The Uzi (; he, עוזי, Ūzi; officially
cased as UZI) is a family of Israeli
open-bolt
A firearm is said to fire from an open bolt if, when ready to fire, the bolt and working parts are held to the rear of the receiver, with no round in the chamber. When the trigger is actuated, the bolt travels forward, feeds a cartridge from t ...
,
blowback-operated
submachine guns and
machine pistol
A machine pistol is an autoloading pistol capable of fully automatic fire. The term can also be used to describe a stockless handgun-style submachine gun. The term is a calque of ''Maschinenpistole'', the German word for submachine guns. Ma ...
s first designed by Major
Uziel "Uzi" Gal in the late 1940s, shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel. It is one of the first weapons to incorporate a
telescoping bolt
A telescoping bolt (also known as an overhung bolt) is a firearm bolt which telescopes over, that is, wraps around and past, the breech end of the barrel. This feature reduces the required length of a weapon such as a submachine gun significant ...
design, which allows the
magazine to be housed in the pistol grip for a shorter weapon.
The Uzi prototype was finished in 1950. It was first introduced to
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) special forces in 1954, and the weapon was placed into general issue two years later. The IDF supplied Uzis to rear-echelon troops, officers, artillery troops and tank crews, as well as a frontline weapon by elite light infantry assault forces.
The Uzi has been exported to over 90 countries.
Over its service lifetime, it has been manufactured by
Israel Military Industries,
FN Herstal, and other manufacturers. From the 1960s through to the 1980s, more Uzi submachine guns were sold to more military, law enforcement and security markets than any other submachine gun ever made.
Design
The Uzi uses an
open-bolt
A firearm is said to fire from an open bolt if, when ready to fire, the bolt and working parts are held to the rear of the receiver, with no round in the chamber. When the trigger is actuated, the bolt travels forward, feeds a cartridge from t ...
,
blowback-operated design, quite similar to the Jaroslav Holeček-designed Czech ZK 476 (prototype only) and the production
Sa 23, Sa 24, Sa 25, and Sa 26 series of submachine guns. The open bolt design exposes the breech end of the barrel, and improves cooling during periods of continuous fire. However, it means that since the bolt is held to the rear when cocked, the receiver is more susceptible to contamination from sand and dirt. It uses a
telescoping bolt
A telescoping bolt (also known as an overhung bolt) is a firearm bolt which telescopes over, that is, wraps around and past, the breech end of the barrel. This feature reduces the required length of a weapon such as a submachine gun significant ...
design, in which the bolt wraps around the breech end of the barrel.
This allows the barrel to be moved far back into the
receiver and the
magazine to be housed in the pistol grip, allowing for a heavier, slower-firing bolt in a shorter, better-balanced weapon.
The weapon is constructed primarily from stamped sheet metal, making it less expensive per unit to manufacture than an equivalent design machined from forgings. With relatively few moving parts, the Uzi is easy to strip for maintenance or repair. The magazine is housed within the pistol grip, allowing for intuitive and easy reloading in dark or difficult conditions, under the principle of "hand finds hand". The pistol grip is fitted with a
grip safety
Close-up shot of a safety of an M16A2 rifle
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling.
Safeties can generally be divided into subtypes suc ...
, making it difficult to fire accidentally. However, the protruding vertical magazine makes the gun awkward to fire when prone.
The Uzi features a bayonet lug.
Operation
The non-reciprocating charging handle on the top of the receiver cover is used to retract the bolt. Variants have a ratchet safety mechanism which will catch the bolt and lock its movement if it is retracted past the magazine, but not far enough to engage the
sear
The Sahar Elevated Access Road, abbreviated to SEAR, is a dedicated, elevated, express access road in Mumbai that connects the Western Express Highway (WEH) near Hanuman Nagar junction in Vile Parle, with the forecourts of Terminal T2 of the C ...
. When the handle is fully retracted to the rear, the bolt will cock (catch) on the sear mechanism and the handle and cover are released to spring fully forward under power of a small spring. The cover will remain forward during firing since it does not reciprocate with the bolt. The military and police versions will fire immediately upon chambering a cartridge as the Uzi is an open bolt weapon.
