the first time, was a two-day event. We were very pleased with the attendance of approximately 400.” She acknowledged the hard work of staff and extended family both before and during this weekend. They coped with extremely hot weather.
“Wolverine Days was an opportunity for the staff and shop to connect with many of our regular customers and to meet new ones,” noted Hipwell.
