IWI, the people who brought us the TAVOR bullpup rifle, have now set their sights on importing another Israeli classic. The Galil is Israel’s famed souped-up AK-47 clone, with some mechanical and aesthetic improvements over the original. I know a couple AK fanatics who have been waiting for a true Israeli Galil to become available in the states, and it looks like their wait is almost over. According to a press release (and Tim’s video) a rifle and pistol will be available sometime in February of 2015 — just about four months away now. Make the jump for the presser . . .
Harrisburg, Pa. (October 2014) – IWI US, Inc., a subsidiary of Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Ltd., proudly announces the IWI US Galil ACE® pistol for the American market. The first descendant of the world famous Galil rifle to come to the US since 1993 will hit US dealer’s shelves in the first quarter of 2015.
The IWI US Galil ACE® pistol will be available initially in 7.62x39mm with an 8.3″ barrel and an overall length of 18″. The Galil ACE pistol has a 2-piece Picatinny rail with adjustable front and rear sights with Tritium post on the front site. The Tri-Rail forearm system features removable covers, including a protected pressure switch area. The Galil accepts standard AK-style magazines.
A feature of the IWI US Galil ACE® is the new location of the charging handle. It has been moved to the left side enabling the user to maintain control over the pistol while charging and also allows for faster target re-acquisition. The safety selector is available on right and left sides.
MSRP is $1,749.00. Shipping begins February 2015.
IWI US Galil ACE® Pistol Specifications:
Item# GAR39
Caliber 7.62x39mm
Barrel Length 8.3″
Overall Length 18″
Weight 6 lbs.
MSRP $1,749.00
Is the MSRP $1,749.00 or is it $2,149.00
I think the rifle is more expensive than the pistol.
At either price they are out of their minds. I was hoping to get the rifle version, but at that price I’ll save a little more and buy another scar 17. I’m very disappointed.
I suspect a typo. MAC reinforced the 1749 MSRP.
Original press release had a typo. Fixed.
Someone pick me up off the floor. I think I fainted…
Sadly CA will surely ban such evil things…
Pretty sure they already have. Galil is banned by name in California.
Which will actually be available first?
Sig Sauer MPX
or
IWI US Galil ACE pistol
Am I weird for wanting nothing to do with the pistol version unless they release a factory SBR version? I don’t mind the wait, instant gratification be damned.
Did you watch MAC’s video? He has a factory SBR in hand halfway through.
Yes. Typical of his format, he very politically avoided mentioning whether or not the rifle he possessed would ever be released.
Eh. For that price, color me uninterested. I’ll use that money to buy a Tavor and keep using my SKS that takes AK mags.
Darn it IWI. Couldn’t you market these at AK/VEPR prices? With that price tag I don’t know who’ll be buying these.
I would pay no more than $1200 flat. For all of what they want I could get a real VZ.58 (not a VZ 2008), buy all of the gunxpert add-ons, and still come out with some cash for ammo. I think I need to talk to Czechpoint USA.
I wouldn’t discount the VZ2008. I own one and it has been an outstanding rifle. I have put some different furniture on it due to heat from the beaver barf handguards. I also added the side rail and will be putting an optic on it. I have an aimpoint comp ML2 on it and it was great.
Oh look, an AK that is not an AK, but takes AK mags and cost 2-3x more than an AK that is an AK… Joy!
Yo dawg I heard you like AKs so we made an AK thats not an AK but is basically an AK so you can have another AK to go with your AKs.
Yo dawg I heard you like AKs so we made an AK thats not an AK but is basically an AK so you can have another AK to go with your AKs.
In total agreement. I love the tavor ive rented one at the range and it was awesome. Not $2k awesome but very cool. Lets face it. This is an ak that is ridiculously over priced. We could get a krebs custom with all the extrasfor the same price. Polymer is cheaper to produce so why this inflated price. Im good with my century arms international.
Zastava M92. I got mine for $450 shipped.
