Uzi
Summary
| Country | 🇮🇱 Israel |
| Category | Submachine gun |
| Manufacturer | Israel Military Industries |
Technical specifications
| Uzi | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 600 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 9 x 19 mm Parabellum |
| Magazine | 32 rounds |
| Length | 650 mm (25.6 in) |
| Weight | 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) |
| Range | 200 m (656 ft) |
Description
The Uzi is a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns and machine pistols designed by Major Uziel Gal in the late 1940s, shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel. It was officially adopted in 1951, with the prototype finished in 1950. First introduced to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) special forces in 1954 and placed into general issue two years later, it has been manufactured by Israel Military Industries, FN Herstal, and other manufacturers. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the Uzi became the best-selling submachine gun to military, law enforcement, and security markets globally, with total sales exceeding $2 billion USD to over 90 countries by the end of 2001.
The Uzi's design incorporates an open-bolt, blowback-operated system, similar to the Czech Sa 23 series. This exposes the barrel's breech end to improve cooling during continuous fire but makes the receiver more susceptible to contamination when cocked. The telescoping bolt design wraps around the breech end of the barrel, allowing the barrel to be set far back and the magazine to be housed in the pistol grip. This configuration allows for a shorter, better-balanced weapon. Predominantly constructed from stamped sheet metal for economical manufacturing, the magazine housed within the pistol grip allows for intuitive reloading. The weapon features a grip safety to help prevent accidental discharge.
Variants of the Uzi include:
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The standard Uzi: with a 10-inch barrel, firing at 600 rpm in 9mm and 500 rpm in .45 ACP.
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The Mini Uzi: introduced in 1980, is smaller, featuring a 197mm barrel and a higher rate of fire at 950 rpm.
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The Micro Uzi: introduced in 1986, is further scaled down, with a 117mm barrel and a cyclic rate of 1,200 rpm and operates from a closed bolt.
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The Uzi Pro: an improved Micro Uzi variant launched in 2010, featuring a polymer lower receiver, Picatinny rails, and a side charging handle, operating from a closed bolt.
Civilian variants include the Uzi Carbine (with a 400mm barrel, semi-automatic, closed bolt), Mini Uzi Carbine (500mm barrel, semi-automatic, closed bolt), Uzi Pistol (semi-automatic, closed bolt, no stock), and Uzi Pro Pistol (current semi-automatic, closed bolt variant with rails and side charging handle, chambered only in 9×19 Parabellum). Available stocks include fixed wooden stocks, a downward-folding metal stock, and forward-folding metal stocks on the Mini and Micro variants. Magazine capacities vary by caliber and variant, including 25 and 32-round for 9mm, 20-round for Mini/Micro 9mm, and 16, 22, or 12-round for .45 ACP.
Several clones of the Uzi have been produced, including the Croatian AG Strojnica ERO and Mini ERO, Myanmar's BA93 and BA94 (later MA-13), China's Norinco M320, Vietnam's TK-K12, and Serbia's Zastava M97.
Developed following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and selected by the Israeli Army for its simplicity and economy, the Uzi was initially fielded by special forces in 1954 and in general issue in 1956. Early models saw combat in the 1956 Suez Campaign, serving as a personal defense weapon for rear-echelon troops and officers, and as a frontline weapon for elite light infantry. Its compact size was instrumental in clearing confined spaces and bunkers during the 1967 Six-Day War. While generally reliable, the weapon was susceptible to jamming from heavy sand accumulation in extreme desert conditions, as noted during the Yom Kippur War. Its limited effective range and accuracy in automatic fire (approximately 50m) eventually led to its phasing out from IDF front-line assault units in the 1980s, although some units used variants until its retirement from all IDF forces in December 2003, replaced by the Micro Tavor. The Uzi also saw use in conflicts outside Israel, such as by Portuguese forces during the Portuguese Colonial Wars.
The Uzi has been exported to over 90 countries for military and law enforcement applications. The Royal Netherlands Army was the first foreign user in 1956, with the German Bundeswehr using it as the MP2 from 1959. Belgian Armed Forces used FN Herstal license-made versions from 1958 to 1971, and it was produced under license in Rhodesia from 1976 to 1980. The Irish Gardaí ERU and RSU used it from the 1970s to 2012, while Sri Lanka ordered Mini Uzis and Carbines in the 1990s. The United States Secret Service used the Uzi as their standard submachine gun from the 1960s until the early 1990s. Merchant mariners of Zim Integrated Shipping line are trained in its use and issued the weapon. The Provisional Irish Republican Army is a notable non-state user.