Action Arms Uzi Serial Number Lookup

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By Corey Sattler (Webmanager@olyarms.com)

UZI Carbine Action Arms Mod. B IMI 9mm 1980's import with Hard Case Description: Action Arms Model B IMI 9mm UZI 1980's import. Clean original rare 'pre-ban' Israeli made carbine complete with original hard plastic case see pic's small melted spots sling, 16' barrel, dummy barrel, Israeli 25rd mag, 32rd aftermarket mag, owners manual sn doesn't match gun and rare original IMI patch. Description: Low serial number UZI Model A for sale. Gun is in good shape and a collectors item with such a low serial number. The lowest serial number UZI listed here and the only model A. This is a true find with such a low number Model A. Comes the strap, 8 magazines, original military magazine pouch, orignal box (in bad shape).

So you want to know if you have a pre-ban or a post-ban receiver. You are not alone! This is one of the most often asked questions I receive each day. Even dealers don't know sometimes, and they sell firearms for a living! For that matter, I have talked to people who asked their local BATF agents what the determining factors are, and the agents were giving incorrect information! So what are the determining factors? Read on my friends...

A few years ago, our government passed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, more commonly known as the 1994 Crime Bill. This law 'restricts the manufacture, transfer, and possession of certain 'Semiautomatic Assault Weapons'.' (AN OXYMORON IN ITSELF, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.) So what, you say, is a 'Semiautomatic Assault Weapon'? The law (Section 921 (a) (30), Title 18 U.S.C.) defines it as so:

  1. Any of the firearms, or copies or duplicates of the firearms in any caliber, known as;
    • Norinco, Mitchell, Poly Technologies, Avtomat Kalashinikovs.
    • Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI, Galil.
    • Beretta Ar70 (SC-70).
    • Colt AR-15
    • Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, FNC.
    • SWD M-10, M-11, M-11-9, M-12.
    • Steyr AUG.
    • Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22.
    • Revolving cylinder shotguns, such as (or similar to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.
  2. Any semiautomatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of the following features:
    • a folding or telescoping stock.
    • a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
    • a bayonet mount.
    • a flash suppressor or a threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor.
    • a grenade launcher.
  3. A semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of the following features:
    • an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip.
    • a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip or silencer.
    • a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned.
    • a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded.
    • a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.
  4. A semiautomatic shotgun that has at least 2 of the following features:
    • a folding or telescoping stock.
    • a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
    • a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds.
    • an ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Now we all know that some of the features are already regulated by previous laws (E.G. GRENADE LAUNCHERS - THESE WERE CLASSIFIED AS 'DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES' ALREADY), and some of them make no real impact in the 'war against crime', but there they are.

  1. Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI, Galil. Beretta Ar70 (SC-70). If a manufacturer's books show a serial number as being manufactured on August 23, 1994.
  2. Action Arms UZI 9mm Model A IMI Carbine. 16 inch barrel (This is a Rifle and not a Pistol.) Early model low Serial number SA01832. Low round gun in collectable condition. Includes everything shown. Please ask questions BEFORE bidding. All sales are final. Please email questions.

Now you know what a Semiautomatic Assault Weapon (SAW) is, but how do you determine what it is you have or what you can legally buy or make? What is 'pre-ban?' What it all boils down to is when the GUN was built. Edward M. Owen, Jr., Chief of the Firearms Technology Branch of the BATF, has this to say:

'Semiautomatic pistols and rifles assembled after September 13, 1994, and possessing two or more of the features listed in [Section 921 (a) (30), Title 18 U.S.C.] are semiautomatic assault weapons as defined. The fact that the receiver may have been manufactured prior to September 13, 1994, is immaterial to classification of a weapon as a semiautomatic assault weapon. Additionally, payment or non-payment of excise tax is also immaterial to classification of a firearm as semiautomatic assault weapon.'