There are two external safety mechanisms on the Uzi. The first is the three-position selector lever located at the top of the grip and behind the trigger group. The rear position is "S", or "safe" (S = Sicher or Secure on the MP2), which locks the sear and prevents movement of the bolt.
The second external safety mechanism is the grip safety, which is located at the rear of the grip. It is meant to help prevent accidental discharge if the weapon is dropped or the user loses a firm grip on the weapon during firing.
The trigger mechanism is a conventional firearm trigger, but functions only to control the release mechanism for either the bolt (submachine gun) or firing pin holding mechanism (semi-auto) since the Uzi does not incorporate an internal cocking or hammer mechanism. While the open-bolt system is mechanically simpler than a closed-bolt design (e.g.
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 (german: Maschinenpistole 5) is a 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. There are over 100 variants and clones of the MP5, ...
), it creates a noticeable delay between when the trigger is pulled and when the gun fires.
The magazine release button or lever is located on the lower portion of the pistol grip and is intended to be manipulated by the non-firing hand. The paddle-like button lies flush with the pistol grip in order to help prevent accidental release of the magazine during rigorous or careless handling.
When the gun is de-cocked the ejector port closes, preventing entry of dust and dirt. Though the Uzi's stamped-metal receiver is equipped with pressed reinforcement slots to accept accumulated dirt and sand, the weapon can still jam with heavy accumulations of sand in desert combat conditions when not cleaned regularly.
The magazine must be removed prior to de-cocking the weapon.
Stocks
![UZI Submachine Gun (7414624230)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/UZI_Submachine_Gun_%287414624230%29.jpg)
There are different stocks available for the Uzi proper. There is a wooden stock with a metal buttplate that comes in three similar variations that was used by the IDF. The first version had a flat butt and straight
comb
A comb is a tool consisting of a shaft that holds a row of teeth for pulling through the hair to clean, untangle, or style it. Combs have been used since prehistoric times, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating ba ...
and had hollows for a cleaning rod and gun oil bottle. The second had an angled butt and a straight comb and no hollows. The third had an angled butt and curved comb and no hollows; a polymer version is currently available from IMI. The wooden stocks originally had a quick-release base but the ones sold in the United States often had a permanent base for legal reasons, as detachable stocks on pistols or other short barreled weapons upgrades the weapon to
NFA status.
Choate made an aftermarket polymer stock with a rubber buttpad that had a flat butt, a straight comb, and a permanent base.
In 1956, IMI developed a downward-folding twin-strut metal stock with two swiveling sections that tucks under the rear of the receiver. The Mini Uzi has a forward-folding single-strut metal stock that is actually an inch longer than the Uzi's. Its buttplate can be used as a foregrip when stowed. The Micro Uzi has a similar model.
Magazines
The original box magazines for the 9mm Uzi had a 25-round capacity. Experimental 40- and 50-round extended magazines were tried but were found to be unreliable. A 32-round extended magazine was then tried and was later accepted as standard. The Mini Uzi and Micro Uzi use a shorter 20-round magazine. Available extended magazines include 40-, and 50-round magazines. Other high-capacity aftermarket magazines exist such as the Vector Arms 70-round and Beta Company (
Beta C-Mag
The Beta C-Mag is a 100-round capacity drum magazine manufactured by the Beta Company. It was designed by Jim Sullivan and first patented in 1987 and has been adapted for use in numerous firearms firing the 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×51mm NATO, and ...
) 100-round
drums.
The .45 ACP Uzi used a 16- or 22-round magazine, while the .45 ACP Micro Uzi and Mini Uzi used a 12-round magazine. A conversion kit by Vector Arms allowed the .45-caliber Uzi to use the same 30-round magazines as the
M3 "Grease Gun".
Caliber conversions
The Uzi was available with caliber conversion kits in .22 LR or
.41 AE
The .41 Action Express is a pistol cartridge developed in 1986 to reproduce the performance of the .41 Magnum police load (which is a reduced load) in semi-automatic pistols.
History
The .41 Action Express was designed by Evan Whildin, vice pre ...
. The operator just has to change the barrel, bolt and magazine. The .22 LR had 20-round magazines; the original IMI kit used a barrel insert while the aftermarket Action Arms kit used a full replacement barrel. The .41 AE also had a 20-round magazine; since it has the same bolt face as the 9×19mm Parabellum, only the barrel and magazine needed to be changed.
