Watching news on Israel; where are all the Galils?

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simonov jr

New member
I was always under the impression that the Galil is the best assault rifle bar none...Kalashnikov reliability, Western design and construction. Why are all the IDF soldiers I see eschewing them for M-16's?
 
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Skorzeny

New member
Three main reasons:

1. M-16 series rifles are lighter (particularly the M-4). Galil's are mostly used by mechanized units now in the IDF.

2. M-16 series rifles are considered more accurate.

3. M-16 series rifles can be bought with American aid money, whereas Galil's cannot.

Skorzeny
 
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KSFreeman

New member
It's all about the Benyamens!!! Denek, geld, dinero, money. Nice to have the American taxpayers picking up the tab rather than pay your own way.:rolleyes:
 
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Hutch

New member
Speaking of that, HCI (calm down, that's History Channel International) had a segment on the Israeli arms industry last night. Anybody catch it? Lots of discussion of Uzi, Galil, and a bullpup whose name escapes me. Neat stuff. Didn't much appreciate what they had to say about the FAL, tho'.
 
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MuzzleBlast

New member
I caught it. It was a repackaged episode of Tales of the Gun. They said the FAL didn't like sand, and wasn't good for CQB.
3. M-16 series rifles can be bought with American aid money, whereas Galil's cannot.
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Oh well, at least that means the money was coming back home.
 
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RikWriter

New member
No, actually he has the right impression. Friend of mine was in Israel a couple years back and talked to a lot of IDF guys and they all prefer the M16 over the Galil. In fact, at the time it was considered a real coup to get your hands on an M16.
From what I understand, they have NOT had any significant reliability problems with the M16 and given that the carbine versions of the M16 they mostly use are much lighter than the Galil and it is a more accurate rifle, they prefer it.
 
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fix

New member
He said...

I was always under the impression that the Galil is the best assault rifle bar none

Then he said...

Why are all the IDF soldiers I see eschewing them for M-16's?

To which I answered...

Because you were under the wrong impression...

Perhaps I should have said...

Because you were under the wrong impression to begin with. The Galil is not, was not, the best assault rifle, bar none.
 
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Skorzeny

New member
Hutch:
and a bullpup whose name escapes me.
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That ought to be the Tavor, whose procurement status by the IDF is uncertain at this point for the same three reasons I gave.

I find it somewhat goofy that:

1. Earlier IDF had FN-FALs.
2. Then it became enamored with the AK system after encountering the Arab armies (FAL unreliable in the sand and too heavy).
3. Then it developed its own version of the AK - the Galil, at the same time, rejected the M-16 (even though M-16 is lighter!).
4. Then it rejects Galil and takes the M-16 series (particularly the M-4) for the reasons I stated earlier.

Now, I wonder why the heck it didn't just select M-16 the first time around when it was searching for something to replace the FAL! Glad to know that the vaunted IDF is just as mired in bureaucratic procurement systems as we are.

Skorzeny
 
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KSFreeman

New member
Why they didn't pick the M-16 outright? Gee, let's see, some brilliant guy said so. Oh, yeah, THE MONEY.

Approps were not designated so they gave the Jewish commandos a bunch of different weapons to throw around in sand in the Suez. Meanwhile, back in D.C. . . . .
 
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