I haven't handled the Tavor, but from my time with Steyrs:
- They are fucking heavy. Like, over 8lbs loaded kind of heavy. Over 9 if you're talking the F88SA2.
- The buttpad is not really well thought out, the rifle shoulders really inconsistently because of its shape and angle.
- Trigger, like nearly every bullpup trigger in existence, is absolutely atrocious.
- Mags are shit and crack or deform all the time. I heard they were orginally intended to be disposable and this was why, I cannot c/d this but when we are using mags as old as I am I can certainly tell you that they do have a use-by date. Older mags have cracked or chewed lips or weird bends or gouges which cause them to either not seat or not feed properly. Also they are dumb proprietary mags that are incompatible with everything else ever.
- Whoever thought that making the hammer out of polymer was a good idea needs to be punched in the balls. Over and fucking over. You normally replace them before it becomes an issue, but it shouldn't be an issue in the first place, it's fucking idiotic.
- Weak extractor, or at least they seem to have weak extractors. Being a choco the rifles we get are all quite old and well-worn, so it may be that, but beefing the extractor up anyway can't possibly hurt. Seems every other range day, someone's broken their extractor.
- Cocking handle lockup could be a little more beefy. The corner wears on older rifles and it's not entirely rare for the bolt to release itself if you slam the barrel back into the receiver a little too hard.
Now for good points:
- QD barrel/gas assembly is something all rifles should have these days. Makes clearing the weapon easier and more thorough, makes cleaning a breeze and means that in the event you somehow manage to fuck a barrel, all is not lost.
- Stupidly easy to field strip. No tools required, no pins to be punched out. Clear weapon, cock action, press a button and it just comes apart. Need to do a full strip? Easy. Firing pin turns a quarter-turn to the side and the whole BCG comes apart in your hand. Drive rod punches the gas piston out with its spring. A literal child could do it after only basic instruction.
- Rifle 'feels' good to hold and shoot, weight and inconsistent shouldering notwithstanding.
- Tanky receiver would probably survive being run over by a LAV.
- 'Panic button' trigger is probably one of the cleverest things I've seen done on a Western rifle for some time. Being able to go from nice, precise single shots to all-out "HOLY FUCK GET OFF MY FACE OH GOD" mode just by using retard strength on the trigger is a great thing.
- Reasonably accurate for its size.
- Looks like it's from SPACE (I used to think it was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen, but it really has grown on me).
- Every older rifle has an integrated optic with tritium-dot backup irons on top. Newer rifles have a rail for you to attach whatever the fuck you want to attach.
Overall? It's a neat little rifle, there are some really clever ideas in the design. It could be better though and when push comes to shove, there are better rifles out there. I know I harp on about it like a clingy ex, but the EM-2 would be the #1 choice. It is not a Thing anymore though so I'll say this; the AK-74M is pretty much the best widely-issued infantry rifle today, because it does everything it needs to well enough and it is indestructible and so easy a toddler could use it. The AR-15 family is nice, but over-engineered. The AR-18 is probably the West's best answer to the AK, but it suffers from 'not being an AK'.
e/ Re: Dessert Seagulls.
They are a fucking stupid weapon to use as any kind of arm, let alone a sidearm. As a primary weapon they are still fucking stupid. They are, however, excellent range toys owing to the sheer idiotic fun of a huge controlled explosion in your hands sending a huge hunk of lead and copper hurtling out to shit grandly upon whatever its dumb enough to get in its way. They are also surprisingly accurate (or so I am told by people I consider to not be idiots). As such I will merrily hop aboard the DE hate train when someone advocates using it in any kind of combat, carry or HD role, but when it comes to just shooting for fun, it's probably one of the better pistols you can find. Just get someone else to buy it because the price is driven up by Moron Tax. Kinda similar to how WWII German stuff with any visible Waffenamts at all is subject to Hitler Tax.
Also I still love TFR's rule #9, even though it has been redacted due to the community maturing past the DE fandom stage and into 'let's buy classy AR builds and cool old guns':
9. THERE WILL BE NO TALK OF/DEBATE OVER/DISCUSSION ABOUT DESERT EAGLES. THERE WILL BE NO PICTURES OF DESERT EAGLES. THERE WILL BE NO SONGS ABOUT THEM, RECIPES INVOLVING THEM, ABSTRACT HAIKU, INTERPRETIVE DANCE, WATER BALLET, ICE SCULPTURES OR GODDAMNED MOTHERFUCKING TIBETAN THROAT CHANTS ABOUT THEM. MY LAWYERS HAVE INFORMED ME THAT AS FAR AS THE DESERT EAGLE IS CONCERNED, IT DOES NOT EXIST IN TFR. IN AS SUCH, ANY REFERENCES TO SAID FIREARM WILL CREATE A QUANTUM ANOMALY AND SOMEHOW IT WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING BANNED. MIGHT I SUGGEST TALKING ABOUT MOSINS? THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE AWESOME! YOU CAN GET LIKE 40 OF THEM FOR A DOLLAR, TAKE THAT MAGNUM RESEARCH, YOU FUCKING FUCKS!
Originally Posted by ICEE
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