IMI also manufactured a .45ACP conversion kit both in full auto/open bolt with a 10.2" barrel for the 9mm SMG and a semi only/closed bolt with a 16" barrel for the carbine version. Magazine capacity is limited, with 2 sizes of 16 and 10 rds each.
Operational use
![PikiWiki Israel 12768 IDF parade in Jerusalem in 1968](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/PikiWiki_Israel_12768_IDF_parade_in_Jerusalem_in_1968.jpg)
The Uzi submachine gun was designed by Captain (later Major)
Uziel Gal
Uziel "Uzi" Gal ( he, עוזיאל "עוזי" גל, born Gotthard Glas; 15 December 1923 – 7 September 2002) was an Israeli firearm designer, best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gun.
Biography
Gal was born in ...
of the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) following the
1948 Arab–Israeli War. The weapon was submitted to the Israeli Army for evaluation and won out over more conventional designs due to its simplicity and economy of manufacture. Gal did not want the weapon to be named after him, but his request was ignored. The Uzi was officially adopted in 1951. First introduced to IDF special forces in 1954, the weapon was placed into general issue two years later. The first Uzis were equipped with a short, fixed wooden buttstock, and this is the version that initially saw combat during the 1956 Suez Campaign. Later models would be equipped with a folding metal stock.
The Uzi was used as a
personal defense weapon
Personal defense weapons (PDWs) are a class of firearms intended for self-defense and security rather than warfare and infantry. Most PDWs fire a small-caliber (less than ), centerfire bottleneck cartridge resembling a scaled-down intermedia ...
by rear-echelon troops, officers, artillery troops and tankers, as well as a frontline weapon by elite light infantry assault forces. The Uzi's compact size and firepower proved instrumental in clearing Syrian bunkers and Jordanian defensive positions during the 1967
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War (, ; ar, النكسة, , or ) or June War, also known as the 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states (primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan) from 5 to 10 Ju ...
. Though the weapon was phased out of frontline IDF service in the 1980s, some Uzis and Uzi variants were still used by a few IDF units until December 2003, when the IDF announced that it was retiring the Uzi from all IDF forces.
It was subsequently replaced by the fully automatic
Micro Tavor
The IWI X95 (formerly known as the Micro-Tavor, MTAR or MTAR-21) is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle designed and produced by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) as part of the Tavor rifle family, along with the TAR-21 and the Tavor 7. IWI US offer ...
.
In general, the Uzi was a reliable weapon in military service. However, even the Uzi fell victim to extreme conditions of sand and dust. During the Sinai Campaign of the
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by E ...
, IDF Army units reaching the
Suez Canal reported that of all their small arms, only the 7.62 mm
FN MAG machine gun was still in operation.
The Uzi proved especially useful for
mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).
As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
needing a compact weapon, and for infantry units clearing
bunker
A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...
s and other confined spaces. However, its limited range and accuracy in automatic fire (approximately ) could be disconcerting when encountering enemy forces armed with longer-range small arms, and heavier support weapons could not always substitute for a longer-ranged individual weapon. These failings eventually caused the phasing out of the Uzi from IDF front-line assault units.
The Uzi has been used in various conflicts outside Israel and the Middle East during the 1960s and 1970s. Quantities of 9 mm Uzi submachine guns were used by Portuguese cavalry, police, and security forces during the
Portuguese Colonial Wars
The Portuguese Colonial War ( pt, Guerra Colonial Portuguesa), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War () or in the former colonies as the War of Liberation (), and also known as the Angolan, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambican War of Independence, ...
in Africa.
Worldwide sales
![Reagan assassination attempt 4 crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Reagan_assassination_attempt_4_crop.jpg)
Total sales of the weapon to date (end of 2001) has netted IMI over 2 billion US dollars, with over 90 countries using the weapons either for their armed forces or in law enforcement.
* The
Royal Netherlands Army first issued the Uzi in 1956. It was the first country other than Israel to use it as a service weapon. Their models are distinct in that they have a wooden stock (made to their specifications) that is more angular, an angled butt and a curved comb, and is 2 inches longer than the IDF model. The wooden stock versions were mainly used by the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Marine Corps. The Army and Airforce received the metal foldable stock versions as replacement. No bayonets were issued.
