Israel Weapon Industries has introduced a new conversion kit for its X95 assault rifle, allowing operators to now choose between 5.45mm, 5.56mm and 9mm ammunition.
The X95 is a compact weapon designed for the Israel Defense Force and similar type units. The conversion kit was designed to make the X95 compatible with 5.45mm ammunition used by eastern militaries in addition to the NATO 5.56mm and 9mm calibers.
IWI officials maintain that the kit will make the X95 the only weapon in the world that can use these three popular calibers.
“We developed the kit in response to requests we received from our customers for a 5.45mm ammunition weapon so that they could use the ammunition in their inventories,” said Uri Amit, IWI’s CEO. “This enables considerable savings by allowing our customers to change the rifle barrel according to the ammunition on hand, as well as matching the weapon to the evolving operational scenarios.”
The X95 has an effective range of 500 meters in its rifle and carbine configuration and 150 meters in its 9mm submachine gun mode.
The new kit has tested in extreme conditions including dust, water, heat, and cold for reliability and shooting accuracy, IWI officials maintain.
Examples of the converted weapons will be exhibited at Interpolitex in Moscow, Oct. 23–26 and ExpoDefensa in Colombia, Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
Not new news, Mr Hoffman.
Ukrainian Special Forces use tavors with AK-74s for years. They make them in 5.45mm so that Spec Ops operators who use both AK-74s and tavors can have common ammo for operations.
I see I'm not the only one who reads thefirearmblog. Interesting as it is, it's not ground breaking tech to have a gun that switch calibers, unless it can feed both rounds (and magazine types) with no trouble or part swap. Then I'll be impressed. Having to change just the barrel is a nice. Still, they claim that their gun is the only one that can field all 3 calibers, and I'm quite sure there are conversion kits for the AR-15 that let you go with 5.45 or 9mm. Is it just supposed to be a quicker change?
You are right, you can switch out an AR upper with 2 pins in about 5 seconds with many more calibers to choose from.
I hope to see more 5.45mm guns since 5.45 is last affordable round left 5.56mm is way too expensive these days.
I'm a 6.5 Grendel fan myself, with outstanding ballistics for that platform .
quicker and lighter.
imagine you have to carry around 3 barrels ..
Now build gun they no need 3 billion US dollar or German sub cheap no yes?
why u pay
uh… could you like… repeat that in human talk?
you aint from around here is ya?
no Sergei,
Israel is self sufficient!
self sufficient? LOL!
Don't forget the 12+ billion dollars the US and Germany give Israel every year. Hardly self sufficient.
Sergei we pay because it's in our best interests to do so.
I'd like some input please. I see so many articles about how the M4 and the M16 jam regularly in dusty conditions. The reason being is that the the gas piston system expels the dirty gasses into the chamber. Does it seem like it's time for the U.S. to switch carbines? After all they were designed in the 70's and there's been major improvements in firearms since then.
Most of the people saying the M16FOW jam in dusty conditions have zero experience with the systems. The M16/M4 do very well in dusty conditions. Even if it didn't, a gas piston wouldn't really fix that. The reason behind the HK 416 was very short barrels and/or sound suppressors.
I disagree. First the M-4/M-16 DOES NOT use a gas piston. It is a direct impingement system that uses the hot pressurized gas behind the bullet to blow the bolt itself back, there is no gas piston. The system is lightweight and efficient but it allows debris into chamber.
In July 2007 the US Army conducted tests between XM8, FN-SCAR, HK416, XCR and the M4. 10 of each rifle fired 6,000 rounds each so each type fired 60,000 rounds total. XM8 was best with 127 stoppages, FN-SCAR had 226 stoppages, HK416 had 233 stoppages. All those are gas piston systems. The M4 had 882 stoppages, almost 4x as much as the others. Troops in country using M4's have to go to measures to keep weapon clean and still have to clean it often. If your on extended patrol and in contact with hostiles you dont always have time to clean weapon several times a day.
US Army's defense of direct impingement is that if gas piston system breaks it usually has to go back to base armorer. Direct Impingement can usually be repaired in field.
1. Remington got a contract in April to build 24,000 New M-4′s, so nothing new coming.
2. We have a DOD budget to cut. Adopting a New rifle is a low priority in a Drone/ IED world. Those are the weapons doing the real fighting today.
When did the gun pick up up the “X95″ designation? I though it was the Tavor tar -21?
TAR-21 is used to designate the full size.
This version was originally known as the "Micro-Tavor", and named as "X-95" for foreign sales, etc.
The X95 is a shorter, modified version of the tavor, designed specifically for use by Spec Ops forces and personnel who don't need a full sized rifle. It is, however, functionally identical to the tavor with the exception that there are caliber conversion kits made for it.
