Notes

The Much-Awaited IWI The Highly-Anticipated IWI TAVOR(r) The IWI US TAVOR(r) X95

The AR-15 is America's rifle. In every gun shop you walk into, there's typically a wall with AR-15s all over it. For good reason too. It's durable, proven in combat modular, and possibly an ergonomic weapon in the market. However every occasionally, you're looking to stand out from the norm and experiment with something different. This is why we think the IWI Tavor comes in. It's as different as you can find from the AR-15 without deviating away completely from traditional "Assault Rifle" category.



IWI's TavorX95 was embraced as a replacement for Israel's Israeli Military in 2009 to replace their ageing M16 and M4 rifles. To cut a long story short it was that the Israeli Military was looking for a rifle that had the velocity of a 16" barrel, but the maneuverability of a smaller barreled rifle similar to 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 size as the MK18 and doesn't have the issues with velocity due to the 16" barrel.



There are several variations that are available for Tavor. Tavor and we got our hands on the X95 version. It's possible to imagine the X95 as the Gen 2. The changes between the SAR to the X95 are almost entirely ergonomic. Better positioning of the charging handle, safety, an improved trigger, and several other improvements. A lot of welcome improvements that were derived from feedback from the field.




Specs



At first glance it appears that the IWI Tavor carries a pretty expensive price of $1,999. It's not cheap, but once you start ticking the boxes that a combat rifle should have it's not too expensive. In comparison to other rifles in its class, this one falls in line rather nicely.



This 16.5" barrel in the X95 is exactly what you'd expect to find in a battle rifle. Chrome lined barrels as well as cold-hammer forging give an increase in the lifespan of your entry level rifle barrel. A 1:7 twist is pretty normal and is often considered milspec for this type of barrel. This can be very helpful in stabilizing those heavier grain 5.56 loads.



IWI went with the long stroke gas piston system for the Tavor that has some advantages. Most notably you'll experience some increased reliability from a long stroke piston system because of two reasons. Compared to Direct Impingement systems such as the AR-15 piston gun doesn't expel gas directly into the receiver. The gas released from the barrel pushes the piston's face in the gas tube versus getting towards the carrier of the bolt. Long stroke systems also have the added benefit of applying a lot of force to the bolt carrier that makes them extremely reliable in adverse conditions.



One of the most intriguing aspects, particularly in the period of "optics ready" rifles, is the inclusion of iron sights. These aren't your typical iron sights, however. They are built inside the frame of the rifle, they stow carefully away when not in use , leaving full acces to top picatinny rail. In tavor x95 , the front sight comes with a a tritium vial which makes it easy to identify in the dark.



Lastly, the Tavor is ready to be attached using picatinny rails at the top located at 3, 6 and 9 hours. It is important to note that the Tavor X95 doesn't come with M-Lok slots. Even so, we had any issues getting the accessories we wanted that included a certainfire M300c gun, a pressure pad, as well as an BCM Vertical Foregrip. M-Lok is a nice option, but it's not necessary in the current time of accessories for weapons.



shooting the X95



Due to current constraints on ammo, we've just run about 300 rounds with the X95. In general, we'll run through 500-1,000, but what can you expect to do in 2020? In any case, we could at least provide our opinions about those 300 rounds. We did however do an adequate amount of dry firing in hopes to be able to spend more time with the weapon.



To master the X95 requires a bit of practice on the users end especially if you're accustomed to using the AR-15. At first, reloads will seem a bit slow and unorganized. You'll try to insert the mag into the trigger, only to realize that your muscle memory misguided you. The only solution for that is to spend some time practicing reloads at home in order to get that muscle memory down. It's safe to say it becomes easier the more time behind your rifle.



Ergonomics are among the most intriguing aspects of the X95. It's only awkward initially due to lack of experience, which is evident when you sit down and find that everything is sort of exactly where it needs to be. The magazine release can be quickly pressed with your index finger and without breaking your grip, and the safety is toggled using your thumb and not breaking your the grip. To release the bolt, you can press the enormous button located in the middle of the magwell. You can do this with your thumb immediately after inserting a magazine. When you refill a magazine using the Tavor you're still bringing your arm further into your body which can give you a bit more security. In addition with regards to ergonomics, the Tavor is completely ambidextrous. The entire control can be swapped for the opposite side. Even the direction that the cases eject.






Let's talk about precision. We won't dive too deeply into it as we aren't shooting with precision and don't keep match grade ammo on hand. Overall, we think that the Tavor is plenty accurate for a rifle used in combat. It's easy to maintain 3-4 inch groups within 100 meters. For a firearm for combat this is perfectly normal and we'd like to see how the 1:7 twist does with 77 grain. We would assume it would probably shoot tighter groups, because from everything we've readsuggests that the Tavor is capable of shooting 2" groups when using high-quality ammo with 77 grain. But, with available 55 grain as well as 62 grain ammunition we used we didn't have any complaints on our end.



The trigger. This is the question everyone inquires about. Bullpups don't have a reputation for smooth trigger pulls, but the X95 is certainly an improvement. The trigger pull is hefty and it doesn't have any travel into the wall. The entire pull is pretty much the break , and the reset is somewhat long. Overall, the Tavor is a trigger that can be serviced for the job at hand. Are they the top triggers out there? It's not really, but bad fundamentals can hinder your progress even before you pull the trigger.



Finally, the X95 handles very well. The balance is excellent despite the large pieces that are in to the back of the gun. It is always able to get directly into your shoulder every time. Its quick drills are easy and the weight on the rear seems to absorb recoil. If you've spent time behind the 16" AR-15 you'll know that it isn't exactly the easiest gun to operate in tight areas and the barrel is constantly moving into objects when drilling. This isn't the case with the Tavor. Additionally the Length of the pull, despite not having an adjustment, was perfect for all the players who were part of the Blade-Tech team who ran it.






Reliability



Flat out, we had no issues with the Tavor at all. It was able to eat all of Wolf steel cases, American Eagle 223, Lake City M193, and Federal M855. That's a lot of variety, and in the age of ammo shortages that's greatly appreciated since it means that we can run whatever we can get our hands on. Also, we didn't encounter any reliability issues with switching between different kinds of magazines. All of them from Colt 20-round magazines up to 30-round PMAGs worked perfectly through the Tavor.



We also didn't lubricate or clean the Tavor. We ran it straight out of the box and it was good to go. Due to this piston-based system, the rifle actually seems to have the potential to be quite long without a cleaning. It's hard to determine if we actually shot the rifle , but that's mostly because piston guns don't allow much carbon back into the bolt.



Final



Overall, we had a wonderful time with our Tavor X95. It's a gun that is full of character. You'll see yourself texting photos of it to your friends saying, "Just signed up for space force" or pictures of it sitting next to the other 11.5" guns. That's kind of the magic to the Tavor. It's just one of those guns that brings a smile to your face every time you open up your gun's safe. The appeal of having an 16" barrel inside a gun that is so is so small doesn't really wear off.



With its size, it's simple to put in bags and is quite simple to move around with. The flat recoil impulse and the ergonomics were a great way for us to push the Tavor until the limits after we got the hang of it. The ability to run 5.56 STANAG and PMAGS is an excellent feature too. If you're interested in military rifles and are looking to test something different from an AR-15 The Tavor is definitely on your list. It's priced well in the class of rifles it competes with and comes with the features you'd expect at the price point. Along with its shooting capability and ability to start conversations on the range it's a great choice. Tavor X95 is one that could be safely added to your collection.






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