* The German
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
(especially its tank crews) used the Uzi since 1959 under the designation MP2. It replaced the
MP1 (Beretta M1938/49) and
Thompson M1
The Thompson submachine gun (also known as the "Tommy Gun", "Chicago Typewriter", "Chicago Piano", “Trench Sweeper” or "Trench Broom") is a blowback-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed selective-fire submachine gun, invented by United Sta ...
in service. The MP2 was fitted with the IDF-style wooden stock and the later MP2A1 was fitted with the metal folding stock. It can be recognized by its distinctive three-position "DES" selector switch: "D" for "''Dauerfeuer''" ("continuous-fire", or "automatic"), "E" for "''Einzelfeuer''" ("single-fire", or "semi-automatic"), and "S" for "''Sicher''" ("secure", or "safe"). It was replaced with the
Heckler & Koch MP7
The Heckler & Koch MP7 (German: ''Maschinenpistole 7'') is a personal defense weapon chambered for the HK 4.6×30mm armor-piercing cartridge designed by German defence manufacturer Heckler & Koch.
It was designed (together with the new cartri ...
Personal Defense Weapon in 2007.
* The
Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became independ ...
have used Uzi machine pistols in 9mm,
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP ( Automatic Colt Pistol) or .45 Auto (11.43×23mm) is a rimless straight-walled handgun cartridge designed by John Moses Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic pistol. After successful military trials, it ...
and
22LR
The .22 Long Rifle or simply .22 LR or 22 (metric designation: 5.6×15mmR) is a long-established variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition originating from the United States. It is used in a wide range of rifles, pistols, revolvers, smoothb ...
calibres, license-made by
FN Herstal from 1958 to 1971. They were also issued to the paramilitary
Gendarmerie.
* The Irish
Gardaí ERU
Eru may refer to:
People
*Eru (singer) (born 1983), Korean singer
*Eru Potaka-Dewes (1939–2009), New Zealand actor
*Syd Eru (born 1971), New Zealand rugby player
Other uses
* Eru (soup), a Cameroonian soup
* Eru (vegetable), a tropical Afri ...
and
RSU were issued the Uzi from the 1970s to 2012. It was replaced with the
Heckler & Koch MP7
The Heckler & Koch MP7 (German: ''Maschinenpistole 7'') is a personal defense weapon chambered for the HK 4.6×30mm armor-piercing cartridge designed by German defence manufacturer Heckler & Koch.
It was designed (together with the new cartri ...
in March 2014.
* In
Rhodesia, the Uzi was produced under license from 1976 until the fall of Rhodesia in 1980. It was made from Israeli-supplied (and later Rhodesian-made) components.
*
Sri Lanka ordered a few thousand Mini Uzi and Uzi carbines in 1990s. Currently those are deployed with the
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
,
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
Elite Forces, and the
Sri Lanka police Special Task Force as their primary weapon when providing security for
VIP
A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots.
Examples inc ...
s.
* The
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
used the Uzi as their standard submachine gun from the 1960s until the early 1990s, when it was phased out and replaced with the
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 (german: Maschinenpistole 5) is a 9x19mm Parabellum submachine gun, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. There are over 100 variants and clones of the MP5, ...
and
FN P90
The FN P90 is a compact 5.7×28mm personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. It can also be considered a submachine gun. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, th ...
. When
President Ronald Reagan was shot on March 30, 1981, Secret Service Special Agent Robert Wanko pulled an Uzi out of a briefcase and covered the rear of the presidential limousine as it sped to safety with the wounded president inside.
* All
merchant mariner
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the s ...
s of
the Zim Integrated Shipping line are trained in the use of, and issued, the Uzi.
Military variants
The standard Uzi has a barrel. It has a rate of automatic fire of 600 rounds per minute (rpm) when chambered in
9mm Parabellum; the
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP ( Automatic Colt Pistol) or .45 Auto (11.43×23mm) is a rimless straight-walled handgun cartridge designed by John Moses Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic pistol. After successful military trials, it ...
model's rate of fire is slower at 500 rpm.
The Mini Uzi is a smaller version of the regular Uzi, first introduced in 1980. The Mini Uzi is long or long with the stock folded. Its barrel length is , its muzzle velocity is and its effective range is . It has a greater automatic rate of fire of 950 rounds per minute due to the shorter bolt. Its weight is approximately .
