200+ Rounds Later: How Does the 7.62x51 NATO (.308 WIN) Galil Ace Gen 2 Perform?

[@xxdizannyxx]

Got the gen 2 x39 16". LOVE IT. I was offered to trade mine for a gen 1 unfired 16" in 5.56, although I like the look for the gen 1 better, if I wanted a 5.56 battle rifle, I'd get a nice high end AR as they are much lighter and just as accurate.

[@bkwil6078]

Do you shoot 308 steel case through it iwi told me not to they said 308 brass is okay but not 308 Steel

[@reformedgga1510]

I’ve mostly been using ammo labeled 308 steel. However, a lot of the foreign steel ammo is actually NATO spec ammo, so ammo labeled .223 is really 5.56x45 and what is labeled .308 is really 7.62x51. If you can check the velocity of your steel against brass (with the same grain weight for the projectile) and the steel is the same velocity or below, then you should be fine. If your steel has a consistently higher velocity, however, it could put undue stress on the operating system. That being said, at least for warranty purposes, it is best to go with what the manufacturer recommends.

[@bullzeye8181]

Owen Williams (IWI cust service) said when I asked if 308 was ok to run through it said "you can safely shoot .308. I would advise against using steel case however." Gave no further explanation. *shrug*

[@reformedgga1510]

Many manufacturers advise against steel. The most common reasons are as follows: (1) They claim that steel casings can be hard on extractors (not really an issue with AK-type guns, but on guns with small extractors, this can be a real problem). (2) They claim that most steel-cased ammo has bimetal-jacketed projectiles which can wear out a barrel more quickly than conventional lead-core/copper-jacket projectiles (and this is true, but most AK-type guns with chrome-lined barrels can go through over 10,000 rounds before the added barrel wear starts to significantly affect accuracy). So, will the IWI Galil function with .308 steel-case?-Yes, but there will be some additional wear on the gun as a result of doing so. Will that added wear be worth worrying about?-That depends on how often you shoot. If you only put a few hundred rounds through the gun every year, then you probably won’t experience any major issues any time soon. If you are a high-volume shooter, then yes, steel-case ammo could be a real problem. This is what my experience has been thus far.

[@wcsdiaries]

@@reformedgga1510 do you have any issues maintaining zero? I've had issues when trying tos hoot at 300 or so yards and I've heard it's bc of the removeable dust cover.

[@reformedgga1510]

Personally, I have not had that issue with my Galil. That being said, I do know that reassembling a Galil incorrectly can, especially over time, ruin some of the contact surfaces that make the dust cover rigid. Another issue is that, because of the somewhat extreme height-over-bore and some other aspects of the design, some optics simply won't zero on some Galils. I had a similar problem with a PSA GF4. I thought the dust cover was to blame for the poor accuracy. It turns out that my optic couldn't be zeroed to that gun (it turns out that it wouldn't zero on almost any gun). Still another issue is that AK-based designs tend to be hold-sensitive. You generally have to figure out how they like to be held. Lastly, the zero on AK-type guns will wander as the barrel heats up. It will usually wander fairly predictably, but the first five shots will often not hit as the last five shots in a 30-round magazine if you are starting cold-bore. Most guys are used to the fouling shot being the one-off, but with AKs it can take an entire magazine for the barrel to start performing consistently. Figuring out how all of that works for your gun can take a lot of time and patience at the range. But, like I said, my particular Galil does not seem to exhibit any of these issues.