What he is stating is, as far as pre-ban and post-ban is concerned, the date of manufacture of the receiver has nothing to do with anything. If your SAW was built into a whole SAW, or in a complete kit form, before Sept. 13, 1994 (The Date), you are the lucky owner of a pre-ban receiver. If the gun was built after this date, or if the receiver was without all of the parts to make a SAW as of The Date, then it is post-ban. Let me give you a few examples...

  • John Q. Public bought himself an AR-15 receiver in 1988 and put it in his safe. In April 1997, he decided to build it into a rifle. Was it a gun before The Date? No... so he has to build it into a POST-ban firearm.
  • Mary Mary Quite Contrary buys an AR-15 lower from her dealer who purchased it 7 years ago, built it into a SAW 2 weeks later, and in January '96 tore it apart to sell as components. Did she buy a pre-ban receiver? Yes... it was a SAW before The Date.
  • Big Bob Bopper finds a respectable dealer at a gun show who is selling 'pre-ban AR pistol lowers.' The dealer says he bought them before 'the Ban' and registered them as pistol lowers, but never built them into anything. Are they pre-ban? No. Are they pistol lowers? Sure...just post-ban pistol lowers. As long as they don't have two or more 'Deadly Features' when they are built, they are legal.
  • Fred Foosball buys a complete semiautomatic assault rifle kit in August 1994, but doesn't assemble it until September 14th, 1994. Is it a legal pre-ban rifle. Yes... it had all (and I mean ALL) of the pieces to make a complete SAW before the ban. BATF accepts this as a complete pre-ban rifle.
    • Josh the Impaler purchases a Remington 1100 on July 4, 1994 in order to celebrate Independence Day. A year later, he decides that he would like a pistol grip and folding stock added to make it a better home defense gun. Is this legal? No. The shotgun was complete before The Date, but it was not a SAW before the date, and therefore cannot be modified to a SAW after The Date. Action Arms Uzi Serial Number Lookup

    All of this makes for some VERY gray areas. But we all must stay within the law as best as we know how. The basic rule of thumb to use is, if you are planning to buy a pre-ban gun or receiver, make sure that the person selling it to you can prove that it was built as a SAW (or in a complete kit form) before The Date. If he or she can't do this, don't buy it!!!!

    Many people also believe that a serial number can tell you whether or not a receiver is pre- or post-ban. This is not always the case. For example, if a manufacturer's books show a serial number as being manufactured on August 23, 1994, and also lists that serial number being shipped on September 3, 1994, is this a pre-ban receiver? Well, that information alone will not tell you. If the books only show when a serial number was made and left, we still don't know how it was shipped. Was it a rifle? or a receiver only? did the dealer who purchased it build it into a SAW before The Date? These are all questions that are unanswerable with the provided information, so don't go on these facts alone!

    I trust that the foregoing has been responsive to any misconceptions you as the reader may have about pre-ban and post-ban receivers/guns/regulations. Please pass this information on to your friends, neighbors, local gunshops, etc. The more knowledge we all possess, the better off our sport (and sportsmen) will be. Until then, play nice and shoot straight!

    About the author: Mr. Sattler is the Law Enforcement Sales Manager and Archival Records Manager at Olympic Arms, Inc. in Olympia, WA and has been with the company since 1993. He is also a Reserve Deputy in a small Southwest Washington county Sheriff's Office.

