IWI Archives

Introduction

Few firearms have the fame of the popular Kalashnikov AK-47, but today we are bringing you a review of a more modern rifle. The Galil Ace Gen 2 takes the robust and reliable design of the famous AK to a more modern level. Join us as we analyze the IWI second generation Galil chambered in 5.56 Nato.

the Galil Ace kitted with the **Eotech Vudu 1-6**

Specifications

Left-Side Thumb Safety Selector
Right-Side AK Styled Safety Selector
Folding Mechanism with AR-15 Receiver Extension Compatible Stocks/Braces
Free-Floating Cold Hammer Forged sixteen-inch 1:7 twist Barrel
Left-Side Dust Covered Charging Handle
Standard 1/2×28 or 5/8×24 Barrel Threading
Handguard QD and and Stock/Brace QD Sling Sockets
Long-stroke gas piston
Last-round bolt capture
5.56 Nato Stanag magazine
Eight pounds twelve ounce weight
Eighteen-inch optics mounting rail.
Free-Floated M-Lok handguard
Thirty-six to thirty-nine in overall length

Background

The original Galil was designed for the Israeli Defense Forces more than fifty years ago. A service rifle that borrowed heavily from the AK-47, but also incorporated better designs and more modern service cartridges to improve the performance of the rifle.

Galil Ace — the **Galil ACE** next to its ancestor

The Galil uses a milled receiver to serve as a sturdier platform for the rifle’s parts. Built originally in 7.62x51and 5.56 the rifle was and is used by a variety of military and law enforcement agencies. The ACE variant of the Galil utilizes a polymer lower receiver portion that greatly enhances the rifle’s capabilities. Allowing the use of various modern magazine designs and reducing the overall weight of the rifle.

Moving the charging handle to the left side of the receiver allowed using the support hand to charge the rifle. Additionally a left-side dust cover protects the charging handle channel from debris. Additionally, the ACE version of the rifle added a folding style AR patterned buttstock that allows the use of more popular and modular buttstock options. All these additional design improvements brought the Galil into competition with more modern firearms like the M16.

This allowed the rifle to win various military contracts putting it into service in countries all over the world. It is also manufactured under license in various countries, something I witnessed first hand in Colombia. Where they are very proud of their own Galil ACE rifles used by the Colombian National Army. Other countries like Mexico, Philippines, Nigeria, and Vietnam also use the Galil ACE as an infantry battle rifle.

Galil ACE Features

Picatinny Optics rail- a full 18-inches for mounting a variety of sighting options
Sixteen-inch Barrel- Threaded ½-28 using a 1:7 twist optimized for modern munitions
Folding AR-type stock- for more compact storage and adjustment
Dual Safeties- both right and left-sided safety controls
M-Lok Free-floated handguard- for adding the best accessories

Additional Models

The Galil ACE is available in four basic models. They all feature the same basic concept, but come in four calibers. The 5.56 model we tested today, and a 7.62×51 model that both use the same popular magazines as AR platforms.

Additionally there are two models that use AK type magazines. The 5.45×39 model and the 7.62×39 model both use rock-in locking AK type magazines. As well as the paddle release you’ll find familiar from AK type rifles.There also appear to be SBR versions of the rifle.

Galil ACE stripped — field stripped for cleaning

Galil ACE Gen 2 rifle review

I’ve long been familiar with the Galil, but I had never handled one nor taken the time to familiarize myself. So when this Galil ACE showed up I guess you could say I was only modestly aware. But like any true gun nut, I immediately played with it until I had every control and function figured out.

My initial impression was better than expected, mainly because I had thought the Galil was just another AK variant.

The ACE

A lifetime ago it would seem, the original Galil was introduced to defense forces. The modern ACE version of the rifle incorporates some much better features when compared to its ancestor. It’s long milled receiver makes the overall rifle a bit longer than a comparable AR. But due to its folding stock it can be made more compact than said AR, and it can be fired without the stock fixed.

I shouldered the rifle and adjusted the length of pull quite easily, the same way I would an AR. It felt familiar against the shoulder, with easy manipulation using the pistol grip. With the charging handle on the left side of the receiver it was very easy to manipulate, especially compared to the original.

The Action felt smooth and consistent, despite being bone dry. I dropped the magazine a few times and also noticed the lock-open feature which is superior to the AK design. With a push-button mag release, it’s much more familiar to the typical American shooter. I definitely prefer it over the paddle release design of the original Galil.

The ACE safety is similar to the previous Galil, in that it has safety selectors on both sides of the gun. But the ACE uses a less conspicuous right side selector, the original looked much more like the AK safety. The left-side safety selector is operated by the thumb, and is linked to the right-side selector inside the receiver.

Range Ready

To shoot the ACE, I figured I would add a simple red dot for fun shooting. And bring along a good scope to see how accurate it can be. I also grabbed a few different magazines to test in the rifle, some P-Mags and OK metal mags. I also grabbed a Magpul MS1 sling to use on the rifle.

