tavor

IWI Tavor After 5K Rounds: Israeli Infantry Tough

After running the IWI Tavor (IDF model) for over 5000 rounds, I have found it to be a supreme example of how bullpups should be designed. It may not have the classic look and feel of the AUG, but it does have a battle-proven record with the Israeli military that everyone can respect. The rifle offers several answers to issues that other bullpup rifles fall victim of. Instead of having to deal with the little quirks or special techniques you need to run other bullpups, the Tavor rifle has one of the closest manual of arms to our favorite AR-15.

The biggest thing I hear people critique the Tavor on is the heavy trigger it has out of the box. Admittedly, I found it to also be heavy and not too conducive to extreme long range shooting. But in comparison, few people brag about bullpup triggers in general. I on the other hand do brag about my Tavor trigger proudly. i have gotten my trigger pull poundage down to 6-8 pounds. This was done easily and effortlessly just by using the trigger in dry fire and in shooting. I also oil the friction points lightly or grease them. This for the most part, but not all the way, nullifies the need for an aftermarket trigger set.

People have polarized opinions on the bullpup concept and the validity of it as a whole. But the one thing they cant deny is the fact that they are very maneuverable, and they do serve very well in CQB. Also a bonus is the fact that you can have a small rifle without crossing legal boundaries that your State may have. You have to decide where you stand in the bullpup argument but with the Tavor, I feel like it will usher in a new standard for bullpups and make more people open to the concept.

by David Donchess

David Served in the USMC, deployed twice and got wounded. Retired and moved to Alaska. Has a passion for reviewing and testing guns and gear of all kinds. Enjoys working to dispel myths and show that you can train and practice in a realistic, safe, and practical way.

Bullpup Rifles: Love for the Tavor

There are many people who dislike bullpup rifles. I not only like them, I find that there are quite a few things they do much better than conventional designs. After running M16 and M4 rifles in combat in the military, I prefer the bullpup. Fighting in tight spaces with one of these rifles was a nightmare, not to mention adding body armor and a lot of one handed shooting while treating wounded, etc. The reloads being close in your work space, the weight being in your shoulder, and the overall length being way shorter than your standard rifle made the bullpup platform so attractive to me.

My bullpup rifle of choice, of the available ones you can buy, is the IWI IDF Tavor because of its ease of maintenance, and its simple manual of arms that are similar to the AR. I also like the Steyr Aug for its classic look. I even like the idea of rifles like the FN FS2000 and the Keltec RFB/RDB. I think my favorite bullpup rifle of all time is the British standard service rifle, the L85.

I have been in love with the look and idea of the rifle ever since I first saw it. Now I don’t really consider it a very practical rifle in its controls and relative complexity, but it just looks sexy to me. That being said, if it were for sale and I could afford it, I wouldn’t really seriously consider buying it since I like to limit my collection to guns I will use.

The Tavor answers a lot of the issues that other bullpups had problems with in the past. Bullpups in general have had problems with the safeties not being easy to use such as the AR safety that the Tavor Has. Another issue is that the reloads on other bullpup designs can be less than intuitive, to put it lightly. And the last and probably the most criticized feature of the bullpup design is that the triggers are heavy and feel crappy. I personally have had no real issues with heavyish triggers on rifles for some reason, but this issue has caused a lot of people to steer away from the designs when they could get good triggers on a conventional rifle and just deal with the added length. The Tavor trigger out of the box can pull 11 or 12 pounds on a trigger gauge. After 5000 rounds, my trigger, with proper oiling reaches to 6-8 pounds. Compared to most bullpups on the market, the Tavor trigger is awesome and very unique, but it still requires you to shoot the rifle and work with it regularly and take care of it.

Another sore spot on bullpups is the reloading methods. The reloads on the Tavor are very simple and are a big selling point for this rifle that ended up making other bullpups obsolete or just plain undesirable in comparison. The Tavor has a bolt hold open that locks the bolt to the rear on the last round fired, which is almost unheard of in the bullpup world. From here, there are two ways of reloading the rifle. You can either eject/swipe the magazine out of the rifle and then go for your fresh mag, or get your fresh mag and then swipe your empty mag out before insertion of the fresh one. Either way is fine and doesn’t take much more time than the other. From here, there is a big button just behind the magwell that protrudes a good way down when the bolt is locked to the rear. Upon seating the magazine in the magwell, all your required to do to load the rifle is to use your thumb and apply upward pressure. I feel that it is worthy to note that the Tavor accepts almost all magazines except for drum mags, but the surefire 60rd mag will seat.

