IMI Galil

Galil
A Galil rifle in service with the Israel Defense Forces
Type	Assault rifle Battle rifle
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
In service	1972–present
Used by	See users
Wars	The Troubles Lebanon War War in Somalia South African Border War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Insurgency in the Philippines Guatemalan Civil War Colombian Armed Conflict 2013 Lahad Datu standoff
Production history
Designer	Yisrael Galili, Yakov Lior
Manufacturer	Israel Military Industries, Bernardelli, Indumil, Ka Pa Sa State Factories, Denel Land Systems.
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	SAR 5.56mm: 3.75 kg (8.27 lb) AR 5.56mm: 3.95 kg (8.7 lb) ARM 5.56mm: 4.35 kg (9.6 lb) SAR 7.62mm: 3.85 kg (8.5 lb) AR 7.62mm: 3.95 kg (8.7 lb) ARM 7.62mm: 4.45 kg (9.8 lb) Sniper: 6.4 kg (14 lb)
Length	SAR 5.56mm: 850 mm (33 in) stock extended / 614 mm (24.2 in) stock folded AR, ARM 5.56mm: 987 mm (38.9 in) stock extended / 742 mm (29.2 in) stock folded SAR 7.62mm: 915 mm (36.0 in) stock extended / 675 mm (26.6 in) stock folded AR, ARM 7.62mm: 1,050 mm (41.3 in) stock extended / 810 mm (31.9 in) stock folded Sniper: 1,112 mm (43.8 in) stock extended / 845 mm (33.3 in) stock folded
Barrel length	SAR 5.56mm: 332 mm (13.1 in) AR, ARM 5.56mm: 460 mm (18.1 in) SAR 7.62mm: 400 mm (15.7 in) AR, ARM 7.62mm: 535 mm (21.1 in) Sniper: 508 mm (20.0 in)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO 7.62×51mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	630–750 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	SAR 5.56mm: 900 m/s (2,953 ft/s) AR, ARM 5.56mm: 950 m/s (3,116.8 ft/s) SAR 7.62mm: 800 m/s (2,624.7 ft/s) AR, ARM 7.62mm: 850 m/s (2,788.7 ft/s) Sniper: 815 m/s (2,673.9 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300–500 m sight adjustments
Feed system	5.56mm: 35-, 50-, or 65-round detachable box magazine 7.62mm: 25-round box magazine
Sights	Flip-up rear aperture with protective ears, flip-up tritium night sights, hooded front post

External video

Galil Golani 5.56×45mm Rifle

Video of an IMI Galil being fired

The Galil is a family of Israeli small arms designed by Yisrael Galil and Yaacov Lior in the late 1960s and produced by Israel Military Industries Ltd (now Israel Weapon Industries Ltd) of Ramat HaSharon. The rifle design borrows heavily from the RK-62 and has a modified gas diversion system similar to the RK-62 to reduce the recoil of the rifle making it easier to fire especially in automatic mode. The weapon system consists of a line chambered for the intermediate 5.56×45mm NATO caliber with either the M193 or SS109 ball cartridge and several models designed for use with the 7.62×51mm NATO rifle round. It is named after one of its inventors, Yisrael Galil. The Galil series of weapons is in use with military and police forces in over 25 countries.

There are four basic configurations of the Galil: the standard-length rifle, a carbine variant known as the SAR, a compact MAR version, and an ARM light machine gun.

A lighter-weight version of the Galil is currently in production, called the Galil ACE.

In the late 1950s, the Israeli Defense Forces adopted the FN FAL battle rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm cartridge. Two models were fielded: the "Aleph" individual weapon and the "Beth" squad automatic weapon. It first saw major combat with the Israelis during the Six-Day War in 1967. Although Israel won decisive victories, the FAL showed its limitations in IDF service; the common complaint was that the sand and dusty conditions caused the weapon's malfunction, but this was later attributed to the lack of maintenance given by IDF conscripts. Furthermore, it was a long and bulky weapon. Its length and malfunctions became so much of an issue that during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, some soldiers armed themselves with an Uzi submachine gun with an extended barrel.