In the troubled 1930s, a boy named Gotthard Glas fled from the German Reich to Israel. There, he later developed a submachine gun whose name is still known around the globe: the UZI. And even his former home country Germany introduced it as standard armament in the German Bundeswehr after World War II.

Gotthard Glas was born on December 15, 1923, in Weimar, Thuringia. His father was the well-known Jewish graphic artist and painter Erich Glas. The first years of little Gotthard’s life were carefree, but Hitler’s seizure of power did not bode well—especially not for Jews. In 1933 Gotthard Glas emigrated to Palestine via Great Britain. With his arrival in the Holy Land, living conditions changed drastically, and new names were necessary. From now on he called himself Uziel Gal. Already during his school days in Yagut, Uziel attracted attention because of his interest in weapons and at the age of 18, he joined the underground group “Palmach.”

When Israel was suddenly at war with all its neighbors after the founding of the state on May 14, 1948, its own Armed Forces had to be equipped as quickly as possible. At that time, the armament consisted mainly of old World War II weapons supplemented by homemade weapons from hitherto illegal underground workshops. However, a modern submachine gun was also needed for the fight. And so Uziel Gal began developing such a weapon at Israel Military Industries (IMI Systems). During the British occupation, the company was a supplier of weapons and ammunition to the Jewish underground movement in Haganah and was now under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

According to the specifications, the new weapon should be as compact as possible, insensitive to dirt and the ever-present desert sand, and, of course, its production should be cheap, easy, and quick. After extensive testing in 1951, Gal’s design won the race. After some improvements, the final series production started in 1955. The UZI saw its first action during the Sinai War from October 1956 onwards.

Around the same time, West Germany founded its new Federal Army called Bundeswehr. The units still used equipment, weapons, and vehicles from wartime U.S. stocks, but now an entirely new and modern submachine gun was demanded. Therefore, in the years 1955 to 1959, extensive tests and comparisons of old and new submachine guns were held at the proving ground of the Bundeswehr in Meppen. The competitors were international, and in the final stage only five weapons were still in the race: the Carl Gustaf m/45, the Walther, Erma, the Anschütz-DUX and the UZI. But the decision-making process at the end of the trials was strongly influenced by politics.

In March 1959, the German Minister of Defense, Franz Josef Strauß, declared that the new submachine gun would be the Danish Carl Gustaf. Only two weeks later, after a meeting with IMI Systems representatives, the decision was changed in favor of the UZI. As early as 1955, the Israeli Director-General of the Ministry of Defense, Shimon Peres, had established initial contacts with Strauß on the subject of arms procurement. Uziel Gal was personally present at that time when Strauß was shown the UZI during a secret visit to Israel. Germany ordered a first delivery of 35,000 pieces in March 1959 and another 15,000 pieces the following year. However, the year 1964 was for a long time the official year of adoption, as Germany did not officially establish diplomatic relations with Israel until 1965.

The version with a fixed stock was designated “MP2,” and the version with a folding stock “MP2 A1.” The production and delivery took place under time constraints. IMI used receivers that were already stamped with Israeli markings and grip pieces made by the Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FN) in Belgium. When the first batch arrived in Germany in June 1959, the weapons not only bore various markings, but the grip pieces were missing the semi-automatic mode. In April 1960 the correct grip pieces with the proper “D E S” markings were delivered and retrofitted to all weapons. “D” means “Dauerfeuer (full-auto),” “E” means “Einzelfeuer (semiautomatic),” and “S” means “Sicher (safe).” Due to the agreement with IMI, Germany was not allowed to purchase any UZIs or spare parts from FN, which was manufacturing the UZI under license. In March 1961 an additional order for 27,500 weapons was placed, followed by another one in October. According to a German report from May 1967, the Bundeswehr had at that time a total of 116,000 UZIs in inventory.

The UZI remained in service for about 40 years, when the Bundeswehr adopted the Heckler & Koch (HK) MP7 in 4.6x30mm caliber. This light and handy PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) gradually replaced the aged UZI.

Uzi!…. For years the mere utterance of the word has sent the heart pounding and the pulse racing in the minds of soldiers, Hollywood producers, and homegrown Walter Mitty types alike. This near mythical creation out of the brilliant mind of Uziel Gal (Galilei) has risen from the depths of despair of a nearly stillborn young nation, to its current status as THE defining image of at least three generations. There is almost no place on earth that the name, or image, of the Uzi Submachine gun cannot be found such that this universal familiarity has led to its being one of the most popular firearms on the collectors market today.

Available Guns

Unfortunately for the NFA weapons collector in these United States, the Uzi SMG is not as readily available as its worldwide status would suggest. Due to our controlling firearms laws and the market demands of past years, the collectible versions of the Uzi have come to be defined by three distinct variations.

Any fully transferable factory produced, foreign made gun (SMG) would have to have been imported prior to 1968 and the enactment of the Gun Control Act. In this category there exist two variations of the type: the Israeli/IMI produced originals, and the license built clones produced in Belgium by FN-Herstal. But before you start looking for one of those be aware that very few of either origin were ever imported prior to 1968 and they command a premium price!

The only other option for a Factory produced SMG is either the large number of dealer sample/law enforcement guns that were imported between 1968-1986 (which are restricted to acquisition by civilians who are Special Occupational Tax Payers only), or the US manufactured SMGs produced in the middle 1980s by Group Industries Inc. of Louisville, Ky. The Group guns are factory produced SMGs, accurate and exact in every detail, as they were manufactured on jigs and tooling obtained from FN, often using original FN produced parts obtained in the deal. They are also all fully transferable. Group guns are available for approximately less than half the cost of a Pre-68, fully-transferable, foreign produced, original gun and they are just as good as the originals. The differences are in finish only, and as a bonus the Group guns were offered from the factory in .45ACP and .22LR calibers, in addition to the standard 9mm caliber. It has been reported that very few of the non-9mm calibers were delivered from the factory as such. Group also sold caliber conversion kits as an accessory item. There have been a few problems with later Group Industries Uzis, mostly related to the bolts. Installing a factory Uzi bolt seems to alleviate the problems.

The last, and most common, version of the NFA collectible Uzi SMG are those guns that originated as Title I semi-auto carbines, and were later converted to select fire and registered with the NFA (National Firearms Act Branch of BATF) as transferable SMGs. These guns come in two distinct flavors. First is the “registered receiver conversion”, whose registration status allows the receiver to be modified to the factory original SMG configuration. The second is the “registered bolt conversion”, which employs as the registered item a special bolt that has been manufactured to fit and function in the receiver of a standard, unmodified, semi-auto carbine but in the select fire, open bolt, mode of operation. This type of conversion cannot legally employ some of the standard SMG features that would require receiver modifications, as discussed below.

These two types of conversion guns are our topic of investigation, as there are many variations. As with all conversions, there exist guns that were converted correctly and safely, and there are those that bear watching out for. A thorough understanding of the accepted practices used in a proper conversion of each type will allow the prospective buyer or current owner to gain maximum enjoyment from this gun, while avoiding a potentially bad experience.

The Semi-Auto Carbine

It must be first understood that Action Arms Inc., over the course of the years they were importing the semi-auto guns, imported two different versions the Uzi semi-auto carbine. These versions were officially known as the Model A and the Model B, and they were essentially identical mechanically, except for certain small differences, some of which were also being incorporated into the factory SMGs at this time too. The most noticeable difference was the arrangement of their sighting systems. On the Model A the sights are identical to the original SMG design, in which all adjustability for windage and elevation is accomplished by movement of the front sight elements. The rear sight is a fixed peep, adjustable only for two range settings of 50m and 100m. Part of the problem was not taking into account the change from a 10 inch barrel on the SMG, to the 16 inch barrel on the semi-auto. The Model B incorporated a new sighting system which allowed elevation adjustments on the front sight post, and windage from the rear sight peep, in addition to the range selections. The operational difference is that the Model B does not require any special tool to make adjustments, whereas the Model A requires a dedicated sight tool. Also, on the Model B, the front sling swivel rotates a full 360 degrees, while on the Model A it cannot rotate through a full arc. On early versions of the Model A the bolt face was also slightly different. Early imports had a full cartridge seating bottom rim, whereas later Model A (and all Model B guns) incorporate a relieved lower cartridge seat face to hinder easy conversion to full-auto fire. This became an important distinction when legally converting these guns, as discussed below. There is a perception that the Model A was a better candidate for conversions, as it was closer to the original SMG and could be converted more easily, in some cases. On a few of the very early examples of the Model A, the blocking rail was not adequately welded, which may be the root of that bit of MG Lore.

As an aside it must be pointed out, that while all Israeli manufactured semi-auto carbines were imported by Action Arms Inc., there was also a clone of the semi-auto carbine made by Group Industries here in the USA Group Industries started making SMGs and when the 1986 making ban occurred, they tooled up for the semi-auto guns, of which there are a small number about, but nowhere near as many as of the Action Arms imports. And though it has never been reported that the Group semis were available in time to be receiver registered, as transferable SMG conversions prior to the 1986 making ban, many have apparently been used as the host guns when installing NFA registered, conversion bolts. The design and quality of Group Industries guns rivals that of the Israeli originals, and there should be no hesitation in their employment as host guns for bolt conversions. For our purposes here we are only concerned with original Israeli-made guns, and possibly these Group Industries clones when used as the basis for a conversion with a Registered Bolt. It should be noted that there were imported at differing times, and by differing importers, unlicensed, cheap copies of the semi-auto carbine made by Norinco in China. These poor quality guns made it in under the name of “Officers’ 9”, long before the semi-auto import ban, and long before the ‘current’ rash of Norinco Uzi Carbine clones, imported as sporter rifles commonly seen with thumbhole, sporter style fixed stocks. Despite when (and under which name) these Chinese copies are encountered, it must be very clearly stated that they are extremely poor copies, with regard to metallurgy, fit, and finish. They are so poor as to preclude discussion here. Due to the timing involved, very few of the Chinese guns would seem to have been in-country and able to be registered prior to the 1986 making ban, but some may have been used for an SMG conversion with one of the many legally registered conversion bolts. Under no circumstances could this be recommended, as these guns are so poorly made as to be potentially impossible to make them function reliably with a conversion bolt installed.

What’s So Different About a Semi-auto Carbine?

Like other semi-auto derivatives of ex-military pattern machine-guns, the Uzi semi-auto carbine had to undergo a significant redesign from the SMG parent in order to pass the BATF’s measuring stick to allow importation and sale to U.S. citizens as a Title I firearm. Obviously, such changes are made with the intention of NOT allowing an easy conversion into a machine gun, and it is important to fully understand these engineering changes. A proper, safe, and legal conversion will have retained the inherent safety features of the parent SMG design, while rendering as close as mechanically possible a virtual copy of the SMG functionally and aesthetically. Israel Military Industries (IMI), unfortunately for the NFA collector community, went far beyond the absolute minimum changes required from the SMG design to allow importation and sale in this country. These extra semi-auto only features are the central focus of most of the complaints leveled at conversions of these guns, with regard to function and user-friendliness.

The differences between a functional conversion (one that merely duplicates functionally, full-auto only, or selective fire), and a complete conversion (one that virtually replicates the original SMG in all aspects including function, parts interchangeability, and appearance), are significant. They can cause extreme variation in the fair price range of differing guns. To gain a complete understanding of the selection and desirability of available guns out there, let’s first take a look at the basic mechanical differences between the SMG and the semi-auto carbine (as originally imported).

