The Uzi submachine gun is one of the most iconic weapons in history. With its distinctive boxy shape and large magazine, the Uzi has appeared in countless movies, video games, and works of art. But beyond its pop culture status, the Uzi occupies an important place in firearms history as one of the first successful submachine guns.
First introduced in the late 1940s, the Uzi went on to be used by military and law enforcement groups around the world. Even decades after more modern submachine guns entered service, the Uzi continues to see use due to its simple and reliable design.
But the Uzi’s worldwide fame has led to misconceptions about how rare or common it really is. So how rare are actual Uzi submachine guns? Let’s examine the history and proliferation of this iconic weapon to find out.
Development of the Uzi
The Uzi was designed by Uziel Gal in the late 1940s with the goal of equipping the newly formed Israel Defense Forces with a highly compact submachine gun. Submachine guns differ from regular machine guns in that they fire pistol cartridges like 9mm Parabellum as opposed to larger rifle rounds.
This allows submachine guns like the Uzi to be much lighter and more maneuverable than regular machine guns. At just over 7 pounds unloaded, the Uzi’s compact size represented a major advancement for submachine gun design.
Gal based the Uzi on earlier Czech designs, most notably the ZB vz. 26 light machine gun. The Uzi still uses the same telescoping bolt design that allows the firing components and magazine to be housed in the shoulder stock. This bullpup configuration shifts the weight of the weapon rearward and allows for a shorter overall weapon.
After extensive testing, the Israel Defense Forces officially adopted the Uzi in 1951. It largely supplanted earlier submachine guns like the Sten gun and became a key part of Israeli military operations over the next few decades. The weapon gained worldwide renown after photos emerged of Israeli paratroopers wielding Uzis during the Suez Crisis in 1956.
Foreign Adoption and Proliferation
The Uzi’s success in Israeli service soon led other nations to take notice. One of the first international adopters was West Germany’s postwar Bundeswehr, which purchased Uzis in 1956 to replace stockpiles of WWII weapons. Other European nations including Belgium and Greece also purchased Uzis for their military and law enforcement needs later in the decade.
The Uzi was an especially big hit in South America, where the gun’s compact size and firepower made it ideal for jungle warfare and counterinsurgency. Colombia purchased significant numbers of Uzis in the 1960s to arm special forces units against communist guerillas. Nearby Venezuela and Bolivia similarly purchased Uzis for counterinsurgency use.
The Uzi also became popular with VIP protection teams assigned to guard politicians and dignitaries. America’s Secret Service adopted the Uzi as standard issue in the 1960s, using compact models that could be concealed under jackets or in briefcases. Uzi sales skyrocketed in the 1970s and 80s as over 90 countries purchased the submachine gun for military, law enforcement, or security needs.
Uzi Variants
One key reason for the Uzi’s widespread popularity was the wide range of variants offered. The original Uzi was chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, but Uzi models were soon offered for other popular pistol cartridges. The .22 LR Mini Uzi provided a low-recoil training version, while the .45 ACP Uzi offered increased stopping power. A .41 AE Uzi was also marketed but failed to gain sales traction.
Barrel lengths also varied between models. The most common version had a 265 mm barrel, but shorter 140 mm and 179 mm barrels could be special ordered. Longer barrels up to 400 mm were also available for users wanting higher bullet velocity and accuracy. Some variants paired longer barrels with a wooden foregrip to serve as a more stable shooting platform.
For truly covert use, Uzi manufacturers offered “briefcase” style guns with detachable stocks that allowed the Uzi to be fired one-handed. A fairly rare variant called the Uzi Pistol even omitted the shoulder stock entirely, essentially turning the Uzi into a machine pistol. These customized variants ensured steady sales from both military and law enforcement buyers.
Uzi Production Numbers
Given the Uzi’s widespread proliferation across almost five decades, it’s difficult to pin down exact production numbers. But estimates generally put total worldwide production between 10 to 15 million units. For context, that approaches the production run of the AK-47, the most popular assault rifle in history.
