Israel Weapon Industries Coming to the US, Bringing Tavors and Uzis with Them

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI, formerly a part of IMI—Israel Military Industries) recently announced in a press release that they had launched operations of their United States subsidiary, titled IWI US, Inc. The first guns they’ll be selling in the US will be the Tavor bullpup rifle and semi-automatic versions of the famous Uzi pistol. They’ve leased a 21,000 square foot facility in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and it is likely production and remanufacturing will be set up there.

Based on the information available on the IWI US site, the rumored $1,999 MSRP for the Tavor rifles appears to have been substantiated. The rifles will be available in a variety of models, including 16½”-barreled and 18″-barreled versions, with the latter also featuring bayonet lugs. A variant with a factory-provided reflex sight (shown above) will also be up for grabs at $2,599.

There is only one 9mm Uzi model detailed on the site at the time of this writing, and its MSRP will be $1,099.

This announcement serves as “official” confirmation that Tavors and IWI in general will be entering the US market. The Tavor and Uzi will be showcased at SHOT Show 2013, with more details about the new subsidiary and firearms likely to emerge around that time. For those unfamiliar with the futuristic-looking Tavor, check out Military Arms Channel‘s excellent hands-on video with one of the prototypes embedded below. Read on past the video for the official press release from IWI.

httpv://youtu.be/Xx2yCbmgp-c

Original press release by Israel Weapon Industries:

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Launches Operations of its US Subsidiary, IWI US, Inc.; first products to be marketed will be the TAVOR SAR and UZI PRO Pistol, specially designed for the US Market

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) – a leader in the production of combat-proven small arms for governments, armies, and law enforcement agencies around the world – launches operations of its US subsidiary, IWI US, Inc. The company has leased a 21,000 sq. ft. facility in Harrisburg, PA, and will initially begin marketing the TAVOR SAR bullpup rifle line in several configurations and the UZI PRO Pistol, which will be showcased at the 2013 SHOT Show, January 15-18, in Las Vegas, NV at booth #15238.

According to Uri Amit, IWI’s CEO, “We are pleased to announce the launch of the operations of IWI US to shooting enthusiasts in the US. We have operated for many years in the global Defense and Law Enforcement markets, where we have invested significant resources in developing quality, innovative weapons that answer the needs of our customers, and our products enjoy great popularity around the world. All of the weapons we have developed have become the standard for the IDF as well as for the armed forces, Special Forces, and police forces throughout the world. We have now decided to enter the civilian market in the US and offer products that have been specially developed for the US commercial market. Initially, we will offer several configurations of the TAVOR SAR and the UZI PRO Pistol, which have undergone changes and adjustments to suit the needs of the American consumer.”

Mr. Amit continued, “Over the years, rumors have circulated regarding the launch of our US operations, which has created expectations in the civilian market, and we look forward to an excellent reception of our products by US shooting enthusiasts. We will be introducing our new weapons at the upcoming SHOT Show – and invite you to visit our booth to take a closer look.”

Matt Korovesis

I've been a history and gun enthusiast since I was a kid. I love to shoot just about anything, from silenced bolt-action .22s to fully automatic heavy machine guns, and I love even more when I get to write about them. My main interests are modern small arms and the military small arms of World War II and prior conflicts, with a particular focus on Russian and Finnish firearms. Reading about guns like the Mosin-Nagant rifle in books and on the internet got me interested in collecting, shooting, and writing about them, and I hope to do the same for others through my work.

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