The single most important difference between the original SMG and the semi-auto carbine is in the respective methods of operation. The SMG fires from the open-bolt position using a fixed firing pin. The carbine had to be redesigned to fire from the closed-bolt position, utilizing a striker. This was solely to pass importation restrictions based upon a pending ruling prohibiting the manufacture of semi-auto Title I guns that fired from an open bolt. To this end there were several significant design changes made. The first was the installation on the rear upper right side of the sheet metal receiver of a long piece of rectangular shaped metal bar (known as a ‘blocking rail) that prevented the drop-in installation of the SMG type, fixed firing pin, Open Bolt. In order to accommodate the blocking rail inside the receiver the semi-auto bolt has a full -length notch cut in its upper right side to allow passage over the blocking rail. Since the gun could not use a fixed firing pin a striker mechanism was incorporated into the bolt group, which now comprised a slightly shorter Bolt with a full length hole drilled through its center to accommodate a moving firing pin, this pin came forward upon, sear release, to strike the cartridge primer. The bolt itself now merely reciprocated within the length of the receiver housing, with each shot closing upon the freshly chambered round. The the striker assembly stayed caught by the sear in the same rear position of the former SMG open bolt. The striker assembly itself comprised the long firing pin and square section of steel that had a sear holding notch cut into its bottom surface, along with a separate spring to provide the striking energy. The semi-auto now had two separate spring assemblies; the main recoil spring (attached in the familiar place on the bolt itself), and the smaller striker spring. There is an interconnecting slot cut into the left side bottom of the semi-auto bolt to mate with the long arm of the striker assembly. This assures proper alignment during movement. Due to the fact that the striker arm (contained the single sear notch) the right bottom ridge of the semi-auto bolt that would normally contain a sear notch in the SMG bolt is milled open from the rear of the ejection opening, to slightly ahead of it. The SMG bolt is solid on the top and side faces, except for the sear holding notch, and the ejection port opening. To finish out the bolt group changes, the SMG has a different type of extractor than the semi-auto bolt. The lip of the semi-auto extractor is considerably thinner and shallower than that installed on the SMG bolt, for unknown reasons. It is clearly desirable to have the SMG version installed in a full-auto gun, and probably any version of the gun. They are completely interchangeable. Lastly, a note is in order on the two different kinds of semi-auto bolts that were installed on the Model A guns, as this has an important bearing on how these guns may have been converted to the full-auto fire mode. When IMI first designed the Model A semi-auto bolt the bolt face was identical to the SMG open-bolt design (save for the deletion of the fixed-firing pin) in that it incorporated a full-circumference cartridge holding rim. This cartridge holding rim was designed to snap around the base rim of the cartridge and hold it in position as it entered the chamber, just prior to contact with the fixed firing pin. Later Model A, and all Model B, guns have the lower section of this rim machined off, as another disabling design feature, to preclude easy modification to full-auto fire, as will now be discussed below.

Now, with the mode of fire changed, the fire controls had to be similarly altered. All fire-control parts are contained in a separate housing attached centrally below the receiver of the gun, and which also comprises the pistol grip and the magazine well. The SMG fire-control assembly allows for three control positions, safe, semi-auto, and full-auto. The selector levers have a small right angle, finger-like, bent piece of metal which, in a SMG installation, moves forward and bypasses the disconnector function in the fully forward full-auto position. For semi-auto fire to occur it is placed in the middle position, where it can function the disconnector, releasing the sear after the trigger nose drops. To force the condition of semi-auto only operation, whereby the disconnector is activated continuously, it would be required to mechanically preclude the selector from moving forward past this point. The alterations were made to the semi-auto grip housing by adding a small block of metal inside the front center shelf of this housing to preclude the selector lever from moving forward enough to engage the full-auto position on the trigger nose, and by-pass the disconnector. The selector levers themselves are the same except for deletion of the third select position notch. Very early semi-auto selectors were identical to the SMG versions, and had all three control position notches already cut. Later versions deleted the third position. Concurrent with the changes in the semi-auto guns which resulted in their being redesignated as Model B, all versions of Uzi selector levers had a vertical safety tang added to the upper surface of the lever, which prevented the sear from dropping (by blocking the left underside sear finger, in the same mechanical fashion as the right underside finger is blocked by the vertical tang of the grip safety) until the selector switch was moved into one of the Fire positions.

The only other difference in the fire-control parts relates to the sear itself. The SMG sear is quite noticeably larger on the fingers that protrude up into the receiver to catch the bolt. In comparison, the semi sear, because it only had to restrain the much lighter striker mass, has smaller fingers. The smaller semi sear will work but is NOT recommended, as excessive wear can result. A proper conversion will have the sear projection holes in the bottom of the receiver milled out to the correct dimensions to allow the factory SMG sear to be installed and function. This was not always done, and on conversion guns utilizing a Registered Bolt it may be looked upon as an illegal receiver modification by BATF, unless the bolt was permanently married to the receiver by serial number on the transfer form. (A note on all Uzi sears: the sears, by design, are made to a less hardened surface treatment than the bolt so that when wear does occur, and it will, the comparatively cheaper sear can be replaced rather than the entire expensive bolt. A highly worn sear can allow runaway fire, in slips over the rounded, worn, sear fingers so always check the sear condition on regular basis!)

Lastly, on the fire control group, the axis pins that hold the lower receiver control group onto the upper receiver have two different size mounting pins/holes, again to preclude a direct swapping of the SMG group onto the Semi-auto receiver. The SMG uses a 5mm pins and receiver holes, while the semi-auto guns use 7mm pins and receiver holes. This prevents an SMG lower from being pinned on without enlarging the pinholes in the SMG trigger housing. You will still have to use 7mm pins to mount it. With the availability of parts kit guns now so abundant many people have chosen to install a real SMG lower, either for increased reliability, or just to get the Hebrew markings of the Israeli originals.

Jumping back up into the front of the receiver, we discover yet another joyous collection of maddening alterations that hinder our journey back to the world of the original SMG configuration. The two most often heard complaints about owning a conversion SMG relate to the barrel selection availability and mounting problems. IMI thoughtfully left no stone unturned when redesigning the Uzi for semi-auto sale in the U.S. Their most fondly remembered alterations prevent the installation and usage of cheap and plentiful SMG short barrels, instead forcing the owner of an SMG conversion that has not been fully SMG configured to resort to modifying and cutting down semi-auto barrels. Thankfully there are on the aftermarket barrels that will interchange. (It should be noted that possession of one of these short barrels that will drop into a semi-auto Uzi and the semi-auto Uzi itself would comprise possession of a short barreled rifle, requiring registration under Title II of the 1968 Gun Control Act). The semi-auto is different from the SMG as regards barrel mounting in two important aspects. First, the actual barrel trunnion, which forms the heart of the forward part of the upper receiver by being welded into place, has a smaller diameter passage hole for the barrel flanges than on the SMG. This prevents an SMG barrel from being slipped into the trunnion. On the front of the magazine well, inside the bottom of the receiver, is welded on both SMG and semi-auto versions a cartridge feed ramp to guide the nose of the bullet into the chamber of the barrel. On the original SMG version that is all that it is, a cartridge guide. On the semi-auto version it also contains a thick ring which serves to hold the rear end of the barrel in position on the feed ramp, but more importantly it prevents the larger rear diameter of a standard SMG barrel from being inserted and utilized in the semi-auto guns. By virtue of the SMG barrel flanges being of a larger diameter, they cannot be directly inserted and used in a semi-auto conversion that does not have these two features fixed. So one has to either cut and recrown the semi-auto barrels, or turn down the flanges on the SMG versions. A proper and complete conversion will have had the trunnion passage hole bored out to SMG spec, and the barrel ring milled off the feed ramp.

The last important difference between the SMG and the semi-auto carbine is in the design of the top covers. The SMG cover has an extra mechanism in the cocking track designed to prevent inadvertent discharge of the weapon if the cocking knob is accidentally released prior to full rearward travel being reached and sear lock-up of the bolt. This is commonly called a ratcheting top cover, due to the small ratchet mechanism which will catch and hold the bolt. This is only a feature in the open- bolt guns. It is not found, or needed, in a closed bolt firing weapon. The visible tip off to identification is the row of ratchet teeth along the side of the top cover bottom track. Semi-auto tracks are smooth for their entire length. There is also a slight difference in the length of the cut opening between the SMG and semi-auto carbine top cover tracks, which will be explained below. A proper conversion need not have this ratcheting top cover to function correctly, but anything designed, and available to the owner/operator, for safety reasons should be utilized. It is not possible to modify the semi-auto top cover for this ratcheting mechanism (for all practical purposes at least), so most complete conversions will have this entire assembly exchanged for a standard SMG unit. The other bonus benefit to this exchange of top covers is that the semi-auto carbine has a lengthy and annoying warning against illegal conversions stamped into the cocking knob slide, and since we’re discussing a legal NFA registered weapon, it’s only fitting to eliminate such aggravating visible verbage on the exterior of the weapon. (See Photo on page 73.)

There is one more aesthetic difference between the semi-auto carbine and the SMG. Both guns could utilize either a folding metal stock or a fixed wooden one. The folders attach semi-permanently in the same fashion on either gun, but on the SMG the wooden stock is provisioned for quick detachment by a release lever on the stock underside. On the semi-auto carbine, the wooden stock is semi-permanently attached. The SMG quick-detach wooden stock will interchange for those who so desire.

The Three Conversion Methods

Now, with an understanding of the various mechanical differences between the SMG and the semi-auto carbine, it is relevant to discuss the actual mechanical methods of conversion that will be found on a NFA registered Uzi carbine SMG conversion.

It did not take long after Action Arms Inc. began importing the first carbines to the USA in 1980. Before some very industrious minds began to figure out how to convert the gun into a full-auto firing (versions in full-auto only, and selective full-auto fire) submachine gun.

The first type of conversion took clever advantage of the design of the striker-fired, closed-bolt, semi-auto mechanism in spite of all that IMI had done to prevent easy conversion. In fact, some of the IMI changes actually facilitated this type of conversion! Recall from above, that the first Model A guns to come in were slightly different than all those that followed. IMI had forgotten a few very important details it seems! For the open-bolt mode of fire, the full-circumference rim on the bolt face, designed to guide the cartridge into the chamber prior to the fixed firing pin striking the primer cap, is critical. Without this lower rim on the bolt face the cartridge bottom rim will hang up on the firing pin, causing jamming as it enters the chamber. The cartridge rim will climb into the bolt face too soon. On a closed-bolt weapon there is no firing pin in the way, until sear release of the striker after bolt closure and chambering, so the elimination of that lower lip is of no consequence unless somehow, that fixed firing pin, or its equivalent, suddenly reappeares! That is exactly what those industrious minds figured out how to do. If the striker could be attached to the rear of the bolt it would act as an open bolt, with a fixed firing pin protruding at the bolt face. Even simpler, it was noticed that the striker spring was strong enough to carry the striker in place against the rear of the bolt during chambering, enough to cause reliable primer ignition! Now you were half way there. The earliest Model A bolts had the full-circumference cartridge holding rim already, remember? Two thirds of the way there. If you could somehow allow the selector lever (early Model A select levers had three detent notches) to move forward far enough to interrupt the disconnector function, the bolt would continue to reciprocate until trigger release…. full-auto (only)! Method one done.

