Hobbies And Interests
Uzi Characteristics
The Uzi carbine has a barrel length of 16.1 inches and an overall length of 31.5 inches with the stock fully extended. Under the auspices of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the minimum barrel length for a weapon to be considered a rifle is 16 inches with an overall weapon length of at least 26 inches.
Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act
In 1989, California implemented section 12276 of the California penal code, which identified rifles considered assault weapons by their specific model and manufacturer. The Uzi carbine manufactured by Israeli military industries was listed as an assault rifle and the owners of such weapons were required to either register or surrender their weapons by March 31, 1992.
Expansion of Penal Code 12276
Penal code12276 identified assault weapons solely by the manufacturers and the specific models of the weapons. This loophole resulted in the introduction of rifles onto the marketplace that were similar to those defined as assault weapons, but were produced by a non-listed manufacturer.These discrepancies led to the introduction of penal code 12276.1, which expands the definition to include certain general characteristics. Rifles with these characteristics are considered category three assault weapons.
Category 3 and the Uzi
Under the definition of category three assault weapons, the Uzi carbine and all clones of the rifle, rifles built on the specifics of the original Uzi by a different manufacturer, are considered assault rifles on four counts. The weapon's ability to accept large capacity magazines, the pistol grip that is part of its design and the folding stock are all physical characteristics that fall under category three. Additionally any rifle with an overall length of less than 30 inches is considered an assault rifle; when the stock is folded, the rifle has an overall length of 24 inches.