Firearms Friday: Wish List

#1 on my wish list... IWI Tavor IDF.

It really doesn’t matter what you collect of what you enjoy as a hobby, everyone has a wish list of some kind. I can remember when I was younger collecting baseball cards of teams and players as well as filling coin catalogs with every date and mint mark… there was always a certain card or coin that I was looking for at any given moment. Even now, whenever my wife and I are in a new place or walking through an old bookstore, we try and find something Wizard of Oz related to fit into her collection. She may not have a defined wish list but there are certain things that she looks for when browsing through the aisles.  

Generally speaking, for some people it is one or two items while for others the list is far longer than that which you own. I definitely fall in the latter of the two and it is actually a pretty diverse list of firearms ranging from the inexpensive Diamondback DB9FS, Zastava CZ999, Walther CCP, and Smith & Wesson SD9 to a Cabot Guns 1911, Detonics Defense STX, IWI Tavor IDF, Smith & Wesson 500 Performance Center, Binelli M4, IWI 50AE Desert Eagle, and FN PS90. Like I said, a rather diverse group. Heck, I just like things that are a little different and it really doesn’t matter what the price is… it is a wish list after all, a mix of the realistic and completely unreasonable.

And, of course, there are the mid-range, easy to find items. The ones that you regularly pass up even though you ask to see it every time you walk into the door of the gun shop. Sometime they will even have it ready for you. Many of these firearms are on most lists like the Sig Sauer MK25 (P226 Navy), Walther PPQ M2, Smith & Wesson M&P 45, CZ P-09, FNH FNX45 Tactical, IWI Jericho 941, and many other similar guns. Then there are the ones that occasionally come in and you end up kicking yourself for not picking it up when you see it put out in the used case. Prime examples of this for me include the Khar K9, Smith & Wesson 39-2, Styer Mannlicher L-A1, and Walther PPS.

Finally, there are the ones that you have yet to find either new or in the used case… Sometimes it is all about timing and just being the lucky one to find it in the case soon after it is put out. My timing is rarely a positive attribute which is why I have yet to find a Colt All American (2000), BUL M5, IWI SP21, or LionHeart LH9. None of these are particularly expensive firearms especially when well used examples are found but they just don’t surface often.

As many of you know, wish lists can be both a means to focus your efforts and also a frustrating practice. Most lists, in the end, wind up being “if I win the lottery” lists but that doesn’t mean that you can’t just keep track of the items that have piqued your interest. After all, there may be an inexpensive but relatively good quality alternative on the market that you don’t know about yet. And, you never know, maybe you find that unbelievable deal on one of those unreachable items on your list… the kind of situation that you usually only hear about second hand. You just never know so keep working on that wish list.

Firearms Friday: Support Israel, Buy A Gun!

I thought it apropos to write this post with Passover beginning this evening… Israel has been in the news rather frequently as of late and most of the headlines have been critical of the state and or the Prime Minister. This has been in large part due to the negotiations with Iran and the resulting heavy media criticism of the Jewish state is nothing new. Another not so surprising result of the recent coverage is that there are radical groups of people calling for the boycott of Israeli products.

As I have made very clear in previous posts, I am a firm supporter of Israel which is why I am taking the exact opposite approach of some of the radicals and recommending that we purchase quality Israeli products. Given the day that this is being posted, it should be no surprise that I am recommending the procurement of Israeli firearms (as well as magazines and other related products). And, frankly, you are missing out if you don’t already have at least one in your collection. For those of you that are not familiar, there are two significant manufacturers that are available in the United States: IWI and BUL.

IWI is the more well-known of the two and I primarily known for four firearms: the Desert Eagle, the Jericho (rebranded in US by Magnum Research at the Baby Eagle), the Tavor, the Galil, and the Uzi. You can learn a little more about the manufacturer in my previous post about Pennsylvania based companies. For now, here is a little bit about some of their more popular offerings:

• The Desert Eagle is a monster of a handgun… large, heavy, and powerful calibers. This is great for the occasional trip to the range but be prepared to pull out your wallet each time you need to feed it. Especially if you opt to get one chambered in 50 AE. This is after to shell out over a grand to purchase the handgun.

• The Baby Eagle is the service sized firearm available with an all steel or polymer frame that is chambered in common calibers. Based on the classic CZ design with a more industrial aesthetic, this option is a natural pointer allowing the shooter to easily keep on target.

• While the Tavor has been in use with the IDF for years, it is a relative newcomer to the US market. The Bullpup design, chambered in the same caliber as the ubiquitous AR15, allows this rifle to be used effectively by both professionals in the line of duty as well as provides a comfortable platform for the weekend shooter at the range. Another plus is that it takes standard AR magazines.

• The Galil, at least this incarnation, is the newest arrival on the market which operates on a refined AK platform. Previously available in the US, original imports still carry with them a stellar reputation and command a high price on the used market. This is a must have for fans of the AK platform.

• The Uzi first came to national prominence when it was seen in use by the secret service during the attempted assassination of President Reagan. The platform currently popular with the public is chambered 22LR and is largely a plinking firearm. The submachinegun variant chambered in 9mm is something of the past. While still seen on occasion (sometimes in a dubious light) it really isn’t a factor in the consumer market. It really isn’t much more than a plinking pistol for the range.

Despite being available for the past 20-30 years, BUL is still a relative unknown to many people in the US but you really can’t go wrong picking up a M5 or a Cherokee. The M5 is BUL’s double stack 1911 offering. It is a high quality production that, at least at one point, was a popular choice among competitive shooters (and not just because it carried a few extra rounds). The Cherokee is a near twin to the polymer framed Jericho. Another solid option for those looking for either a larger carry option or something to take on the range on the weekends. Additionally, you can find their markings on some of the older Kimber polymer frame 1911’s floating around in the used gun case. Generally speaking, you can find BUL firearms on the used market at a pretty significant discount over IWI firearms.

Of course, if you are not in the market for a firearm you can always show your support by picking up IWI magazines, Mako / FAB Defense AR or AK accessories (highly recommended), and/or a Fobus holster. If you are not in the market for any of these you can also pick up an Uplala magazine loader that makes things just that much more comfortable at the range… you can actually feel your thumb on the way home if you use one of these. If you still can’t find anything to buy I really don’t know why you are reading this particular post but if that is the case go out and buy some kind of product from Israel. However, you’ll have to find those recommendations on your own but let’s just say that if you use a computer, a smart phone, and/or some kind of instant messenger you are already supporting the Jewish State.