In finer detail, these were mostly all registered receiver conversions for two basic reasons. Reason one, because at this time there was no economic reason NOT to register the whole gun as an SMG, and reason two, the ATF rulings which brought about the so-called “machine gun conversion parts” distinction was just beginning to get started with the “AR15 drop-in auto sear” mania and the like, with the Uzi conversion scene adding to the fire for the following reason. From the just discussed conversion method above, it becomes apparent that one could convert a semi-auto carbine to full-auto with no receiver modifications. If a new selector lever that bypassed the disconnector function could be made that could drop-in, and replace the semi-auto one directly. That was exactly what was done in some cases, with a “Conversion Selector Lever” being NFA registered as the machine gun itself, and either installed in a gun by a Class II Manufacturer or owner (on Form 1), or sold by itself. ATF promptly ruled this lever was a machine gun with the usual warning against unregistered possession, etc.

So, early Model As (with the full SMG style lower bolt face rim) can be found with this NFA registered lever as the only difference, but they will be able to fire full-auto only, not selectively. For later bolts with the lower rim machined off, it was necessary to reinstall that rim as in an SMG bolt face. This was usually done by welding a machine contoured ‘half rim ring’ back onto the bolt face itself. For the selector lever itself to NOT be considered a registerable part under the NFA, it had to be of the original design with the right-angle finger attached that engaged the disconnector (and blocking piece welded onto the front lower shelf of the trigger grip frame housing). Early Model A select levers with all three detent positions could be used just as a regular SMG part if the blocking piece could be removed, but doing so altered the ‘as manufactured’ status of the gun, and was disallowed by ATF, unless the receiver was NFA registered, and this was the only way to remain legal with a conversion of this type early on. The proper conversion method then had the blocking piece removed to replicate the SMG control housing function. Later semi-auto select levers were devoid of the third detent notch, so that had it to be reconfigured on later guns undergoing conversion. This describes the various NFA registered guns that can be encountered from the earliest conversions done. This phase lasted only about a year or so, and changed very quickly when those industrious minds went to work again, this time on the bolt itself.

Since to modify the relieved bolt face seen on most Model A guns required accurate welding and reheat treating of the bolt, it seemed easier to start with a bolt already manufactured in the full SMG configuration as regards open bolt firing requirements. If you started with a SMG type bolt the only major modification needed would be to allow placement inside the semi receiver with its blocking rail. A simple job of milling a slot in the correct location to mimic the design of the semi-auto bolt, and the gun would function in the open bolt mode. And so the now famous “slotted bolt” was born. The first versions sold openly were designed to accommodate the normal closed bolt recoil spring and buffer arrangement which was slightly longer in depth on the semi gun because the semi closed bolt did not need to reciprocate as far back into the receiver because of the striker assembly riding behind it. To this end, the cut track opening for the cocking slide in the top cover had a slightly shorter track, as the cocking slide did not need to be drawn as far back with the striker engaging the sear instead of the bolt. To retain as much of the original SMG operating characteristics as possible, it was soon seen that by replacing the semi recoil and buffer assemblies with a standard SMG version the slotted bolt could attain all the relevant dimensions of the SMG, save for the milled slot in the side. By increasing the length of the slotted conversion bolt to normal SMG spec it also restored the normal cyclic rate by virtue of the increased mass and recoil travel. The only down side to this bolt, and all future NFA registered conversion bolts of this description, is that it now required the full travel of the cocking slide to engage the bolt notch with the sear while cocking the weapon, such that it became necessary to now mill open the length of the cocking track opening to normal SMG specs too. It was often easier to just replace the whole top cover, with the added benefit of the SMG ratcheting mechanism coming along for free.

This all came to an immediate halt in mid 1982, when ATF ruled that such fixed firing pin, slotted bolts, like the drop-in selector or lever, were machine guns in and of themselves, so future manufacture, sale, and possession was to be in full compliance with the NFA. There were though a small number of legal registered receiver conversions made by using these unrestricted, restricted, conversion bolts prior to that ruling, and they were allowed (grandfathered), as they were previously lawfully, registered in full compliance with the existing laws, though the conversion bolt now needed to be married to that particular serially numbered receiver. If it ever needed replacement you were out of luck. With this restriction some of these registered receiver guns simply ditched (read: destroyed) the UN-registered conversion bolt and went ahead and finished the receiver modifications that allowed utilization of an original, solid SMG open-bolt, as these were the only bolts that remained legal for unrestricted sale and transfer after the ruling.

This is the basis then for the second most common method of conversion, that of using an NFA registered, slotted conversion bolt, in an otherwise unmodified Title 1 semi-auto receiver. These slotted conversion bolts were still made and marketed, but they now had to be individually NFA registered, and a lot of them were! The slotted conversion bolt” is operationally identical to the standard SMG open bolt, except for the milled slot in the right upper side face. All other relevant dimensions and operating characteristics are the same, with one small nod to the inescapable reality that it was to be used in an unmodified semi-auto carbine receiver. All semi-auto carbines incorporate the barrel modifications as described above such that a normal SMG bolt face, if used in an unmodified semi-auto receiver, would not properly close against the rear of the barrel chamber, as the restrictor ring which surrounds the rear of the semi-auto barrel would interfere. So, NFA registered slotted conversion bolts are slightly relieved at the forward upper bolt face to accommodate the normal semi-auto barrel and mounting setup.

With a registered conversion bolt installed, it was deemed acceptable by ATF to allow modification of the lower receiver trigger housing fire control unit any way desired, and most units were simply modified from the semi-auto to selective mode of fire, as described above. It is also perfectly acceptable to swap out the semi-auto unit for a standard factory original SMG lower, as long as the SMG trigger housing is modified (by opening up the mounting pin holes to 7mm), and not the upper receiver center block! Even with a registered slotted conversion bolt installed, upper receiver modifications are generally disapproved of by ATF, although the only specifically illegal modification is removal of the blocking rail on the right upper inside of the receiver. The caveat against modifying the lower receiver push pin mounting hole to bring it back to the 5mm SMG standard is that it may be viewed as evidence of intent to illegally convert the semi-auto upper receiver (by allowing pin-on conversion of an SMG lower housing combined with the first bolt modification method described above) if the NFA-registered bolt is ever separated. It is inadvisable to make this modification in light of that distinction. Guns found with the remaining upper receiver modifications, such as barrel trunnion and feed ramp alterations, are not illegal and add to the perceptible value of the gun if done in a professional manner. An SMG conversion using a NFA-registered slotted conversion, bolt is an excellent method of conversion as it does not overly hinder one in obtaining a near copy of the factory SMG original, and in most cases the absolute differences between a bolt gun and registered receiver conversion are merely aesthetic, with the spare parts scenario being the most common complaint. And, if you already have a semi-auto gun in your collection, the acquisition of an NFA-registered conversion bolt may allow an inexpensive changeover into the full-auto realm of the design, as it was originally intended.

The only remaining point to discuss about these registered conversion bolts is as regards their inherent value and weaknesses. All of these bolts were NOT created equal, either in materials or workmanship! If it is decided that a conversion bolt is the way to proceed a careful examination of the intended bolt is in order if you wish to maximize the usage and enjoyment of the converted gun. slotted conversion bolts were made from two distinct sources, each with its own pluses and minuses. The first and most obvious source was to simply take a factory original SMG open-bolt, and then make the two modifications to adapt it to conversion use in the semi-auto carbine, namely milling the clearance slot, and the bolt face relief cut for the rear barrel support ring. The main concern here is: Did the manufacturer of these bolts properly account for the re-heat treatment of the finished bolt. Since these bolts are normally hardened, it should have been annealed prior to machining, and then heat treated again to proper finish hardness. A finish hardness of at least Rockwell 55-56 on the C (hard, but able to be cut with a file) scale is desired to prevent premature wear of the sear holding notches and bolt face. A tungsten carbide-cutter mill may have been used instead of the heat treatment process (es), but this could lead to localized heat distortion damage (unlikely) during the milling operation(s) if it is not done very carefully. Closely examine any bolts that show evidence of stress risers, hairline cracks, crystallization or burring.

The second method involved new manufacture of slotted bolts, either from machined forgings, bar stock or investment castings. Both forgings and bar stock are common, and perfectly acceptable as base materials for a machine gun bolt, with a slight nod being given to the forged bolts as they duplicate the factory original manufacturing method, while having intrinsically better metallurgical properties. Lastly, some new manufacture bolts were made from cast steel and then finish machined. Investment cast parts are acceptable, providing that the proper manufacturing methods were employed during casting, and were to industry standards. The single most common problem found with cast parts relates to improper cooling practices which allow finished dimensions to stray from spec. All cast Uzi bolts were not created equal, and there are unfortunately cast Uzi bolts that are known to be off-spec due to a materials specification change which substituted a different alloy than originally specified. This material had a slightly different contraction rate, which caused it to cool to a finish dimension that was larger than tolerance. There ended up being a small lot of these poorly cast slotted SMG bolts NFA registered, and they are quite obvious by the fitting marks that were required to get them to function.

All of these bolts of any manufacturing method, should be heat treated for long-term service, so check the pedigree of the bolt in question and verify manufacturing specs if at all possible. As regards reported, known problems with these registered slotted bolts, it boils down to two areas. First, for the reasons above, some bolts exhibit an excessive wear profile in the sear holding notches which can lead to eventual failure to properly hold on the sear fingers. Potential dangers from run-away firing aside, this is not that serious of a problem to repair, though it entails welding up the sear notches in a jig and then re-machining them to spec (followed by proper re-heat treatment!). Secondly, some of the improperly heat treated bolts have had their fixed firing pin wear down from extended use to the point where there is not enough pin protruding to reliably cause primer ignition. The only acceptable method of repair here is to bore out the old pin and install a replacement fixed pin which can be heat-shrunk into place. These repair pins are rare items, and few people working around MG’s have any experience with doing this, but since we are talking about a registered part, repair is the only legal way to go registered slotted bolts should, of and in themselves, be of no particular concern as regards wear and longevity in an SMG conversion, as they have the full potential to meet a normal factory original parts life and utility span, if they were correctly manufactured in the first place. As with all conversion parts though, once the general design was in the public domain many different sources made and registered them and all were not created equal, so a close physical examination is advised. And if a well-worn, or even damaged or improperly manufactured, registered bolt should be found, do not discount it out of hand, as it can be repaired and restored to operational status by a competent professional. The price to be paid should reflect the overall condition, but with registered NFA items getting more valuable with time, any item with a registration paper/tax stamp is worth a close examination prior to purchase, if at possible.

“As a general rule, ANY bolt gun is worth less than a registered receiver conversion of comparable condition.”

The final conversion type is the so-called registered receiver gun. As most people understand the meaning of the term, it is qualified by one underlying distinction, the removal of the blocking rail inside the receiver to allow utilization of a standard, solid, SMG open bolt. Though we noted that there are a select few registered receiver guns, as described above, that were converted by other methods, these are not generally perceived to be of the same general class, as they still have the blocking rail intact and therefore have not been converted to SMG description. However, due to their receiver status they most certainly could be completed to full SMG spec at the owner’s discretion. The owner who wishes to do so should check with ATF Technology Branch first before doing so – and get it in writing. But for most registered receiver guns, their attraction lies in the fact that they can be fully converted to a near clone of the factory SMG, in both function and appearance. Due to the registration status, with no legal barriers to altering the receiver itself, we are free to return the receiver to its normal SMG description.

