Category Archives: Research

Research

Mounting Optics to the Galil

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One of the key deficiencies of the Galil series of rifles is optics mounting capability (or lack thereof).  In all fairness, the Galil’s service rifle competitors at the time of its design weren’t barn-burners in this area, either. You could make a reasonable argument that the M14 wasn’t a bad platform for optics, but pretty much everything else under the sun (FAL, AK, G3, M16A1, etc.) had serious issues. It wasn’t until the mid-90’s and the introduction of the flat-top M4 carbine that shooters got more comfortable options on black rifles.

However, due to the Galil’s popularity as a sexy retro rifle, modern shooters often want a way to get some optics on it. What are the options? Read on.

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Research

BUL M-5 Mags and Parts Source

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A recurrent “theme” (read: whine) I’ve had about BUL handguns is that the magazine and parts situation is somewhat dire, especially on the 9mm side. On a tip, I did find someone who stocks BUL M-5 magazines and parts. Ask for Lou at All America Sales (870-544-2809). He was able to source some stuff for me that I had a lot of difficulty finding otherwise, and his prices were quite reasonable (to the point where I was wondering if he wasn’t getting out of sourcing these parts to begin with).

I am in the process of upgrading my M-5 using those parts, and should have an article on that process soon.

Research

More on the Sirkis SQP

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sirkis sqp

I bought a copy of the Guns Handgun Annual 1985 article on the Sirkis SQP in the hopes of learning more about it. I was not disappointed!

The article confirms that it was indeed a squeeze-cock gun (versus just a front grip safety). OAL was to be seven inches, with a barrel just a tad under four inches (so, more like the Walther PP than the PPK). The action was direct blowback, much like the SD9, but this version had a bolt hold open. Caliber was 9mm with a 9 round capacity. The grips were supposedly rubber instead of plastic.

Perhaps more intriguingly, there were plans for tritium night sights and a 22lr kit. The article also claims that the SQP and SD9 were in production simultaneously. I find this hard to believe, since I think Interarms would have imported some back when they got in the SD9.

Research

More fun with Galil mags: SiGalil

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Much like I enjoy using my Uzi mags in different guns, I’ve been looking for ways to use my Galil mags in other platforms. Galil mags are interesting because they fit standard AK-47 magwells. So, if you’ve got a gun with an AK magwell, you’re halfway there.

Well, an “undocumented feature” of the Sig 556 platform is that if you put a Sig 556 upper on a Sig 556R lower, the gun will function just fine with Galil mags. There’s a small caveat there – polymer magazines won’t fit – but steel mags are just fine. I don’t know if this an improvement on the standard Sig 556, but it’s a clever hack.

Research

A New Sight Option for the KPOS G2

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One of my key criticisms of the KPOS Glock chassis platform is that it does best with low profile sights, yet there were no good options for those sorts of sights on the market.

Well, it turns out that there is an option now, courtesy of our friends at CZ-USA: the Scorpion EVO 3 LPA iron sights. I was skeptical at first, but saw these sights on European Scorpion EVOs. The sights are made by LPA in Italy (ie, they are high quality), they’re fully adjustable, they mount on standard Picatinny rails, and best of all, they’re only $30 right now. They do lower 1/4 co-witness with my Holosun HS403C on KZ QD mount, which is perfect for fixed sights.

I highly recommend them!

Research

IMI 945 Compact / “Black Horse”

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Just to be clear: all images in this post are from Modern Gun magazine, August1994. I use them without permission, and will remove the images if requested by the rightful copyright holder.

945 compact

There are many mysterious Israeli handguns out there, but besides the semi-infamous 9mm IMI revolver, another difficult one to track down is the “Black Horse”. There’s a grand total of one reference to it online, and a somewhat grainy picture that seems to have been taken from a visit to the IDF History Museum in Tel Aviv. (My need for a trip to Israel grows and grows…)

But, thanks to a tip from a helpful commenter, Daniel Watters at TheGunZone, I’ve finally hunted up some more information on the gun, and it’s not what I was expecting…

Continue reading IMI 945 Compact / “Black Horse” →

Research

The Mystery of the IMI 9mm Revolver

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One of the most maddening Israeli-made handguns to track down has been the “IMI Revolver 9mm”. There is simply very little reliable information about it floating around on the internet due to its age and lack of commercial imports.

There are conflicting accounts of what caliber the revolvers were chambered in (9×19, .38 Special, or 9×21), whether they were based on the S&W 1917 design or S&W Model 10 design, and whether they were ever produced in any real volume. (All sources agree that they used half-moon clips, which at is something, I guess.) Internet legend has it that the Israelis made them for the Palestinian Authority’s police units after favorably evaluating the 9mm S&W Model 547 (a different gun entirely), but the total lack of them in imported Israeli police seizure lots is baffling, if that is true. I have spent some time researching the issue, and I think I’ve got a better theory as to what’s going on.

Continue reading The Mystery of the IMI 9mm Revolver →

Research

Importer Politics: Magnum Research, Charles Daly / KBI, and BUL

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One of the more sordid corporate firearms-related stories revolving around the Internets has to do with how the Charles Daly / KBI firm was ultimately bankrupted when an Israeli manufacturer, Bul Transmark, decided to screw them in favor of Magnum Research.

The story is interesting, and perhaps not well-remembered today, so I thought I’d write about it.

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Research

Updates to the Kareen article

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I’ve been doing some research and made some updates to the Kareen MkII article. For what I believe to be the first time on the Internet, I have detailed all six variants of the Kareen that made it to the United States.

I had been erroneously treating the “Kareen MkIII” and the “KA-MkIII” as the same gun. On detailed inspection of photos, it’s very clear that they have significant differences. The Kareen MkIII was an attempt to lower the manufacturing costs of the Kareen MkII. The KA-MkIII, on the other hand, looks exactly like an Arcus 94. I don’t want to claim I’ve solved the mystery, but I think my best guess now is that KSN was using rough Arcus frames and slides to produce the Mk II and Mk III, and then switched over to finished frames and slides for the KA-MkIII.

In other news, I have acquired a whole bunch of Israeli handguns, including a coupler rarer ones, and I hope to have some articles on them beginning in May.

Research

Comparing the IMI Barak and the IWI Barak

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I was recently able to procure two Barak handguns – one an early IMI model, and the other a later IWI model. I have been working on the assumption that the IWI model is a redesign of the IMI model, and not some sort of parallel variant that no one has ever heard of.

I’ve field-stripped both in an effort to determine what differences are between them.

Continue reading Comparing the IMI Barak and the IWI Barak →