Tavor - southpaw & live in MA

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cooker263

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General question on the IWI Tavor - I know I can purchase an MA compliant version. I also know that I can purchase a left-handed version (or ship to IWI to convert to LH).

Unfortunately, I live in MA and am left-handed, which means either I'd need to pay to switch over the MA-compliant model to LH or purchase a free state LH model and modify.

One issue with the MA version is that it is 30" with a large permanent muzzle brake, but I'm assuming the extra length is to comply with either NJ or MD as I did not think there was a length requirement in MA?

Any thoughts on what may make more sense? Trying to balance cost/practicality. Thanks
 
I bought a 16 inch barrel, left hand Tavor from Florida. 1776 Gunsmithing in Walpole received the rifle and pinned on my supplied muzzle brake. Cheap and easy compared to buying a Massafied right hand model with a brake I may not want, spend the extra cash converting it to left handed, which could take who knows how long.
 
cooker263 said:
General question on the IWI Tavor - I know I can purchase an MA compliant version. I also know that I can purchase a left-handed version (or ship to IWI to convert to LH).

Unfortunately, I live in MA and am left-handed, which means either I'd need to pay to switch over the MA-compliant model to LH or purchase a free state LH model and modify.

One issue with the MA version is that it is 30" with a large permanent muzzle brake, but I'm assuming the extra length is to comply with either NJ or MD as I did not think there was a length requirement in MA?

Any thoughts on what may make more sense? Trying to balance cost/practicality. Thanks
Click to expand...

Lefty here... Really don't see the need for a lefty AR. Just make sure it has a brass deflector.
 
Right handed shooters can't handle shooting left handed they call it weak side us lefties just call it the other side...
[video]https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=36MnzE36i1s[/video]
 
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CobaltBlueSteel said:
I bought a 16 inch barrel, left hand Tavor from Florida. 1776 Gunsmithing in Walpole received the rifle and pinned on my supplied muzzle brake. Cheap and easy compared to buying a Massafied right hand model with a brake I may not want, spend the extra cash converting it to left handed, which could take who knows how long.
Click to expand...

^^this
 
CobaltBlueSteel said:
The Tavor may be advertised as "ambidextrous", but it is not weak hand shooting friendly (unlike an AR). You'll be catching brass between your teeth unless you hang back awkwardly on the cheek rest.
Click to expand...


I haven't experienced that... I'm a righty, but I have a lefty friend who had no problems. One thing to look for is what type of ammo you're using. If it's actual 5.56, it gets ejected at 2 o'clock, if it's .223 or just generally a less loaded round, it may eject 3-5 o'clock.
 
wolfenkraft said:
I haven't experienced that... I'm a righty, but I have a lefty friend who had no problems. One thing to look for is what type of ammo you're using. If it's actual 5.56, it gets ejected at 2 o'clock, if it's .223 or just generally a less loaded round, it may eject 3-5 o'clock.
Click to expand...
Lake City 5.56mm, 55gr. I had one righty friend catch one casing in his beard (which was hilarious) and another grazed his lip. It's not every time. Those two instances were over the course of 150 rounds. If anything it gives me more time on my rifle.
 
to OP, if you are a lefty i think it's worth your effort to get the L-handed tavor configuration as you are already doing. perhaps many southpaws out there have managed to shoot a righty configured rifle but in the case of the tavor it's absolutely worth getting it setup for lefty.

on the flip argument, i am a righty and under no circumstances would i want a lefty-configured tavor....it would be annoying as hell to constantly worry about where the brass is ejecting. for the slightly extra $$ i think you will be glad you got yourself the lefty configuration. just my opinion on this, i'm sure others will vary.
 
Squib308 said:
to OP, if you are a lefty i think it's worth your effort to get the L-handed tavor configuration as you are already doing. perhaps many southpaws out there have managed to shoot a righty configured rifle but in the case of the tavor it's absolutely worth getting it setup for lefty.

on the flip argument, i am a righty and under no circumstances would i want a lefty-configured tavor....it would be annoying as hell to constantly worry about where the brass is ejecting. for the slightly extra $$ i think you will be glad you got yourself the lefty configuration. just my opinion on this, i'm sure others will vary.
Click to expand...

