The video is a detailed dissection of the Zip 22 pistol, a product of the US Firearms Company (USFA), which was known for its high-quality single-action army reproduction guns. The video host, who is a firearms engineer, explains that the Zip 22 was designed to be a cheap and modular firearm, but it ended up being a costly and problematic product.
The Zip 22 was produced for about a year before it caused USFA to dissolve. The host speculates that the company's owner, Doug Donnelly, treated USFA more as a hobby than a business, leading to the production of the Zip 22. Donnelly's design for the Zip 22 was intended to be one of the safest firearms, but it ended up being one of the least safe due to its design and construction.
The host explains that the Zip 22 is a blowback firearm, meaning it uses the force of the gun's recoil to eject the spent cartridge. The striker, which is the part of the gun that hits the rim of the cartridge to fire it, is made of polymer, not metal. This makes the striker and the bolt, which move back and forth during firing, very light, causing them to move extremely fast. This high speed can lead to malfunctions, such as the gun firing without the trigger being pulled or the gun not ejecting the spent cartridge.
The host also points out that the Zip 22 does not have an extractor or an ejector, which are typically used to control the position of the cartridge case and ensure it ejects cleanly from the gun. Instead, the tip of the striker vaguely pushes up on the side of the cartridge case to kick it out, leading to poor extraction and ejection.
The host concludes by stating that despite the Zip 22's many problems, it does meet some of Donnelly's envisioned features, such as being a cost-effective gun to produce. However, the gun's high price and the problems it caused led to the dissolution of USFA.
Some possible facts extracted from the text are:
1. The text is a transcript of a video on forgotten weapons.com about the USFA Zip 22 pistol.
2. The USFA Zip 22 pistol was produced for about one year before it destroyed USFA as a company.
3. USFA was known for making high quality single action army reproduction guns before making the Zip 22.
4. The Zip 22 pistol is a polymer-framed, blowback-operated, .22 caliber pistol that uses Ruger 10/22 magazines.
5. The Zip 22 pistol has a very light and fast bolt, no extractor or ejector, and a plastic striker, which make it prone to malfunctions and ruptured cases.
6. The Zip 22 pistol has a cross-bolt safety, a restrike lever, and a striker block that can lock the trigger when the bolt is half-cocked.
7. The Zip 22 pistol has a cocking lever accessory that can be used to charge the pistol without putting the finger near the muzzle, which is otherwise a safety issue.
8. The Zip 22 pistol has different versions of top covers with different sights or rails, including one that can attach to the bottom of a carbine as an additional weapon system.
9. USFA sold all of its tooling and equipment for making single action army guns to raise capital for making the Zip 22 pistol, which failed to make any money and led to the company's dissolution in 2017.