For ammunition, I brought along a few boxes of PMC Bronze and some American Eagle both featuring 55 grain bullets. A couple different options to see how the rifle functions.

Once on the firing line, it was time to go hot with the ACE. It didn’t take long to find out what I liked and didn’t like about the shootability of the rifle. First up were the controls. The charging handle is smooth and easy to operate. Trigger pull definitely felt better than an AK, but I wouldn’t put it as good as an AR trigger. Dropping the bolt after a reload took a little more effort than I would have liked or anticipated. And both the bolt-release and magazine catch were just a touch further away than I would have liked. But these are of course somewhat subjective.

During the course of our testing we experienced zero failures. Running different magazines and ammunition types didn’t affect the rifle at all. The impressive ejection will keep empty brass landing in the next county, so don’t expect to recover much of it. With its action based on the AK design, it comes as no surprise that it functions so well.

The grip angle fits nicely, and the dual safety selectors are almost perfect placement to use without removing most of your hand from the grip. If there was one thing I would change about the ergonomics of the rifle it would be to put the controls a little more accessible.

Shooting the Galil ACE on paper averaged groups around two MOA. Ten shots ended up in a 2.8 MOA group, which probably would have been a little better with a higher power scope. I have seen reports of accuracy as good as 1-1.5 MOA which wouldn’t surprise me at all.

I noticed while shooting the ACE that the recoil impulse is a little more punchy than I had anticipated. Certainly not a big deal, but it didn’t feel as soft as an AR. It was generally a pretty fun rifle to shoot, easy to handle and operate.

Galil Pros and Cons

Pros

Reliable function- time tested design works flawlessly

Compatibility- works with most modern accessories (mags, M-Lok, etc)

Generous sight rail- lots of space for various sight mounting

Ambi safety- use it how best suits you

Adjustable Stock- easily fit the rifle length of pull to your needs

Foldable stock- makes storage and transport easier

Good controls- allows you to operate rifle well

Cons

Slightly longer than a comparable 16” AR

While not heavy, it is a touch heavier than comparable rifles

Galil ACE Report card

Shootability (B+) It was easy to maneuver and shoot well

Reliability (A) Excellent reliability, no malfunctions experienced

Ergonomics (B) The rifle feels great, but I would really like some enhanced controls

Accuracy (B) Not exceptional, but good enough for its purpose

Value (B) For what it does, it seems a touch steep

Preferred Ammunition

All the ammunition I brought along for the review worked great, out of the two bulk-packed ammo types the rifle didn’t seem to have a preference. Both shot comparably. But I also shot some better quality ammunition to see if it would improve the accuracy of the rifle. For that I used some Hornady Black 62 grain and some PMC Match 77 grain. Both of those shot better than the ball ammo.

Galil Upgrades and Accessories

Red Dot

I used my US Optics TSR-1 red dot for much of the shooting. I found it to provide great target acquisition and engagement, and it would be ideal for active shooting in short-range scenarios.

Rifle Scope

I also did some shooting using the Eotech Vudu 1-6 LPVO. I found this sight to be more useful for shooting further distances, it allowed me to accurately engage targets at three and four-hundred yards. The FFP configuration of the scope was helpful for those farther shots, and the illuminated ring worked much like a red dot for the closer shots.

Sling

The MS1 sling was a handy accessory for the ACE. Much like with any rifle it gives you rapid adjustment to be able to sling the rifle when you don’t need it. And keep it close for when you do need it.

Last Words

I really enjoyed the Galil, but it kind of felt like a vacation. What I mean is, it was like a fun place to visit but I don’t know if I’d want to live there. I certainly wouldn’t feel under-gunned with a Galil in hand, but there a few other things I think I’d rather have. Like one of my AR’s or perhaps even my WLVRN. I would definitely get behind a Galil if you are interested in one, you might just find yourself smiling.

-CBM

Introduction

Your first reaction to the IWI Tavor X95 might be wrinkling your nose and wincing at the word bullpup. After all, the short and stubby design is not as common in America and is typically frowned upon by many.

But those that look down their nose at these rifles do so at their own loss, as there are many benefits and even superior features to some bullpup designs.

Today we will look at one of the flagship rifles from the Israeli arms giant IWI, the Tavor X95 bullpup. Like all bullpups, the X95’s breech and firing mechanisms are behind the trigger. This shortens the overall size of the weapon by utilizing the space in the butt of the firearm that is normally vacant.

The X95

I’m no stranger to bullpups, so prepare yourself for some perspective as we go over this very popular and robust little rifle.

The first trip to the range with the X95 included a hundred or so rounds. I’d brought a few magazines to run through the rifle of various types. I had only installed a red dot as a sighting device with plans to shoot with a riflescope at a later date.

After loading a few magazines and a quick preflight inspection of the rifle, it was time to go hot. Charging the rifle is a very familiar process, seating the magazine and running the charging handle to chamber a cartridge. The safety selector is easily operated with the thumb, making the rifle ready to fire.

