Would you be interested in a 22 Tavor?

[basicblur]

I just put in my 2nd request to IWI US that they consider coming to market with a 22 version of the Tavor, and if they're not interested, consider having one made by Walther / Umarex. I was told they had been contacted by Walther about making such an animal, and had shipped one Tavor to a maker of 22 conversion kits. They say the don't know how far along either project is, so I also contacted Walther in an attempt to give them a nudge down that path.

For myself:
1. I'm not really interested in a conversion kit - I don't want a $1,600 22!
2. I have the Walther / Umarex Colt M4 Carbine and Beretta ARX 100, so I'd actually prefer it be made by Walther so the same magazines as the M4 / ARX 100 could be used in a 22 Tavor.
3. I urged Walther / IWI if they make such a rifle, to keep it as close to original as possible. My ARX100 is much closer to the original ARX160 than the Colt is to an AR (the Walter Colt M4 is an entirely different design internally).
4. I also urged them to keep the barrel / flash suppressor as close to factory as possible, in order to facilitate the use of silencers.

So...what say you folks - anybody out there interested in a 22 Tavor?

I'd think with the popularity of the original Tavor, 22's in sporting rifle platforms, and the explosion of silencer owners (especially those neat 22 cans), it would have quite a market.

If you are interested, maybe you should let both IWI and Walther know!?

 

[Ed Ames]

Not I.

I don't like "styled like" guns in general. I had a .22 AR (marked as .22lr on the lower) but it could use any standard upper. That's as close as I willingly come to lookalikes.

 

[bannockburn]

Typically I prefer a .22 conversion unit versus getting a full size .22 look-alike gun. Sorry but no interest here either for a .22 Tavor.

 

[wally]

Until the .22lr ammo situation returns to where I can waltz into the nearest Walmart or Academy and expect to buy all the ammo I'll need for an outing, I'm not interested in any more .22lr guns.

 

[desidog]

FWIW, the Umarex-made Walther G-22 bullpup was the biggest lemon i ever bought... so, no, i have no interest in anything Umarex.

 

[krinko]

I would buy one if it were made in one of the larger .22 cartridges---say .223 maybe.
-----krinko

 

[ttarp]

I probably wouldn't get one, I have a long enough "to buy" list as it is, but I support the idea of an affordable introduction to bullpup rifles.

 

[basicblur]

FWIW, both my Walther made Colt and ARX100 have been reliable, accurate little shooters - I also have a S&W 22 AR.

I have a feeling Beretta may have had more control over the Walther made ARX100, as it appears to more closely mimic the full sized ARX160.

The Walther made Colt is a whole 'nother animal - the guts are a complete departure from normal AR internals - the S&W 22 AR follows it's big brother nicely AFA the internals.

I've got a feeling Colt made have let 'em have at it (just stamp our name on it and send us the check) while Beretta may have been trying to protect the family name / reputation by having input on the ARX100.

Even though it's not a "normal" gun inside, the Colt 22 (and Beretta) have eaten anything I've fed them - my S&W tends to choke about 5% of the time on the Winchester 555 / 333 / 222 ammo, no doubt due to the flatter profile of that particular round. I've got a wide range of 22 rounds to experiment with, but the Winchester 555 / 333 / 222 has the flattest nose by far.

I'm hoping with a little more break-in, the S&W will knock out that 5% FTF rate, although I shoot very little of the Winchester thru it.

 

[Bobson]

Not interested. I'm not a huge 22 fan either way. Been thinking of getting a Savage FVSR to plink around with and let my kids start learning gun safety on, but that'd do it for me.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

Just like with everything, the question is "for what price?"

 

[Panzerschwein]

Not me. Not interested at all... call me crazy.

I think it'd sell very well to the mall ninja crowd, though.

 

[Bobson]

Not me. Not interested at all... call me crazy.

I think it'd sell very well to the mall ninja crowd, though.

Why? The Tavor is a quality bullpup design in an extremely popular cartridge. Thus, it's owned by a fair number of people. If it was priced at $1000, instead of around $1600, I would think it's demand would far exceed supply. Isn't it reasonable that many Tavor owners would like a rimfire version for less expensive plinking and practice?

It's almost as if you're saying anyone with a Tavor is a mall ninja. But then, why wouldn't the same be true for everyone with an AR15? That's pretty darn extreme, IMO.

 

[Ed Ames]

Why?

I'm not the person you are responding to but I can give my answer: because built-as-rimfire lookalikes tend to be poor training substitutes, and poor quality toys in general. Look at some of the "AR-like" .22lr guns like the Mossberg 715t where the charging handle is molded in, etc.. It is a pot metal shell mounted around a rifle. I might be perfectly happy with the inner rifle, but why do I want to carry a shell designed to make it look - but not operate- like something else?

Now, sell me the equivalent of a tavor lower with a .22lr upper, where I could swap barrel, bolt, and magazine to shoot 5.56, and you may have something. Sell me a nice bullpup .22lr that is its own bird and you may have something too, for less money.