This complete conversion of the gun back to its near factory SMG description is accomplished as follows, though individual guns may exhibit various stages of completeness of the full conversion. The complete conversion is begun by removal of the bolt blocking rail in preparation for installation of a factory original SMG open bolt. The IMI design for the mounting of the blocking rail incorporated two extension tabs near each end, that located the rail by mating with opposite slots in the receiver sidewall, and then were welded in place and had the welds ground smooth prior to finishing of the weapon’s exterior. When altering the receiver for the conversion to a factory type SMG bolt it became necessary to remove the rail completely, flush with the receiver sidewall, a job best accomplished with a vertical milling cut, as the mill could be controlled to safely remove the rail flush with the receiver sidewall without causing damage. The problem with this is that the last section of the rail was installed too far back in the receiver channel to allow milling it completely free, so some ingenuity was called for. Most conversions were done by carefully milling off the rail as much as possible rearward then using a small torquing force, or shear force, to break free the remaining tab joint. Done carefully, this resulted in no damage to the receiver sidewalls, though many people apparently used alternate methods than a mill, or rushed the job or applied too much torque/shear force as twisted/dented rear sidewalls are one of the most common flaws in conversions. These sidewall flaws can be straightened, but it is a difficult job and best done by an experienced professional.

The other required major alteration to the semi-auto upper receiver, to render it a clone of the factory produced SMG, was the conversion of the barrel mounting points. The barrel trunnion through-hole needs to be opened up to the SMG factory spec diameter, and properly converted guns will have had this done by line boring to the axis though more commonly this was simply placed into a vertical holding fixture and a drill press was used. This can result in misalignment of the mounted barrel and may be a root cause of feeding troubles, and failure to be able to properly tighten the barrel mounting collar. The rear barrel holding ring/feed ramp assembly will also have to have the entire ring structure milled off flush with the upper surface of the feed ramp, duplicating the SMG ramp contours, to avoid bolt face contact. Once these two operations were performed, an SMG barrel could be simply replaced.

The selector lever block in the top inside shelf of the trigger housing frame was also installed by the same locating tab method, as employed on the blocking rail in the upper receiver. The correct method to remove it was a simple milling operation, though other torquing/shearing operations were commonly utilized. If the block was not fully removed flush, or if any remnants of the weld are left, there may be interference with the elongated right-angle finger of the selector lever that prevents smooth operation of the disconnector function and subsequent improper semi-auto functioning. So, to do a proper conversion, one must completely remove the select lever block, as some improper conversions merely attempted to notch, or cut out, instead of fully removing the block, and a sticking or troublesome selector lever can usually be traced to this. An SMG selector lever is the ideal way to complete a fully correct conversion, and this can be simply exchanged, although the majority of conversions probably used modified semi levers (note: there are two different SMG selectors available – later production ones have the safety tang, early military ones do not.). The semi-auto select levers were modified by adding the third detent, and these detents may give trouble if not properly done. Check for correct depth and spacing as compared to the original two semi-auto only control positions if the selector will not engage the full-auto position smoothly and firmly. A correct job will have the third detent milled, as the factory did, and not hand cut or ground out.

As discussed above the remaining operation to the trigger housing was remarking of the housing exterior for the third selector detent position after it had been milled, cut, or stamped into the housing exterior. The exterior of the trigger housing is where it is easy to tell the care and professionalism, or lack thereof, that went into the conversion. The remarking of the housing for the third detent position can vary from either indistinguishable from factory, to sloppy and badly mismatched. A cold chisel and hand stamp, held by hand and eyeballed, was often the preferred method. The best conversions will have utilized a professional stamping fixture with a font-matching stamp to duplicate the lettering already existing in the other two positions, combined with welding up of the old fire position F, and restamping of the now required R for the semi-auto detent position. Some conversions may simply have had the entire semi-auto unit replaced with a surplus factory SMG type trigger housing, which should be unaltered except for the required modification to the mounting pin holes of the SMG trigger housing. If the original semi-auto sear was exchanged for an SMG sear, with the full width fingers, the sear clearance holes in the bottom of the upper receiver will need to be enlarged to SMG spec for proper clearance. The difference is slight, and many were not properly enlarged as required. For reliable operation with the SMG sear it is necessary to enlarge the holes.

“..Group Industries guns were offered from the factory in .45ACP and .22LR calibers in addition to the standard 9mm..”

The top cover modifications, required for the SMG open bolt installation as discussed above, will most likely have been accomplished by a simple replacement and exchange of the semi-auto original cover assembly for a surplus SMG, ratcheting type unit. This would be considered the most desirable method for this assembly, though modified semi-auto units are also common and perfectly acceptable, though less military looking.

The final aspect of the conversion is the installation, a drop in job now, of an original solid face, SMG style open bolt and its attendant recoil spring and buffer assembly. This bolt should already come equipped with a wide-lip SMG style extractor claw, but if not it should be exchanged for one.

With a complete exterior refinish, this is the ideal state of conversion in a complete conversion of the semi-auto carbine into as near as possible a clone of the factory produced, select fire, open bolt, SMG original, save for the mounting pin holes for the lower trigger housing and the semi-auto model A/B markings. These trigger housing pinholes and the receiver markings could have been altered if a registered receiver gun was remanufactured by a Class II manufacturer, but conversions using registered bolts cannot alter the receiver or its factory markings. As can be readily seen, since there exist such a wide range of possible conversions out there, respective values also vary widely. Most desirable would seem to be a fully converted registered receiver gun exhibiting all the alterations to render a near perfect copy of the factory SMG. These guns, circa early 1998 prices, are fairly priced in the mid to high $2000s for excellent condition guns with a known pedigree originally done by reputable sources, to the low $1200 range for a no-pedigree gun with mechanical or major aesthetic problems. Value increases with higher content of SMG style parts, or modifications to accept those standard parts. Registered bolts are fairly priced from $500-$1000 alone, depending on manufacturer and condition, and materials and methods used for manufacture. A complete bolt gun will depend upon the host semi-auto guns inherent value and whether any additional allowable alterations exist. These could command as a package anywhere from the low $1000s to the mid $2000s. As a general rule ANY bolt gun is worth less than a registered receiver conversion of comparable condition. Though, if you happen to run across one of the few very early conversions, those that fall under the heading of anomalies, such as those that contain a NFA registered selector lever, or are a registered receiver gun with a grandfathered un-registered slotted bolt, judgment will have to be used as to value based upon overall condition and the wear and tear on the registered part(s). Negotiations are in order, as there is simply no definitive value basis.

Hopefully now, with an understanding of the myriad definitions extant of the Conversion Uzi, a clear picture can be drawn of the complex nature of this particular class of civilian legal NFA firearm and its convoluted path to the marketplace and firing lines across the country. While there exists a large variance in this class of guns, it is also nice to know that they represent a solid value for the collectors money, while being easy to shoot and service, as spare parts and accessories are abundant and inexpensive.

The first U.S. machine gun patent was issued to Samuel L. Farries of Middleton, Ohio in 1829. Eli Whitney progressed from his cotton gin invention, Samuel Colt started thinking full auto from the deck of a ship in international waters, John Browning (and his father) from a small workshop, and David (Carbine) Williams did it from a prison cell. All in the great American tradition of rugged individualism….

Once upon a time there were a handful of licensed firearms manufacturers (Class 02 SOT) who never reached the heights of Colt, Winchester, Remington, etc. Nor did they particularly aspire to. However, they played by the same rules, paid the same fees and taxes, held the same licenses, did the same paperwork and complied with the same baffling array of Federal, state and local laws. They were self-financed, self-employed, and self-driven. This cadre started a revolution in the early 1980s within the firearms community and some made a mark for themselves and their wares. They were a testimony to the classic American entrepreneur trying to build a better mousetrap. They daringly offered custom services to a marketplace that was closeted, secretive, largely ignorant and very, very small. That marketplace was what we call the NFA Community, or the Class 03 community. Good and bad, glad and sad, full of passion and insight, they climbed a mountain only to fall to the sea.

What these Knights did was full auto conversions on semiautomatic firearms. Specifically, they applied their own individual hands-on re-engineering techniques customized to a selection of firearms – some which have even escaped the most recent media-induced misnomer of “semiautomatic assault weapons.” Going where few had publicly dared go before; each had his unique handle on firearms technology. Each Knight figured out a conversion technique and refined it as best as a small production machine shop equipment would take them. Most had no training, or manuals, instructions or factory parts to work with. It was frequently seat-of-the-pants work.

Collectively we might call them “custom conversion military weapons experts,” which would be an over-simplification. Some may have been gunsmiths or armorers. Most were inventors. Some had military experience. Most had few real world credentials as firearms designers. But in reality, most could actually take a block of raw steel and cut away everything that didn’t look like a gun and it would shoot when they were done. Every conversion was an adventure and a new challenge. Largely, they had to re-invent the wheel. If parts were needed, they made them, often carving out the bits and pieces by hand. Later, molds were made to cast perfected sear designs or other pieces of their conversion techniques. Every customer had to be educated because they had forever been told, “All machine guns are illegal,” and all believed it. Everyone knew it was very, very, expensive. Except what our Knights were offering wasn’t.

Almost every collector and shooter could now have affordable rock n’ roll. What a concept – be still my heart! The start of my instructional talk to potential customers who were almost always misinformed went something like this: “If you don’t run dope, horses, or women, if you pay your taxes and back alimony, have been a good boy all your life and are not a known ne’er-do-well in your neck of the woods, you too can own one of these fine machine guns!”

Back in The Day, if you could sign a yellow (then) sheet Form 4473 and not lie to any of the questions and could get the local sheriff or police chief to sign the law enforcement section (not a certainty at all), could paste a photo on the Form 4 which didn’t make you look like a miscreant and could acquire a gun and the money to get it converted to full auto by one of the aforementioned Knights, then Yes! You could come to the party and bring your own fast gun and put out a heart-thumping, flame-spewing, put-hair-on-your-chest, singe your eyebrows and bloody your nose glorious exhibition of firepower.

These little no-name Knights had to be ferreted out. You had to know someone who knew someone who heard it from a guy at work, etc. When you finally stumbled across the threshold of their machine shops, usually hidden discreetly in out-of-the-way places, you were beside yourself with glee. You had entered the domain of genius, daring-do, and joyful noise.

Greeted by a test-firing rat-a-tat-tat staccato of 9mm or .223, you paused for breath and prayed you could get past the gnarly security barrier. Rarely did you encounter anyone other than The Man Himself. This fellow likely greeted you from across his lathe or from behind his milling machine hollering he’d “be with you in a minute.” Wiping his brow and hands on a greasy shop rag, he would shake your hand and ask what he could do for you. Oh, My! (Breathe slowly, please.)

