Notes

The Much-Awaited IWI US TAVOR(r) X95

The AR-15 is America's rifle. Every gun shop that you go in to, there's usually a wall with AR-15s all over it. For good reason too. It's reliable, combat proven, modular, and probably among the best ergonomic guns in existence. But every occasionally, you're looking to break away from the norm and experiment with something different. This is where IWI Tavor comes in. IWI Tavor comes in. It's about as different as you can obtain from the AR-15 without deviating away completely from the "Assault Rifle" category.



IWI's TavorX95 was embraced as a replacement for the Israeli Military in 2009 to replace their ageing M16 as well as M4 rifles. To cut a long story short, the Israeli Military was looking for an assault rifle with the speed of a 16" barrel but with the maneuverability of a smaller barreled rifle like the MK18. The IDF went with the X95 and has been integrating it ever from the time it was introduced. With its bullpup configuration, the X95 is roughly the same length as the MK18 and doesn't have the velocity problems because of it's 16" barrel.



There are many variations on Tavor. Tavor and we got our hands on the X95 version. You can kind of think of the X95 as Gen 2. Gen 2. The improvements between the SAR and the X95 are almost entirely ergonomic. A better position of the charging handle and safety, a more secure trigger, and other features. A lot of welcome improvements resulted from feedback received from field.



Specifications



On first look at first glance, the IWI Tavor carries a pretty big price tag at $1,999. It's expensive, but when you begin to tick the boxes of what a combat rifle should have it isn't unreasonable. When compared to other rifles of its class, it is quite nicely.



The 16.5" barrel in the X95 is exactly what you'd expect to find in a battle rifle. Chrome liner along with cold hammer forging give an extended life span over the barrel of your rifle that is a basic model. One:7 turns are pretty common and is often considered milspec for this length barrel. This is pretty helpful in stabilizing those heavier grain 5.56 loads.



IWI used the Long stroke gas piston system in the Tavor which has some advantages. Most notably you'll experience some greater reliability with a longer stroke piston system because of two reasons. In contrast to Direct Impingement systems such as the AR-15 piston gun does not release gases directly to the rifle. The gas that is released from the barrel pushes the face of the piston inside the gas tube instead of going into the group of bolt carriers. Furthermore, long stroke systems offer the added benefit of applying quite a bit of pressure to the bolt carrier which makes it very reliable in adverse conditions.




One of the most interesting features, especially in this day and age of "optics ready" rifles, is the inclusion of iron sights. They aren't just any iron sights however. They're built right inside frames of rifles, these sights fold easily away when not in use , leaving all accessibility to the upper of the picatinny rail. The front sight also has tritium vials, making it easy to spot in the dark.



Lastly, the Tavor comes ready for attachments with picatinny rails on the top, between 3 and 6, and 9 at 9. It is important to note this Tavor X95 doesn't come with M-Lok slots. However, we didn't have much issue getting the accessories we needed including a guaranteed M300c pressure pad and a BCM Vertical Foregrip. M-Lok would be nice but it's not a necessity in the golden period of weapon accessories.



shooting the X95



Due to the current limitations on ammo, we've only been able to run around 300 rounds through the X95. We typically go through between 500 to 1,000 rounds, but what will you expect to do in 2020? However, we'll at least offer our thoughts about the 300 rounds. We did however do some dry firing in hopes to gain some time with the gun.



Tackling the X95 requires some training on the part of the user, especially if you're used to running the AR-15. Reloads at first seem a bit slow and unorganized. You'll go to insert a mag in front of the trigger, only to realize that your muscle memory misguided you. The only way to fix this is to spend the time to practice reloads in your home, to get your muscle memory in check. We can safely say that it becomes easier the more time behind your rifle.



Ergonomics are perhaps one of the most interesting parts about the X95. It's only awkward to use initially because of a lack of experience, which is evident as you sit down and realize that everything is kind of where it ought to be. The magazine release can be quickly pressable with your index finger and without breaking your grip. The security is tipped with your thumb without breaking the grip. To remove the bolt you'll need to press the huge button in the middle of the magwell. You can do this with your thumb right after inserting a magazine. When you load a magazine with the Tavor you're also keeping your arm closer into your body which can offer a bit more stability. Finally in terms of ergos the Tavor X95 is totally ambidextrous. The entire control can be swapped for the opposite side. The direction in which the cases are ejected from.






Let's talk about accuracy. We won't go too deep into the subject since we're not precision shooters and we don't keep match grade ammo on hand. Overall, we can say we think the Tavor is quite accurate for a combat rifle. It was easy enough to maintain groups of 3-4 inches at 100 yards. As a rifle for combat, that's completely acceptable and we'd like to see how the 1:7 twist performs with 77 grain. It should likely shoot more compact groups, because from everything has been written about the Tavor is capable of 2" groups when using high-quality 77 grain ammo. Regardless, with the available 55 grain and 62 grain ammunition we used, there aren't many complaints on our end.



The trigger. That's the thing everyone asks about. Bullpups aren't well-known for their crisp trigger pulls, but the X95 is definitely an improvement. Its trigger is heavy and there isn't any travel towards the wall. The entire trigger pull is breaking and the reset takes a while. tavor x95 rifle has a serviceable trigger for the job at hand. Is it the best out there? Not really but poor fundamentals will stand in your way even before you pull the trigger.



The X95 performs very well. The balance is excellent despite the large pieces that are towards the rear of the rifle. It always finds its way right into your shoulder every time. Drills that are quick is easy, and the weight in the rear seems to soak up recoil. If you've spent time behind a 16.4" AR-15 you'll know that it's not the most comfortable firearm to use in tight spaces . The barrel keeps bumping into things when drilling. Not the case with the Tavor. The length of Pull although it didn't have an adjustment, was ideal for the shooting enthusiasts on the Blade-Tech team that ran it.






Reliability



Flat out, we had no problems with the Tavor at all. It was able to eat all of Wolf steel cases, American Eagle 223, Lake City M193, and Federal M855. There's plenty of choice, and in the age of ammo shortages , this is greatly appreciated as that means you can shoot whatever you can find. It is also worth noting that there were no issues with reliability in switching out various types of magazines. Everything from Colt 20-round magazines up to 30-round PMAGs ran absolutely fine through the Tavor.



Additionally we didn't lubricate or clean the Tavor. It was run straight out of the package and was ready to go. Because of its piston mechanism, it seems to have the potential to go pretty far without seeing the need for cleaning. It's hard to determine if we actually fired the gun, which is mostly due to the fact that piston guns do not allow much carbon to return to the bolt.



Final



Overall we had a great time with the Tavor X95. It's a gun with a lot of personality. You'll see yourself texting photos of it to friends saying, "Just signed up for space force" or images of it sitting next to your 11.5" rifles. That's kind of the magic of the Tavor. It's just one of those firearms that bring a smile to your face every time you open up your gun's safe. The attraction of having a 16" barrel inside a gun that is so is so small doesn't really wear off.



Due to its size, it's easy to carry around in bags and is quite simple to handle as well. The recoil is flat and ergonomics that are well-designed allowed us to push the Tavor until the limits after we got the hang of it. The capability to run 5.56 STANAG and PMAGS is an excellent feature too. If you're interested in military rifles and want to test something other than an AR-15 and you're looking for something different, then the Tavor is definitely in your consideration. It's a good value for its class of rifles and has the features you'd expect at the price. Along with its shooting capability and ability to start conversations on the range, the Tavor X95 is one that could easily be added to the collection.






Website: https://gunsdeal.org/tavor-x95/