The new Israeli assault rifle.

IWI TAVOR: The Rifle Built to Replace the M4 Carbine

IWI Tavor is the new supergun made in Israel to replace the M4 carbine. Given the problems experienced by some bullpup designs – the teething troubles of notorious British SA80 come to mind – focusing on reliability may have been a wise decision.


Israeli-made

Israel builds high-tech military equipment, such as tanks, missiles, and drones. Not bad for a nation of just 8.5 million people living in a state the size of New Jersey. The IWI Tavor was designed and produced by the IWI, which stands for Israel Weapons Industry.


IWI Tavor bullpup assault rifle in the waterproof case with various additional equipment (Photo: XY)

In its short history, Israel has also proven adept at designing rifles. Perhaps its most famous firearm is the legendary Uzi submachine gun, an almost iconic 1950s design made famous by the photo of a US Secret Service agent waving an Uzi during the attempted 1981 assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Originally conceived as a cheap, simple weapon for Israeli troops, the Uzi was widely used by police and military forces worldwide.



The Uzi is still around but showing its age, supplanted by more modern submachine guns like the FN P90. Israel’s modern firearm is the Tavor assault rifle, manufactured by Israel Weapon Industries, making its latest Tavor 7 model available in the United States.


IWI Tavor to replace M4 Carbine

First introduced in 2001, the Tavor was selected by the Israel Defense Forces in 2009 to replace the American-made M16 and M4 as its first-line rifle. The first thoughts of the end-users were highly positive. It is produced in two main variants: the TAR-21 and the CTAR-21.



The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) selected version was Tavor X95 (also known as the Micro Tavor or MTAR). The first X95 bullpup rifles were issued to infantry units in 2013.


Tavor guns are ideal for various missions, including missions that require long days in the wilderness, close-quarter combat, long-range firefights, and “shoo-shoo” (i.e., silent) operations. With an effective range of 550 meters, the Micro Tavor is the most versatile weapon in the IDF.


That means the Tavor is designed as a CQB weapon, but modifications like a bipod and scope could be used to engage targets at longer distances. All versions commercially available are single-pull weapons and are not automatic weapons.