In due course, you would hand over your AR-15, your sleek H&K, or maybe an Uzi or an AK type. Any one of three-dozen or so likely conversion candidates. Your investment was in steps: buy a gun, pay for the conversion, pay the tax stamp, and buy ammo & accessories. Workable money for most people. After months of anticipation and frequent high anxiety attacks, you would receive The Call. Your gun is ready, your paperwork has cleared, and yes, a case of ammo is being held for you. You had attained the headiest of all firearms acquisitions – your first NFA firearm.

Yes, there was almost always a second and a third, ad infinitum. Potato chips have nothing on these goodies for not being able to have just one. It wasn’t about addiction. It was the unending thrills …of the hunt, of successfully negotiating the morass of lawful acquisition, the expenditure of significant monies from a working man’s budget, the lawful ownership of that which many people aspire to and would never obtain, and the lawful and necessary commitment to becoming the ultimate gun owner. Thrill-seekers abound, because you got to shoot it!

Our motley Knights did not have the support of the firearms industry, nor of the proclaimed “traditional” gun owning public. (Yes, you surely detect my aggrieved sneer at the memory of those who looked away with distain. They didn’t “get it” about how important it is for Americans to own military firearms… Bless their hearts.) Many Americans including “traditional” gun owners just refuse to understand that the Second Amendment outlines that Americans have a citizenship duty to come to the defense of the nation, bearing the arms of the day (i.e. military weapons being used by the military of our times. See: M1, M14, M16.). Furthermore, we are to be fully equipped to take care of business and be fully trained. That’s not something you do after 3 days at boot camp with the first real gun you ever saw. Our Freedoms in the First Amendment stand on the shoulders of the Second. Without adherence and exercise of the Second, we got diddily, friends. Our American Republic becomes a toothless on-paper-only tiger and we can only cower under our beds and hope nobody wants a piece of us. While the idea of making these conversions and owning them in the early 1980s is discussed as “fun,” the fact is that martial enthusiasts have always coincided with free, strong populations.

The Knights weren’t schlepping hunting guns, or shiny engraved collectibles, or respectable vintage 6-shooters. What they worked on had mostly black finishes, often less than perfectly manufactured (to the point of ugly); and were the semi-auto civilian versions of business guns. Not even that mighty behemoth, the NRA, acknowledged either the converted guns or the Knights’ existence, until much later when forced to acknowledge their contributions …both good and bad.

In May 1986, the infamous statute 922(o) of the McClure-Volkmer Firearms Owners Protection Act took all the fun out of it. The door that was slammed closed hit the collective noses of future NFA would-be owners. (And undermined, desecrated and negated the Second Amendment for what has seemed like an eternity.)

The Knights of the Black ‘N Ugly Armories created some of BATF’s worst nightmares. They managed to “paper” some of the oddest items… as there were few rulings on what made each particular firearm an NFA weapon. BATF had to make it up as things rolled along as new techniques reared their ugly heads. Mired in a morass of arcane and hard to understand laws created by our elected representatives, filtered through decades of regulatory rulings and assorted confusing muck, the BATF and the NFA manufacturers were frequently adrift in uncharted waters. Various Class 02s declared everything from a shoelace used to convert a Mini-14 to buckets of unfinished FA sears as “machine guns.” There were few firearms experts at BATF and frequently they had to accept the word of the 02 manufacturers as to what made a particular gun a machine gun. Some items were papered simply to protect the 02 from possible BATF adverse action. If an 02 deigned to declare a gum wrapper or piece of tin foil as an NFA weapon, BATF had to accept it as such. This was not the free ride it sounds like. Conversely, if it could be used to do the deed, you had to paper it or risk the consequences of committing an illegal act. There was bickering, squabbling, hassles and the occasional integrity issue to be dealt with. No industry support and no free legal backup protection or rights organization protecting Class 03 were available. Some Knights knew what they were doing, some were wily, some were very good at their inventiveness, and some were butchers.

Collectively, our Knights produced tens of thousands of affordable, shootable, NFA Class 03 guns and hardware. Class 03’s will never be boring, same-same, or cheap to shoot. Once upon a time, these were cheap(er) to own. Now, alas, it is a rich man’s hobby. Due to the unholy aberration in 1986: Pioneering… MIA. Expertise… aging. Availability… mostly gone into some collector’s “Black Hole” – that’s “where guns go in and don’t come out.” Affordability… get serious. This is the laugh that hurts.

From our Knights came forth ingenuity and invention, progress and new design. They did everything the hard way. They sacrificed and they pioneered. Nobody financed the R&D. Projects gone awry, mistakes, false starts, dead ends, and losses were absorbed by them, not some giant conglomerate owned by foreign investors. They got their hands dirty and rarely made any real money for themselves. They crossed the lines drawn in the sand. They stood against the tide. Each Knight was on his own. As independent thinkers and doers, it should make it hard to throw stones at them now, yet people do.

I am no sideline observer to all of this. I can claim to be an eyewitness, a participant, a supporter, and a partner. I have labored on the Class 02/03 line since 1982. From the firing line, I occasionally still dance with the one that brung me, an RPB SMG M-1l/.380 ACP. I have shot more than my share of all kinds of guns. Trust me; cold dead fingers are not very useful with any of them. However, I submit to you that if it’s not black n’ ugly, 850 RPM or more with an 8 pound trigger pull, it’s not real shooting!

So if you own an NFA firearm or even its semi-auto counterpart, you likely need to thank the small, mostly unknown and unlauded, Class 02 Licensee. These are folks who carry the American Warrior Spirit within and forward. I applaud our modern Knights who are responsible for keeping faith with the Second Amendment and using their expertise, skills and talents to progress forward firearms technology, our military might and our civilian readiness. They are indeed the real traditionalists.

(Linda and the late J. D. Farmer, Jr. worked together as Hard Times Armory, Inc. now in Kennesaw, GA. Converting a considerable selection of semi-autos to NFA select-fires and producing suppressor and silencer designs, Mr. Farmer was the plaintiff in Farmer vs. Higgins seeking to overturn the 1986 ban. Linda remains in the business and continues to be infamous for her opinions.)

By David Gaboury

The UZI is known as a tough, tireless workhorse that never fails. While there’s a lot of truth to that, it needs good care like any other firearm. Out of spec parts or poor maintenance can quickly put your afternoon of fun on hold. Here are some suggestions to consider the next time your workhorse stumbles. Most of these suggestions apply to fully automatic or semiautomatic UZIs but you’ll find that replacement parts for the semiautomatic are harder to find and more expensive so there’s an incentive to repair rather than replace in that case. The three most common problems you’ll run into are failure to fire, failure to eject and failure to feed.

Failure to Fire

A failure to fire occurs when the round is fed into the chamber but the primer doesn’t detonate. Usually, the round will have a light primer strike on it. There are three possible causes for this. First, the open bolt firing pin, which is a small projection milled into the bolt face, may be worn or broken. This is an uncommon cause but if it happens, the firing pin will need to be welded up or the bolt replaced. Surplus bolts are cheap and plentiful so replacement is usually the easiest option. The firing pin on the semiautomatic UZI is pinned to the carrier and can also be replaced if worn.

Another cause is excess headspace. If the round doesn’t seat firmly in the chamber, the bolt will push the round forward rather than detonate the primer. Excess headspace can be caused by an out of spec chamber; but that’s uncommon. A more likely cause is a loose barrel nut. This simple to diagnose, simple to fix problem can easily go unnoticed. With the barrel nut tightened you should not feel any play in the barrel. If the problem is chronic, it might be due to the barrel nut catch being worn or the teeth on the barrel nut being broken off. Either part can be easily replaced. Remember to depress the barrel nut catch when tightening the barrel nut to reduce wear on both parts. If the problem persists, an easy cure is to put a rubber or copper gasket between the barrel flange and the barrel nut. Another rare cause of excess headspace is broken trunnion welds. If the welds that hold the trunnion inside the receiver fail, the trunnion will slide forward when firing the gun. Rewelding the trunnion should be done by a qualified gunsmith.

The final cause of failure to fire occurs when the bolt moves forward so slowly that it doesn’t hit the primer hard enough to detonate it. This is actually a type of failure to feed and will be discussed later in the article.

Failure to Eject

Failure to eject is also known as stovepiping. The first possible cause of failure to eject is weak ammo. The heavy bolt and recoil spring of an UZI require a heavier impulse to operate than a typical 9mm pistol. UMC and Remington green box ammo are notoriously weak and can cause failures to eject. If the empty cases are not ejected several feet from the gun, try different ammo.

If ammo isn’t the problem, take a look at the ejector. It should be level, tight and pointing straight forward. It’s riveted to the bottom of the receiver and if it gets loose it won’t firmly strike the back of the fired case as the bolt recoils reward. To tighten a loose ejector, remove the grip frame from the gun, exposing the bottom of the rivet. With the top cover and bolt removed, turn the gun over and rest the head of the rivet on a support,then hammer the bottom of the rivet until the ejector is tight. Once it’s tight, install the bolt without the recoil spring and push the bolt forward and backward by hand. It should pass over the ejector without hitting it. Performing this check with the barrel and stock removed will give you a better view of the ejector clearance.

If ejection problems persist, it’s time to check the extractor, which is the leading cause of failures to eject. The extractor must firmly grip the empty cartridge case as it strikes the ejector in order to generate the energy needed to flip the case out of the gun. Remove and clean the extractor, particularly under the claw, as residue buildup under the extractor claw will prevent it from firmly gripping the case rim. Also, clean the bolt hole that the extractor sits in. A .22 caliber cleaning swap works nicely for this. Residue in the hole will prevent the extractor from flexing properly. Before reassembling, be sure that you have the correct extractor in the gun. 9mm extractors are unmarked while the .45ACP extractors are stamped “45” near the back. They are not interchangeable and it’s best not to mix up semiautomatic and fully automatic extractors as the lower point of the extractor claw is removed on the semiautomatic extractor to facilitate feeding. When everything is clean, reassemble by inserting the extractor through the back of the bolt. Line up the long slot on the back of the ejector with the arrow on the back of the bolt. Reinsert the extractor retaining pin from the left side of the bolt. Using a small screwdriver, try to push the extractor claw sideways. It should require firm pressure but move freely. If there’s no tension on it, the extractor will have to be removed again and bent slightly. If nothing else seems to help,replace the extractor.

Failure to Feed

Failure to feed is the most difficult problem to diagnose because there are many potential causes. A failure to feed occurs when the bolt cannot forcefully strip the round from the magazine and push it into the barrel chamber. The problems fall into three categories: bad recoil spring, excess friction on the bolt, or misalignment of the gun’s components.

A weak recoil spring won’t impart enough energy on the bolt for it to feed a round properly. Recoil springs can get weak with use and it’s good to have a spare on hand; but it’s not a common problem. A more common cause of a spring related failure is aftermarket springs that don’t meet factory specs. Surplus IMI springs are cheap and plentiful so you should replace it at any sign of problems. The entire spring and recoil rod assembly should be replaced as a single piece.

A much more common cause of failure to feed is excess friction on the bolt that can come from several sources. The first thing to check is the gap between the bolt and the top cover. Use a feeler gauge (available at automotive shops) to measure the gap. It should be between .005 inches and .015 inches; preferable about .010 inches. If the gap is too small, the top cover will need to be bent to give more clearance. You don’t need any fancy equipment to bend a top cover; just a little patience and ordinary hand tools. The easiest approach is to flip the top cover upside down and support both ends with blocks of wood. Use a rubber mallet to hammer the middle of the top cover to put a little bow in it. Do it slowly and re-measure the gap frequently. If the gap is tight towards the front or back of the bolt, bend the frontor back of the top cover down. You can get by with a vise and a crescent wrench to bend the ends of the top cover. Be sure the gap between the bolt and top cover does not get excessively wide because it will allow the bolt to slide past the sear without depressing the trigger. That would cause a “runaway” condition and can be extremely dangerous.