Looking to see what the real costs of the rifle ends up being. If it’s in the 1500-1700 range I’m onboard.
The MSRP is pretty high… I was hoping that with a 2k Tavor on the market, IWI was going to try and hit the middle of the market at the $1500-$1000 range with the Galil ACE rifle.
As far as the pistol version costing $1700… yikes. I have a Zastava m92 (got it from about $400 shipped) and I love it with a Century SB47 shooting “brace”. I know the Galil ACE pistol uses a polymer lower receiver to save on weight, but apparently, polymer doesn’t save on cost…
Tavors around me are around 1600 for the IDF version, at that price I’ll get the Tavor over the Ace
IDF with Mepro? $1600? Not even that cheap with LE discount direct from IWI.
Please provide name/website. I want at least one at that price.
I think they have an extra 1 stuck on there.
It’s a fancy, or quality, AK buts still an axe not a scalpel. Trying for boutique pricing is laughable.
Meh. I would rather they came out with the original style galil instead of all those “upgrades” that make it look butt ugly.
WAAAAYY too much money. I love IWI but I can get a Sig 556xi for about 1200 that will smoke this gun.
The 556xi is a joke bud…
The galil is the real deal battle proven of the two
The only good SIGs come from Switzerland btw
If the street price is $1500 – $1700 I’m in.
How did IWI end up in a bankrupt sh*t hole like Harrisburg, PA, I’d like to know.
Maybe Camden NJ or Cleveland OH were too high rent for them?
True, Harrisburg has a nice Christmas parade if you don’t mind freezing your ass off, but no, somehow I doubt that’s the answer.
My mistake. They’re actually in Linglestown and not Harrisburg proper. Big difference.
That’s one mystery cleared up.
Economically speaking, if a place is in the toilet it can be a good time to buy in cheap. I read about some guy who’s bought up like a thousand acres of homes(condemned properties) in Detroit for next to nothing. don’t know what his plans are but still.
I was excited when I saw this rifle, and then I saw the price. My Tavor will be here in a few days and I paid $150 less than the Galil MSRP. I can see paying $1200 or so for it, but for nearly $2k I would be looking at other rifles. Heck, I know where a brand new scar 16s is being sold for $1700.
I’d love me a Galil but $1800 is a bit much for a third-hand AK (it was based on the Finnish Valmet, which I’d put even higher on my desirability list). Lop about $600 off that, offer it in wooden furniture and this will be the rifle that finally lures me on the train outta NY…. assuming Cuomo’s pending reelection hasn’t done it first.
I’ll wait for a rifle in .308.
I was hoping it would be max $1200. You can get an Arsenal sam7 for about 1k. I don’t see how this is worth $700 more than an Arsenal.
Cut the price in half and you have a seller.
I would not trade my M92 for this pistol even in a straight up trade.
Man the ignorance in the comments is staggering. Sounds many did not even to bother watching the video and spouted off a bunch of nonsense:
-The MSRP is not the final price just a “suggested” price. It will be going for less than that once they start showing up. MAC even said in the video the target price for these will be less than a Tavor.
-It has vast improvements over the AK and I myself being an AK fanboy admit that it is everything I wanted the AK to be:
-Improved ergonomics that everyone complains the AK lacks
-Full rail system on top to mount optics which has been a hindrance to the AK
-Selector switch similar in style to the AR and it is ambidextrous
-Better iron sites that are similar in profile to the AR/FAL which again people hated on the original AK for
-Lightened the weight of the Galil since that is the biggest complaint against it
-A folding stock with a buffer tube that in the future will lend itself to upgrades to any AR stock you want
-A handguard that already has rails integrated into the handguard so unlike the AR you don’t need to spend time trying to install a rail system when it is unecessary since it already has one plus a cutout to use a pressure switch for a light/laser/whatever
To those who want the original Galil back, go buy an IMI pre-ban, kit gun, or a Century. The Galil as much as I love it and own one it is old tech compared to this. This is Galil 2.0.
