It was designed by Charles F. Lefever (U.S. patent 944,448, 1909) and manufactured by the Union Firearms Company of Toledo, Ohio.

[1] It was produced in limited numbers until 1912 when production ceased, marking the exit of Union Firearms Company from the handgun business.

[1] It was similar in action to the Webley Fosbery automatic revolver, but had a shroud that protected the recoiling upper half from contact with the firer's hand.

[2] Before its demise, Union Firearms also manufactured the Riefgraber automatic pistol, patented by J.J. Riefgraber,[1] on which Lefever also had "done some work".

[3] Charles F. Lefever later worked for the Daisy company in Plymouth, Michigan, for which he designed the Daisy Model 25, which sold over 15 million pieces by 1957.