The UC-9 is a really interesting example of the market distortion caused by the 1986 Hughes Amendment. This is essentially an Uzi converted into a form factor than doesn’t look like a gun when folded up. It was designed (independent of the ARES FMG, incidentally) by one Utah Connor in the early 1980s. Only a few complete guns were made before the registration of transferrable machine guns was closed in 1986, but Connor did make “about one hundred” receivers and register them before that date. The project stagnated for years, with Connor periodically bringing a complete gun to machine gun shoots but not pursuing completion of the remaining guns.
Another man, Michael Shyne, encountered Connor at one of those shoots, and was taken with the idea of completing the guns – but his attempts to buy either one gun or the complete project form Connor were rebuffed. Eventually Connor passed away, and the new owner of what turned out to be 76 remaining registered receivers was happy to sell the whole thing. Shyne proceeded to complete the guns, and they were eventually all sold commercially.
Mechanically, the gun is basically an Uzi. It uses a modified Uzi bolt (the recoil spring is fixed to the front of the gun instead of extending behind the bolt), Uzi style grip, and standard Uzi magazines. However, it folds up in a clean rectangular package. When Connor originally designed it, he included a handle and fake antenna to disguise it as a radio. By the time Shyne made the guns available commercially that sort of things was laughably outdated, and so he suggested that it could be disguised as a laptop battery or external hard drive – which are equally outdated today.
For some reason, Century chose the same designator for their (plain) copy of the Uzi. I bought a pair of receivers last year and never realized there was an FMG analog of the same name.
Another American company destroyed by Wayne LaPierre’s Hughes Amendment.
A tragic loss for American consumers.
I am not so sure about that. Folding sub-machine gun is rather niche application. It might provide easier to hide package, but what about reliability and ergonomics, as opposed to compact sub-machine gun of that era, like Mico UZI?
Assuming Wayne LaPierre’s Hughes Amendment did never happen would be they able to succeed in 1980s market?
Did you see ARES FMG circa 1984, Tula’s PP-90, Magpul’s 2008-vintage FMG-9 prototype or Magpul’s latest briefcase gun. Magpul displayed FDC-9 and FDP-9 prototypes at SHOT Show 2022.
How big a market do you predict for a “briefcase gun?”
The intended market for these gadgets was the “professional protection” firms, who wanted concealable high-firepower weapons for VIP escort.
The “briefcase SMGs”, notably Uzis and HK MP5Ks, were not really a useful option. Terrorists and kidnappers soon learned to shoot the guys with briefcases first.
The major drawback to these folding weapons was the time lag in getting them unshipped from under a suit coat, unfolded, and shooting. While engaged in that legerdemain, the bodyguard generally would be shot dead by the assailant(s).
In the end, the answer was the Micro-Uzi. A closed-bolt-firing version of the Uzi only 28cm (11.1 in) long with the stock folded (or just removed), and a 1,200 R/M RoF. Carried concealed like a pistol, it can be deployed as quickly as one.
The Glock 18 selective-fire pistol is another option. Being a Glock pistol, it is essentially a “point-and-click” weapon.
Either one is faster and easier to use than one of these folding things. And therefore more likely to accomplish its mission, and less likely to get its operator killed due to deployment time lag.
cheers
eon
Both Micro uzi and Glock 18 suffer from the same “perfect for a gunfight inside telephone booth” ironic remark that was justfully given to Ingram long time ago.
How large a market would there be for an expensive novelty contraption that is also a machine gun? Larger than that for any expensive guns in America that are expensive on account of quality rather novelty value.
I’m sceptical of method trunnion is fastened to the receiver, with high volume of rounds I suspect receiver holes would eventually egg out, thus putting your valuable preban legal receiver in danger.