    This is abreakdown of all the parts that go into one complete semi automaticMini Uzi carbine. Notes about each part and differences versusdifferent versions of the Uzi will be noted.
    The numbers below correspondto the parts on the Mini Uzi carbine partsdiagram available on uzitalk.comhere.
    All items marked with a '*'indicate that this is a Mini Uzi only partand not interchangable with the full size Uzi.
    *1 - Barrel
    The semi auto barrel is 19'from the factory. A ruling made it legal to reduce this size to 16'which you might see with some Vector Arms produced Minis. The back endis smaller for fitting inside the restriction ring of the semi autos.
    Full Auto / SBR / Pistol. Thishas two angled ports on the front for compensation. The back end isonce again turned down for use in a semi auto gun with the restrictionring but factory SMG barrels do not have this and in place, have athicker band halfway down the barrel for a second support so the barreldoesnt move. See herefordifferences (photo credit Amphibian / C3junkie).
    2 - Nut, Barrel retaining
    The threading ontheseare M26x1.5. The Micro Uzi and Uzi Pistol are     M24x1.
    3 - Catch, Barrel Retaining
    4 - Spring, Barrel Catch
    5 - Front Sight
    The Mini Uzis all usedModel B sights, except for the Vector Arms guns made from cut downGroup Industries Receivers which use Model A sights.
    6 - Detent, Front Sight
    7 - Spring, Detent Front Sight
    *8 - Receiver
    Original IMI Mini Uzis hadreceivers that are instantly identifiable by the secondary 'ribs' onthe back end. The left side has one rib above the serial number areaand the other side has two. Guns made from cut down full size receiverslack this or else can easily be spotted as a re-weld because the rib isso hard to get perfect. The Mini had a variety of different stampingson the back to identify them. All Action Arms guns have a stamping onthe underside indicating that they are AA guns and their place ofimport and origin (PIC).The Action Arms Mini Carbine has an MC before the serial to indicate'Mini Carbine' (PIC). Mini Uzi carbine serial numberssrarted at 1001.The Mini Uzi Pistols that Vector Arms made were built on carbinereceivers but restamped to read Mini Uzi Pistol. They still retain theMC prefix (PIC). The rare'First Responder' carbine has a lot more stamping on it (PIC).As far as SMGsgo the original non-export IMI Mini was marked simply 'Mini Uzi 9mm'without any prefix in front of the serial (PIC). The standardopen-bolt Mini Uzi has an MU prefix (PIC). The closed-bolt Minihad an MU-CB preifx (PIC).Closed-bolt Minis were also made from semi carbines and can beidentified by stmaped out portions where the 'carbine' and MC prefixused to be (PIC).
    *9 - Swivel, Sling
    *10 - Handguard, Left
    11 - Screw, Handguard
    A few aftermarketcompanies use Allen bolts with an ugly bright gold/brass color to themso be careful.     Thread size 5-40.

    *12 - Handguard, Right
    13 - Nut, Handguard Bolt
    A few aftermarketcompanies use Allen bolts with an ugly bright gold/brass color to themso be careful.
    14 - Catch, Cover
    15 - Spring, Catch Cover
    16 - Rear Sight
    TheMini Uzis all used Model B sights, except for the Vector Arms guns madefrom cut down Group Industries Receivers which use Model A sights.
    17 - Spring, Washer, Rear Sight
    18 - Pin, Drum Windage
    19 - Drum, Windage
    20 - Spring, Drum Windage
    21 - Axis, Rear Sight
    22 - Washer, Lock
    *23 - Spring, Stock
    *24 - Pin, Connecting
    *25 - Folding Stock Assembly
    IMI produced twovariants of the folding stock. The newer design as a more flat backthat meets up with the rear of the receiver better. See pic here. The Mini Uzi stock issometimes used on the Micro Uzi but I have only seen one instance ofthe Micro Uzi stock being used on a Mini and it looked rediculous.
    26 - Screw, Cocking Knob
    27 - Knob, Cocking
    *28 - Plate, Slot Cover
    The semi auto hasmodification warnings printed on it while the SMG version does not. Youmay see closed bolt SMGs with the markings, but this is due to the factthat closed bolts were often converted from previous semi auto guns.
    *29 - Cover, Receiver
    The SMG version hasteeth and a ratcheting system to hold the bolt open upon firing thelast round. These can be used on semi auto guns by simply removing thespring and ratchet piece. Once again, you may seeclosed bolt SMGs with the non-ratcheting semi auto top cover, but thisis due to the fact that closedbolts were often converted from previous semi auto guns. Top coversthat were made from cut down full size covers are instantlyidentifiable by the recess over the ejection port. The real Mini topcovers are flat all the way from the front to back. See example here.