 

[basicblur]

Isn't it reasonable that many Tavor owners would like a rimfire version for less expensive plinking and practice?

How true...as well as getting a lot of cheap trigger time, it's also fun to get the kidz / ladies started on something small and cheap to shoot.

Heck, most of the time I go out, the kids end up shooting my stuff more than I do, and I get a kick out of watching / teaching them a few things.

I've introduced and hooked more than one family to the joys of the S&W 22 AR. The kidz would probably go nutz if they saw a 22 Tavor begging to be tried out!

 

[HexHead]

Considering I have no interest in a Tavor in the first place since I feel they pale in comparison to an AUG, I sure as hell wouldn't be interested in an Umarex one.

 

[basicblur]

because built-as-rimfire lookalikes tend to be poor training substitutes, and poor quality toys in general.

One man's opinion...

Personally, I think trigger time is trigger time, and I wouldn't call any of the 22 rifles I have toys. They just plain work, and go bang every time.

I've seen a lot of folks complain about the S&W 22 AR being a "toy" because of the plastic, but the lighter weight it affords is often exactly what kids and women are looking for.

AFA conversions...I usually found it to be about as cheap to just buy a dedicated 22 - I bought my ARX100 for $343.96 delivered.

Now if I could just get IWI and Walther to turn out a 22 Tavor and stand to wait long enough for another deal like that to show up in my mailbox...

 

[Lord Teapot]

a $1000 .22?

 

[basicblur]

It's almost as if you're saying anyone with a Tavor is a mall ninja.

What can ya say...haters gonna hate!

Some folks' opinions of the Tavor reminds me of when Glocks first came out (you are old enough to remember how much hate there was for a "plastic" gun?).

Just cruising around the 'Net / YouTube, it sure looks like it's taking off.

I've been eyeing bullpups for years, but until the Tavor came out, none of them had quite enough going for them to entice me to take the plunge.

 

[basicblur]

a $1000 .22?

Nope...if it was produced by Walther, more like a $500 .22 (which is the ballpark MSRP for the Walther produced Colt / Beretta 22's).

And if you can wait a while for deals, maybe something like the $343.96 I paid for my ARX100.

 

[CraigC]

Maybe, if done right. It would make for a mighty handy rifle for moving into and out of vehicles without the trouble, expense and noise of an SBR stamp.

 

[Ed Ames]

One man's opinion...

True 'nuff.

I chose the word 'toys' deliberately. Many of the GSG, Umarex, Mossberg, etc., things wind up being cast potmetal or plastic shells that look and feel very much like toys, with a real firearm hidden inside. Hiding a real firearm in a toy shell is...well I find it aesthetically unsatisfying. If someone gave me one I would try to strip the shell off.

'Toy' has nothing to do with light weight. Quite the opposite...I bet most would shed a pound or so if you removed the fake shell and let it be itself...and I would like 'em better.

When I buy a rifle, I want the best rifle that can be built for the price. Throwing money at a purely decorative shell is wasting it from my point of view.

If part of being "best" for a particular rifle is being a training proxy for another gun, it needs to have the same controls, balance, trigger, use the same size mags, etc.. That isn't cheap and conversions are often the cheapest way.

If tavor (or, even better, KelTec; they seem to have figured out how to make a good bullpup) produced a bullpup .22 (or .22 mag) that was small, light, and built from the ground up to be the best rimfire bullpup the maker could produce...I would probably buy one. But a tavor clone that was more plastic shell than real tavor? Nope.

 

[B!ngoFuelUSN]

Not a whit of interest in a Tavor conversion. Even the 9mm doesn't get my blood flowing. The Tavor is an excellent, well balanced firearm with significant mass making it an ideal instrument for accuracy and follow up shot. You don't need all of that mass and design to squirt .22LR out of one.
But when they start shipping a .308 option (I know, it's never going happen) I'll be first in line.
B

 

[Bobson]

But when they start shipping a .308 option (I know, it's never going happen) I'll be first in line.
B

Hoo boy. Where do I sign up?

 

[basicblur]

I see under the Law Enforcement section they show one model to have a 300 AAC conversion soon to be available.

If they're going to offer AAC Blackout in an LE version, I'm assuming it will also be available in the civilian version also - I'm going to assume it's just an oversight or they haven't updated the website stating such?

I've eyeballed the 300 Blackout for a while but just never could make the jump.

If IWI was to come out with a 16" Tavor in 300 Blackout (from the factory - I'm not paying extra for a conversion kit) that might be enough for me to enter the 300 Blackout world.

The usual advantages of the Tavor come into play, especially for a silenced 300 Blackout:
1. Shorter than a SBR AR.
2. No tax stamp required.
3. Don't have to ask big brother for permission to travel with it.

'Course, that would mean another silencer in my future. :banghead:

 

[ifit]

Got my interest on a dedicated 22lr Tavor as long as they try to keep it true to the original Tavor at an affordable price range.