Tag Archives: uzi

The UZI Carbine Blues

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A giant in gun culture– the UZI was used on-screen by everyone from Charlie Bronson to Wesley Snipes– the compact Israeli arm is a solid classic and is instantly recognizable worldwide. However, it shot to prominence in the U.S. when a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Secret Service team produced one from under a suit coat like magic during the Gipper’s 1981 assassination attempt.

Two scenes, seconds apart, from outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC, March 30, 1981. (Photos: White House Photographic Collection/NARA)

While select-fire FN-made UZI variants were imported into the U.S. in the 1960s, the growing popularity of the gun sparked a ready-made consumer market for semi-auto sporting carbine versions which transferred with much less red tape.

Meet the old Action Arms-imported IMI UZI Model B Carbine of the 1980s

Does it GET any more 80s?

More on that 40-year saga in my column over at Guns.com.

‘You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means’

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So the NYPD had a fit in a press release and in a social media post about a “fully-automatic Uzi machine pistol” their ESU guys pinched off a group of sketchy guys in Brooklyn who also had a Hi Point pistol complete with “soon to be found at the bottom of the Hudson” finish and about 5 ounces of herb.

Here’s the pic:

Uzi
As you and I can tell, it’s a IMI/Action Arms imported Micro Uzi from the 1980s/early 90’s which were semi-auto only as evidenced by the two-position selector switch for just a safety and semi-auto fire.

While it’s impossible from the single picture to say whether or not the Uzi impounded was later converted to a Title II firearm, as you would need to take a peak at the internals, the fact that they gun was made with an integral blocking bar in the receiver to prevent a full-auto bolt from being added would seem to preclude that.

As I covered it for Guns.com, I asked NYPD Media Relations for more info as to how they ascertained it was full-auto and haven’t heard back yet.

An ‘assault weapon’ by any other name…

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In 1989 California lawmakers puked up one of the first assault weapons bans in U.S. history and in subsequent years added tweaked it and added such blanket restrictions as prohibitions on .50BMG (because there are so many crimes done with these…). While the California Department of Justice has tried really hard to ban anything that is AR-15ish or AK-47like, all enterprising gun owners have had to do is use devices such as ‘bullet buttons’ and low-capacity magazines to be able to own one today.

Still, between 1989 and 2001, the state allowed the registration by civilians of grandfathered guns. Well through Guns.com I did a public records request to CA DOJ and obtained their list of registered guns, all 145,253 of them. A detailed analysis found some really interesting things.

Here’s a snapshot of the top 25 manufacturers for example:

 

  •     28,259 Colt Mfg, almost all Sporters and AR-15 type rifles
  •     16,665 Chinese Norinco/Polytech/Clayco rifles, primarily AK and SKS pattern guns in 7.62mm
  •     14,797 Bushmasters, almost exclusively XM-15 series rifles
  •     9,158 Heckler & Koch firearms, with Model HK 91, 93 and 94 rifles accounting for the majority
  •     4,529 Springfield Armory rifles, primarily M1/M1A 7.62mm guns
  •     4,528 IMI guns including 179 Galil rifles and 4301 UZIs of multiple types in 9mm and .45
  •     4,199 Armalites including 291 AR-10s and 1046 AR-180s
  •     3,124 Eagle AR-pattern firearms
  •     2,924 Intratec branded guns, all variants of the TEC-9/AB-10 and TEC-22 pistol
  •     2,732 Ruger firearms, mostly Mini-14 and Mini-30 rifles
  •     2,199 FN/Browning/FNH with mainly FAL and FNC type rifles listed
  •     2,189 SWD guns mostly Cobray and M10/11/12 MAC-style pistols
  •     1,876 Arsenal made AK-pattern rifles in 7.62mm
  •     1,461 DPMs, all AR-15 variants
  •     1,457 Austrian Steyrs, almost all AUG-series 5.56mm rifles
  •     1,303 Korean Daewoo firearms in several variants, almost all 5.56mm rifles but also 16 DR300s in 7.62 and 5 DP51 pistols
  •     1,170 Franchi shotguns in the uber-scary SPAS 12 and LAW12 varieties
  •     1,132 CAI/Century guns, primarily 7.62mm rifles
  •     1,082 Hungarian FEG guns, mostly SA85 AK-style rifles
  •     914 Auto Ordnance, typically all Thompson 1927 style carbines
  •     770 Imbel L1A1 type rifles in 7.62mm
  •     693 DSA rifles, all SA58 models
  •     526 Enterprise Arms 7.62mm rifles
  •     496 Berettas including some 122 AR-70s and 60 rare BM-59s
  •     445 SIGs, including 122 P-series pistols and 139 SG550 5.56mm rifles
  •     392 Benellis, split roughly between their M1 and M3 tactical shotguns

The rest of the 3,000~ word report over at Guns.com along with a photo gallery of some of the more interesting guns here.

weaver arms nighthawk

 

The Uzi Submachine Gun: Israel’s first action hero

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Since 1951, three letters have come to represent a revolution in close quarters combat and a solid candidate for the most recognizable gun silhouette on the planet, so let’s take another look at the Uzi, one of the most successful, infamous and beloved firearms of the 20th century.
In the late 1940s, a nascent Israel faced enemies on all sides. Carved out of the former British colony of Palestine, the country was surrounded by hostile Arab countries that would just as soon see their new nation neighbor stomped flat. Making matters worse, Israel needed weapons to defend against bad intentions and no one would sell any to them, leaving them with no choice but to make their own. And for this, they turned to a young officer with an interesting background.

uzi armed israeli tankers are reviewed by Gen. Chaim Bar-Lev, the Chief of Staff for the IDF

uzi armed Israeli tankers are reviewed by Gen. Chaim Bar-Lev, the Chief of Staff for the IDF

Read the rest in my column at Guns.com

The UZI Revamps

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From Israeli Defense http://www.israeldefense.com/?CategoryID=483&ArticleID=684

After 56 Years, Israel Weapons Industries Reveals the New Uzi

The new Uzi Pro is designed for special forces and para-military forces. “There is no technological breakthrough in the light weapons field, but the range of weapons answers every need that arises in battle,” says Uri Amit, CEO of Israel Weapons Industries (IWI)
After 56 Years, Israel Weapons Industries Reveals the New Uzi

Since the 1950s, the Uzi submachine gun has been one of the world’s most recognizable weapons. About two million units of the Uzi, manufactured by Israel Military Industries’ (IMI) Magen factory, have been sold around the world. The Micro Uzi, launched in 1990, is a shortened version of the popular gun, and has been used mainly by security and special forces units.

Now, after 21 years, the Uzi Pro, the latest version of the Uzi, is being introduced to the market. Owned by Israeli businessman Samy Katsav, IWI (established as a private company after the Magen factory privatization) developed the Uzi Pro. The Uzi Pro was unveiled at the London DSEi exhibit in September.