Tell me about Galils or any 5.56 AK really...

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about Galils or any 5.56 AK really... (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:44:31 PM EDT

I think I want one. Any good?

I already have an AR.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:48:11 PM EDT

[#1]

I've got to play with one and then shoot it for a few hours. Think of it as a top-of-the-line AK. Comfortable to use and shoot - somewhere between an AR (light kick and decent accuracy) and an AK (ergonomics and system).

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:50:01 PM EDT

[#2]

reliable SHTF gun? I don't wanna buy one if it's not SHTF reliable. Thanks for your input!

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:51:48 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
reliable SHTF gun? I don't wanna buy one if it's not SHTF reliable. Thanks for your input!

Can you quantify "SHTF reliable" ?

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:51:53 PM EDT

[#4]

Meh its a AK , I would not go so far as to say top of the line, The Israelis actually started getting rid of them because the receivers began cracking from use, its a decent enough rifle but its hype is greater than its real world performance. A Valmet Copy.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:52:16 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

reliable SHTF gun? I don't wanna buy one if it's not SHTF reliable. Thanks for your input!

I'd say it was, but it was regular ball .223. Do you like AK's? If you're strictly an AR guy, you might not like it. If you LOVE AK's, you'll be golden.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:52:23 PM EDT

[#6]

Mines pretty dang reliable.

Be advised: there are a lot of bad apples. Choose carefully.

They are heavy for what you get, so mine won't ever be a shtf gun. Wouldn't be bad at defending a neighborhood or something.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:52:40 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
reliable SHTF gun? I don't wanna buy one if it's not SHTF reliable. Thanks for your input!

They can be, if built right.

If memory serves there were some Galil parts kits brought into the country, so I'd want to know who built the one I was looking at before I bought it.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:53:02 PM EDT

[#8]

AK with a better barrel. Overpriced for what it is IMHO.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:54:02 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
reliable SHTF gun? I don't wanna buy one if it's not SHTF reliable. Thanks for your input!

I'd say it was, but it was regular ball .223. Do you like AK's? If you're strictly an AR guy, you might not like it. If you LOVE AK's, you'll be golden.

Gotta be able to trust it with my life.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:54:02 PM EDT

[#10]

Its just a really really heavy AK that uses mags that are impossible to find. You're MUCH better off with a real AK.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:54:20 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Mines pretty dang reliable.

Be advised: there are a lot of bad apples. Choose carefully.

They are heavy for what you get, so mine won't ever be a shtf gun. Wouldn't be bad at defending a neighborhood or something.

hmmm heavy is bad. how heavy? 9lbs?

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:55:16 PM EDT

[#12]

Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:56:04 PM EDT

[#13]

can you get "real" galils?

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:56:35 PM EDT

[#14]

STAY AWAY FROM THE GOLANI SPORTERS BY CENTURY!! - they are cheap, but they are JUNK!

If you want a galil, pay the price for an IMI gun, IMHO

I've got 5 of them and love them dearly.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:56:50 PM EDT

[#15]

If you want a really good AK, get a Valmet.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:57:46 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Mines pretty dang reliable.

Be advised: there are a lot of bad apples. Choose carefully.

They are heavy for what you get, so mine won't ever be a shtf gun. Wouldn't be bad at defending a neighborhood or something.

hmmm heavy is bad. how heavy? 9lbs?

I don't know off the top of my head, but I'm guessing it will change with the variant. Mine is pretty stout, and its a SAR length with 3" extender.

I bet you could rig up an AR with a lot of features for the same weight as a Galil.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:57:49 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

I owned a real Magnum Research Galil, yes it was a good quality rifle but it was most assuredly not awesome. The most awesome thing about it was the price I sold it for when I finally parted with it.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:58:00 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

can you get "real" galils?

If you have a few grand with all the bells and whistles. Probably worse nowadays.

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:58:42 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
can you get "real" galils?

If you have a few grand with all the bells and whistles. Probably worse nowadays.

Mine sold for $3200

Posted: 4/25/2013 6:58:55 PM EDT

[#20]

Pretty cool, although they aren't as cool as Valmets.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:00:18 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Pretty cool, although they aren't as cool as Valmets.

They are basically the same gun where do you think the Israelis got the design? The first Galils were built using Finnish parts.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:01:26 PM EDT

[#22]

I had an Ohio Rapid Fire build. Absolute POS that I finally sent off and had rebuilt. Receiver was out of spec. Sold it and will never get another one. Lots of magazine problems.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:02:29 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
I had an Ohio Rapid Fire build. Absolute POS that I finally sent off and had rebuilt. Receiver was out of spec. Sold it and will never get another one. Lots of magazine problems.

yep Ohio Rapid Fire .. They are not known for making quality firearms.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:04:14 PM EDT

[#24]

I've got a Century "Golani" and love it. Very accurate and solid performing rifle. The folding stock locks up solid. Mine has a bayonet lug. I feel fortunate because a lot of the Golani rifles had feeding issues. The feed ramps on some were too low causing the tip of the round to impact at the bottom of the barrel.