    30 - Spring, Lug Cocking
    31 - Lug, Cocking
    *32 - Bolt
    The semi auto Mini Uzi bolt doesnot feature the 'feet' of a full auto bolt. The semi auto bolt and theclosed SMG bolt are very similar but their differences can be seen inthese pics: 1/2. Please refer to thevarious sections on uzitalk.com, 'Bolts', 'FullAuto Conversions' and 'FullAuto Conversions: Mini Uzi', for more bolt specificinformation. The Micro Uzi / Uzi Pistol bolt can be used in the MiniUzi but please notice the releif cut in the top in the Micro / Pistolbolt seen here.
    33 - Pin, Extractor
    34 - Spring, Blocking Latch
    *35 - Blocking Latch
    The Mini Uzi features aslightly modified design of the regular Uzi's blocking latch. The Miniis slightly smaller. Thedifference can be seen here.
    36 - Extractor
    The semi extractor differsfrom the SMG extractor in that the semi is missing half of the 'claw'while the SMG version features a full lip to it. The SMG version can beused in semi guns for a better extraction without modifications. Thedifferences are evident in this pic here(    photocredit Amphibian / C3junkie).

    Action Arms Uzi Serial Number Lookup By Name


    *37 - Striker
    The open bolt Mini Uzi SMG hasa bolt featuring a fixed firing pin.
    *38 - Striker, Guide

    Uzi Serial Number Dates

    The open bolt MiniUzi SMG does not utilize a striker and essentially uses just a springrod as a recoil mechanism. See picture here(photo credit uzitalk.com). For a pdf of dimensions of this striker,click here.
    *39 - Seat, Striker Spring
    *40 - Retaining Ring
    *41 - Return Spring Assembly
    The open bolt MiniUzi SMG does not utilize a striker and essentially uses just a springrod as a recoil mechanism. See picture here(photo credit uzitalk.com).

    Action Arms Uzi For Sale


    42 - Body, Pistol Grip
    The semi aut Mini Uzicamefrom the factory with the markings 'FS' for 'Fire' and 'Safe'. SMGswould have come with the markings 'ARS' which stands for 'Automatic,Repetition, Safe'. 'AFS' marked lowers are lowers that were once semilowers that had an 'A' marked in. 'RS' lowers would be lowers made from'ARS' lowers to be semi and had the 'A' welded over. Hebrew markedlowers can be found but they most likely came from full size Uzi partskits. The first group (safe position) contains two letters -'NT'.It stands for the word Natzur. (Safe) The second group (semi position)contains one letter - 'B'. It stands for the word Bodedet. (Single).The third group (full auto) contains one letter - 'A'. It stands forAtomatit. (Automatic). 'DES' marked lowers are lowers that came off ofsurplus German full size guns and are not original to the Mini. Vectoruses these lowers with their Minis now that they have run out oforiginal and Hebrew marked lowers. The 'D' stands for 'Dauerfeuer whichmeans 'sustained fire', 'E' stands for Einzelfuer, which means singlefire (semi auto), and 'S' stands for Sicher, which means 'safe'.
    43 - Cover, Pistol Grip, Right
    44 - Safety Grip Assembly
    45 - Spring, Safety Grip
    46 - Pin, Catch, Magazine
    47 - Spring, Catch, Magazine
    48 - Catch, Magazine
    49 - Pin, Pistol Grip
    The semi auto pin is9mm diameter and the SMG is 8mm. The pin for the full size and MiniUzi is 1 3/4' long, while the Uzi Pistol is 1 5/8' long.
    50 - Cover, Pistol Grip, Left
    51 - Screw, Pistol Grip Cover
    Thread size 5-40.
    52 - Button, Fire Selector
    53 - Fire Selector
    54 - Spring, Fire Selector
    *55 - Sear
    The semi auto Mini Uzi sear isunique in that it only has one sear pad. The factory marked these with'MC' for 'Mini Carbine'. A full size carbine sear can be modified towork in the Mini by grinding one of the sear pads flat. See these picsfor the differences: 1/2/3.
    56 - Spring, Sear
    57 - Stop, Disconnector
    58 - Trigger Assembly
    59 - Spring, Trigger
    60 - Pin, Sear
    61 - Pin, Trigger