I know I know.   Not another one of these threads.   I’d like your expert opinion.

Which rifle would you choose as a potentially home defense rifle?

Assume fully modded under th current laws.   After market triggers, rails, optics, whatever as long as it’s currently legal.  So it has to be semi.  Also assume getting to that point, cost isn’t an issue.

Which one after it’s fully modded?

Whichever you prefer. I like both. I prefer my x95 but a lot of my friends who have shot both prefer my idf sar. Both have shooting sight trigger packs x95 also has a lightning bow.

X95 factory trigger is better. I went with the x95 for That and the AR style controls.

I like bullpups because they’re compact. If you’re the same, get the X95. The SAR is a boat in comparison and I sold mine. The X95, pinned and welded with the slim buttplate is more compact with a 16” barrel than my pinned and welded factory 14” AUG...

Comparison pic

Gotcha.   I should explain my reasons.

I recently moved to a rural location and now have a home defense rifle.   I have a 11.5 inch AR with a suppressor and it’s much louder than any of my 16 inch ARs.

Then I started thinking about a bullpup.   I gravitated toward the Tavor mainly because of the magazine compatibility.   I do not want a NATO stock AUG.   Absolutely do not want that stock.

Then I saw the MAC YouTube about how the Tavor suppresses really well with the OSS suppressor.

So I’ll go from there.

Either gun I get, I know I’ll upgrade the trigger.  If I get an AUG, I’ll get the 2020 trigger pack.  However it doesn’t suppress as welll.   I know that from my personal experience.   I haven’t used the RatWorx suppressor made for the AUG, but I have shot a suppressed AUG.

A 2-3 MOA rifle for this purpose is fine, anything more isn’t right.

Hold both of them if you can, the ergonomics are slightly different.  When I bought mine that was my deciding factor.  I liked the SAR better.  YMMV

If I can infer.   Neither rifle is clearly superior once the trigger is addressed.  It comes down to personal preference.

That’s completely valid.   I’m ok with that.

Basically yes. In essence, they are the same rifle guts with a different chassis holding them all together and slightly different furniture on the barrel to facilitate the fitment of said chassis. So same barrel minus the little do dads added on for example the sar for parts to hook on to, interchangeable trigger packs (early sar packs have a spring that makes the trigger pull worse to make trigger reset verrrry positive and some pre x95 aftermarket trigger packs will not work unmodified in a x95 because small changes where made, factory ones do not have this issue and neither do the shooting sight ones post x95 release as thats the only aftermarket ones I have hands-on experience with), same bcg (latter x95 bolts gained a 2nd ejector don't know if latter SARs after that change did too) but slightly different handling in the realm of LOP especially if you put a slim buttpad on a x95, magazine release, charging handle location, rail locations, etc.

Would a Tavor SAR barrel fit in an X95 that has the Manticore arms cantilever front end that makes the barrel free floating?

Feels more natural to have the mag release by the magazine, so I give the Tavor a plus there, but I prefer the grip of the x95 and it feels a little handier.

I don't know the SAR barrels have a piece pinned onto the barrel in a similar position to where the front removable Teflon piece is on the x95 barrels. That might get in the way. Unless you already have both platforms and want to play mixmaster id just use each variants perspective barrel on itself because of that little dodad since they are at least for me too expensive to buy and then have to potentially modify especially when x95 and SAR barrel / bolt combos sell for the same price on IWI's store.

I have not shot the original Tavor, but I have handled it side by side to an X-95. I bought the X-95, as it seems like a natural and improved evolution of the design, since you are planning upgrades and want an HD gun let me show you what ive done with mine,

I added the Midwest industries elevated rail
Rail

Arisaka inline scout mount
Scout mount

I originally had a trijicon MRO on it but decided to replace it with a TA-44 mini acog /red/ Acss reticle Tall base+ Midwest industries tall mount makes for a very comfortable optic height for me Mini Acog
Acog mount

I have Troy flip up iron sights as well because the MI rail does away integrated factory flip up sights.

Im really liking the set up as it is at the moment, the Mini acog is a nice compromise between a red dot and a magnified optic, it is great outdoors, but  indoors the reticle can appear dim depending on lighting as well as if shooting from a shaded place into the sunlight, If I had started out with an Eotech I probably would have kept it on.
Im even thinking of adding a laser to it but we’ll see about that some other time, but there certainly is space on the rail for an Otal-C and I can also get a pressure pad that would contol both light and laser and can be mounted unobtrusivly like i have the other one
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I picked the X95 so that i could SBR it, and if the original handguard ever comes out, i can recreate the X95 SMG configuration.

This, and the rail already allowing for mounting of VFG/hand stops.

Personally I would go for the 18" X95 with flat buttpad, as the angle of the PG with the thick one cranks my wrist weird (I like to choke up on the grip, and as designed it seems to want my hand to go down). and I say this as the owner of an upgraded SAR.  The X95 is a better factory rifle for the same money.

My SAR, for reference.

I own one of each (SAR and X95) and prefer the SAR after adding an extended rail and a Timney Gen 2 trigger.    The SAR is more accurate, has a better charging handle location, can take the factory bipod option (x95 can't) and can use extended rails that are easy to install.

I like the AR-15 like mag release of the X95, but prefer everything else about the SAR.

I've had bad experience with traditional suppressors and the x95, but I have seen a lot of good things about OSS.

The x95's mag release is better than the SAR.  Factory trigger is better.  Plus, the SAR is basically end of life'd anyway.

I have both a SAR in 5.56 and an X95 in .300 BLK. I like the slim profile look of the X95 with the pistol grip swap, stock trigger, and integrated pic rails. If I had to choose one, I'd pick the SAR simply because I've grown used to its controls! I have no idea how many times I've shot the X95 and pulled my thumb back to engage the mag release only to quickly realize it's an AR style button

The SAR does shoulder better for me with the curved buttpad upgrade and I love the TAV-D trigger pack I put on it. The stock trigger on the X95 is leagues better than the stock SAR trigger, but I'd leave the curved buttpad off.. the angle is too aggressive for my liking.

car1572, where did you get that pressure pad holder to attach the pressure pad to the rail?  Would like to try that on my X95

I still have 2015 production SAR new in box. I think I’ll keep it new for when people figure out they want the original tavor.

I have one to shoot, but I think I’ll keep the other one minty fresh.

Magpul, off amazon, but its on a midwest industries elevated rail, that has mlok slats on the side
(Cant get the link to work but this is the product description) I have a link for the rail in that post
Magpul MAG617-BLK M-LOK Surefire ST

Bad ass looking x95!

I like that.