5.56 Galil receiver cuts; Evolution or customer option?

[Stottman]

Ok, so there basically 3 different 5.56 Galil receivers. Major changes anyway.

For my own labeling, I call them early, mid and late.

Early is with double lightening cuts. Early-

Mid is with a lightening cut, and a scope mount cut. Mid-

Late is a slabside with a scope mount plate. Late-

Does anyone know if this was a parts evolution, or just a customer "option"?

All these are Israeli Army, but have similar for export "SAR" marked guns.
If it was a evolution, approximate dates?

 

[lcastillo]

Stottman, that is a great question to ask! Personally I have had a R4 & R5 built by Jeff Miller and requested he added the lightning cuts. I think that the lightning cuts served to cut weight on the weapon. It could also serve as a way for the weapon to cool off quicker. I tend to think it was about weight savings. As I stated earlier it was a extra charge for me to add the lightning cuts, so this could have been a customer request at extra cost from IMI customers. I have seen Galil SAR's in Guatemala with the lightning cuts on the ejector side of the Galil receiver ( so they might have spent the extra money). In the end the heavy weight of the Galil and the extra cost to make a milled receiver spelled the doom for the Galil in Israel (they preferred the M-16/AR-15 which was offered by the USA around this time). They did go on to make good rifles for Latin American countries, Asia and Europe.

 

[lcastillo]

Oh Great pictures again keep them coming!

 

[Mr Folgers]

In the first years of production, 1973 until approximately 1978, the receivers featured double lightening cuts as a weight cutting measure. In IDF-specific gun terms, this was the first production run that had all the early features on the guns (Carry handles on ARMs, no bayonet lugs, ect).

The second production run took place some time before 1982, as we have evidence from the Lebanon War of IDF soldiers using 2nd pattern Galils with scope mount cuts, no carry handles and other changed features. It appears that during the 2nd run the single lightening cuts were omitted and the receivers left slab-sided as you say. The reasoning is probably that it didn't serve much of a purpose, and the tooling needed to make the cuts was not cost-effective.

I recollect hearing from Jeff that the carbide cutter used to make the lightening cuts only lasts ~60 operations, so you can imagine having to change them out frequently if you are in mass production.

 

[Stottman]

Thanks for the info, exactly what I was after.

I have photos of a double lightening cut Galil ARM like you describe, but cannot post it.