IMI Micro Uzi

Like all other Uzi products, the IMI Micro-Uzi is named after the original Uzi designer Uziel Gal, who developed the first of his world-renowned submachine guns in the 1940s. This compact, lightweight SMG weighs a mere 2.2 kilograms and is only 250 mm long, with the barrel 117 mm long. This makes it only slightly larger than a standard handgun. It is basically a one-handed weapon, reduced in size as far as Uzi could manage while retaining all the features of the original submachine gun. It fires at a rate of 1250 rounds per minute and incorporates a 20-round detachable box magazine. Like the original Uzi SMG, it fires 9 mm Parabellum ammunition, though .22 LR, .41AE, or .45ACP are also available.

Launched in 1986, the IMI Micro-Uzi features the open bolt technology, which ensures that the bolt and associates components are held to the rear when the weapon is ready for firing. It also incorporates the blowback design principle, in which the bolt is operated by the energy produced by the combustion in the chamber and bore, negating the need for a positive lock between the gun's bolt and the barrel. Its sights consist of an aperture in the rear and a protected post on the front. The safeties on this SMG consist of the 0-1-30 trigger group and a grip safety on the left. It fires in safe, semi automatic and fully automatic modes.

The similar-looking Uzi pistol was first marketed in the United States by Action Arms in 1984. As with other of IMI's Uzi versions, the design for it was obtained from Uzi Gal himself when he moved from Israel to Philadelphia for medical attention. It was adapted to United States firearms regulations. Both the 9mm and .45 ACP versions were marketed, but the .45 ACP model was eventually discontinued. Then, in 1989, US federal laws defeated the surviving 9 mm version too, and it was taken off the market. Only law enforcement personnel, who favored it for its compactness and portability, used it.

The IMI Micro-Uzi, a fully automatic version of the Uzi Pistol, hit the American market in1986 as a PDW (personal defense weapon) for airborne and armored crew personnel. It featured improved sights and a ported barrel, as well as a wire-frame folding stock sheathed with rubber or leather to increase comfort during actual firing. Ever since its introduction, it has stood every test of time and capability and has been selling remarkably well ever since. In fact, its unique features have inspired countless other submachine gun designs. Its square, compact profile and silhouette lend themselves particularly well to depiction in action films, and it has featured in a number of Hollywood productions.

Despite the hype and aura generated about the versatility of this neat and deadly submachine gun, it is not suitable for battlefield conditions. However, this does not limit its effectiveness in situations requiring enhanced security. The Para Micro Uzi was recently developed by the IMI for use in counter-terrorist units and is still used by the Shabak (Israel's Internal General Security Service), the elite Isayeret andYAMAM (the same country's elite civilian counter-terrorism unit). This adaptation has certain modified features, such as a side-mounted charging handle that allows for the accommodation of top and bottom-mounted Picatinny rails. This allows for the instant fitting of specialized sighting devices like scopes and accessories such as tactical lights and laser sighting modules. It has also been designed with an angled pistol-like grip and can be used with a 33-round capacity Glock 18 magazine. This extends its utility by a considerable extent.

The Para Micro Uzi is currently in active service in many police, special operations and security units around the world. The fact that it is a mainstay of the US Secret Service has not hurt its remarkable reputation, either. In fact, the design is so popular that various BB-gun adaptations have hit the market.