IMBEL IA2
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.60 kg
- Introduced
- 2012
About
What it is, and why it matters
The IMBEL IA2 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil since 2012. This Brazilian-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 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 17.7-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3600g (127.0 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The aluminum alloy frame achieves a notable weight reduction compared to all-steel construction while maintaining the structural rigidity required for safe, reliable operation. 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 IA2 represents Brazil's first truly indigenous modern assault rifle design, breaking away from decades of FAL-derived platforms. Brazilian soldiers testing early prototypes reportedly praised the ergonomics and modularity compared to the heavier MD-series rifles they had been using since the 1980s.
Development began around 2008-2009 with initial prototypes featuring a longer 480mm barrel. The design evolved through multiple iterations before the production model settled on a 450mm barrel for the standard rifle variant. An initial order of 1,500 units was placed in 2012, followed by a major order of 20,000 rifles in December 2013. By late 2025, over 30,000 units had been fielded across the Brazilian Armed Forces. The 7.62x51mm variant is essentially a factory conversion of older FN FAL receivers with IA2 upper components. The rifle accepts standard STANAG magazines and features ambidextrous controls throughout, including the safety selector, bolt release, and magazine release.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Industria de Material Belico do Brasil
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Brazil
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2012
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 450 mm
- Overall length
- 950 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.60 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.10 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 900 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1620 J
- Effective range
- 500 m
- Maximum range
- 3600 m
- Rate of fire
- 750 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.
Modular design
Folding stock
Picatinny rail top
Picatinny rail sides
Picatinny rail bottom
Select fire
Stanag magazine compatible
Chrome lined barrel
Bayonet mount
Ambidextrous controls
Short stroke gas piston
Free floating barrel
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 | 3.60 kg | 3.60 kg | Near the median |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 950 mm | 920 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 450 mm | 449 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the IMBEL IA2
How much does the IMBEL IA2 weigh?
The IMBEL IA2 weighs 3.60 kg (7.94 lb) empty and 4.10 kg (9.04 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the IMBEL IA2?
The IMBEL IA2 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the IMBEL IA2 hold?
The IMBEL IA2 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the IMBEL IA2?
The IMBEL IA2 is 950 mm (37.4 in) long overall, with a 450 mm (17.7 in) barrel.
Who makes the IMBEL IA2?
The IMBEL IA2 is made by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil (Brazil).
When was the IMBEL IA2 introduced?
The IMBEL IA2 was introduced in 2012.
How does the IMBEL IA2 operate?
The IMBEL IA2 uses a gas operated short 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
- Brazilian Army
- 2013
- Brazilian Navy
- 2013
- Brazilian Air Force
- 2013
- Brazilian Federal Police
- Brazil
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
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/imbel-ia2' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "imbel-ia2", "name": "IMBEL IA2", "manufacturer": { "id": "imbel", "name": "Industria de Material Belico do Brasil", "countryCode": "BR", "foundedYear": 1811, "website": "https://www.imbel.gov.br", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "abd830829db0a0869f83782ce7bd8fbb8e86959a21412dd0f411dd4237334163" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "BR", "year_introduced": 2012, "barrel_length_mm": 450, "weight_empty_g": 3600, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke"}