IMI Galil

The Galil is one of the standard assault rifles used by the Israel Defense Forces. It was designed by Yisrael Galili, and bears his name. It is a variant on the AK-47 design, chambered for 5.56 mm NATO or 7.62mm NATO ammunition.

History

The Galil project began after the Six-Day War, and the design was selected by the Israel Defense Forces from two competing designs. The winner was based on the Finnish Rk 62 (itself a locally improved and further developed variant of the AK-47). The first rifles began to arrive in 1974, after the Yom Kippur War. The Galil was designed to be a domestically produced main battle rifle for the IDF, taking the best features of other rifles, such as the FN FAL, M16 and AK-47, and putting them into one rifle. That rifle could be adapted to any number of tasks. The result was the IMI Galil. The Galil was used by Israeli infantry during the Lebanon War in 1982; but towards the mid-1980s, it was determined to be less than optimal.

Variant

Nowadays, there are a number of models used:
Galil AR The main version
Galil ARM Bipod version with carry handle.
Galil SAR ("short") - no bipod or carry handle, shorter barrel.
Galil SNR ("sniper") - bipod, subsonic munition.
Galil MAR ("micro") - which retains the internal features with a completely new frame and even shorter barrel. It has been reported that this weapon is subject to severe overheating, becoming too hot to touch after sustained automatic fire. A redesigned version is now in service with Israeli special forces in undercover operations, small enough to conceal under a jacket, yet extremely powerful. A Galil MAR variant with a redesigned receiver and front sight is in widespread service with Israel's police.
Another version, the Galat'z, has a significantly longer barrel and fires heavier 7.62 × 51 mm ammunition and is intended to be used as a sniper rifle. The successor of the Galat'z is the SR-99. The South African R4, developed in 1982, is based on the Galil. This version was the base for some further variants, the R5, the R6 and a light machine gun
Galil
Type :Assault rifle

Place of origin :Israel
Service history :In service1974–
Used by :Colombia, Estonia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Myanma, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Tonga
Wars:Lebanon War,Operation Restore Hope2003- Operation Iraqi Freedom,Operatio Enduring Freedom/ISAF - Afghanistan
Production history: Manufacturer Bernadelli, Israel Military Industries (IMI) Indumil, Ka Pa Sa State Factories
Variants :See Variants
Specifications
Weight:3.9 kg (8.6 lb) (empty)
Length :979 mm,742 mm stock folded
Cartridge :5.56 x 45 mm NATO or 7.62 x 51 mm NATO
Action :Gas-operated, Rotating bolt
Rate of fire :650 rounds/min
Effective range :450 m (5.56 mm)500 m (7.62 mm)
Feed system :Detachable box magazine35 or 50 rounds (5.56 mm