Century built their rifles from surplus Guatemalan Army parts using new Green Mountain barrels and domestically produced receivers. The only issue I have had with mine is the firing pin broke after about five hundred rounds. I replaced it with a titanium pin from a real Galil and have had no problems since.

As someone else already pointed out they are heavy but I would not hesitate to use mine in a SHTF situation. They use proprietary magazines but there is a mag adapter available for using AR mags. I paid about six hundred for mine when they first came out 7 or 8 years ago. I see them sell on Gunbroker for around 1000 bucks now.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:06:04 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

I owned a real Magnum Research Galil, yes it was a good quality rifle but it was most assuredly not awesome. The most awesome thing about it was the price I sold it for when I finally parted with it.

That is funny . I don't know what you got for it , but I saw a new IMI .308 arm go to auction probably 15 years ago . It topped $2600 .

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:06:15 PM EDT

[#26]

I've got a safe queen Action Arms Model 392 (16 inch barreled ARM).

It is beautiful, reliable and very well built. However, the AR kicks its ass badly in putting bullets on target and weight.

Summary: Collector's item only for IMI ones, don't buy a fake unless it's real cheap and you have low expecations.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:06:26 PM EDT

[#27]

I should add that I asked about galils cuz they are mostly 5.56 correct? i want the same caliber, same ammo, I stock three ammos, 00buckshot, 9mm, and 223/556, don't want to add anymore. so any good reliable 556ak will do me

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:10:26 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

I owned a real Magnum Research Galil, yes it was a good quality rifle but it was most assuredly not awesome. The most awesome thing about it was the price I sold it for when I finally parted with it.

That is funny . I don't know what you got for it , but I saw a new IMI .308 arm go to auction probably 15 years ago . It topped $2600 .

like I said earlier when I sold mine it brought $3200 and these days I see people asking closer to $4000 a good investment not the best rifle you could buy though , its a throughly dated design.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:11:02 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

I had one preban and loved it and sold it for a lot of $.

I bought a Golani a few years ago. It ran great but I wanted it more better

I sent to a fella that specializes in them and had it rebuilt with a brand new IMI barrel and refinished.

Really, there's a little truth in what everyone says. Heavy at around 9lbs and more accurate than AK.

The Golani are hit or miss, but if you buy one you can have it rebuilt. I just think they are badass, even with their faults.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:11:05 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
I should add that I asked about galils cuz they are mostly 5.56 correct? i want the same caliber, same ammo, I stock three ammos, 00buckshot, 9mm, and 223/556, don't want to add anymore. so any good reliable 556ak will do me

Get an Arsenal in 5.56 then and be done with it.

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:15:31 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Real Galil? Awesome. The century Golanis are hit or miss. I had one, but it would horribly fail to extract with steel cased ammo. I sold it, but I'd like to try another at some point.

I had one preban and loved it and sold it for a lot of $.

I bought a Golani a few years ago. It ran great but I wanted it more better

I sent to a fella that specializes in them and had it rebuilt with a brand new IMI barrel and refinished.

Really, there's a little truth in what everyone says. Heavy at around 9lbs and more accurate than AK.

The Golani are hit or miss, but if you buy one you can have it rebuilt. I just think they are badass, even with their faults.

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/woofumus/media/9f277d09.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b63/woofumus/9f277d09.jpg</a>

That looks like pure sex. Very nice!

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:21:21 PM EDT

[#32]

The polish Archer has good reviews so far . And you can get a nice rail for it and pistol grip handgaurds .and it shoots 1 moa

Stole this pic off google

Posted: 4/25/2013 7:34:17 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Pretty cool, although they aren't as cool as Valmets.

They are basically the same gun where do you think the Israelis got the design? The first Galils were built using Finnish parts.

Oh I know, I had an ORF for a while that ran fine. I bought it used (probably had been reworked hence why it ran fine

). It paled in comparison to my friend's M76. The Valmet just had more of an exotic vibe to it I guess. It's probably just my trivial taste.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:03:54 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

The polish Archer has good reviews so far . And you can get a nice rail for it and pistol grip handgaurds .and it shoots 1 moa

I'm afraid I'm going to need Old Painless style proof of that...

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:06:42 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The polish Archer has good reviews so far . And you can get a nice rail for it and pistol grip handgaurds .and it shoots 1 moa

I'm afraid I'm going to need Old Painless style proof of that...

I was curious as well. All I could find. Skip to 8:00 minute mark.

Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JLzMOfCk8yg

Not sure why I suddenly can't embed.....

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:06:49 AM EDT

[#36]

I had an Arsenal 106 for a few years.

Good gun, hard to mount optics and my eyes dont like AK style sights.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:08:38 AM EDT

[#37]

I have a Valmet m76 in .223, bout the only thing I can complain about is the cost and availability of mags. Built like a tank, it's reliable and accurate. Shooting it reminds me of driving an old car.

