NZFA ZiP.22LR - One Modern Pistol I'd NEVER Heard Of:

With all my reading .. it's strange that this S/A pistol came & went without me even noticing (unless I've just forgotten😏) - especially as it is close to being an unconventional  "palm-squeezer"  .. if it had worked.

The NZFA ZiP .22 LR was a bold & radical concept that sadly failed:

I've shot lots of different 'two-two' semi-autos over the years - and none of them has been wholly reliable. - They tend to be ammo brand sensitive and need to be maintained in what ever way that particular individual pistol likes .. some pistols definitely don't like too much lubrication oil .. preferring to be clean but rather dry?

One Reason For The ZiP .22 LR Shape .. Modular Attachment:

It must have cost a fortune to have the injection moulding dies built for the ZiP - and prototype set-up for the initial proving runs back in 2013 .. that cost will likely be what finished-off this small maker - who's earlier traditional single-action revolvers are reputed to have been excellent quality.

 The ambitious project included several excellent ideas - a very low barrel axis, - designed to use Ruger 10/22 rotary magazines - and polymer made components excepting springs etc with a decent length 5.5 inch barrel ..but

The designer/owner of USFA - Douglas Donnelly only managed to market these for around a year before shutting up shop - my guess is that when reviews one after the other reported that the ZiP.22 didn't reliably function - his sales will have simply evaporated - leaving the debts. It's a cruel world.

https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/USFA_ZiP_.22

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/12/06/pawn-shop-finds-the-terrible-zip-gun/

.. VIDEO ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3fd4goVs-4

- Again this is mere conjecture - but it seems to me that if you can envisage something .. it CAN be built and made to work .. but maybe tight finances limited the development & adjustments that all new ideas have to undergo.

The lightweight plastic bolt seems to be one key problem - as it cycled too rapidly .. it might be that this one component could be transformed by using copper or steel dust as a filler in the polymer to increase it's mass and slow it down.

Who knows - but if someone bought the tooling cheaply they might be able to modify it into a reliable firearm and then change it's name from that unfortunate "Zip".

- Deep pockets would be needed for a gamble ..

- The Two 'Charging Rods' Above The Muzzle Need A Design Modification Too:

Marty K.