Tavor

[MadCHETNIK]

Is the IWI Tavor worth all the hype surrounding it?

 

[Stainer]

Ask MAC

http://youtu.be/9155MuJcT88

or Haley

http://youtu.be/VJPgEozoHUA


I think it is all in what you want or like. If you like bull pups, I don't think you are going to be pleased based on the reviews. If you don't like bull pups, you still might not be disappointed. Until they start making their way into the market more and more and until you can actually get your hands on one and determine if it is something you like, then the hype is just hype. Coming from MAC though, it's pretty credible hype.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Or go to the Appleseed at Atterbury in June and check one out.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...le_rifles_sponsored_by_wolf_iwi_mach_1_a.html

 

[cedartop]

Stainer, I like Tim a lot but I think he was so eager to like this gun that he would no matter what. Lets see if the shine wears off. A few I know who have them are lukewarm to them. My limited experience still has me preferring the FS2000. This is probably due in large part to me being left handed. Drawback to the FN of course is no polymer mags.

 

[shooter521]

Drawback to the FN of course is no polymer mags.

Not even E-MAGs? I thought they were supposed to fit, like, everything?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I shoot one Memorial Day weekend. I shall report back.

 

[AD Marc]

My personal view is that I would take an AK or AR over it any day of the week. One of the ranges we frequent is owned by and Israeli guy who has one, loves it and was very enthusiastic about getting me behind the trigger. Granted, he's very enthusiastic about all things made in Israel and carries an IMI Baby Eagle despite it being a boat anchor and dismal piece of garbage (apologies to any fans)

Ergonomics on the Tavor are decent. I prefer getting my support hand out further in front of me like I can with even a similarly sized SBRed AR, but that's not a dealbreaker. However, that also means there is very limited real estate and mounting options on the forend, and you're pretty much forced to run lights with a tape switch, which I really don't like. Options for mounting slings are similarly limited.

The model i used had a full top rail and flip up front and rear sights integrated into the rail. As standalone irons, I found them to be lacking, as a BUIS, I found them slow to deploy.

The trigger is one of the better bullpup triggers i have felt, by which i mean is it still wasn't as good as the standard single stage arsenal trigger on my AK or the standard single stage on my AR. I couldn't fire as fast or as accurately with the Tavor. That may have also had something to do with the fact that the gun annoyingly pulls to the left when fired. As far as recoil, it's about the same as any .223. The gun is surprisingly heavy for its small size, I might add.

I'm naturally a lefty. The gun was set up right handed but i didn't have any problem shooting it left handed or right handed. Mounting it left handed 223 practice ammo would brush my chin. no problem. with 5.56 spec ammo, it would eject more forward and miss me completely. I had to be careful not to get too aggressive of a stance when firing left handed or I'd cover half the port with my face. Still, shouldn't be an issue switching shoulders to pie corners with a little practice.

Reloading is standard bullpup awkwardness. Chest rigs do get in the way and it's kinda easy to slip off the magazine release while trying to strip a magazine out. On an AR, when reloading, I'm a fan of just running a big latch charging handle like the BCM and using that for reloading. This isn't very convenient on the Tavor since the magazine is way at the back and the charging handle way at the front. The proponents of the Tavor will show you that to reload you just insert the mag with a beer-can grip and hit the ambidextrous bolt release with your thumb nearly simultaneously as the mag locks into place. This looks very slick and fast when done properly. The problem comes when you apply it in reality you find that if you grip the magazine too low, you have to readjust your hand to hit the release, and if you grip the magazine too high, you end up sending the bolt home before the mag is fully seated. You also can't lock the bolt back while maintaining any sort of grip on the rifle, very awkward.

I also had an opportunity to fire the gun suppressed A lot of bullpup proponents claim the short length even with a suppressor is a major bonus ("you only need one tax stamp!") I personally found shooting with the suppressor very uncomfortable. I've shot both AR's and AK's suppressed and never had an issue with gassing. I've told more than a few people that did to man up, but with the Tavor's chamber right next to my face the experience was miserable and my eyes were watering like I had been tear-gassed almost instantly. This is regardless of which shoulder I was firing off of as the gaps in the plastic just vented the gas right into my eyes Everywhere there was a gap in the plastic on the stock there was a corresponding black stripe of carbon on my person. You can buy a really nice AR SBR and still come in below the Tavor's $2000 price tag even after the tax stamp.

But what about the increased velocity from the longer barrel?!!?! Buy better ammo for self-defense gentlemen. Hornady TAP 75gr will fragment reliably out to about 50 yards from a 10.5" barrel. That's plenty for a home defense round. Performance of barrier blind loads from short and long barrels is nearly identical in gelatin testing. Here's some black hills TSX. One came from an 8" barrel, one came from a 20" barrel. You tell me which is which.

So, basically, you can buy a lot of AR or AK for what a Tavor costs. Choose wisely and don't get too wrapped up in the cool factor.

 

[42769vette]

Im curious how they stack up to the SCAR. I dont think alot of people have experiance with both, but if anyone reading is one of those few Id like to hear from you.

 

[AD Marc]

Im curious how they stack up to the SCAR. I dont think alot of people have experiance with both, but if anyone reading is one of those few Id like to hear from you.

I've played with the SCAR as well and would take the SCAR over the Tavor in a heartbeat. I still prefer the AR over either due to the greater ability to customize the gun for your requirements and still come in under budget.