IWI Weapons: Will War Make Them Harder to Find?

There are a lot of great gun companies out there and everyone has their favorites. One of my favorite gun companies is IWI (Israeli Weapons Industries). It’s hard to argue that the Israelis don’t know how to make good weapons. From legendary guns like the Tavor, Galil, Carmel, and of course, the UZI, they just make cool guns. But it’s reasonable to wonder if IWI weapons will become harder to find with the current state of world affairs. Israel is currently at war, and wars tend to make ammunition and weapons hard to find.

An Israeli-made weapon is not hard to find now, but I’ve already had multiple people asking me if they will become harder to find. My first answer was “No, I’m sure they can still be found.” But then I did a few quick searches on some of my favorite gun sites, and I found many of their weapons are showing to be out of stock. Even the Zion, which is their basic AR-15 rifle, took me a little bit to locate. I did find some places selling them, but the number of back-ordered listings was noticeable.

Made in Israel?

The first thing to look at is where Israel gets its weapons from. While they make their own products, they are also known for taking other countries’ equipment and modifying it to fit their purpose. IWI was privatized years ago but still has a branch that works with the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) to develop weapons. If you look at the list of small arms used by the IDF, it’s an interesting mix. Of course, IWI’s Jerico handgun, and the Galil and Tavor rifles are on that list. But so is Glock, Beretta, and a host of other weapons supplied by the US.

IWI has a US-based location that produces many of the same weapons for civilian and law enforcement sales just for the US market. This should help with the supply, but we can’t always be sure. Any type of weapon used by militaries will become harder to find during times of war. But I think the biggest issue causing shortages of IWI weapons right now is civilian “panic-buying” purchases.

When people get it in their heads that something could dry up, they tend to wipe out the supply by panic-buying. I’ll admit that I’m the same way sometimes. This is because we don’t know what we don’t know. You find yourself wondering “what if” and decide to play it safe and buy the gun, ammo, or whatever it is, right now. IWI weapons have been cast in the spotlight because of the Israeli war and this makes people want one — just in case.

Should you buy one?

Yes, you should buy an IWI weapon. I don’t represent them or get paid to endorse them; I just like their guns. But should you panic and go pay a higher price for one? I don’t think we’re there yet. Like other buying frenzies, the market will calm down and your favorite guns will start showing up back in stock again. At least that’s the hope.

My advice would be to select the gun you want, talk to local gun stores, and keep checking online. It’s true that firearms and ammunition could go up over time. Especially if the war in Israel escalates and the war in Ukraine continues. But it’s likely that ammo would be on the chopping block before US-made firearms.

My Favorite IWI Weapons

If you are not familiar with IWI, you should check them out at your local gun store or head to the next gun show in your area. They make some cool guns, and they sell at a reasonable price. Some of them, like the Tavor shotgun, look a little like space-age guns, but when you shoot one you won’t care. Here are my favorites:

Carmel 5.56

The Carmel 5.56 reminds me just a little of the FN SCAR. It’s a short-stroke gas-operated gun with two gas positions so it’s ready for a suppressor. A chrome-lined barrel is standard on this gun, which for some reason is harder to find these days. This thing runs on standard AR-15 mags and is made for the toughest conditions. The folding stock is great for storage and it’s fully ambidextrous.

GALIL 7.62

This one has the DNA of an AK-47. It runs on AK mags and has the feel of a high-quality rifle. You can also get it in 5.56, but if you’re going to own a GALIL, I would go with 7.62. Most of them come with an AR-15 style stock, but you can also switch it out for a different style. The charging handle is reciprocating, but that’s never bothered me on these rifles. Unlike AK-47s, the GALIL comes with a Picatinny rail and M-LOK slots so there’s no need to make more upgrades later.

Tavor X-95 5.56

I like bullpup-style rifles and the Tavor has proven to be an awesome gun. IWI hit a home run with this gun and it’s probably going to be one of my next purchases. I got some hands-on time with it earlier this year and loved it. They moved the mag release and placed it in the same location as AR-15 rifles which is a huge improvement. It also uses standard AR-15 mags. With the government trying to take away pistol braces, this is an excellent choice to have a short rifle while still meeting that 16-inch barrel requirement.

Only Time Will Tell

Who knows what the future will bring and if the IWI will disappear from our shelves or stay flowing in? Several gun stores I spoke to think they will be harder to keep in stock. But they also admitted it wasn’t from shipments (yet); it was only based on how fast they were selling. I can only hope one is around when I’m ready to buy one. I’ve had a Jerico for years and often carry my Masada Slim 9mm for self-defense. For the quality, it’s hard to beat IWI’s prices and it’s even harder to find someone who owns one but doesn’t like it. Next time you’re in the gun store, check one out.