Welcome to Part 2. of the Israeli Tavor review. This time we are going to look at a ballistics chart for a 62 grain load with a 75 yard battle sight zero, other configurations of the weapon system, some more of my personal likes/dislikes and then finish up part 2 with some accessory choices. If you want to read Part 1 first then click this link. https://tacticalgunreview.com/blog/2013/09/staff-review-iwi-tavor-bullpup-5-56mm-rifle/
Battle sight Zero: I chose 75 yards for mine. From personal experience it was an all around good range to be sighted in for POA/POI in the desert and I think it would be just right here too for the farm. Sight height here had an impact, I was surprised when I started running the numbers. I had never dealt with a sight before that was this high. It measured at 4.75 inches above the center of the bore and the numbers threw me off at first, I thought I had screwed something up. This 75 yard Zero gives me from the muzzle to exactly 291 yards out as a aim/shoot/hit within 6 inches high/low without adjustment.
Below is a chart in 50 yard increments except for the 75 yard zero. It is for a 62 grain bullet with a coefficient of .26 traveling at 2850 fps at sea level with average atmospheric data inputed with a 10mph crosswind. The sight height with the Eotech is 4.75 inches.
Range Drop Elev Wind Wind Energy Vel
yards (inches) (MIL) (inches) (MIL) (ft.lb) (ft/s)
——————————————————————-
0 -4.75 0.00 0.03 0.00 1118 2850
50 -1.28 0.71 0.34 0.19 984 2673
75 0.00 0.00 0.73 0.27 922 2587
100 +0.95 -0.26 1.28 0.36 863 2503
150 +1.80 -0.33 2.93 0.54 754 2339
200 +1.05 -0.15 5.36 0.74 655 2182
250 -1.52 0.17 8.64 0.96 568 2030
300 -6.21 0.57 12.87 1.19 489 1885
——————————————————————–
350 -13.35 1.06 18.16 1.44 420 1747
400 -23.34 1.62 24.61 1.71 360 1617
450 -36.66 2.26 32.33 1.99 308 1496
500 -53.87 2.99 41.42 2.30 264 1384
So that’s the chart. With an EoTech, I have no way to judge windage other than to memorize the chart and guess. While the battle sight is technically good to 291 yards (or 300 for Gov’t work) I think we would need to consider that 12.87 inches off due to wind at 300 yards will probably mean a miss unless he’s eating real well. If you’re dealing with a full value cross wind you may want to cut that off around 250 yards for aim/shoot. It’s only 8.64 inches at 250, even that though is pushing it for a hit in my opinion. That’s a sight limitation though, not the rifle. I think the trade-off being the EoTech is fast for me close up makes it worth it.
Other Configurations: The only thing I know of for us is an 18 inch version, caliber conversions in 9mm and 5.45×39 and a left handed shooter kit too. My poor lady walked around with a burned chin for a week after her left handed adventure with the Tavor. Lefties are going to want this because you take the brass right in the chops. I also understand there may be a 7.62×51 model coming. Good lord, I hope so, I’ve wanted an RFB so bad I can’t stand it but now that I hear this I’ll hold off and see if there is a 308 Tavor. I am hoping for a heavy barrel model to come out someday. Who knows maybe we’ll even see a 24 inch “sniper” version someday too. I’d buy them all. I just wanted to post a pic of an IDF variant with a grenade launcher.
As time goes on I find little things I like. Let’s cover some of those:
Likes: I love the snap in sling swivels, very cool idea. I like that fact Geisselle is working on a trigger for the Tavor and I just know it will be awesome. I like the fact the charging handle stays put during firing. I like this guy Paul Reavis and his custom-made Tavor parts. Check this out. http://bullpupforum.com/index.php?topic=2951.0 and this http://bullpupforum.com/index.php?topic=3612.60 Both of these are going to be on my weapon ASAP. I like that the Tavor has flip up sights in the top rail. While my rear sight is covered up, the front tritium sight still flips up and can be used by just centering it in the EoTech glass. Not super accurate but if all else fails it works.
Dislikes: Well, here I was one day doing some drills where the rifle was leaning up against a wall and I was sitting next to it. The drill was to grab the rifle, get up, get it shouldered in a kneeling position and fire. I slipped and dropped the thing and it hit on the Surefire flashlight. It was a short, lite fall, the thing didn’t “come crashing down” so to speak. The rail and light popped right off the rifle, as it turns out the thing just snaps in there. I’ve done enough fire-team rushes in my life to know that thing isn’t going to work well, for me anyway. Just another reason that modular forward handguard from Paul Reavis is going to be the cat’s meow.
Summary: Let’s wrap up for today. There will be a Tavor Pt. 3 once I get in the afore-mentioned modular forward handguard. For now I am using a set up with the Fab Defense rail and a mono-pod. I would rather get the light contained inside the unit and skip a forward vertical grip with this rifle, or at least get a smaller grip up front. We’ll see how that goes once I try a smaller one. Last thing, I make lousy video’s and I can’t shoot like this man either. It’s long but well worth watching, Mr. Miculek rocks with his Tavor. The shooting starts about 12:50 in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDMWManOUII This is what this weapon is for, close and fast. Awesome video!
As always thanks for reading and train often.
By: Cary Kieffer
Cary Kieffer
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Cary, I’m really interested in seeing how the 5.45x39mm conversion that IWI is coming out with will perform in the Tavor. Any word on that?
“Soon” is the time frame on its release date. Its supposed to be $800 roughly.
Thanks Mike, I saw one of those Rhino’s on a tv commercial the other day for one of those spy shows…it caught my eye as I sometimes wonder why the prop people for movies/TV pick the weapons they use. I’ll be looking forward to your review on that, always wondered myself about those. My Uncle Jim asked me what I thought awhile back on those too, I didn’t have an answer. I can’t decide whether I like the look or not. She looked pretty good shootin’ it though 🙂
4,75″ sight height. I knew there was something about the gun (just looking at it) that threw me off and that is it. It isn’t the bullpup thing – it is how low the barrel sits. I need to evaluate one of the Chiappa Rhino revolvers for much the same reason. Very cool review Cary.