If the top cover gap is okay, verify there are no other sources of friction by using the bolt slide test. This test only works on open bolt UZIs. Assemble the unloaded gun without the recoil spring, remove the magazine, put the selector on full auto and hold down the grip safety. While pulling the trigger, tip the gun forward then backward. You should hear the bolt slide freely from the front to the back of the receiver. If it’s binding anywhere you’ll need to find where it’s rubbing and correct the problem. One common cause of binding is trying to use surplus machine gun bolts in a converted semiautomatic UZI that still has a barrel restrictor ring. An IMI machine gun bolt will not have enough clearance and will rub on the top of the restrictor ring. If that’s the problem, the best solution is to have a qualified gunsmith cut off the top of the restrictor ring, leaving just the machined feed ramp.

If friction isn’t an issue, then the problem may be due to misalignment of the gun’s components. First check the magazine. Bent or cracked feed lips will cause misfeeds; so the easiesttest is to try different magazines. The original 25 round IMI magazines are the most reliablefor function tests. Another magazine related problem occurs if it’s held too high in the magazine-well. To test for this you’ll need to repeat the bolt slide test mentioned above, but do it with a magazine body inserted in the gun. You must remove the magazine spring and follower for the test to work. If the bolt rubs on the feed lips during this test, you’ll need to remove the magazine catch and bend it so the magazine is held in a lower position. Check several magazines before bending.

If the magazine alignment looks okay, the other potential alignment problem is much more serious. When the barrel is not properly aligned with the bolt, the round being fed into the chamber will not feed straight in, resulting in a light primer strike or the round jamming between the bolt and barrel. This type of alignment problem is most commonly found on guns built from Group Industries receivers (original Group Industries or some very early Vector guns that were on Group receivers) due to those original Group Industries receivers being somewhat out of spec. Additionally, the heat treating done by both Group Industries and early Vectors warp the receivers and they need to be straightened before assembly, occasionally resulting in misalignment. Straightening a misaligned receiver is not something you should attempt yourself so if everything else checks out on your gun and you’re still experiencing failures to feed, thebest alternative is to contact Vector Arms for their recommendation on factory repairs. Vector will do repair work on any brand of UZI and their customer service is first rate.

The simplicity of the UZI design will allow you to diagnose and correct most problems easily should any arise. With a minimal amount of care, this legendary submachine gun will give you a lifetime of reliable operation.

Resources:

UZI Talk Discussion forums
www.Uzitalk.com

Vector Arms
www.vectorarms.com
(801) 295-1917

by Warren Ferguson

Most shooters are familiar with the selective-fire Uzi submachine gun – battle winner and presidential defender. Now, the Polish firm of Lucznik-Radom has unveiled its latest Uzi-type carbine, the BRS-99. It’s Uzi meets AKM meets Autoloading Pistol and is an excellent product improvement over its originator, the Uzi. The BRS-99 modernizes the Israeli design to create a new weapon that fits the most stringent NATO specifications and police tactical unit requirements.

The BRS-99 comes down the line of several Uzi-type Polish submachine guns. That is interesting since the Warsaw Pact countries across the board had for decades been using AKMs and by the late 1980s would switch over to AK-74U (wz89) varieties of submachine guns.

Engineers from Z.M. Radom developed the Pm-84 “Glauberyt” in the early 1980s. It was blowback-operated and very similar to the Uzi. The forward part of the bolt wrapped around the chamber, the magazine fit into the pistol grip, and so forth. The Pm-84 was also constructed out of sheet metal stampings, making it easy and cheap to manufacture. Only the bolt, sear, hammer and the barrel required machining.

From the outset, the Pm-84 fired from the closed bolt and chambered the 9mm Makarov cartridge. The trigger mechanism sat in the rear part of the lower receiver and was controlled by a selector/safety lever located on the left side of the receiver.

There was also an inertia-operated retarding device in the lower receiver that reduced cyclic fire rate to about 600 rpm. A forward folding pistol grip (like the Pm-63) was fitted along with a retractable wire stock.

The sights had four setting: two for 75 meters (one open and one peep), 150 and 200 meters. Two handles located at both sides of the receiver loaded the weapon. Standard equipment consisted of a carrying belt, a canvas holster, magazine pouch and four magazines (one 15-round and three 25-round).

The Pm-84P is the 9mm Parabellum variant and therefore the bolt and construction is heavier. Submachine guns manufactured recently have additional layers of metal added to the sides of the receiver that partially cover the folding stock in retracted position. Both the Pm-84 and Pm-84P were offered in semiautomatic-only variants for police duty. The Pm-84P, as well as the newer and refined Pm-98, are used by the Polish military and will ultimately replace the Pm-63.

Who is Lucznik-Radom?

Lucznik-Radom carries on the excellent histories of Fabryka Broni Radom and Zaklady Metalowe Lucznik. Radom is known for its famous wz 1935 pistol and initially Lucznik-manufactured items for Polish military requirements and also bicycles and machine tools such as sewing machines.

Examining firearms from Poland, one will most often find them marked with the number “11” in an oval. This is the factory marking of Zaklady Metalowe LUCZNIK S. A., which is located in the city of Radom. Zaklady Metalowe Lucznik has been making Kalashnikov clones for many years and is now marketing weapons re-chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition under the name wz90 Tantal.

The Tantal is like the AK74, but houses a new trigger mechanism. The Kalashnikov selector switch is now used as a safety and a selector switch has been moved to the left side of the rifle with full-auto, semiautomatic and 3-shot burst settings. The improved wz96 Beryl has an optics mount on top of the receiver cover and an 18-inch barrel.

On the BRS-99, the Fabryka Broni symbol of an FB within a triangle is found along with the name BRS-99, the caliber, but no country of origin or importer. Matching serial numbers are located on the upper and lower receivers, inside of the top cover, bolt and barrel.

Why exactly is Lucznik-Radom selling military arms abroad or even taking the time to develop the BRS-99 semiautomatic carbine? This is because Polish authorities want to develop an export orientation, replace old equipment to ensure interoperability with NATO forces, open the Polish economy to foreign capital, and lead the way for the ultimate financial stabilization of Poland’s defence industries.

The Poles are actively trying to boost sagging arms exports and so the BRS-99 is part of that strategy. The number of countries embargoed by the United Nations has increased recently, and, along with the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, contracts for Polish arms have decreased and so there has been a shift in sales policy. To save one its largest sources of income, weapons have been modernized and made to NATO specifications. Meanwhile, Poland is in the process of legitimizing its arms industry and has worked to minimize black market weapons sales (said to be about 1/3 of all weapons shipments from Poland now) to meet Western ethics.

Poland is doing its best to move toward market liberalization and privatization, but many of its defence firms are large and employ thousands of workers. The estimated debt of the arms sector exceeds 1 billion zlotys or nearly one half of the value of the firms. Many of the largest companies have hovered on the brink of bankruptcy. Some analysts suggest that in order to survive, defence firms should generate approximately $80,000 in revenue per employee.

In the interim, Poland needs arms sales to pay its unionized and vocal workers. Lucznik workers in recent years have missed months of wages and have picketed the Treasury and Economy Ministries in Warsaw for more state orders for their products. Currently, Lucznik’s 4,000-strong work crew wants the government to order 15,000 rifles that can meet NATO military standards.

With all this at play, the end result is a willingness to make very good military weapons for the end user.

Why refine the Uzi?

One strategy Poland is following in lieu of large exports is to purchase licenses to manufacture Western equipment. This way, the national defense infrastructure and employment is maintained while gaining access to advanced technology. The Poles are also looking to improve existing equipment and so the Uzi is a natural starting point for the Pm-98 and the BRS-99.

You will recall that the Uzi came about during the 1950s in Israel’s primitive economy and arms industry. It takes a lot from the Czech vz23 and vz25 SMGs. Soldiers liked its compactness and the location of the magazine housing inside the pistol grip. By placing more weight over the chamber upward climb during recoil was reduced.

The weapon has natural pointing traits because the point of balance is directly above the grip. The Uzi magazine, an adaptation from Beretta submachine guns, is of the two-position-feed type. This makes it easy to load and minimum bolt energy is required to strip rounds from this type of magazine. With these excellent characteristics, why reinvent the wheel?

The BRS-99

The BRS-99 is related to the Uzi, but cannot be mistaken for one. The BRS-99 is grey phosphate finished and comes with a canvas hip/thigh holster and as such makes it useful for armoured vehicle crews where an assault rifle is too cumbersome. It also comes with a sling, cleaning kit, 15-round magazine and a magazine pouch with three additional 25-round magazines.

The magazines are Uzi type but lighter and support a last shot hold-open device designed into the carbine. This hold-open device itself makes the BRS-99 a superior improvement over the Uzi or even the MP5. Compared to an Uzi magazine, the BRS-99 magazine is cut and opened up on the left side, the follower has a detent for the hold-open device, and it locks into the pistol grip by a thumb-activated release, much like an autoloading pistol. The magazine release button can be applied in reverse for southpaws, and so the magazine has locking cuts in both sides of the magazine. The user can easily determine the number of rounds in the magazine by inspecting the view holes numbered 2,5,7,9,11,13,15,21 and 25.

The BRS-99 is a semiautomatic-only 9x19mm Parabellum carbine with a fire selector marked “Z” for safe and “P” for single shot. Unlike previous models, there is only one cocking handle and it is on the left side of the receiver. Upon firing, the empty casing is ejected to the right with considerable force due to its fixed ejector.

The BRS-99 has a plastic pistol grip with an Egyptian archer logo on it and a large plastic modular fore grip that can optionally fit within it a Lucznik laser sight, or an American Sure Fire L-60 tactical light.

The folding stock is made of wire but is actually more rigid than it looks. It is pulled out of the receiver and pivoted down until it locks. An AKMS-type button locks it. The stock is longer than the Uzi’s and therefore quite comfortable but not as robust. The butt is covered with non-slip rubber padding.

Southpaws using the trigger finger can reach the magazine release and hold-open device with ease, but not the safety. This oversight should be corrected if the Poles are serious in making a modern firearm. There is no provision for a bayonet on the BRS-99.

Unlike the Pm-84, there are only two sight settings on the BRS-99 – a notch for 75 meters and peep for 150 meters. The front sight is a post-type and it can be adjusted. The receiver is stamped sheet metal and the lower receiver separates much like that of the Uzi. The trigger/hammer/sear arrangement is clearly Kalashnikov inspired.

How does BRS-99 compare?

It is inevitable that the BRS-99 will be compared with other Uzi-type firearms. Even Uziel Gal, the Uzi’s designer, was not satisfied with the Uzi and looked to improve it. The main change would be to lighten the Uzi, offer closed-bolt operation as an option, and make it more compact. Add compensating slots in the top of the muzzle and you have the Mini Uzi. Even smaller, the Micro Uzi is too tiny to be useful by a military force, but two other Uzis are noteworthy.