I fired a few magazines through the rifle, adjusting my sight a few times for a better point of impact. My initial impressions of the rifle were better than expected. The rifle shot smoothly and reliably. The trigger was a bit mushy for my taste, something common with some bullpups. But I could still shoot properly and get hits where I wanted them.

Reloading the rifle is different than a typical modern sporting rifle. Stabbing the magazine into the rear of the rifle can take some getting used to if you are new to bullpups. The bolt release is centrally located behind the magwell, allowing you to actuate it with your thumb upon seating the magazine. I would have liked to see a more flared magwell, but it could have just been my familiarity with this particular model.

The controls and ergonomics of the rifle seemed to fit me well. The charging handle does have a claw to capture it under recoil. I would have liked a slightly different configuration that offered just a smidge more purchase but again, this is just my preference.

One thing I did find a little annoying was during a reload motion; my trigger finger would often migrate behind the trigger. This made for an awkward transition back to shooting, but again it is likely just a lack of practice with the rifle that could be overcome with some training. Continue reading here

ACCURACY

Once my sight was zeroed, I found it easy to hit my targets inside one-hundred yards. But this is by no means a precision shooting rifle, as I confirmed in later range trips using a better scope. Using fifty-five-grain ball ammunition, the best groups I could produce with the rifle hovered around 2.5 MOA. I suppose you could tighten that up a bit with match-grade ammo, and perhaps the upgraded trigger might also help.

ERGONOMICS AND FUNCTION

The overall feel of the rifle was not bad, though the significant amount of polymer on the rifle does give it a bit of a Nerf gun feel. But technology being what it is these days, polymer is making its way into everything in the firearms market, so I suppose we should just embrace it.

I did take the opportunity to shoot the rifle suppressed. For that, I used the Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T2, a baffled can that mounts to a ratcheting muzzle device. I lowered the gas setting to the lowest setting, which seemed to work just fine.

The suppressed rifle did continue to function flawlessly, though I did notice a bit more gas coming from the ejection port near my face. Perhaps a slightly lower gas setting would have been ideal, but even as the gun heated up significantly, it continued to pump through magazine after magazine.

FEATURES

PICATINNY SIGHT RAIL

The sight rail allows for a plethora of options; whether you prefer iron sights or optical sight devices, you can mount it here.

IWI Tavor X95 side view barrel grip scope — The X95 with a **US Optics TS6X riflescope**

½-28 THREADED MUZZLE

The threaded muzzle allows the user to install suppressors or other muzzle devices to enhance performance or shooting experience.

AMBIDEXTROUS EJECTION

The X95 can be configured to eject out of either side of the receiver, a significant feature if you have a left-handed shooter in your midst.

ADJUSTABLE GAS SETTINGS

This is very convenient when using a suppressor and helps the user tune the rifle’s performance.

HANDGUARD ACCESSORY PIC RAIL

Conveniently located under handguard covers at three, six, and nine o’clock, giving you a solid place to mount accessories like weapon lights or a bipod.

SLING ATTACHMENTS

The sling attachments are centrally located, which allows the weapon to be suspended at a center balance point on a single-point sling if desired. Additional options can be added to the accessory rails.

INTEGRATED SIGHTS

The built-in flip-up sights come as part of the rifle allowing for a backup option should you need it.

TESTING PARAMETERS

During the duration of our time with the gun, the majority of the ammunition fired was PMC Bronze 55 grain. I had no malfunctions that weren’t operator initiated, leading me to believe that the rifle liked this particular ammo selection. I did shoot a small amount of Speer LE 75 grain SP ammunition which also worked flawlessly.

I performed no maintenance on the rifle during the test period; only the lubrication previously applied to the internals of the rifle was present. And there were some long strings of fire shooting several thirty-round magazines one after another looking for malfunctions.

Get your own IWI bullpup, even if it makes Eugene cry a tear…

At one point, I did get filthy by disassembling the rifle to switch it to left-hand eject, just to see how it went. While not difficult, I would prefer not to do such a thing outside of a bench.

CONCLUSION

The Tavor X95 has a strong record both as a civilian defense and sporting rifle, as well as a rugged service record with military groups all over the world.

I believe it’s the most fielded modern bullpup since the SA80, and has seen hard service in all kinds of conditions. All this work has surely taught the good folks at IWI how to improve the rifle, making current revisions of the rifle some of the best.

The fact that it is a bullpup rifle can be a turnoff to many, but the X95 does share a good deal of handling properties with the prolific M4 type rifles most are familiar with. I like the rifle, but there are others I like better. But I certainly would feel comfortable fielding the X95 as a second choice.

Overall it is a great rifle. My only major deterrent is the factory trigger. This is certainly subjective, as you may find it to be just fine. There is also a fine replacement trigger available for the rifle from Geissele. If you are looking for a hardened battle rifle with a big bark but the stance of a bullpup, then the Tavor X95 is just your gun.

-CBM