IMI Galil ARM
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.95 kg
- Introduced
- 1973
About
What it is, and why it matters
The IMI Galil ARM is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Israel Military Industries (IMI) since 1973. This Israeli-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 35-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 18.1-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3950g (139.3 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The Galil's handguard famously includes a bottle opener -- added after Israeli soldiers began using their magazines to open bottles, damaging the feed lips and causing malfunctions. The wire cutter built into the folding stock bipod was another practical feature born from field experience.
The Galil was developed by studying captured AK-47s from the 1967 war and the Finnish Valmet RK 62. Israel Galili chose the Valmet as the starting point due to its superior machining quality. Despite being officially adopted, the Galil never fully replaced the M16/CAR-15 in IDF service due to its weight disadvantage and the widespread availability of American military aid rifles. The ARM designation indicates the full infantry model with bipod and carrying handle - the AR (Assault Rifle) variant omits these for weight savings, the SAR (Short Assault Rifle) is a carbine, and the MAR (Micro Assault Rifle) is a submachine-gun-sized variant. South Africa produced a licensed version as the Vektor R4 which became that nation's standard service rifle. The Galil was largely superseded by the Galil ACE and later the IWI Tavor family in IDF service. Available in both 5.56mm NATO (standard) and 7.62x51mm NATO (export/DMR) chamberings. The 35-round magazine is the standard infantry capacity, with 50-round magazines available.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Israel Weapon Industries
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Israel
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1973
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 460 mm
- Overall length
- 979 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.95 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.62 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 35
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Steel
- Finish
- Phosphate
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 950 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1814 J
- Effective range
- 550 m
- Maximum range
- 1000 m
- Rate of fire
- 630 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Chrome lined barrel
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Folding stock
Bipod
Carrying handle
Wire cutter- Bottle opener
Tritium night sights
Grenade launcher compatible
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 3.95 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 979 mm | 920 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 460 mm | 449 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 35 | 30 | Among the largest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the IMI Galil ARM
How much does the IMI Galil ARM weigh?
The IMI Galil ARM weighs 3.95 kg (8.71 lb) empty and 4.62 kg (10.19 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the IMI Galil ARM?
The IMI Galil ARM is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the IMI Galil ARM hold?
The IMI Galil ARM holds 35 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the IMI Galil ARM?
The IMI Galil ARM is 979 mm (38.5 in) long overall, with a 460 mm (18.1 in) barrel.
Who makes the IMI Galil ARM?
The IMI Galil ARM is made by Israel Weapon Industries (Israel). It was designed by Yisrael Galili.
When was the IMI Galil ARM introduced?
The IMI Galil ARM was introduced in 1973.
How does the IMI Galil ARM operate?
The IMI Galil ARM uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Israel Defense Forces
- 1973
- South African National Defence Force
- 1980
- Colombian Armed Forces
- 1994
- Estonian Defence Forces
- 2000
- Guatemalan Armed Forces
- 1983
- Honduran Armed Forces
- Honduras
Provenance
Confidence in this record
89%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/galil-arm' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "galil-arm", "name": "IMI Galil ARM", "manufacturer": { "id": "iwi", "name": "Israel Weapon Industries", "countryCode": "IL", "foundedYear": 1933, "website": "https://iwi.net", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:49", "version": "99400997db16ab67d64d5ef07850d5523b1c5564f57f018fb6990dfbddc6da12" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "IL", "year_introduced": 1973, "barrel_length_mm": 460, "weight_empty_g": 3950, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}