School me on full auto Uzi's

[Bret]

I'm thinking about getting a 9mm full auto. An Uzi is at the top of my list. I see that some are available with registered receivers and others are available with registered bolts. Is there a practical difference between the two? Are there potential reliability differences? Is a registered bolt married to a particular Uzi or can it bet swapped between Uzi's? Price not being a factor, is a full size or mini better and why? Also, I see some IMI's and some Vector's. The Vector's seem to cost as much as the IMI's. Not being original factory, why?

[Ready.Fire.Aim]

I have a full size Vector, registered receiver. Built like a tank.
Get a wooden stock, makes for comfortable shooting.
I have a gemtech Mossad silencer made to fit on uzi barrel nut. Works great.

My experience is limited to the one gun. Ask your question on www.uzitalk.com. A very friendly website.


RobertRTG is best place for UZI parts and mags. I bought one of these 50 magazine packs years ago. As advertised has light rust but easily cleaned up.
https://www.robertrtg.com/store/pc/5...ST-14p2818.htm

Richard Hoffman at BWE in Florida is a good Uzi gunsmith in Florida.
https://www.bwefirearms.com/uzi-repair.html

Have fun
RFA

[JoshNC]

There are extensive articles on UZItalk.com that cover the various transferable UZI options.


If you want a full-size, you want a registered receiver UZI that has the bolt blocking bar removed. The bolt blocking bar absence is the defining “Machinegun” feature of a full-size UZI. Semiauto guns have a smaller I.D. for the barrel within the trunion, a different (larger) size hole for the retaining pin of the lower, different size opening in the bottom of the receiver for the sear, and the blocking bar. They also have a welded in place feedramp which is absent on most SMGs, but it actually is a benefit in feeding. All semiauto features except the blocking bar may be updated to true SMG spec after registration. There were many uzis improperly registered as “registered receiver” where the blocking bar was left intact and a full auto bolt was slotted to fit the block. This is an incorrect registration; the bolt itself is an unregistered MG and may not be permanently separated from the receiver.

So you either want a registered receiver IMI with the blocking bar removed or a vector/group industries registered receiver, as both are true SMG spec.

Re: full-size vs mini, the mini is definitely sexier. The only RR mini uzis are those made by vector by cutting diwnfullsize UZIs. All transferable IMI based minis are either bolt guns or a few registered sears. The defining “machinegun” feature of the mini is the recess on the bottom rear of the trunion that allows clearance for the sear engagement surfaces on the bolt (which protrude forward from the bolt.

Parts for the mini are not in plentiful supply. I would only want a vector RR, but aesthetically they lack the stamped ridges on the rear of the receiver, which bugs me.

As to converted IMI vs Vector, both are great options. The vector started life as a SMG and there is no question as to its provenance. There were some vectors that had issues with breaking welds at the trunion and rear of the receiver. These were apparently due to an issue with one of their welders. Any issues can be repaired by Richard Hoffman/BWE.

Good luck with your search. I have two Vector full-size UZIs and love them. The Uzi is iconic, has (for now) lots of spare parts, (for now) inexpensive abundant mags, can vary the ROF with different buffers, can add optics with top cover that has a rail, can convert to 22lr, 40, 357 SIG (why one would do this, I don’t know), and 45 acp. You can also use a 3-lug barrel to add a mp5 can or use one of the cans that replace the barrel nut. The Uzi suppresses so well, better IMO than any other SMG.

[eodinert]

Parts for the mini are not in plentiful supply, but a mini is made from mostly full size uzi parts... with the exception of receivers (which can be made from full size receivers) and top covers (which can also be made from full size top covers), the stock, and the bolt assembly, almost everything else is out of the full sized Uzi parts bin.

The only caveat I would say to owning an IMI mini with a registered bolt is that there is a 'lip' on the bottom of the bolt face (for a closed bolt registered bolt) that is very important to running in 'auto'. Most semi mini's had the lip removed. Some of the auto conversions had the lip welded back on, and it may break in time.

The cool thing about a registered closed bolt mini is that the top of the bolt can be modified, and the bolt will also run in a micro... so if you get a mini and micro SBR, you could move the bolt back and forth between them.

Registered receiver guns are good for caliber conversions, and the receivers are durable. If there is a problem, it can usually be fixed by welding.

[SteyrAUG]

Only things I don't see covered are, Vectors have better heat treating and will last longer than IMI originals.

IMO, registered receivers are better because then you can replace bolts which have a milled firing pin. You want the setup to be as close to a factory original SMG as possible. I prefer full size to mini's because of the slower rate of fire.

[Bret]

9mm is plenty cheap, but are there any reliable 22LR conversions?

[SteyrAUG]

9mm is plenty cheap, but are there any reliable 22LR conversions?

Bowers did a conversion years ago. They seem to be pretty hard to find.

http://www.smallarmsreview.com/displ...darticles=1118

[Ready.Fire.Aim]

If you can find a titanium bolt, buy it. Much lighter and speeds up the rate of fire on a full-size UZI to > 1000rpm.

A guy on UziTalk ( Joe at Subgun Ordanance) used to make them. I bought mine direct from him a few years ago.
http://www.uzitalk.com/forums/showth...hine-Gun-bolts

The higher rate of fire smooths out the gun and is similar to a mini-UZI.

(If you want crazy fast get a baby MAC M11A1, 30 rounds of .380 in 2 seconds).

[PatrioticDisorder]

Is there anyway to pin the uzi grip safety?

[JoshNC]

9mm is plenty cheap, but are there any reliable 22LR conversions?

Vector made the best 22lr conversion kit. Richard at BWE tunes up 22lr UZI kits and makes his own 22lr mags, which friends who like 22lr UZIs tell me are great. I’ve never fired my UZIs in anything but 9mm.

If you can find a titanium bolt, buy it. Much lighter and speeds up the rate of fire on a full-size UZI to > 1000rpm.

A guy on UziTalk ( Joe at Subgun Ordanance) used to make them. I bought mine direct from him a few years ago.
http://www.uzitalk.com/forums/showth...hine-Gun-bolts

The higher rate of fire smooths out the gun and is similar to a mini-UZI.

(If you want crazy fast get a baby MAC M11A1, 30 rounds of .380 in 2 seconds).

That’s neat. I vaguely recall seeing those on UZItalk. A longer buffer will also speed up the ROF, though it won’t quite get you to 1,000 rpm. I agree that speeding up the ROF is a must on the UZI. It drastically smooths it out.