Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The LUSA submachine gun, developed by Portugal’s INDEP in 1983, blended design elements from the HK MP5 and Uzi. Though utilizing the MP5’s trigger housing, it simplified the internals with a straight blowback action and welded bolt/carrier unit. Notable features included quick-change barrels and ambidextrous controls, though it lacked a bolt hold-open device. When INDEP ended production in 1992 after limited adoption, the design found new life in America. In 2004, three U.S. businessmen purchased the manufacturing rights and tooling, forming LUSA USA. The company produced several civilian variants including the Model 94 carbine with 16-inch barrel and faux suppressor, the SP89 pistol, and the A3 short-barreled rifle. Though well-made, the LUSA’s proprietary 30-round magazines (recommended to load with 28 rounds for reliable insertion) proved a limitation. Production ceased in 2011 due to costs, but the design influenced the later NiteScout carbine, which addressed some limitations by adopting Uzi magazines and MP5-style controls.
“Manufacturer: Lusa USA
Model: SGS
Type: Rifle
Gauge: 9 mm
Barrel: 16 1/2 inch round
Finish: black
Stock: metal”
Lot 294: Lusa USA Model SGS Semi-Automatic Carbine. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2080/294/lusa-usa-model-sgs-semiautomatic-carbine.
Writer | TheFirearmBlog
Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.
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