I may pick up a Tavor.

Which configuration  would be most advantageous for using a red dot (with or without magnification) or low powered scope, and that would take a weapon light?

It is hard to tell in the pictures I have seen but it looks to me like the IDF just has a shorter top rail than the standard.  Are thee any functional differences?

The IDF has its own special mount for the Meprolight Red dot and it doesnt use a standard rail system, also if you ever want to add a magnifier you will have to use the meprolight one with a special mount.

Never been a fan of the Mepro's....especially for the money...

That being said a standard Tavor will allow a greater range of optics..(=choices)
I have shot mine with ACOG's, Aimpoimts and EoTech's.....

I really like my Mepro. But I just put one on my standard Tavor. I didn't want the IDF model since it limits you specifically to ONLY having the Mepro.

I agree the IDF model really limits the optics of the Tavor.  My standard 16" black version normally wears an EO Tech.  I just went to Wyoming on a prairie dog shoot.  My buddy wanted me to bring along my Tavor so I mounted a 2.5X10X40 Tasco scope in a RRA mount to my Tavor.  This along with some reloaded 69 grain SMK was the demise of numerous PD's.  The Tavor was only used out to about 150 yards but it performed pretty well considering the factory trigger.   If I was going to use the Tavor for more precision shooting I'd definately consider an after market trigger but for CQB the Tavor works as it is.  For longer range precision  I have two 6.5 Grendel AR's.

I agree - I see nothing wrong with the stock trigger.. it works great for the design/intent of the rifle...

+1.  I went with the Mepro in keeping with the Israeli theme, but put it on the standard rail Tavor for the same reason.

I dryfired my Tavor not long after getting it. The trigger smoothed out and I would comsider it pretty much identical to a standard AR trigger. If you want a crummy trigger try a os90.
JR

Chuck, I'm not sure all the Tavor's have the exact same trigger (weight, clean break).  I've dry fired my Tavor quite a bit and it really reminds me of a New York trigger on a Glock pistol, heavy 8-10 lb take up then a clean break.   I know this is not similar to triggers I've used in M-1 Garanda, M-1 carbine, 1903 Springfield or even a Brit Enfield SMLE.   I'll agree that my Dept issued M-16A1 had a very good trigger but some of the Department issue Armalite AR's had pretty poor triggers.

Seeing how the Israeli troops are required to carry their rifle/carbines with them and act in a police role I'm not totally surprised by the Tavor trigger.  I would much rather have a RRA NM like I use in my AR's  but I have no trouble getting my Tavor to fire.  Jerry Miculek has a video where he uses a stock Tavor pretty effectively.  I may buy the TAV-D trigger but for now I'm using the stock trigger.

I have shot pistols way more in my life than rifles and my first duty handgun was a S&W 39-2 then a model 66.  Having grown accustomed to DA revolvers and DA/SA auto pistols forces you to have a certain mind set to master what you are required to carry.  At the same period of time I owned a 1911 Colt Gold Cup and a Colt Combat Commander.  I sure liked the Colt's triggers better but I was not authorized to carry either at work.  I just accept the Tavor trigger for what it is.

I would go with the standard for the reason others have stated.

The Tavor trigger is heavy, but it's not mushy or unresponsive. It has a clean, crisp break and a smooth reset. The only thing wrong with it is the pull weight. I did the safety check the the first time I ever dry fired it, yes.. but i've never since.

On the Mepro? Sorry, but you're just flatout wrong on that, it's not even a matter of opinion. Have you actually used a Mepro M21? I have an Acog, and multiple Aimpoints in addition to a M21 I decided to try out for my Tavor. You don't need night adapted eyes to use it in the dark. I can go from a bright sunny day to a pitch black room in seconds and see the reticle clear as day. It's got tritium (a good amount of quality, bright tritium) and I actually find my M21 to be brighter in pitch dark than my ACOG. I have NO idea what you mean by the passive illumination needing light to activate. It's a dual tritium/fiber optic setup like any number of Trijicon optics on the market. It's not freaking glow in the dark. And transitions between light and dark and vice versa work fine...as you go into brighter lit areas, the fiber optics brighten the reticle. As you go into darker areas, it darkens and the tritium takes over. Very smooth and easy. It's not a perfect optic. It's got a noticeable green tint to the glass, and now and then if you're aiming from a dark area into a very bright area, your reticle will get washed out and hard to see under that very specific set of circumstances. The CompM4 is a fantastic sight and I love mine. But judging by what you just posted about the M21, I don't think you've ever actually used it because essentially all of your points on it were incorrect.

Huh?.. Got four Tavors... Love them all.. Never had a problem with the triggers on any of them... Sure its a little heavy but breaks in nice...No worse than any ar or some ak triggers I have felt over the years. Defiantly has the ptr91 licked.. it can hit 10”x10"steal plate all day at 500 with a acog... so not sure why everyone gets so mad about the trigger... IWI made a fantastic weapon... I run the mepro on one of my Tavors and it is a great sight for $500 dollars. . yeah if you are clearing a house and you hit a Tac light off it washes the reticle out a little but never caused a miss when we did low light training. All in all I give the rifle two thumbs up.IDF or Standard model  Worth every cent... But what do I know just another internet commando..

I put a Lucid HD 7 on the rail of my Tavor FDE16 SAR and went to the range.  Very happy with the performance with no FTE's or FTF's in 300 rnds.  The scope works very well too.  I positioned mine just forward of the front BUIS so it could be flipped up.  The Lucid will co-witness with your front sight to sit right on top of the front post.  Everything about this rig is designed right.  Love the ease of disassembly.  I am inclined to pop in a TAV-D trigger and replace the OEM which IMHO is a bit too heavy, though to its' credit, no creep.

As already stated, the IDF model significantly limits you on optic choice. I would only buy an IDF model as a 2nd Tavor if a really wanted an authentic-looking IDF rifle.
Personally, I would never buy an IDF model, as I only intend to buy one more Tavor, and it will be an 18" FDE. My 16.5" has taken some love away from my AR.

Really want, must have, MUST MOVE OUT OF CT!

Yeah, I was feigning for a Tavor the couple of weeks before I finally bought it.
I'm thinking it might be funny to torture you with a picture of the other side.

You don't have anything meaningful to add, so your default is to bring up the unrelated, beaten to death, trigger topic.

Could you post your picture of the caulking gun once more to help us better understand?

Spoiled by a lot of AR triggers would be my guess.

I thought the stock trigger with the 2nd sear spring removed was quite nice and came in around 7lbs. I went ahead and bought a shooting sight trigger for the heck of it. I think it might even be too light. Mine is right around 4.5lbs total. Maybe I just need some more time getting used to a very light 2nd stage.