![COIM in Ancon 2010-07-19](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/COIM_in_Ancon_2010-07-19.JPG)
The Micro Uzi is an even further scaled down version of the Uzi, introduced in 1986. The Micro Uzi is long, reduced to with the stock folded, and its barrel length is . It has a closed bolt compared to its original counterpart. Its muzzle velocity is and its cyclic rate of fire is 1,200 rpm. It weighs slightly over .
![IWI UZI](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/IWI_UZI.jpg)
The Uzi Pro, an improved variant of the Micro Uzi, was launched in 2010 by
Israel Weapon Industries Ltd. (I.W.I.), formerly the ''magen'' ("small arms") division of
Israel Military Industries. The Uzi Pro is a blowback-operated, select-fire, closed-bolt submachine gun with a large lower portion, comprising grip and handguard, entirely made of polymer to reduce weight; the grip section was redesigned to allow two-handed operation and facilitate control in full-automatic fire with such a small-sized firearm. The Uzi Pro features four
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was ...
s, two at the sides of the barrel, which can be removed, one below the barrel for the addition of foregrips and one on the top for optics. The under barrel rail is often shown with a specialised foregrip which attaches to the pistol grip to form a hand guard. In addition, the cocking handle has been moved to the left side. The new weapon weighs and has a length of with an extended stock,
and while collapsed. As of 2011 has been purchased by the IDF in limited numbers for evaluation and it is yet to be decided whether or not to order additional units for all of its special forces.
Civilian variants
Uzi carbine
The Uzi carbine is similar in appearance to the Uzi submachine gun. The Uzi
carbine
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and lighte ...
is fitted with a barrel, to meet the minimum rifle barrel length
requirement
In product development and process optimization, a requirement is a singular documented physical or functional need that a particular design, product or process aims to satisfy. It is commonly used in a formal sense in engineering design, includ ...
for civilian sales in the United States. A small number of Uzi carbines were produced with the standard length barrel for special markets. It fires from a closed-bolt position in semi-automatic mode only and uses a floating firing pin as opposed to a fixed firing pin.
The FS-style selector switch has two positions (the automatic setting was blocked): "F" for "fire" (semi-auto) and "S" for "safe". Uzi carbines are available in .22 LR, 9mm, .41 AE, and .45 ACP calibers.
The Uzi carbine has two main variants, the Model A (imported from 1980 to 1983) and the Model B (imported from 1983 until 1989). The Type A was the same as the fully automatic Uzi, while the Type B had a firing pin safety and improved sights and sling swivels. These two variants were imported and distributed by
Action Arms
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fi ...
.
The American firm Group Industries made limited numbers of a copy of the Uzi "B" model semiauto carbine for sale in the US along with copies of the Uzi submachine gun for the U.S. collectors' market. After registering several hundred submachine guns transferable to the general public through a special government regulated process, production was halted due to financial troubles at the company. Company assets (including partially made Uzi submachine guns, parts, and tooling) were purchased by an investment group later to become known as
Vector Arms
Vector most often refers to:
*Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction
*Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism
Vector may also refer to:
Mathematic ...
. Vector Arms built and marketed numerous versions of the Uzi carbine and the Mini Uzi.
Today, while the civilian manufacture, sale and possession of post-1986 select-fire Uzi and its variants is prohibited in the United States, it is still legal to sell templates, tooling and manuals to complete such conversion. These items are typically marketed as being "post-sample" materials for use by federal firearm licensees for manufacturing/distributing select-fire variants of the Uzi to law enforcement, military and overseas customers.
Mini Uzi carbine
The Mini Uzi carbine is similar in appearance to the Mini Uzi machine pistol. The Mini Uzi carbine is fitted with a barrel, to meet the minimum rifle overall length requirement for civilian sales in the United States. It fires from a closed-bolt position in semi-automatic mode only.
Uzi pistol
![Uzimicro](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Uzimicro.jpg)
The Uzi pistol is a
semi-automatic, closed bolt, and blowback-operated pistol variant. Its muzzle velocity is 345 m/s. It is a Micro Uzi with no shoulder stock or full-automatic firing capability. The intended users of the pistol are various security agencies in need of a high-capacity semi-automatic pistol, or civilian shooters who want a gun with those qualities and the familiarity of the Uzi style. It was introduced in 1984 and produced until 1993.
