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Well I have been working on this Uzi for a few years now. What started as a simple build (It really is like putting together a puzzle) has turned into a real challenge.
It started with a gun trade, where I ended up with a parts gun. I had always wanted a Uzi. They are iconic. This parts gun looked like a good place to start. When building or modifying a imported gun you have to follow several rules, so not to get yourself in trouble and build an illegal weapon. Mainly you have to have a certain number of US made made parts in your build. This can be easy or complicated based on your desires. I desired to use surplus Uzi mags. They are cheap, plentiful, and reliable. A US mag would count towards a few of these needed parts, making for a much easier build, but they are junk.
So I had to go a different route. Out of the gate, there were issues. The receiver on the parts gun was wasn't right. It wasn't straight. This lead me to getting a new receiver. No problem, it added to my US parts list. I had already ordered a sear and other parts, so it was a small $200 set back. Then I had problems with the bolt. This was a major setback. The bolt wouldn't fit the new receiver. It was rubbing everywhere. Finding a bolt took me a year. Only one supplier could be found and they were constantly sold out. I had a few leads on the used market, but nothing panned out. Finally a bolt came up, 3 actually. I quickly ordered one and when I checked after buying the other 2 were gone.
It was assembly time. It went together in a snap. I was off to the range and...problems. It wouldn't feed ammo reliably. So much for surplus mags, I thought, but I had a few and every mag, couldn't be bad. Still it wouldn't feed.
So I hit the web in search of a solution. There were many suggestions, I tried them all.Adjusting the top cover, changing the recoil springs, adjusting the mags, no luck.
So I bought a barrel. Sure enough that was the issue. I hope to get to the range this week and try it out, but it seems to be cycling correctly.
It started with a gun trade, where I ended up with a parts gun. I had always wanted a Uzi. They are iconic. This parts gun looked like a good place to start. When building or modifying a imported gun you have to follow several rules, so not to get yourself in trouble and build an illegal weapon. Mainly you have to have a certain number of US made made parts in your build. This can be easy or complicated based on your desires. I desired to use surplus Uzi mags. They are cheap, plentiful, and reliable. A US mag would count towards a few of these needed parts, making for a much easier build, but they are junk.
So I had to go a different route. Out of the gate, there were issues. The receiver on the parts gun was wasn't right. It wasn't straight. This lead me to getting a new receiver. No problem, it added to my US parts list. I had already ordered a sear and other parts, so it was a small $200 set back. Then I had problems with the bolt. This was a major setback. The bolt wouldn't fit the new receiver. It was rubbing everywhere. Finding a bolt took me a year. Only one supplier could be found and they were constantly sold out. I had a few leads on the used market, but nothing panned out. Finally a bolt came up, 3 actually. I quickly ordered one and when I checked after buying the other 2 were gone.
It was assembly time. It went together in a snap. I was off to the range and...problems. It wouldn't feed ammo reliably. So much for surplus mags, I thought, but I had a few and every mag, couldn't be bad. Still it wouldn't feed.
So I hit the web in search of a solution. There were many suggestions, I tried them all.Adjusting the top cover, changing the recoil springs, adjusting the mags, no luck.
So I bought a barrel. Sure enough that was the issue. I hope to get to the range this week and try it out, but it seems to be cycling correctly.