The majority of Uzis were produced by the Israel Military Industries (IMI) company in Israel. IMI made over 10 million Uzis between 1951 and 2008 before ceasing production. Israel exported most of these, keeping only a small number for their own forces.
Licensed and unlicensed Uzi copies were also manufactured worldwide. Early licensed production was carried out in Belgium and Germany. Unlicensed copies later emerged in southeast Asia, South America, and other regions. While less carefully manufactured, these clones functionally mimicked the original Uzi’s design.
Domestically, the Uzi was manufactured under license by the RM Arms company starting in 1983. About 395,000 legally-made Uzi and Mini Uzi style weapons were produced in the United States before the ban on assault weapons in 1994.
Uzi Use in Crime and Conflict
While intended as a military and law enforcement weapon, the Uzi’s status as an icon of violence soon led to its use by criminals and insurgent groups. Uzis began appearing on the international arms market in the 1960s, often exported from Israel. The weapons ended up in the hands of both drug cartels and leftist guerilla groups throughout South America.
In the United States, the Uzi became a status symbol for gang members involved in the illegal drug trade. The Hawaiian organized crime group known as the Company imported Uzis to enforce its marijuana trafficking operations in the 1960s and 70s. Detectives in Detroit and Los Angeles reported seizing numerous Uzis from drug distributors during this period.
Uzis linked to Middle Eastern arms dealers also made their way to fighters in African conflicts. Child soldiers wielding Uzis became a disturbingly common sight during the horrific civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. More recently, Uzis were spotted in the hands of both ISIS fighters and Kurdish militias battling in northern Iraq.
While the Israeli government has worked to crack down on the illicit trade of Uzis, their iconic profile continues to make them desirable on the black market. In 2020, an interstate gun trafficking ring was broken up in New Jersey after selling several Uzis to gang members. However, groups focused on violence continue to covet the Uzi’s compact firepower.
Uzi Prices and Availability Today
For collectors and recreational shooters, Uzis remain highly desired firearms. But how easy is it to actually purchase one in the United States today?
After the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, civilian transfer of post-ban Uzi and Mini Uzi models manufactured after that date was prohibited. This law expired in 2004, but some states like California maintain an assault weapons ban that includes the Uzi.
For residents of most states, pre-ban Uzis and Mini Uzis can be purchased after submitting to a background check. Full auto “machine gun” versions can also be owned with an appropriate Class 3 license. Such credentials are difficult and time-consuming for civilians to obtain.
On sites like GunBroker, working semi-auto Uzis tend to auction for $4,000 to $6,000 depending on condition, model, and included accessories. Fully automatic versions easily fetch over $10,000 at auction. Mini Uzis demand a 10-20% premium over standard models.
Compared to other submachine guns, the Uzi’s high name recognition tends to give it a price boost among collectors. More obscure guns like the MAC-10 can sometimes be found for several hundred dollars less. However, the Uzi remains highly desired due to its iconic profile in action films and other media.
Conclusions
When examining total worldwide production, the Uzi is clearly not an ultra-rare firearm on par with prototypes and one-offs. Millions were manufactured and exported around the globe, ensuring the Uzi’s place in small arms history.
For gun collectors today, the prices and legal restrictions around purchasing Uzis put them firmly in the realm of “uncommon” firearms. While not extraordinarily scarce, Uzis are certainly less accessible and more expensive than typical rifles and handguns. Fully automatic versions are genuinely quite rare in the civilian world.
The Uzi’s media reputation as a gun constantly seen in the hands of criminals and insurgents also overstates its real-world use in conflict zones today. While still present on the black market, the Uzi has largely been eclipsed by cheaper and more modern designs.
So while not as elusive as a 19th century pepperbox pistol or a 1776 flintlock, the Uzi is still an uncommon sight among civilian gun enthusiasts. For better or worse, the Uzi’s compact size and rapid fire rate make extensive ownership among the public unlikely. Those who wish to handle this iconic submachine gun may have to settle for airsoft replicas and video game depictions.