Uzi Pro pistol
The Uzi Pro pistol is a current version of the Uzi pistol. It has rails on the top and bottom, and there is an optional stabilizing brace. Unlike any other Uzi variant, the Uzi Pro pistol has a side charging handle, rather than a top charging handle, and has a three-stage safety. There are three safeties on the Uzi Pro pistol: a thumb safety, a grip safety, and a firing pin block. This model was intended for law enforcement and civilian use, due to the compact size, rails, and a semi-automatic rate of fire. Unlike other Uzi variants, the Uzi Pro pistol is only chambered for 9×19 Parabellum.
Copies
AG Strojnica ERO
![Strojnica ERO](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Strojnica_ERO.jpg)
The ''
Arma Grupa'' Strojnica ERO (Arms Group "ERO machine-gun") was a Croatian Uzi clone made locally by ''Arma Grupa'' of Zagreb during the Yugoslav War. It was made entirely from steel stampings, causing it to weigh more (). The only difference from the Uzi is the selector switch, which is marked "R" (''Rafalno'' , for full automatic fire), "P" (''Pojedinačno'', for single shot) and "Z" (''Zaključan'' , for safe) and its
rate of fire is 650 rounds per minute. It uses the 32-round magazine as standard, but can use any 9mm Uzi-interface magazine of 25 rounds or larger.
The Strojnica Mini ERO is a clone of the Micro Uzi; it differs in that it had a heavy-gauge folding wire stock like the
Skorpion Machine Pistol. It weighs unloaded and is overall with the folding stock extended and with the stock folded. It uses the 20-round Mini Uzi magazine.
The EROs were used by the Croatians as early as 1992.
BA93 and BA94
The BA93 and BA94 are Burma-made clones of the Uzi. Production started in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
after 1991 when an Israeli delegation visited the country and supplied the ''
Tatmadaw
Tatmadaw (, , ) is the official name of the armed forces of Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services include th ...
'' with Uzis. It also included the rights to manufacture the Uzi under license.
The BA93 is based on the Uzi, but with a longer barrel and fixed stock.
It was introduced in 1993.
It is commonly seen with Myanma soldiers and special forces units operating in commando or VIP protection operations.
The BA94 was introduced in 1994. Improvements made include moving the charging handle from the top to the left with a shorter barrel.
This model is mostly seen with Myanma police forces.
As of 2018, both weapons were renamed MA-13.
Socimi Type 821
Norinco M320
Norinco of China manufactures an unlicensed copy of the Uzi Model B that is sold as the M320. Early versions were marked "POLICE Model" in English. Modifications were made to avoid the US Assault Weapon Import Ban: the folding stock was replaced with a wooden
thumbhole stock
A gunstock or often simply stock, the back portion of which is also known as a shoulder stock, a buttstock or simply a butt, is a part of a long gun that provides structural support, to which the barrel, action, and firing mechanism are attached. ...
, the barrel nut was welded in place, and the bayonet lug was removed. The gun had a gray
parkerized
Phosphate conversion coating is a chemical treatment applied to steel parts that creates a thin adhering layer of iron, zinc, or manganese phosphates, to achieve corrosion resistance, lubrication, or as a foundation for subsequent coatings or pai ...
finish, a carbine-length barrel and is overall.
TK-K12
The TK-K12 is a Vietnamese clone of the IMI Micro Uzi since 2013.
Zastava M97
The Zastava M97 is a Serbian clone of the Mini Uzi.
Two variants consist of the M97 with an barrel and the M97K with a barrel and no folding stock with a vertical foregrip permanent attached.
HAMAS clone
From 1993 to 1996,
HAMAS
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam ...
created a total of 350 clones of the Uzi until its production was dismantled by the
Palestinian Security Services
The Palestinian Security Services (PSS) are the armed forces and intelligence agencies of the State of Palestine. They comprise several institutions, notably the Security Forces and the Police. The President of the Palestinian National Authori ...
' Intelligence unit under
Moussa Arafat.
Users
Africa
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* : Burundian rebels
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* : Croatian made Ero and Mini-Ero in use.
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Manufactured under license.
