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Building a Galil from a parts kit: Which gunsmith?

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November 21, 2020, 04:41 AM
RNshooter
Building a Galil from a parts kit: Which gunsmith?
Hey all-

I have recently seen some surplus IDF Galil kits on the market. It got me thinking that I might like to have myself a Galil to add to the collection.
I reached out to IWI to see if they would build one. No dice.
I reached out to Arsenal, since they build great AKs and the Galil is a Valmet/AK design. No way. They only work on their stuff.

So, who does that leave? Who would be best to give a project like this to?

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
November 21, 2020, 08:03 AM
roberth
https://www.hillbillyfirearms.com/

He helped me with a problem over the phone, no charge. Excellent rep on the Uzi board.
November 21, 2020, 02:37 PM
dubagel
Jeff at hillbilly firearms. I have an actual Preban Galil ARM. I’ve seen some of his work. It’s excellent.
November 21, 2020, 04:38 PM
PGT
Jeff @ Hillbilly, GMFH, Troy @ InRange or Two Rivers....all know good builders.
November 21, 2020, 05:05 PM
Il Cattivo
Yeah, but Jeff is the name that keeps coming up, and not just here.
November 21, 2020, 06:05 PM
PGT
I talked to him on the phone....he rattled off stuff I needed faster than I could write it down and thoroughly confused me in the process since a) I had a complete kit and b) had a receiver. YMMV
November 21, 2020, 10:10 PM
bolo4tom
Troy at In-Range is a buddy of mine and I worked there for 5 years. Hes a big fan of these kits and I THINK he said CNC Warrior?? reciever
November 22, 2020, 02:37 AM
RNshooter
https://www.primaryarms.com/at...-receiver-556-18.5in

Great info. I wonder if the ATI receivers above are any good?


Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
November 22, 2020, 02:50 AM
RNshooter
It looks like Arizona Response Systems also does Galil builds.

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
November 22, 2020, 07:21 AM
PGT
quote:
Originally posted by bolo4tom:
Troy at In-Range is a buddy of mine and I worked there for 5 years. Hes a big fan of these kits and I THINK he said CNC Warrior?? reciever


CNC Warrior and TortTort are the only two he'll build on is what I recall
November 22, 2020, 11:54 AM
bolo4tom
[/QUOTE]

CNC Warrior and TortTort are the only two he'll build on is what I recall[/QUOTE]

yeah, TortTort was the other that I couldn't remember.
November 22, 2020, 06:07 PM
mragu
This really is a no brainer-Jeff Miller is the standard by which all others try to emulate. Jeff has tons of parts, turns barrels and can build Galils in all configurations and multiple calibers. His attention to detail and craftsmanship is unmatched.
November 22, 2020, 06:16 PM
PGT
quote:
Originally posted by mragu:
This really is a no brainer-Jeff Miller is the standard by which all others try to emulate. Jeff has tons of parts, turns barrels and can build Galils in all configurations and multiple calibers. His attention to detail and craftsmanship is unmatched.


he's also double the price but if you want one engraved with proper hebrew markings, he's the guy to do it
November 22, 2020, 10:21 PM
RNshooter
Pricey is right.
Adding up all the parts with his build price, it's looking like a minimum of $2500.
I wonder if one of his builds is considered "superior" to an intact pre-ban IMI built.

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
November 23, 2020, 06:45 AM
PGT
people claim that when they try to sell them, that's for sure. More attention to detail on parts fit and precision definitely matters but it's not a LR bolt gun and was never intended to be.

If Marcolmar can build a better CETME L for $1400, wonder why nobody can do it on the Galil platform.
November 23, 2020, 02:54 PM
Slippery Pete
Something about the Galils make them not the easiest thing to build. Heat treat issues being the main problem I think, and catastrophic at that. I bought a Golani the month they were released, and the ejector got bent. I was told heat treat was bad, and it was screwed. Traded it and a couple other things into a Galil 386. One of the finest firearms I've even had my hands on. Sold it and hate that, but it's obsolete in a lot of ways. As one member put it, " a 556 that weighs in like a Garand." Big Grin

Anyway, one of my grail guns is a Galil SAR.

All that to say, back in my Galil days on Uzitalk, Jeff is the undisputed heavyweight champ for building Galils. I would trust ARS, or Inrange to build them, but he had a bunch of older ORF receiver Galils, and plenty had heat treat issues or other issues. Same with century who switched receivers to Capsian. If my memory is right the originals were ORF receivers some good a lot not good. Similiar story to the Inrange stuff. Kind of a roll of the dice to buy one.

The original Galil is an overbuilt tank that will be around with the roaches after the nuclear winters clear. The closest thing you will find to that, is one Jeff built. What you pay for with him I believe, is the knowing for sure your receiver will be right, and the build will be flawless.

I want another Galil so bad. Big Grin


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http://defendersoffreedom.us/
November 23, 2020, 05:19 PM
K.O.A.M.
ARS is not currently doing Galil builds. I have a tax stamped SAR arriving tomorrow from Jeff at Hillbilly. Process was just over a year, but he needed to source a couple of parts for me. Communication was always there, and the pictures look amazing. He's not inexpensive, but the best aren't. When it gets here, I'll compare it to my preban.


What, me worry?
November 24, 2020, 07:59 PM
RNshooter
I am definitely going with Jeff and a Tortor receiver.
Time to start shopping for that and a parts kit.

Thanks!

Bruce






"The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. 'Make it evil,' he'd been told. 'Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. If that means sticking all sort of spikes and prongs and blackened bits all over it then so be it. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with." -Douglas Adams

“It is just as difficult and dangerous to try to free a people that wants to remain servile as it is to try to enslave a people that wants to remain free."
-Niccolo Machiavelli

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all. -Mencken
November 24, 2020, 10:28 PM
Il Cattivo
I haven't shopped around for kits recently so there may be better deals out there but, FWIW, Numrich still has some.
November 25, 2020, 01:15 PM
Slippery Pete
quote:
Originally posted by K.O.A.M.:
ARS is not currently doing Galil builds. I have a tax stamped SAR arriving tomorrow from Jeff at Hillbilly. Process was just over a year, but he needed to source a couple of parts for me. Communication was always there, and the pictures look amazing. He's not inexpensive, but the best aren't. When it gets here, I'll compare it to my preban.


PLEASE be sure to put some pics up. I've had Galil fever lately, and the SAR is perfection. Congrats to you sir.

What receiver did you use?


OP I was looking at a couple SAR kits the other day on Gunbroker. Didn't seem too bad but the barrel wasn't there. How does one solve getting an IMI barrel? Are they out there?


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http://defendersoffreedom.us/