Tavor or TAR-21

[Samson23]

Why is the top rail extending past the frame in some of these photos?

 

[Ebola]

Why is the top rail extending past the frame in some of these photos?

first gen tavors had short rails on them. the long rails you see in certain pictures are first generation tavors that have been modified with a NEA rail kit.

 

[Farmer Harv]

man i feel like a crack head looking at a bunch of dealers right now.

I got them cheeeeeeeeseburgers man!!! Let me try out you rifle maaaaaaaaan

LMAO!! I know the feeling at times.

 

[Farmer Harv]

Sweet! Very nicely done.

 

[Farmer Harv]

My first Tavor...

And the second one...

And the third one is in the mail, so I guess I've settled on getting the Tavor instead of the TAR-21. Or is it the other way around...?

 

[Steel28]

My first Tavor...

And the second one...

And the third one is in the mail, so I guess I've settled on getting the Tavor instead of the TAR-21. Or is it the other way around...?

Welcome back and congrats.

 

[Riven]

I want a Tavor BAD!!!!

 

[Dmitri]

Mine has IOR 1-4x26 on it.

 

[blaxsun]

Mine has IOR 1-4x26 on it.

Very nice. Has anyone tried the Magpul MagLink couplers on the LAR-15 magazines?

 

[Farmer Harv]

Well, now I remember why I didn't shoot much paper with the AR-332. Actually, I didn't shoot it at much of anything. While I really Want to like the sight, it just doesn't work me. Anyhoo, I'm putting the cart before the horse...

Received the Tavor the other day, and this version is Far superior to the previous models I've had. The full length rail makes mounting sights/optics a total no-brainer now, with lots of real estate for everything I have here to try on it. Otherwise everything else appears to be the same, with the exception of the screws that hold the lower handguard on...for some unknown reason they have switched these to a philips style, and philips are without a doubt the worst thing foisted on an unsuspecting public besides gun control. Minor detail maybe, but I really, really hate philips fasteners.

So after swapping everything over to lefty positions ({sigh} except for the bolt. Again. Still. Maybe I'm destined to never have one), I decided to go with the AR-332 for the break in period. Actually, the 332 was the last one I tried, and I was too lazy to switch it again. But I digress... I then discovered that a Caldwell brass catcher would mount up nicely, and figured (hoped) it would work as a chin saving brass deflector while I waited (eternally?) for the LH bolt to arrive. After all that I made the arduous 32 step trek out to the range with a box of AE Tactical 55gr stuff, and started shootin'.

Amazingly (or not) enough, the brass catcher worked perfectly as a deflector, and after a hundred rounds my chin was totally unscathed. And as an added bonus, the brass was collected in a nice little bag instead of rolling all over the floor. As expected the rifle functioned 100%, with everything operating smoothly. Except for the trigger. 9.5 pounds of spongy gritty pull every time. And this was after I removed the little spring in the trigger group. Ah well, it'll make me appreciate my other triggers that much more I guess.

Accuracy was also as expected. After plinking away at a few targets and gongs at various ranges I tried for a decent group with the last nine rounds in the box. Between the sight, trigger, ammo and rifle I was hoping to stay under 4", and that's pretty much exactly what I got...

As an aside, if you ever build a shooting stall inside an old granary, be sure to plan ahead and ensure the muzzle of a bull pup will be outside the building when it goes bang. Apparently if it's inside, the muzzle blast will loosen a few decades of accumulated barley dust from every crack and make you feel like you're inside a snow globe that was just shaken up.

 

[MUGEN]

Farmer Harv
Do you think the new version is better than the old version?
Mine is from the 2nd or 3rd batch from Canam, But I found the newest version has a different trigger. It has less travel before it breaks. If you we're me will u trade it in and get a new version?

 

[Farmer Harv]

it's been a while, but I actually think the older ones were better...I'm probably misremembering, but I don't recall fighting it as much as I did today. Might be because I was struggling with the optics also, as they were't helping matters any.

Might tear it down and see if I can find any obvious issues inside.

 

[misanthropist]

Although in general I don't like bullpups much, I wouldn't mind having a Tavor of some sort as a truck gun. They'd be a handy rifle to keep in a vehicle: short, light, and non-restricted. I'd rather have a short AR...but you can't transport them unlocked, so a Tavor might be useful.

 

[Farmer Harv]

Threw a decent (overkill?) scope on the Tavor today to see if anything I had here would be something it liked to eat. I ran 11 different loads through it in five round strings seventeen times, and came up with an average group size of right around 3.5" at 100 yards. The best groups (2) were 1.5", and the worst (3) were 4.5". Definitely not benchrest accuracy, but now that I've come to terms with how these rifles group I'm ok with the results. I dunno if it'll be worth trying to work up a handload, as I'm much better off doing that with my bolt gun that will really shoot tiny groups if I want to.

Details:
Scope: Sightron 8-32x50
Weather: -7, wind from 4:00 @ 20kph
Ammunition:
Win 45gr HP
Win 55gr FMJ
Rem 55gr HP
55gr Steel Match
75gr Steel Match
S&B 55gr FMJ
AE 55gr FMJ
PMC 55gr FMJ
PMC 62gr FMJ
MFS 62gr SP
.223 Zombie Max

Maybe I should have gone with the TAR-21...maybe they're more accurate than the Tavor.

 

[Farmer Harv]

Although in general I don't like bullpups much, I wouldn't mind having a Tavor of some sort as a truck gun. They'd be a handy rifle to keep in a vehicle: short, light, and non-restricted. I'd rather have a short AR...but you can't transport them unlocked, so a Tavor might be useful.

They are definitely handy as a truck/tractor gun. However, one thing I've found is that because they're so tall with that grip & handguard they won't slide/fit into nooks and crannies that more traditional rifles will. The shorter length helps in some applications, but I'm still of the opinion that the Mini-14 is the best all around truck gun available to us up here.

 

[blaxsun]

Definitely not benchrest accuracy, but now that I've come to terms with how these rifles group I'm ok with the results.

I just got the Atlas bipod for mine, so it'll be interesting to see how it shoots this summer. I think the Tavor is a MOM (minute-of-man) or MOY (minute-of-yote) depending on distance.

 

[Farmer Harv]

Yep, absolutely. All three of mine have grouped very similarly, so it's either me or the rifle. Either way it's minute of coffee can out to 100, which is good enough for plinking and maybe scaring the occasional gopher.

 

[blaxsun]

Yep, absolutely. All three of mine have grouped very similarly, so it's either me or the rifle. Either way it's minute of coffee can out to 100, which is good enough for plinking and maybe scaring the occasional gopher.

I actually think it's a lot more accurate than any of us; I suspect the trigger is 99.9% of the issue why none of us are seeing better results. Would be interesting to see what it would do with a 2-stage match 3.5lb trigger with the stock barrel (not necessarily convinced an aftermarket barrel would see much improvement without any upgrades to the trigger).

I wonder what the US version will have for a trigger group. Hopefully they'll tinker with it and maybe we'll have access to an upgraded, drop-in replacement...

 

[misanthropist]

They are definitely handy as a truck/tractor gun. However, one thing I've found is that because they're so tall with that grip & handguard they won't slide/fit into nooks and crannies that more traditional rifles will.

Interesting point, thank you.

 

[blaxsun]

Interesting point, thank you.

Every time someone buys a Tavor, WC prematurely ages a day...