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**: Former user, manufactured under license.
Asia
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*: Uzi was used by the
Special Protection Group
The Special Protection Group (SPG) is an agency of the Government of India whose sole responsibility is protecting the Prime Minister of India and in some cases, his or her family. It was formed in 1988 by an Act of the Parliament of India. The ...
until 2008, when it was replaced with the
FN P90
The FN P90 is a compact 5.7×28mm personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. It can also be considered a submachine gun. Created in response to NATO requests for a replacement for 9×19mm Parabellum firearms, th ...
. Micro Uzi variants are still used by
Para SF
Para (Special Forces), also known as Para SF, are a group of special forces battalions of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian Army. These units specialize in various roles including hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, ...
of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
.
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*: Uzi and Mini Uzi variants.
Mini Uzi variant was used by the
YAMAM
The Yamam ( he, ימ"מ, an acronym for ''Centralized Special Unit'' , ''Yeḥida Merkazit Meyuḥedet''), also called in Hebrew and Israel's National Counter Terror Unit (I.N.C.T.U.) in English, is Israel's national counter-terrorism unit, ...
elite unit and
Shin Bet
The Israel Security Agency (ISA; he, שֵׁירוּת הַבִּיטָּחוֹן הַכְּלָלִי; ''Sherut ha-Bitaẖon haKlali''; "the General Security Service"; ar, جهاز الأمن العام), better known by the acronym Shabak ( he, ...
.
*: Locally produced under model number BA93 (wooden stock) and BA94 with , used mainly by Myanmar Police Force and Special Operation Task Force.
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*: Issued to special forces in the 1970s. Later replaced by the
Daewoo K1
The Daewoo Precision Industries K1/K1A is a South Korean selective-fire assault rifle developed by Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and manufactured by Daewoo Precision Industries (now S&T Motiv) and Dasan Machineries (since 2016). It enter ...
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*: limited usage
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- People's Army news (Báo Quân đội nhân dân) informed that Technical Department of Special Operation Command (Sapper) had a project to design and manufacture calibration device for MARS attached on Micro Uzi.
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Europe
*: Made under license by
FN Herstal.
*: Produces unlicensed copies of the Uzi and Micro Uzi called the ERO and Mini ERO respectively.
*: Uses the Mini Uzi variant.
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*: Made under license as MP2.
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Used by the
Garda Regional Support Unit
Armed Support Units (ASU) ( ga, Tacaiochta Faoi Arm) are specialist armed response units of the '' Garda Síochána'', the national police force of Ireland. Based in all six Garda regions in the country, Garda ASU officers carry a combination of ...
. Formerly available in each Garda District HQ to suitably trained plainclothes officers.
*: The Mini Uzi variant results by official schedules to be in the inventories of the
Italian National Police. A local version called the
Type 821-SMG was manufactured from 1984 to 1989 by the ''SOCIMI - Società Costruzioni Industriali Milano, S.p.A.'' in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
.
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Lithuanian Armed Forces
The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service ( ...
.
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Portuguese Army.
*: Mini Uzi variant is used by the
Military Police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...
.
*: Used by the
Military Police Battalion Cobra
The Detachment of the Military Police for Special Operations "Cobras" ( sr, Одред војне полиције специјалне намене „Кобре“, Odred vojne policije specijalne namene „Kobre“) is a military police unit of ...
.
*: Issued to
Challenger 1 tank crew during the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
(1990 – 1991).
North & Central America
*: Bermuda Regiment.
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*: Uzi and Mini Uzi variants used by
Haitian National Police
The Haitian National Police (PNH; french: Police Nationale d'Haïti, , National Police of Haiti) is the law enforcement and ''de facto'' police force of Haiti. It was created in 1995 to bring public security under civilian control as mandated i ...
.
*: Uzi and Mini Uzi variants.
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From 1968 to 1973, the CIA bought 3,000 Uzis for use in Southeast Asia by
Direct Action operatives and Special Forces troops. From the 1960s to 1990s, The US Secret Service's VIP details used a chopped-down model that could be concealed in a briefcase.
Oceania
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South America
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Mini Uzi variant.
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*: Uzi, Mini Uzi, and Micro Uzi variants.