A Mini Uzi variant is offered in 9mm and .40 S&W as the Uzi America/Mossberg First Responder Police Carbine/Individual Officer Carbine. The two are identical closed bolt carbines except for barrel length. What we have here is a Mini Uzi with a fixed stock for police duty.

The Ruger MP-9 was Uziel Gal’s latest vision for a lighter, more compact and enhanced Uzi. Gal (of URDA) contracted Canada’s Diemaco to work with him in the design of his new submachine gun designated the 201, or as it is unofficially called, the NEWZI. The complete design was finished at Diemaco under his supervision and a final set of toleranced production drawings, tooling, and prototype test samples of the weapon were produced.

This was a 9mm or 10mm submachine gun that had a low rate of fire, was holsterable and could be fired off hand with good accuracy. Diemaco worked for about a year and a half on this project. When military sales were not forthcoming for the UZI 201, the URDA sold the rights, tooling and technical data to Ruger, which now produce the weapon.

The MP-9 is fired from the closed bolt to increase accuracy. The lower receiver is made from Zytel polymer while the upper receiver is made from stainless steel. The buttstock is redesigned to fold and telescope.

With the BRS-99, you have the best Uzi variant. It is the lightest, has a hold-open device, is accurate due to its closed-bolt operation, is mostly ambidextrous, its magazines fall free when the magazine release button is depressed, and is designed from the beginning to be optically enhanced.

The BRS-99 grips are ergonomically designed, but a fixed butt stock option would be beneficial. That is because the stock is functional but nowhere as good as the Uzi’s. Perhaps the Poles can make a modular two-piece stock that goes over the wire stock?

The magazine-well of the BRS-99 is bevelled at the front, but the firearm would be improved if it were more flared. The magazines do not have side stoppers like Uzi magazines (but one rear) and so this could easily be achieved.

Considering the firearm in its Pm-99 form, its 640-rpm rate is useful and not wasteful. It seemed that the enhanced Uzis just kept getting faster and faster.

On the Range

The BRS-99 is definitely a curiosity at the local range and many onlookers wanted to see how it worked – somewhat unidentifiable short-barrelled military rifles can do that.

The double-column magazine loads easily and slides easily into the pistol grip. The safety is switched to “P” since the bolt cannot move otherwise. Grasping the cocking handle, pull the bolt to the rear and release. The bolt will move forward upon spring influence and load the chamber. This is a closed-bolt weapon with an internal hammer and so the chamber is now loaded and no dirt can enter through the ejection port.

For the test and evaluation, both Winchester 115-grain FMJ and Spanish Santa Bárbara 112-grain FMJ cartridges were used. During the test, there were no failures in this new-in-the-box test sample whatsoever. Each empty case ejected out the large ejection port and landed about 15 feet to the right.

When used as a rifle, accuracy was quite acceptable. For the test, four groups of five rapid shots were initially placed on target at 50 meters. These groups averaged 2.7 inches with both loads. The trigger was firm and consistent with every shot. The BRS-99 was then shot at 100 and 150 meters, where the 100-meter (109.36-yard) groups averaged 12.19 centimetres (4.8 inches). These results were, of course, using only the iron sights and so one wonders what is possible with the Lucznik laser and/or an Aimpoint.

The magazine follower operates a plunger that retains the bolt in the rear position when the ammunition supply is exhausted. Press the magazine release button and the empty magazine literally kicks out of the pistol grip. Inserting a fresh magazine and depressing the Hold Open Device brings the bolt forward.

Field stripping

The BRS-99 strips very easily. Anyone familiar with the Uzi or AKs can do it on first sight. First, the recoil buffer apparatus is exposed on both sides of the receiver where it locks inside two channels. To remove the top cover, move this “breech casing cover catch” forward and down. Pull upward at the rear portion of the top cover and the cover comes off where it locks in a slot at the front (like the AK). Press the breech casing cover catch forward to unhook it, and remove the spring assembly. Pull the bolt to the rear until it is free from its rails. Lift and remove the bolt. Press the barrel nut catch and unscrew the barrel nut. Draw out the barrel from the receiver. Next, only if needed, press out the connector/expander pin on the lower receiver that connects the upper and lower receivers. The fore stock is removed with a screwdriver.

One will notice the obvious features of a closed bolt weapon: it has a spring-retracted firing pin like a pistol and not a fixed firing pin like most submachine guns. The bolt handle is fixed to the bolt. The trigger group is responsive and reminiscent of the AKM.

Worthy successor?

The Uzi is without a doubt a great military firearm. Yet the Poles are hungry to put their Communist ways behind them and make great guns for the open market. For many years, unsavoury nations like Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea have been the main recipients of Polish weapons. For fear of a negative reaction from its NATO allies, Poland is looking to new markets (the Poles don’t even make 5.45x39mm ammo anymore). It also has a highly trained work force eager to maintain profitability during restructuring and privatization in order to keep their own jobs.

As a result, Polish arms are very good. With the Pm-99 and BRS-99, Lucznik-Radom has created a reliable and accurate firearm with the best characteristics of the Uzi. The Uzi is hence taken to its pinnacle, perfected and modernized to be the next generation of pistol caliber close quarters combat weaponry.

Additional color photographs of the BRS-99 and an MPEG video can be found at www.blackpowdersports.com/writer.htm. The author can be contacted at wfpaddy@hotmail.com.

by J.M. Ramos

The peak of the accelerating cold war between Russia and the United States and heightened terrorists activities around the world in the 1980s resulted in the formation of many new military arms producers, not only in the USA but almost every corner of the globe. Highly industrialized countries like Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy led the way in small arms development in western Europe. Among these old world countries, Italy can be considered the pillar and pioneer of arms developers in that part of the continent having produced weapons of war since the rise of the Roman empire. It is no surprise then that even after many hundred of years had gone by, Italian craftsmen still produce some of the most remarkable weapon systems for today’s modern centurions. Italy’s most historical achievement in the small arms field was no doubt the adoption of its Beretta 92F pistol by the US Armed Forces, beating all contenders the world’s greatest arms producers had to offer. While the firm of Beretta S.p.A. remained the flagship of Italy’s old world gunmakers, it was eventually joined by new and innovative companies that strictly developed and produced weapons for law enforcement and military roles.

In l982, the firm of Societa Costruzioni Industriali Milano S.p.A. (SOCIMI), a highly respected railway construction product developer and producer entered the field of small arms manufacturing. Having no previous know-how in the arms manufacturing industry, its first step was to seek outside assistance. In creating its weapon systems, SOCIMI took the expertise of veteran arms maker Luigi Franchi S.p.A. of Brescia and formed the SOCIMI group. There were three weapons developed and manufactured by the company namely the Model 821 9mm SMG, the AR 832/FS (7.62x51mm NATO) and AR-831 5.56x45mm NATO) assault rifles. These weapons were jointly designed by Franchi’s Defence System Division and Socimi engineers. All weapons are produced by three factories managed by SOCIMI namely the Binasco plant, Arluno plant and Sardinia plant. Both Binasco and Arluno factories are based in Milano while the Sardinia plant is located in Sassafras. Briefly, the submachine gun model was produced by Franchi S.p.A. until all the tooling are completed to produce the weapons at all three SOCIMI factories.

By mid 1982, SOCIMI completed the first prototype of their 9mm submachine gun. Tooling for producing the gun commenced immediately and production begun soon after. The production gun was designated the Model 821 and was offered for commercial sale in the early fall of 1983. At first glance the M821 closely resembled the famed Israeli Uzi submachine gun. When the Socimi SMG was introduced, the Uzi’s popularity was still at its peak, and the US secret service is still carrying it to protect the president. The battle-proven credentials of the Israeli gun was another factor that influenced the Italian engineers to create a shorter, lighter and more refined version of the Uzi that adapted to ultra-modern manufacturing technology.

The SOCIMI M821 design and operating principle is close to that of the Uzi submachine gun. The 3-position sliding type fire selector, the grip-mounted magazine catch and grip safety are all derived from the Uzi, as well as the wrap-around bolt, cocking handle and removable barrel system. It also retained the simple blowback operation and fixed firing pin ignition principle. Field stripping procedure is also the same as that of the UZI.

Despite all the similarities noted with the UZI, the M821 has some distinctive features of its own. Most notable of these differences include a side-folding metal stock, finger groove grip pattern, a heavy-duty recoil buffer system and a slightly different trigger mechanism incorporating a double sear arrangement for optimum safety. To attain maximum lightness, the SOCIMI submachine gun utilized machined light alloy forgings, instead of the heavy sheet metal stampings found on the Uzi, in the manufacture of the weapon’s receiver and grip frame, making the M821 about a pound lighter than the Israeli gun. This lightness also allows the weapon to be fired with one hand if need be. The M821 is also designed to accept laser aiming devices and a silencer by substituting a threaded barrel for the standard part. The M821 is ideally suited for commando units as well as urban and jungle warfare. Although the M821 was offered in the international arms market until l990, it is unknown to date if it has ever gained commercial success or was ever adopted by any nation. It is however a remarkable modernized version of the famed Uzi submachine gun that deserves a closer look and serious consideration by countries that are still engaged in jungle warfare or anti-terrorist operations.

The second weapon developed and produced by SOCIMI is the AR-831 assault rifle chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. Once again in designing the AR-831 assault rifle, SOCIMI chose to improve upon an existing popular design. In this case, the Armalite-designed Ml6 assault rifle was chosen as a basis. While externally resembling the US Ml6 rifle, there were some mechanical improvements incorporated in the AR-831 to make the weapon more trouble free when exposed to extreme climatic conditions such as mud, snow, sand and dust. Arguably, the weakness of the US combat rifle is its gas system, which is easily affected by entry of foreign matter. To make the Ml6 work reliably, the gas tube must be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that any obstruction in the tube is removed, allowing unrestricted flow of gas pressure in order to unlock the action during cycle of operation.

The Italian engineers at SOCIMI realized the shortcomings of the US service rifle and came out with an improved M16-type rifle in the form of the AR-831. The new rifle, which they developed in 1985, utilized an AK47-type gas piston, which is directly mounted at the top of the bolt carrier. The bolt and bolt carrier assembly are identical to that of the M16, as well as the recoil spring, recoil spring guide, magazine catch and hold-open device. The cocking handle and trigger mechanism are slightly different in format but function and connect in the same manner. The standard 20- and 30-round M16 magazines are used. There is a slight variation in plastic furniture design, as well as the angle of the pistol grip that is of finger groove pattern. The 3-position fire selector is derived from the original M16 and can only be manipulated conveniently by right-handed shooters. There is no bolt-assist incorporated into the AR-831. It is not needed due to its superior AK47 gas piston operating system. Additionally, the weapon is equipped with a gas regulator, which also controls the rate of fire, and also permits the use of grenades of various kinds. A folding stock variant of the AR-831 is also offered patterned after the Belgian FN FAL Para carbine. In the fixed stock version, the recoil spring is housed inside a large tube that also doubles as a connecting base for the plastic buttstock (M16-style). In the Para, the recoil spring is assembled inside the gas piston like on the AK-47 design.