I would love to see the line expanded to 6.5 Grendel, 6.8mm and 50 Beuwulf..
Unquestionably the 6.5 Grendel is superior to all of the 5mm rounds, but cost and politics will negate any chance for its use. Billions of 5.56 and 5.45 rounds out there and change won't happen. The 50 Beowulf is a pretty large cartridge for close work and would limit rounds carried plus heavy recoil. Either the .45 or .40 would be better choices than the 9mm but sadly once again logistics and costs will rule the issue.
Is this "X95" the new designation for the entire Tavor series, or just the MTAR-21?
As I understand it, the X95 is an "improved TAVOR", with (among other things) a modified handguard and picatinny rails everywhere.
The IWI website (http://www.israel-weapon dot com/default.asp?catid=%7BFF7A51A4-4AF9-410D-A2B0-860E9D4F6D2F%7D) still lists both the TAVOR and the X95.
Regards & all,
Thomas L. Nielsen
Luxembourg
as far as i can tell its a new designation of the micro-tavor ( for foreign marketing)
Looks like a pistol with an ass.
Sigh…….. No, but you must not be familiar with Bull pup type rifles.
that is absolutely helarious
A Kardashian? Forgive me lord and feed the starving pygmies of New Guinea, amen.
Any new news of the Tavor coming to the US for sale? Rumor mill last year had a import deal finally in place.
I think that it is supposed to happen sometime next year No word on exact date or price but will probably get more news after the shot show towards the end of the year.
Don't people know the difference between a caliber and a cartridge?
5.45 & 5.56 are the same caliber.
5.45 and 5.56 are not the same caliber. One is .223 inches in diameter, and the other is .217 inches in diamter. Perhaps .223 could swage through a 21.7 caliber bore, but .217 projectiles will not perform in a .223 diameter bore.
Indeed, "people" don't know the difference between a caliber and a cartridge.
they can make a 5.56 round that will out perform the 5.45 by just using the bullet that was orignally designed for. it was designed as a varmit cartridge. with 45 grn. pills. that combination really works. using the heavy pills to stop from making a cal. change is nutso. shooting at long ranges by adding 7 grns. to the pill is not the answer. change the cal. to 7.62, go back to a longer barrel and put on a good sight and then let the soldiers expend lots of rounds at the range, before deployment. watch the price drop and the scores go up. keep the enemy in your controled range not his.
"it was designed as a varmit cartridge. with 45 grn. pills. that combination really works" – please tell us how you define "works".
The original M193 load for the 5,56x45mm was replaced by the current SS109 loading due to its inability to penetrate body-armour at range.
The 5,45 bullet is also more ballistically efficient than the M193.
Regards & all,
Thomas L. Nielsen
Luxembourg
Chamber it for a .40 cal, .45 cal, and a 6.65 mm, then it'll have some knock down power. Israelies make great weapons and I'm sure this will live up to their great reputation. I LOVE my Galil .308 AR.
Remember, you're probably firing your .308 semi-auto. The reason for the smaller calibers is to use the same round in a rifle as the squad based MG's. It reduces logisitics problems to ship a single type or round to the front and let a working party chain link the ammo for the MG's and pack the rifle ammo into magazines
You do know there is no such thing as "knock down power", right? The .40 S&W isn't a very good cartridge. It offers little ballistic benefit over a 9mm with a lot of downsides. The .45 ACP is a good cartridge, but you severely limit capacity with it. The best bet would be to forget the Hague Convention of 1899 and use expanding ammunition. A 5.56 NATO firing a 70gr Barnes TSX projectile is nasty. The 7.62x51mm NATO is both inefficient as a cartridge and far too heavy for service rifles. Going back to it would be a step backwards, not forwards.
"….we tell the israeli when and what to do and only in 1 out of a 100 times they "disobey""
Could you please get someone from Israel to confirm that?
Regards & all,
Thomas L. Nielsen
Luxembourg
i would say that our intrest correlate 99% of the time because we share a lot of values.
itamar,
israel.
:)
p.s: confirmed
enough about conversion kits, I just want to when the promised Tavor for the us civilian market are going to arrive and how much they will be
Along with the 5.45 conversion, I really hope they add a 6.5 conversion kit too.. any one know the status of steel cased 6.5 coming out yet?
Is the X95 the standard-issue for IDF?
Ukrainian's have this called "Viepr". China have "TYPE97". Austria have Steyr, Tar etc. A lot of countries have bullup guns. Gus Piston is better, but bullup? Better switch youre US guns to 7,62 or change CAR15, M16, FN and all others on other type of guns to something really new. All the "new" projects are really similar, like "revolutionary" Barrett REC7.
this thing looks totally awesome.