And to those who think this is some unproven gun thrown on the market without any track record like a Bushmaster ACR, SIG-556xi, MPAR-556, XCR, etc. they couldn’ be any more wrong. The ACE has already been adopted by:
Colombia
Chile
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Mexico
Peru
South Sudan
Ukraine
Vietnam
Colombia, Chile, Peru, Ukraine, and Vietnam will be building them under license.
These countries have terrible climates that destroy gun and most are warzones. If this gun was such a POS they would not be adopting it.
Funny how IWI comes out with an improved AK that people have been wanting for years yet still crap on it because it isn’t $300. Guess what this isn’t the Third World so you should not expect Third World pricing especially with the time and effort IWI went through to design this. If you are going to be pissed at the price aim that at the government for its gun control laws, tariffs, and executive orders that stifle competition which is why the prices are what they are. Also their 5.56 version, the N, uses AR mags too.
Damn, a big PLUS ONE to that, Scott P!
Count me in for a 8.3″ pistol model with folding sig brace set up. I’d prefer it end up around $1200, but guess we’ll see. Probably going to be closer to $1400, $1500. The ONLY question I have is: where is the damn (single-point) sling attachment point? Don’t make me have to rig something up, IWI !
So, per their Facebook page…
“February 2015, GALIL ACE Pistol (8.3″ barrel) in 7.62x39mm – $1,749.00
March 2015, GALIL ACE Pistol (8.3″ barrel) in 7.62x39mm, with side folding stabilizer brace – $1,849.00
April 2015, GALIL ACE Rifle (16″ barrel) in 7.62x39mm with side folding adjustable buttstock – $1,899.00
August 2015, GALIL ACE Pistol (11.8″ barrel) in 7.62 NATO – $1,949.00
September 2015, GALIL ACE Pistol (11.8″ barrel) in 7.62 NATO – $2,049.00
October 2015, GALIL ACE Rifle (16″ or 20″ barrel) in 7.62 NATO – $2,099.00
Look for 5.56 NATO by the end of 2015, early 2016.
Note:
7.62x39mm uses standard AK type magazines
7.62 NATO uses standard SR25 type magazines
5.56 NATO uses standard AR-16/M16/STANAG magazines”
Those prices are going to need to come down if they want to be competitive, even if we assume the street price is $300 under MSRP like the Tavor.
These Israelis are INSANE WITH AVARICE. Talking about stereotypes. $1800 for product improved AK? With plastic lower? Well, I know that there is a sucker born every minute, but I doubt that there are SO many morons who would pay this outrageous prices. There are plenty of other rifles which are just as good or better.
1. SIG 556 and SIG 556R, they can be had for about $1200. They are also product improved AK and are 1/3 less then the “New” Galil.
2. ARX100. AR $1500 street price tag, with a conversion kit it should be under $2000 for ONE.
3. Bulgarian AKs, as overpriced as they are they are STILL cheaper than Galil ACE.
4. MPAR 556. Masterpiece arms has good reputation.
IMI claims that “Vietnam chose the Galil ACE, which means it is a better rifle”. Kazakhstan chose ARX160 in 7.62×39. So that means nothing. At these prices I will pass.
You guys don’t get it, this rifle just beat out 32 other competitors in head to head comparisons, placing this rifle in the utmost extreme places on earth; from the desert to sub zero temps, then back to the marshes of India. The remaining last 4 finalist were the CZ 805 Bren / Berettas ARX160 / The American M-4 from COLT, and the Israeli Ace aka Galil…Now guess who didn’t pass the trials, the last 2 finalist are the ARX160-Israeli Galil ….
First thank you for your review! I hear a consensus that this is not good value. First, AKs are 5.56 Nato not 7.62, correct? I choose the 7.62, no? That’s added value. Ok, beside this, lets skip IWI and save a little more for something that is worth it: The Desert Tech MDR (if they ever release it). There is already a website with hundreds of orders in.
AK’s are 7.62….. If you don’t know that… You should probably do research… Then maybe form an opinion?
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