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Posted: 4/26/2013 7:12:07 AM EDT

[#38]

I have an IMI ARM from the mid 80's. reliable, fairly accurate and a bit heavy.
Actually it's a really nice rifle. took 4th once in a 3 gun match with it.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:15:31 AM EDT

[#39]

Had the IMI Galil ARM but in 308. Great gun but sold it because of the AWB(2nd one, not this one) and finding spare parts. Heck break a spring and the gun becomes just a stick.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:17:46 AM EDT

[#40]

Got lucky with my Golani --got the bayo lug and night sights that work along with the Isreali/Hebrew marked rcvr. Plus I found the long KCB-77 bayo at a gunshow for it and picked it up for cheap --they go big bucks usually. Heavy compared to and AK or AR and mags are a bit scarce. but the tapco polymer ones are out there. I found a few 50's before they dried up. pretty much eats anything except the silver bear zinc plated stuff. It is a fun accurate gun but I can see why Isreali troops liked the M16 better. IMHO its like an full size M1A chambered in 5.56 --not quite that heavy but still..

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:20:14 AM EDT

[#41]

Arsenal's 5.56 AKs are the shit, and the way I'd go if I felt I needed an AK in that caliber. As much of an Israeli/IDF nut/collector that I've become, a Galil is on the short list of wants, but for your hypothetical SHTF scenario I'd choose an AR-15 for a rifle in that caliber.

AR-15: .223/5.56x45mm.

AK-variant: 7.62x39mm.

FAL/G3/M1A/AR-10: .308/7.62x51mm.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:20:37 AM EDT

[#42]

AK's work better with the tapered, thick rimmed cartridges they were designed for.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:24:05 AM EDT

[#43]

I've owned 3 Galils, .223 ARM, .223 AR, .308 ARM. All IMI and none of them ever had a failure.

I also owned a Valmet 76 in .223 and a 78 in .308.

The best of the lot by far was the Valmet 76. Loved that rifle.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:24:16 AM EDT

[#44]

might as well get a sig556. that way you can use AR15 magazines.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:24:19 AM EDT

[#45]

There is no standardization of parts with 5.56 AKs. This includes the magazines. Certain magazines will only work in the rifles for which they were desgined.
If you buy one stick with the magazines made for the rifle you choose.
In addition, there are more than one version of Bulgarian 5.56 magazines. The earliest version can cause feeding problems.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:24:37 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
I should add that I asked about galils cuz they are mostly 5.56 correct? i want the same caliber, same ammo, I stock three ammos, 00buckshot, 9mm, and 223/556, don't want to add anymore. so any good reliable 556ak will do me

No 22LR?

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:26:06 AM EDT

[#47]

Galils are awesome rifles, but HEAVY. The 35 round mag is a tad long and the 50 rnd mag is ridiculously long.

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:27:45 AM EDT

[#48]

Few options in a 223/556 "Kalashnikov"

-Golani/Galil copy: Century products are hit/miss. "REAL" Galils have been BANNED from import since 1989.

-Arsenal USA makes 556 AKs, usually called "SA-M5" or something like that with a "5" in the name (556). Milled rec. guns are quite heavy. Stamped are light - much lighter than a a Galil.

-Romanian-made SAR-3s and WASR-3s are chambere in 556. Use German-made, all metal "wigger" magazines. Very reliable. I think the WASR3s are still importable. These are rough-looking, but reliable. Don't expect "professional grade" accuracy.

There are also a few Norinco 223s and top-quality Finnish Valmets - but they were likewise banned from import in 1989 and command very high prices.

I also view the Sig 556 and similar as part-Kalashnikov due to the bolt & how it locks up (though most don't see it that way).

Posted: 4/26/2013 7:28:01 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:
Galils are awesome rifles, but HEAVY. The 35 round mag is a tad long and the 50 rnd mag is ridiculously long.

I used to love bump firing my ARM with a 50. One long burst.

Then ammo stopped being $1.99 a box.

Posted: 4/26/2013 8:27:40 AM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:
There is no standardization of parts with 5.56 AKs. This includes the magazines. Certain magazines will only work in the rifles for which they were desgined.
If you buy one stick with the magazines made for the rifle you choose.
In addition, there are more than one version of Bulgarian 5.56 magazines. The earliest version can cause feeding problems.

Just throwing this out for info...
I have a couple Arsenal 106's, they use Bulgy 5.56 magazines just fine of course, and also can use Polish Beryl 30rd mags just fine. VEPR 5.56 mags work fine but I've only tried the 5 rounders.
The Super VEPR 5.56 I have can use the Beryl mags just fine, and of course the mags designed specifically for it. Bulgy mags for the 106 don't fit, but a buddy of mine filed his mag catch down just slightly, and can use them now as well. I haven't tried on mine.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about Galils or any 5.56 AK really... (Page 1 of 2)

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