Operating the rifle in close quarters such as out of a vehicle is very easy since the Tavor is the minimum legal length that a rifle can be on the market without having to get a tax stamp for an SRB. Also the rifle is not going to sacrifice accuracy and terminal effectiveness at range since it can maintain its 16″ barrel in the process of putting the action in the stock. The bullpup truly is the best of both worlds. You get a maneuverable rifle that only goes out as far as your arm can reach, and your still getting a 16 inch barrel to work with. Moving around cover is very easy and you can stay close to cover and keep the rifle pointed forward and in your shoulder instead of having to raise or lower it in tight spaces as you would with a conventional rifle design.

When you think about getting a rifle to fight with, don’t discount the bullpup. They have served many nations for decades and has proven how versatile they can be. From being used to clear tight spaces and operate with ease inside a cramped vehicle, to being able to accurately shoot at long range, the bullpup has proven its worth the world over. It is up to you to see if the merits that the bullpup has are for you.

by David Donchess

David served in the USMC for a few years, deployed twice and got wounded. Retired and moved to Alaska. Has a passion for reviewing and testing guns and gear of all kinds. Enjoys working to dispel myths and show that you can train and practice in a realistic, safe, and practical way.

Featured Photo: URUZGAN, Afghanistan–Private Daniel Gibson, from 2nd Platoon, 3rd Battalion (Para), the Royal Australian Regiment, stands over watch during a foot patrol of the town of Tarin Kowt while conducting an International Security Assistance Force mission. (ISAF photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Collins, U.S. Navy)

Thoughts about the State of the AR Market and the Future of the Firearms Industry

I was disheartened to read that Daniel Defense, a titan of the firearms industry, lead by an honorable and ardent supporter of the second Amendment, dedicated to creating a high quality line of products has suffering from up to 100 layoffs of full time positions.

This is unfortunate. My condolences go to each hard working, dedicated employee there. I have always had the best experiences with Daniel Defense staff, customer service and product.

I believe the issue is not solely to blame on Daniel Defense or their marketing entirely, however reflects on the industry as a whole. If we take a step back from our somewhat often myopic view of the firearms industry we will see that the AR market was a bubble, and with all economics bubbles tend to pop.

Last year, while discussing issues related to this with a friend I stated that within 5 years 50% of the companies dependent on the AR platform would be out of business due to a market saturation of similar product lines and competition for market share. It’s simple supply demand economics.

Everyone who wants ONE AR has THREE. There are other companies in this market I know of through contacts that are struggling as well as suffering layoffs. This is not specific only to AR producers, as a gentleman that is a large regional dealer and distributor for Glock, recently told me he has sold 77 Glocks in the year 2017, whereas he averaged over 70-80 Glocks a month in prior years.

Think back to 2003, how many manufacturers of the AR platform were there? Less than half a dozen. There are now an innumerable number of companies whose primary focus and product line is the AR. With a saturated market of competing products, what I believe is a shrinking pool of potential customers, and a product that is durable enough to last decades (not planned obsolescence or deterioration) the current environment of tens of thousands of jobs, production and costs is not sustainable with current demand levels and other semi-auto variants and firearms competing for the same customers.

We all know that most owners will never shoot their AR enough to wear it out. With that known, how many can be sold? I attend gun shows where I see the same racks of the same black rifles 6 months apart. In shops in my region, some ARs have sat for 9-10 months or more. I myself have money, consider myself an AR-Phile, totally immersed in the platform since a youth, and I can tell you I own 3 and would only ever consider perhaps one more – a retro style or original 727 for memories sake. That is it. I will likely never purchase another AR again. I have no need to and there is a large world of firearms out there to explore.

The precision bolt gun market appears to have really taken off over the last couple of years, with an explosion of differing bolt gun set-ups in chassis and long range capable calibers: Ruger RPR, Tikka Tac A1, Bergara, Savage, the list of affordable “budget” long guns is extensive, and then there are the high end rifles such as GA Precision, Surgeon, and Sako among others out there as well. Then take into consideration the ever expanding other semi-auto rifles on the market; AK, FN SCAR, TAVOR, etc. All of these are competing for customer dollars.

We’re still coming off of the “War Years” of 2003-present where there were huge overseas contracts, private contractors (many friends of mine) who made large amounts of money that they poured into firearms themselves, a large defense industry built up around the Wars in the Middle East, private shooting schools and training, the rise of forums such as this, all of it created a fervor for an industry that exploded in new ideas, products and volume of sales to meet a ever growing demand, coupled with a political environment that saw impending doom on the rights to own or purchase these products, that itself stimulated an artificial rush and hoarding demand for products. The AR market reached an apex, a zenith where the only direction it could take is downward. This bubble popping is a market correction where the free market will be cruel, and determine the sustainable amount of “supply” necessary to meet the actual and real, “demand”.

I am surprised more companies have made it this far and that DD of the others out there is in the position it is currently in. I can tell you that if the AR Market was an index on the stock exchange, I would not be buying shares right now. I would be selling. That is my observation and opinion.

