Getting To Know The Century Arms UC-9 Carbine

Back when the Thompson and Reising submachine guns were Government Issue, combat troops of World War Two used to double their capacities by taping two twenty round stick magazines together. When one was empty, it was ejected, flipped end for end and the loaded mag installed. Before one of our readers with military experience and actual combat jumps all over me regarding 50 and 100 round drum magazines, I admit to knowing of them. I further know fifty round drums were seldom worn by Thompsons.

They were too heavy, too bulky and rattled too much. The same was doubly true of the hundred round drums. Despite these problems both types of drum magazines became very popular on the streets of Chicago during the Prohibition years, earning the Thompson aliases such as the "Chicago Typewriter" or "Chopper." I’ve never seen a Reising wearing a drum magazine but two 20 round or, later, 30 round sticks come close to exceeding, or actually did exceed, the drums. Both SMGs were formidable weapons.

It has been said that a drum-equipped Thompson or two could equal a nine man rifle squad at the point or bringing up the rear of a column on the move. No, the Century Arms UC-9 Carbine isn’t a SMG. It doesn’t fi re from an open bolt and it can’t be modifi ed do so. Nor are drum magazines housing 9mm ammunition available or produced for it. What does That’s pretty mean protection. arrive with each UC-9 are two stick magazines capable of comfortably packing 32 rounds each.

Taping those two together like the WW II GI did equals 64 rounds. Backing that 64 up with two more magazines configured the same way results in a readily available 128 rounds! See what I mean about more fi repower? Besides lacking open bolt operation, the semi-automatic UC-9 has something I’ve never seen on any gun that was capable of full auto fi re—a grip safety. Right about now I imagine at least one person reading this is has a question. Unknown Reader: "Justa daggon minute, Mr. Technical Editor.

How about a M1911A1?!?" Technical Editor Response: You have kind of a point there, Unknown. The M1911A1 can and has gone full auto but only after its hammer/sear engagement angles have been so overworked that sear bounce sets in as soon as the first round is away. Then there’s nothing to stop the remaining six or more from following it out faster than an exotic dancer can unsnap her G-string. Enough of such hedonistic images.

However vivid, they merely delay the task of field stripping the UC-9 and getting to business. Field Stripping The safety is located on the left side of the receiver and clearly marked with the letter "S." Move the safety thumb piece to align with that letter. At the bottom of the pistol grip is a serrated lever. It’s the magazine

catch. Press in on it then pull the magazine down and out of the grip. The cocking knob is on the top of the receiver. Retract it enough to confirm the chamber is empty. If you haven’t already, put on your eye protection. Depress the barrel catch (3) and unscrew the barrel nut (1). Pull the barrel forward and out of the receiver assembly (8). Note how the flats on the stop lug (mid barrel) and the flats on the threaded lug on the front end of the receiver are oriented. Remember it.

To remove the receiver cover (28), hold it down as you depress the cover catch (13) extending from the front of the rear sight. Lift the cover upward and off the carbine. Pull the bolt assembly (parts 19-34) to the rear a short distance. Pull it along with the striker assembly up, then forward, to remove both from the receiver. The action (recoil) spring assembly (32) is separated from the bolt assembly to the rear. Do not remove the striker spring (33).

The UC-9 is now reduced to its seven major components: Barrel, barrel retaining nut, receiver body, receiver cover, bolt assembly, striker assembly and recoil spring assembly. It is ready for a thorough cleanup if necessary—and it most likely will be. Detailed Disassembly In any gun that hasn’t been attended to as often as it should, the trigger mechanism is most likely to need cleaning. To remove it, drive the trigger housing pin (50) left to right and all the way through the housing.

Grasp the pistol grip then swing it downward and forward to separate it from the receiver. The extractor pin (20) is located in the bolt (19). Drift the pin from left to right then push the extractor (21) forward to remove it. Loosen the two hand guard screws (10) from their lock nuts (12) to free up both hand guards (11 and 9). Move on to the cover sub-assembly. Unhook the rear loop of the cocking spring (29).

Back out the operating handle screw (25) to release the handle (26), slot cover (27), cocking lug (30) and spring. Set them aside. Undo the two pistol grip screws (51) then pull off the left and right grips (52 and 58). The striker (24) should be in its forward position before you address the trigger mechanism. To assure that’s the case, move the safety switch to its "F" position and pull the trigger. Take some time out. Commit how the sear (38), sear spring (37) and trigger interface to memory.

Only then, drift the sear pin (44) left to right and out of the housing A

(46). Separate the spring from the sear by disengaging the two rear ends of the spring. Follow this by pressing the front end of the trigger spring (41) down and away from the disconnector (40) to relieve any pressure on the latter part. Drift the trigger pin (45) and disconnector pin (39) out of the housing from left to right. At this point, the trigger, sear, disconnector, sear spring, trigger spring and all associated pins should have been removed from the trigger mechanism.

