Perry Novotny
In a dramatic step, the Firearms Licensing Department of Israel’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) issued an order on 4 December 2019, immediately suspending all live-fire training with Micro Tavor (X95) 5.56 × 45 mm self-loading rifles and IMI training ammunition until further notice.
The suspension order follows what the MPS document refers to as a “series of incidents of ammunition blown up in Micro Tavor Rifles”.
It is not known at this time how many such incidents took place nor what may have caused them, but a video which surfaced days before the MPS order was issued sheds some light on this issue.
The video, taken in a civilian firing range where security guards undergo training in Israel, shows the explosion taking place when the firearm is cocked during the commencement of a live-fire drill. Luckily no one was injured.
A second video surfaced soon after the first, and depicts the examination of the damaged rifle by an armourer. The video’s conclusion is that a broken firing pin may have become lodged in the bolt creating an obstruction which acted as a fixed firing pin which, upon impact with the primer, set-off a premature detonation of the round prior to the action of the weapon being locked.
If this is in fact the case, then the cause of the incident may not necessarily be down to the rifle or ammunition, but rather lack of maintenance. This conclusion is supported by the condition of the rifle which upon disassembly appears to have corroded components.
It is difficult to ascertain without further evidence whether or not the other incidents to which the MPS refers were also caused by maintenance issues, or by one or more flaws in the firearms or ammunition. Without further information it is not clear whether the basis of the suspension order was grounded in evidence.
It is also important to mention that the MPS order does not apply to Tavor rifles used by the Israel Defense Forces as the IDF (and several other state security organisations) is not subject to the authority of the MPS, which is a civilian licensing authority. At this time, IDF has not announced that it has taken any action regarding its Tavor rifles.
Perry Novotny is a former IDF infantryman and Israel National Police Officer and Firearms Trainer. This is his first article for Silah Report. He is the principal of a law firm in his name which focuses on the legal aspects of security & firearms and has recently begun covering firearms & security related issues in Israel with a new YouTube channel, Israel’s Firearms & Security.