Also the charging handle would be on the wrong side. It's not as bad as left hand shooting a right handed bolt action, but it's enough to be annoying to just buy a lefty Tavor... just my opinion.

I paid $1750 for my new left handed Tavor on Gunbroker, which is an excellent price considering the NES group buy price was I think about $1650, MSRP is $1999, and the only local shop with stock at the time was charging $2350 for a righty with a Battlecomp brake pinned and welded.
 
cooker263 said:
General question on the IWI Tavor - I know I can purchase an MA compliant version. I also know that I can purchase a left-handed version (or ship to IWI to convert to LH).

Unfortunately, I live in MA and am left-handed, which means either I'd need to pay to switch over the MA-compliant model to LH or purchase a free state LH model and modify.

One issue with the MA version is that it is 30" with a large permanent muzzle brake, but I'm assuming the extra length is to comply with either NJ or MD as I did not think there was a length requirement in MA?

Any thoughts on what may make more sense? Trying to balance cost/practicality. Thanks
Click to expand...

Buy a NATO stock Steyr AUG, buy a left hand bolt and change it in 5 minutes, DONE.
 
cooker263 said:
General question on the IWI Tavor - I know I can purchase an MA compliant version. I also know that I can purchase a left-handed version (or ship to IWI to convert to LH).

Unfortunately, I live in MA and am left-handed, which means either I'd need to pay to switch over the MA-compliant model to LH or purchase a free state LH model and modify.

One issue with the MA version is that it is 30" with a large permanent muzzle brake, but I'm assuming the extra length is to comply with either NJ or MD as I did not think there was a length requirement in MA?

Any thoughts on what may make more sense? Trying to balance cost/practicality. Thanks
Click to expand...

DO NOT BUY THE COMPLAINT VERSION!

It's generic and there's no need for the extra length.... Buy the lefty and have it made compliant. the only compliance issue is the mag and the pinning of the muzzle device.
 
**DRB** said:
DO NOT BUY THE COMPLAINT VERSION!

It's generic and there's no need for the extra length.... Buy the lefty and have it made compliant. the only compliance issue is the mag and the pinning of the muzzle device.
Click to expand...

^^this
as we've beaten to death, buy yourself the tavor LH model and then have it massified, ideally by 1776 if they can accomodate you.
 
Mike-Mike said:
Lefty here... Really don't see the need for a lefty AR. Just make sure it has a brass deflector.
Click to expand...

Mike Mike - you have clearly not ever handled or shot a Tavor.

I am a Left Handed AR shooter. I am also a Tavor owner.

The Tavor is the LEAST ambidextrous firearm I've ever shot.

A left handed person CAN NOT reasonably expect to use a RH Tavor. The shells bounce off your face if you turkey neck up on the stock like you learned when shooting your AR.

Unlike an AR with an ambi selector, which is truly ambidextrous, the Tavor is REVERSIBLE.

i am defining ambidextrous as a rifle that can be reversed from side to side on the fly.

I am defining reversible as a firearm taht can be configured to be shot from either shoulder with a minor amount of reconfiguring.

The tavor CAN NOT BE MADE AMBIDEXTROUS.

PERIOD
 
One other thing.

If you want a LH tan gun, the only way to get one is to convert a RH gun.

My Tavor is a LH Tan gun with an 18" barrel. The only way to get that gun is to buy the RH version and spend the extra $100 on a LH bolt.

Don
 
dcmdon said:
Mike Mike - you have clearly not ever handled or shot a Tavor.

I am a Left Handed AR shooter. I am also a Tavor owner.

The Tavor is the LEAST ambidextrous firearm I've ever shot.

A left handed person CAN NOT reasonably expect to use a RH Tavor. The shells bounce off your face if you turkey neck up on the stock like you learned when shooting your AR.

Unlike an AR with an ambi selector, which is truly ambidextrous, the Tavor is REVERSIBLE.

i am defining ambidextrous as a rifle that can be reversed from side to side on the fly.

I am defining reversible as a firearm taht can be configured to be shot from either shoulder with a minor amount of reconfiguring.

