The Uzi is a family of guns that started with a compact, boxy, and lightweight submachine gun. It is made mostly of stamped sheet metal and has relatively few parts, making it easy to strip for maintenance and making it less expensive per unit to manufacture than an equivalent design machined from forgings.The Uzi is generally a highly effective weapon, and has been found especially useful for mechanized troops needing a compact weapon, as well as for infantry units clearing bunkers and other confined spaces.