This video delves into the rare Union Semiauto Revolver, manufactured in Toledo, Ohio, prior to World War I. Unlike the premium Webley-Fosbery, the Union was designed to be an inexpensive alternative to traditional revolvers, chambered in .32 S&W Short with a 5-round cylinder. The video highlights its mechanical similarities to the Webley but notes its lower manufacturing standards. It discusses the Union's limited production of around 300 units, attributed to its high manufacturing cost ($10 retail) which made it uncompetitive against cheaper revolvers and more advanced semiautomatics like the Colt/Browning Model 1906. The design is credited to Charles Lefever, son of the noted shotgun builder.
This video focuses on the Union/Reifgraber .32 S&W Autopistol, a unique firearm designed by Joseph Joachim Reifgraber. The description details Reifgraber's background as a machinist and former anarchist political activist turned inventor. The pistol's mechanical design is highlighted as an unusual short recoil, locked breech action. Notably, it was chambered for the rimmed .32 S&W revolver cartridge and could be converted to fire .32 ACP with an optional second barrel. The firearm was marketed by the Union Firearms Company of Toledo, Ohio.
This video delves into the history and mechanics of the Union Automatic Revolver, a lesser-known firearm produced in Toledo, Ohio before World War I. The description highlights its comparison to the more famous Webley-Fosbery, noting the Union's simplified design, chambering in .32 S&W Short, and its intention to compete with inexpensive revolvers. Despite its unique design, patented by Charles Lefever, manufacturing costs proved too high, leading to a limited production run of approximately 300 units before the effort was abandoned. The video examines its place in firearm history, distinct from Lefever Arms.
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