The tavor CAN NOT BE MADE AMBIDEXTROUS.

PERIOD
Click to expand...

I agree fully about the safety.... the safety and the stock trigger are my 2 biggest issues with the tavor platform. When I grip high on a Tavor, the safety is very uncorfortable in the thumb area.

I still have never had brass hit me in the face, not once, while shooting lefty. That being said, I'm not a lefty as you are and I also sit farther back on the stock than I do an AR ( nose touching the charging handle )
 
If you set your head back like you are target shooting, you won't have any trouble LH.

If you shoot a Tavor like you would if you were a tactical kindof guy, which I'm not, or like you were playing any kind of gun game where you need to move and shoot quickly with decent accuracy (which I am), then you will have trouble.

If you assume a nose to the charging handle head position with your body canted forward, you will have problems.

Its not just the discomfort. Its the fact that the gun fails like this.

The first time I took my Tavor out to shoot, before I had received the LH bolt from IWI, on the second or 3rd shot, a piece of brass bounced off my chin and back into the ejection port.

HA - what are the chances of that happening again. Amazing.

Then it happened 2 more times by the time I had burned through a 30 round P-mag.

In every case, clearing the gun required dropping the mag and cycling the slide. This highlighted another very personal problem I have with the tavor. I've been shooting an AR in some capacity for about 25 years. I instinctively know where stuff is. I can adapt quickly to rifles that are slightly different, like the SCAR.

But on the Tavor, all weapon manipulation is done different than it is on the AR. The mag release, slide release, and charging handle are all different. The magwell is up under your shoulder.

I'm not saying this is in any way inferior to an AR. But these weapon clearing exercises caused by the shell bouncing off my chin had to be very very slow and methodical. I like the TAvor concept. My 18" gun is shorter than my 10.5" AR15 with the stock collapsed. Thats amazing, since the exterior and terminal ballistics of the 5.56 is much much better out of a longer barrel. I want to love this gun. I really want to love this gun. Who wouldn't love an 18" gun that handles like a 10.5" SBR. But I can't.

Don
 
dcmdon said:
If you set your head back like you are target shooting, you won't have any trouble LH.

If you shoot a Tavor like you would if you were a tactical kindof guy, which I'm not, or like you were playing any kind of gun game where you need to move and shoot quickly with decent accuracy (which I am), then you will have trouble.

If you assume a nose to the charging handle head position with your body canted forward, you will have problems.

Don
Click to expand...

Strong side nose all the way past the beginning of the flat top rail, weak side nose just touching the rail. Never had a failure never been hit on the face.

I'm not a masters level shooter, I'm a lowly crappy "B-C" shooter. I'm still faster on my Tavor on the timer than on any AR I've owned
 
That is excellent for you. (This is not sarcasm. I really mean it)

I'm not the only person who has had problems with it bouncing off their face when shooting weak side. I guess thats why one gun isn't best for everyone.

How has the transition been for you as far as fast mag changes and things like that. Its SOOOO different from an AR find learning weapon manipulation to be overwhelming.

I was thinking of trying mine at a local bowling pin shoot, where no mag changes or any manipulation is required on the clock.

Don
 
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dcmdon said:
That is excellent for you. I'm not the only person who has had problems with it bouncing off their face when shooting weak side. I guess thats why one gun isn't best for everyone.
Click to expand...

Don, my comments were not an attempt to discredit your experience only to offer my own experience. Looking through the many posts throughout the web on the Tavor there seems to be a fair amount of people that both can and cannot shoot a RH Tavor Lefty for many reasons including body position and ammo type....
 
DRB

Same here. I must have gotten the tone wrong. I apologize if it sounded defensive or combatative.

Both of our experiences are data points for any potential buyer to consider.

For what it's worth, I'm happy to let any established member try mine at my club in Woburn. Just keep in mind that its left handed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Grabagun.com has had LH Tavors for months. Have it shipped to a dealer who can do compliance mods and you are good to go.

But only black, only .223, and only 16"

Righties have the choice of black or tan, .223 or 9mm, and 16.5" or 18".

Don
 

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