In writing this, a close friend of mine very prominent in the industry messaged me shortly after reading this, “It’s gonna get worse, the market is dead.”

Denny Ducet “The Channel”

Rex Nanorum’s 2018 SHOT show review

2017’s SHOT show was my first time at the famed and prestigious event. It was overwhelming, exhausting and awesome all at the same time. On my return trip, I felt I could easily knock out the dozens of appointments and contact meet-ups I had planned in a little over two days. While the show itself was no less massive, having a year of experience under my belt made things considerably easier to navigate. Here’s what I saw and thought during 2018’s SHOT show.

Evolutionary, not revolutionary.

Last year, it seemed there were some big, new products dropping. This year the products that impressed me were improvements on existing ideas rather than bold, new visions.

Notable mentions:

CMMG’s secret stock, as featured on the Guard pistol caliber carbine. Rumored to be for sale around March.

Tavor TS-12 shotgun

TNVC Color-Tac CVA-14 COLOR FRIGGIN’ NIGHT VISION retrofit device!

Through expansion, we conquer

The other notable trend was established businesses staying the course and rather than investing heavily in a new direction, simply expanding into markets closely related to their forte’.

Notable mentions:

Geissele releasing their URG-1 (MK16) AR uppers and the amazing R700 trigger (single or double stage)

Nikon’s 3000 yard stabilized rangefinder (and 4000 yard non-stabilized)

Seekins Precision’s Havak short- and long-action bolt gun receiver.

Solid, if not spectacular

While 2018’s SHOT show wasn’t a barn burner, there were a number of products that stood out as pinnacles within established genres.

Notable mentions:

Ranger Proof Arms ELC AR-15

Peltor Sport 500 series electronic ear protection

Sig Sauer P365

The spotlight ma’am, if you can keep it

Any mention of SHOT show 2018 has to include a note about Franklin Armory’s Reformation. What initially appeared legal genius and marketing perfection (pre-SHOT) turned into a mouthful of ashes when the gun world collectively turned, pointed and mocked the Reformation’s price point and nerf-football proprietary bullet shape. Also, nerf football accuracy. Reformation? I’ll stick with the Orthodox.

-Rex Nanorum

Are Bullpup Weapons Officially a Thing of the Past?

Courtesy of Tactical Life

Bullpup rifles will never displace the AR as the modern American gun nerd’s go-to iron. Now that you can land a conventional low-end utility black rifle for around $500, no amount of whiz bang awesomonium is going to convince rank and file American shooters to bin their inexpensive Stoner guns in favor of something compact, backwards and spendy. However, as niche weapons, I believe bullpups will always have a robust place in the market.

The Origin of the Bullpup Species

It all began with English patent number 14,622 issued on July 18, 1901. On that date, the bolt-action Thorneycroft carbine first officially drew breath. Unconventional, unprecedented, and flat-out strange, the Thorneycroft was the world’s first bullpup weapon. This odd rifle fired the British standard .303 rifle cartridge through a five-round internal magazine. The gun’s retracted bolt was oriented in the rear of the stock behind the firing mechanism. This insightful design made the gun 7.5 inches shorter and 10 percent lighter than the standard issue Lee-Enfield rifle of the day. It also offered wretched ergonomics and simply brutal recoil.

The origins of the term bullpup have long been shrouded in mystery. After a literal lifetime of searching, I tripped over a reference that might finally address this etymological conundrum. During World War II, the Japanese produced an unconventional submachine gun chambered for the 8mm Nambu cartridge. The gun, called the Experimental Model 2, sported a telescoping bolt and 50-round magazine that fed through the grip. Despite these advanced features the gun remained unreliable and, as such, was produced in very small numbers.

Continue reading on Tactical Life

Photo courtesy of Tactical Life

American Defense MFG Tavor Height Sights

Courtesy of Breach Bang Clear

American Defense MFG Tavor Height Sights

Quick release scope mounts that work well on the Tavor are few and far between. The area you put your cheek on at the rear of the Tavor is at the same height as the scope rail. This poses a problem when trying to use regular height scope mount. You either need to have an odd shaped face (not that we’re judging you), or mash it at an odd angle in order to get a proper sight picture.

Lucky for those of you rocking that Holy Land blaster, American Defense Manufacturing (ADM) has a solution that’ll obviate that problem. You don’t even have to be in the IDF to buy one — in fact, you’re better off buying one of these than what so many IDF troops are using.

American Defense MFG, which as we reported just recently finished making waves at the OTOA Conference, makes two scopes that are Tavor height: the AD-RECON-H and the AD-RECON-PB-H. The 1.93″ height to center of the scope not only allows for proper cheek weld, it allows you to slap a PEQ unit on the top rail with worrying it’ll interfere with your optics.

Continue reading on Breach Bang Clear

Photo courtesy of Breach Bang Clear