Now for the grip safety (57) and spring (56). You have to remove the safety from the grip by inserting a small blade screwdriver to compress the spring enough to disengage it from the safety before lifting the grip safety (57) upward and out of the grip. Let up slowly on the spring before removing it to the rear. A pin drift is the tool to work with when pushing out the magazine catch pin (55). The catch spring (54) and catch (53) are likely to fall from the magazine well once the pin has cleared the way.

Be ready to capture them. The safety selector (47) should be in its "F" position with the trigger pulled for the next step. Insert the The trigger housing pin has been removed while the grip safety remains installed. blade of your small screwdriver or similar instrument under the selector button (49) and into the selector receiver groove. Carefully pry upward until both selector and button have disengaged the groove.

Use the same tool to press inward on the selector spring (48) and lift it from the A When the upper one is exhausted, the unit is extracted from the grip, inverted and the fully loaded lower magazine inserted. With practice, elapsed time can be less than two seconds. Dpistol along with the other related components. The UC-9 is available with a nonfolding, wooden stock. Most, if not all being shipped, have a collapsible metal stock like the carbine I received. The wood-stocked UC- 9, which is equipped with a butt

Century Arms UC-9 (Speci cations subject to change without notice) 1 Barrel Nut 2 Barrel 3 Barrel Retaining Catch 4 Barrel Catch Spring 5 Front Sight 6 Front Sight Detent 7 Front Sight Detent Spring 8 Receiver Assembly 9 Left Handguard 10 Handguard Screws (2x) 11 Right Handguard 12 Handguard Nut (2x) 13 Cover Catch 14 Rear Sight 15 Rear Sight Spring 16 Stock Connecting Nut 17 Cover Catch Spring 18 Rear Sight Nut 19 Bolt 20 Extractor Pin 21 Extractor 22 Firing Pin 23 Firing Pin Retainer 24 Striker 25 Operating Handle Screw 26 Operating Handle 27 Slot Cover 28 Receiver Cover 29 Cocking Lug Spring 30 Cocking Lug 31 Firing Pin Retaining Pin 32 Return Spring Assembly 33 Striker Spring 34 Bu er Block 35 Stock Screw 36 Folding Stock Assembly 37 Sear Spring 38 Sear 39 Disconnector Pin 40 Disconnector 41 Trigger Spring 42 Trigger 43 Rear Sight Screw 44 Sear Pin 45 Trigger Pin 46 Trigger Housing 47 Safety Selector 48 Safety Selector Spring 49 Safety Selector Button 50 Trigger Housing Pin 51 Handguard Screw (2x) 52 Left Grip Panel 53 Magazine Catch 54 Magazine Catch Spring 55 Magazine Catch Pin 56 Grip Safety Spring 57 Grip Safety 58 Right Grip Panel 59 Magazine Base 60 Magazine Body 61 Follower 62 Base Catch 63 Magazine Spring

latch stud, requires you to depress the latch stud and detach the stock from the receiver. A folding metal butt isn’t quite that simple when fresh from the factory. There is a possibility that separating it from the receiver will loose a stream of invective from your mouth. The owner’s manual instructions are to depress the release button just aft of the receiver on the left side of the stock. Lots of luck!

I found that button defi ed all efforts to push inward, rotate the stock down and access the stock screw (35) that firmly attaches the stock to the receiver. Though the UC-9 folding stock is made of stern stuff, I hesitated to bring a heavy hammer to bear on the problem. I chose instead a light, plastic headed one and tapped the stubborn release button three times. Whatever was seizing it stuck let go on the third tap.

A drop of good gun oil was injected around the head of the button to prevent future jamming and I went on with the disassembly. This meant backing out the stock screw which seats in the stock connecting nut (16) that has a home in the receiver buffer block (34). Once the screw is out, the butt catch in front of the stock can be removed to the front. I didn’t find it necessary to fuss with the catch. Above and The grip safety lever is at (A). You’re not quite done.

There are still the rear sight, cover catch and barrel catch to deal with. Loosen the rear sight nut (18) then back out the rear sight screw (43). Reattach the nut to the screw to avoid losing both. Remove the rear sight (14) but leave its curved spring (15) which has to stay put for the moment. Prevent the spring’s loss once the sight has been taken away by placing your small screwdriver blade against the front rim of the spring. Exert light pressure to the rear.

What you want to Ado is cause a slightly higher "hump" in the spring. Gradually ease your pressure. The cover catch (cocking lug, part 30) will disengage to the front. It’s OK to remove it, along with its coiled spring and the rear sight spring. This leaves the barrel catch (3) and its spring (4) behind but not for long. The barrel should already be off of the carbine along with the barrel nut. The catch extends out from under the front sight. Insert your blade screwdriver into the catch cut-out.

Carefully press down and lever the catch forward. Out it slides with the spring not far behind—if you’re lucky. If you’re not, the spring will have to be captured before it fl ies away. I didn’t fi re the UC-9. Admittedly, with the double stick mags full and installed it probably can’t be considered a real lightweight. The trigger was a little stiff as well but this will lessen after a few hundred rounds have been run through.

Since I consider the primary purpose of this carbine to be a defensive in-home firearm, I personally found the UC-9 trigger rather reassuring. Light hits and the risk of no ignition have no place within a personal protection weapon. AG