Uzi

Lore & Background

The Uzi prototype was finished in 1950. It was first introduced to Israel Defense Forces special forces in 1954, and 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 and has been manufactured by Israel Military Industries, FN Herstal, and other manufacturers.

In Their Own Story

The crate sat half-buried in the sand near the dock, its paint peeling in the salt air. Conker waddled over, tail swishing, and kicked the lid off with one paw. Inside, nestled in foam, the Uzi gleamed dully in the afternoon sun. He snatched it up, gave it a test spin, and grinned. Three parrots in a row of coconut palms didn't stand a chance. The first burst ruffled their feathers; the second sent them spiraling into the lagoon. Conker tucked the Uzi under his arm, took a long swig of rum from his flask, and waddled on toward the next island, already forgetting the gun was there.

Reader's Guide

The Uzi uses an open-bolt, blowback-operated design with a telescoping bolt. It is constructed primarily from stamped sheet metal, making it less expensive to manufacture. The magazine is housed within the pistol grip, and the weapon features a grip safety and a three-position selector lever. The non-reciprocating charging handle is on top of the receiver cover. The Uzi is easy to strip for maintenance.

Did You Know?

• The Uzi was one of the first weapons to incorporate a telescoping bolt design.
• The weapon is named after its designer, Major Uziel "Uzi" Gal, who did not want it named after him.
• From the 1960s through the 1980s, more Uzi submachine guns were sold to military, law enforcement, and security markets than any other submachine gun ever made.
• The Uzi's open bolt design exposes the barrel's breech end, improving cooling but making the receiver more susceptible to sand and dirt.