The early-form UZI came complete with a wooden stock and these would only later be fitted with the better-recognized heavy-duty folding wire stocks of metal. In service, the type was issued to first- and second-line troops where, in the latter, its compact size was a tremendous quality to have. Vehicle crews could now carry a voluminous fire weapon and fire it from the confines of their vehicle. In 1954, issuance began to Israeli special forces elements who also quickly learned to appreciate the type's compactness. While generally regarded as a highly reliable weapon, the UZI did suffer from exposure to sand and like environments. Another limiting factor was its 200 meter effective range which restricted its use to more intimate encounters with the enemy.
The standard-length UZI sported a 10" barrel assembly with a 7.7lb overall weight. This was followed by the Mini UZI which carried a 7.76" barrel while weighing 6lb and saw introduction in 1980. In 1986 followed the Micro UZI, a more compact form with a 4.6" barrel assembly. Beyond this reduction was a reduction in overall weight to just 3.3lb. The Micro UZI was then improved in the UZI Pro of 2010 but this series only saw trialing by IDF forces. Civilian market forms also emerged in time including a carbine and pistol variant. Various law enforcement and security groups moved to adopt the UZI in equally-varying forms as well particularly during a twenty-year period spanning from 1960 until 1980.
The UZI was a far-reaching weapon in global terms so it was no surprise that several foreign concerns took to local manufacture of the type. This includes AG Strojnica of Croatia, NORINCO of China (unlicensed) and Zastava Arms of Serbia (Yugoslavia). Global operators ranged from Angola, Azerbaijan and Belgium to Turkey, the United States and Zimbabwe (see operators list for full showcase).
The UZI has been officially succeeded in the Israeli Army inventory by the "Micro Tavor" (detailed elsewhere on this site) compact assault weapon.
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