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Gallery
File:Wwwm8173.JPG, An Uzi-armed Israeli on guard duty in the Negev
The Negev or Negeb (; he, הַנֶּגֶב, hanNegév; ar, ٱلنَّقَب, an-Naqab) is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its sout ...
(1956), note wooden stock
File:IDF parade 1958.jpeg, Israeli paratroopers armed with Uzis in 1958
Image:Imi uzi b22.jpg, An Uzi submachine gun
Image:Uzi silencer.png, Uzi with suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a muzzle device that reduces the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report (sound of a gunshot) and muzzle rise when a gun (firearm or air gun) is discharged, b ...
File:Uzi-p1030098.jpg, An Uzi pistol
File:IMI UZI.JPEG, An Uzi seized during Operation Urgent Fury
See also
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List of equipment of the Israel Defense Forces
The military equipment of Israel includes a wide array of arms, armored vehicles, artillery, missiles, planes, helicopters, and warships. Many of these are purchased overseas and many are indigenous designs. Until the Six-Day War of 1967, the Isr ...
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ASMI ASMI may refer to:
*ASM International, a world leading Dutch company in the semiconductor industry
*ASM International (society), American Society for Metals
*American Sports Medicine Institute
* Association for the Study of Modern Italy
*Advanced Sy ...
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Colt 9mm SMG
The Colt 9mm SMG, also known as the Colt Model 635 or Colt M635, is a 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun manufactured by Colt, based on the M16 rifle.
Design details
The Colt 9mm SMG is a closed bolt, blowback operated SMG, rather than the co ...
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Daewoo Telecom K7
The Daewoo Telecom K7 is a 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun with an integral suppressor used by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It is based on the Daewoo K1A assault rifle, but is simplified by utilizing a blowback action rather than the gas ...
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MAC-10
The Military Armament Corporation Model 10, officially abbreviated as "M10" or "M-10", and more commonly known as the MAC-10, is a compact, blowback operated machine pistol/submachine gun that was developed by Gordon B. Ingram in 1964. It is ...
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Minebea PM-9
The Minebea PM-9 Submachine Gun, known officially in the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) as the or as the M9, is a Japanese-made machine pistol. Analogous to the Israeli Uzi#Military variants, IMI Mini-Uzi, it has the same telescoping bolt as t ...
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SR-2 Veresk
The SR-2 "Veresk" (russian: СР-2 «Вереск», English: Heather) is a Russian submachine gun designed to fire the 9×21mm Gyurza pistol cartridge.
History
Development of a new submachine gun chambered for the 9×21mm Gyurza cartridge (al ...
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PP-2000
The PP-2000 (Russian: ПП-2000) is a submachine gun/machine pistol made by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau. It was first publicly displayed at the Interpolytech-2004 exhibition in Moscow even though its patent was filed in 2001 and issued in 200 ...
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FB PM-63
The PM-63 RAK (often incorrectly referred to as ''Ręczny Automat Komandosów''—"commandos' hand-held automatic"; the name itself means cancer or crayfish in Polish) is a Polish 9×18mm submachine gun, designed by Piotr Wilniewczyc in cooperat ...
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Modern Sub Machine Carbine
The Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC), also known as Modern Sub Machine Carbine (MSMC) until 2014, is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, select fire submachine gun designed to chamber the 5.56×30mm MINSAS cartridge. It was designed by the Ar ...
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MP7
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PM-84 Glauberyt
The PM-84 Glauberyt is a Polish submachine gun. It is a personal weapon intended for combat and self-defence at ranges up to 150 m with single shot or fully automatic fire mode. It features a compact design, minimum overall dimensions, small ...
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Ruger MP9
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Sa vz. 23
References
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External links
Israel Weapon Industries (IWI): Mini Uzi & Micro UziUzi History, Reference Material, Parts, Discussion Forum
Video of suppressed Uzi being firedVideo of operationon
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
{{Authority control
.22 LR submachine guns
9mm Parabellum submachine guns
9×21mm IMI submachine guns
.41 Action Express firearms
.45 ACP submachine guns
Infantry weapons of the Cold War
Israeli brands
Israeli inventions
9mm Parabellum machine pistols
Police weapons
Simple blowback firearms
Telescoping bolt submachine guns
Firearms of Israel
Personal defense weapons
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1954
Post–Cold War weapons of Myanmar