In l987, a more modernized and streamlined version of the SOCIMI 5.56x45mm assault rifle was introduced. It was designated as the model AR-871. The new refined version is a selective-fire weapon using a gas-operated rotating bolt that locks directly into the barrel extension. The rifle is produced in various formats with a variety of fire selection systems, allowing semiautomatic or full-automatic fire, semiautomatic or three-shot burst or semiautomatic-only. The weapon retained the original straight stock configuration along with a long stroke bolt cycle that provided mild recoil. The rifle is light and rugged with majority of the components being made of light alloy forgings and hi-impact resistant polymer materials. Other materials are high tensile steel. The cocking handle is now positioned on the left side of the receiver frame. The original design had the cocking handle on the top rear of the receiver behind the carrying handle. The magazine release is now ambidextrous on the new version. The barrel is chrome lined and the muzzle is designed to accommodate grenade launching. Both the original AR-831 and the latest version AR-871 assault rifles can be field stripped quickly and easily without the need of tools starting with the removal of the rear connecting pin (like the M16) and hinge open the action to pull out the bolt and carrier assembly. However, it can be easily stripped in minutes (except trigger group) of its sub-components (buttstock, handguard, gas piston and flash hider groups) using only the rim and point of a cartridge as a tool if a more detailed cleaning is required.

The third and final weapon developed and produced by SOCIMI is the AR-832/FS assault rifle chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. Like its 5.56x45mm cousin, it shares the same basic mechanical design characteristics and materials in its overall construction. It is externally different from the AR-831 utilizing a conventional rifle sight rather than the hi-placement sighting plane of the M16 genre. The rifle has certain external features of the Para FAL rifle with similar folding stock and cocking handle positioned in the left side of the receiver. The gas regulator system is also a derivative of the FAL but with the combination of the Kalashnikov gas piston principle. The mating of two battle proven systems resulted in an extraordinary rifle with outstanding simplicity, rugged overall construction and very light weight with its light alloy and plastic furniture construction. Like its 5.56x45mm variant, the AR 832/FS is equipped with a gas regulator that controls rate of fire as well as providing grenade launching of various types. Field stripping provision on the 7.62x51mm NATO rifle is the same as the smaller AR-831. While full production of the assault rifle series commenced as far back as the later part of the l980’s, there is not much information as to how the SOCIMI battle rifles fared in terms of commercial sales or if any country has ever considered them for adoption. In examining the design characteristics of all the weapons developed and produced by the Socimi Group, there is no doubt that they represent logical design characteristics combining what has proven to work and making the best of it.

MANUFACTURERS:

SOCIETA COSTRUZIONI
INDUSTRIALI MILANO S.p.A.
Via San Calimero n. 3
20122 Milano
Italy
LUIGI FANCHI S.p.A.
Via del Serpente, 12
25020 Brescia,
Italy

Gemtech’s Mossad suppressor blends gracefully with the lines and proportions of the Uzi. Part of the reason is that the rear of the can duplicates the design of the Uzi’s barrel nut, so installation couldn’t be easier or more positive: simply remove the barrel nut and replace it with the sound suppressor. Part of the reason is that the suppressor extends back over the barrel to the receiver, which minimizes overall system length. And part of the reason is that the can is so light that it neither inhibits the speed of target acquisition nor adds to shooter fatigue. Clearly, such graceful integration with the weapon has significant functional as well as aesthetic merit.

Manufactured from precision CNC machined high tensile strength aluminum alloys, the Mossad has an overall length of 11.5 inches, a diameter of 1.38 inches, and a weight of just 12.5 ounces. Mounting the suppressor is very quick and requires no modification of the weapon. Simply remove the barrel nut and replace with the suppressor, which is locked into place by the spring-loaded barrel nut retention latch that engages the slanted teeth on the rear of the suppressor mount. This makes the Gemtech suppressors much safer to use than cans that simply screw onto a threaded barrel.

Performance

I tested the performance of Gemtech’s Mossad suppressor on a Group Industries clone of the Uzi submachine gun fitted with an FN bolt, using a variety of Black Hills Ammunition including 115 grain RN FMJ, 147 grain flat point FMJ subsonic, and a new specially designed submachine gun subsonic round that features a 147 grain round nose FMJ projectile. The standard 9x19mm subsonic round found in the Black Hills catalog features a flat point projectile with velocity optimized for pistols. This makes perfect sense because the vast majority of customers buying 147 grain ammo are agencies using the FMJ subsonic round as an affordable, ballistically equivalent training load to 147 grain hollowpoint duty ammo used in their pistols. This FP ammo is not desirable for use in submachine guns for several reasons. Since submachine guns have greater barrel lengths than pistols, conventional Black Hills subsonic ammo frequently generates a loud ballistic crack in subguns, negating the value of adding a silencer to the weapon if stealth is the goal. Furthermore, FP or HP ammo doesn’t feed reliably in weapons that feed like Ingrams and Uzis because of the abrupt feed ramps found in these submachine guns.

The new subgun ammo from Black Hills features a round nose for reliable feeding and a slower velocity for effective suppression in submachine guns over a more practical range of temperatures and barrel lengths. This new RN subsonic is not found in Black Hills literature but is being made available as a special service, and must be ordered directly from Jeff Hoffman, the president of Black Hills Ammunition. It is in stock as this was being written. This 147 grain RN FMJ ammo is highly recommended for all silenced submachine guns. (Contact Jeff Hoffman, Black Hills Ammunition, Inc., Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 3090, Rapid City, SD 57709-3090; phone 605-348-5150; fax 605-348-9827; URL http://www.black-hills.com).

I used a single lot of G&L 147 grain FMJ subsonic ammo for benchmark sound testing for much of the 1990s. It proved ideally suited for use in suppressed submachine guns in terms of projectile velocity, accuracy, reliable weapon function, and gracefulness when fired with a sound suppressor. This G&L round also works well in pistols. G&L ammunition is no longer available. Therefore, I began using the new Black Hills 147 grain RN FMJ as my subsonic 9x19mm reference standard when it became available in 1999. So that we all can get a feel for comparing recent with older research, this study provides comparative data using both the G&L and Black Hills subsonic 9x19mm ammo. Finally, I tested the Mossad with Israeli Samson 158 grain subsonic ammunition, which is used by the Brits for CT (counter-terrorist) operations and is imported into the States by Cole Distributing, Inc. (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 50271, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42102; phone 270-622-3569; fax 270-622-3757; URL http://www.cole-distributing.com/).

The first thing that impressed me during the course of the testing was that the Mossad eliminated muzzle flash and muzzle climb, and it cut felt recoil in half. Furthermore, I was gratified that the suppressor never loosened during the course of the testing, unlike some suppressors that I’ve screwed directly onto threaded Uzi barrels. I was quite pleased with the satisfying sound signatures produced by the Mossad with both vintage G&L subsonic as well as the new 147 grain RN FMJ submachine gun round from Black Hills Ammunition. I was flabbergasted when I used the formidable 158 grain +P+ Samson subsonic round, for I would never have expected this much suppression from a compact muzzle can on an open-bolt gun. Clearly the advanced baffle design likes the ultra-fast powder of the Samson fodder, for this round produced far and away the quietest sound signatures (see Table 1) and the best net sound reduction (see Table 2). In fact, using the powerful Samson fodder made the Uzi with Mossad quieter than the venerable MP5SD. It is safe to say that this is outstanding performance.

Why was the Gemtech silencer the quietest with the most powerful round? The answer relates to the nature of the silencer’s design. The internal baffle structures use asymmetric surfaces to direct gas flow away from the central core of the silencer and other structures to increase turbulence. All of this is pressure driven. The higher velocity gases produced by the Samson round actually enable the structures inside the Mossad to work more efficiently.

It is also noteworthy that the Mossad dropped the SPL of supersonic ammo to well below the international safety limit of 140 dB, above which hearing damage is likely when a person is subjected to impulse sound while not wearing a hearing protection device. There are certain tactical applications, such as the anticipation of opponents wearing aramid fiber body armor, where the more slender supersonic projectiles make more tactical sense than subsonic rounds.

Final Thoughts

All of these numbers are interesting, but what do they mean in the real world? In order to see just how stealthy Gemtech’s Mossad could be in the real world, I fired a pair of Samson 158 grain FMJ rounds into the ground followed by a pair of BH 147 grain RN FMJ rounds with the selector set to R for repetition (i.e., semiautomatic), while my wife and teenager were watching TV inside a house of standard frame construction. I was three armspans outside of the back door, and they were three armspans inside. Neither lady heard a thing, so I’d say that the Mossad is sufficiently stealthy for missions faced by the armed professional in the real world or by the private individual who is simply interested in some sport shooting without disturbing the neighbors.

Gemtech’s Mossad suppressor blends gracefully with the lines and proportions of the Uzi because it was designed expressly for this weapon. Its very light weight enables rapid target acquisition. The sophisticated baffle stack delivers plenty of sound suppression and outstanding service life. By selecting the right ammunition, the Mossad can make the open-bolt Uzi quieter than HK’s impressive closed-bolt MP5SD, while delivering a much heavier projectile at a much greater velocity. The Mossad virtually eliminates muzzle flash and climb, and cuts felt recoil in half. This sophisticated suite of outstanding features makes the Uzi an effective and stealthy tool for the modern tactical and sporting environments. I can recommend Gemtech’s Mossad sound suppressor with enthusiasm.

For more information on suppressors, contact Gemtech (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 140618, Boise, ID 83714-0618; phone 208-939-7222; fax 208-939-7804; URL http://www.gem-tech.com).

Gunsmith Stan Andrewski has been involved in several recent projects that are of interest to SAR’s readers.

First are the Uzi 40 rounders that have been appearing of late. These are adapted from the Argentinean FMK3 submachine gun. The FMK3 is a very reliable and interesting SMG on its own account, but that is another story. The Uzi 40 rounders that Stan is offering still fit and function in the FMK3 without any modifications, so they are legitimately “Pre-ban”.

I bought one from him at Knob Creek, and took it home to try. The magazine was robustly manufactured of steel, as strong as the Israeli magazines that were made for the Uzi. In our tests we had no problems whatsoever. Period. Uzis tend to be very reliable to begin with, some ammo sensitivity regarding truncated cone feeding, but still reliable. I have had some problems with various US manufactured aftermarket magazines, but had no problems at all with this forty round unit. The extra ten rounds does not take up too much space, and I would recommend these magazines to competitive shooters and LE alike.

Stan is selling these for $69.95 each, with discounts to $59.95 for 5-10 units, and $49.95 for 10 units plus. He has dealer quantity pricing as well. (Stan Andrewski 603-746-4387)

On another interesting note, Stan had some of the new forty rounders for the Colt 9mm SMG. This otherwise reliable system has been cursed with an original magazine that has a reputation for unloading itself if dropped, so my first test with these magazines was to fill them and drop them. I am sure that people thought I was nuts, filling mags, then dropping them, but – hey, it is something that we needed to know.

They worked out fine. These started out as Halcon SMG magazines, and will still fulfill their original function, as is, so there is not a problem on the “Pre ban” issue. The magazines are well made, robust enough for duty use, and filled to 38 rounds were perfectly reliable. The gentle curve of the magazines fit both the original magwell adapter in my Colt SMG, and the aftermarket ones that I have in other guns. Reliable, robust, and forty rounds that don’t unload at inconvenient moments. I was pleased with them. These are available from Stan as well and retail for $29.95 each.