IWI Tavor TS12

BrettB

BrettB

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Anyone have any experience with this shotgun ?
A buddy just picked up one for home defense. I went over to field strip and lube it before he shoots it.

Pretty cool 3 tubes each hold 5 rounds of 2 3/4” shells. The tubes form a triangle and you can stuff shells in either side to load the tubes that’s are not the one currently being used.
 
73Chall said:
I’m really curious to hear more; a close friend is dead set on getting a semi-12ga in this flavor and is asking me for advice and I’m pretty ignorant (he and I both have pretty enticing collections of some pretty significant pumps, semis, sxs and o/u’s but, neither of us have ever owned any of these type 12ga) He’s deadest on something drum fed, AR clone or bull pup and I love every IWI product I’ve ever owned so, the only question may be where can he get his hands on one (CDNN had em this time last year but, they’re sold out of just about everything today :-/
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I just helped my buddy with his IWI and he wanted to leave it with me to play with for awhile - I mounted a Holosun dot he picked up. SO far I have personally put 100 rounds of mixed shot shells and 15 slugs.

Some interesting facts
1. Takes standard Beneilli chokes
2. 18.5 inch barrel - yet only 29” overall
3. The gas system is adjustable , I ran cheap $6 a box birdshot loads today just to see if they would cycle - not one issue
4. The 3 shell tubes each hold 5 shells and with one tube up to feed rounds to fire - you can stuff shells in either of the other 2 tubes without doing anything special - just load from either side

Every mag fed shotgun I’ve ever worked with or seen at our club matches require some work to make them run right and they only do so with certain mags and shells - finicky
A 9 or 10 round mag sticks way out - these 3 tubes tuck up nicely to the barrel

The mag fed shotguns when loaded tend to be awkward to move around - this IWI seems really well balanced. I actually plan to run it in our monthly 3 gun match. My normal shotgun is a Stoeger M3K with tube extension
 
BrettB said:
I actually plan to run it in our monthly 3 gun match. My normal shotgun is a Stoeger M3K with tube extension
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That's going to be a telling experience, curious to find out how it works.

I've been avoiding any of the more modern/cool/bullpup shotguns only because the manual of arms is so different. With my weak level of shotgun training I can do most of the administrative stuff with a standard pump with standard controls. Thought that anything too strange would be a disaster under stress and the ability to just run what I have outweighs any advantages to the shorter platform.
 
Jayne said:
That's going to be a telling experience, curious to find out how it works.

I've been avoiding any of the more modern/cool/bullpup shotguns only because the manual of arms is so different. With my weak level of shotgun training I can do most of the administrative stuff with a standard pump with standard controls. Thought that anything too strange would be a disaster under stress and the ability to just run what I have outweighs any advantages to the shorter platform.
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Look I don’t always select the gun that’s going to give me the best advantage- sometimes I try different things for fun. I only shoot local level matches and there are no prizes.
 
@BrettB , hello!

Hey, I am really, REALLY curious to hear any more you can fill me / us in on the reliability and / or any functioning issues of that ISI “Tavor” TS12 shotgun ...

Ive caught the Ts12 bug from my friend (who went in a different direction for now) and I have been scouring the interweb for reviews and videos until my head hurts and I’m at the point where I need to hear from some folks other than “full time bloggers“ or “semi-pro reviewers” whose reviews may not be 100% objective ...

I am pretty convinced IWI released a bunch of prototypes to bloggers etc back in 2018 / 2019 before A LOT (too many!) bugs had been ironed out of the system (and I am only guessing those early TS12’s were possibly the ones places like CDNN had on sale in late 2019 - early 2020?)

The vast majority of the reviews from 2020 were favorable - until one of the last ones I watched that appeared to be from just last month where the reviewer had one choking a lot on 3” shells but, not 2-3/4” shells. Go figure.

id like to “pull the trigger“ on one so to speak but, am not up for making a $1300 regret ....

thanks in advance!
 
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Ok so our monthly 3 gun match was this weekend. It was the first match for TS12. I shot a mix of Winchester AA and Monarch (cheap) - all 2 3/4” shells. On the lower power gas setting it cycled everything including the really cheap Monarch birdshot (which my Stoeger will not feed reliably) With the Mod choke installed - it throws a good pattern and has no problem knocking down steel plates. I only bring this up because some guys that show up with 18.5” barrels have issues knocking the plates down.
Due to the bull pup design it is short for something with a “full” size barrel - very handy compared to my other shotgun with a extended mag tube and 28” barrel.
It is accurate - I have shot slugs and a variety of shot shells.
The tubes all easily hold 5 shells of 2 3/4” , I haven’t tried 3” shells. You can rotate the tubes fairly quickly so in a defensive situation, I would have 2 tubes with shot shells and 1 tube with slugs - you can rotate the tubes to select your ammo.
From a defensive point of view this is hard to beat - by using benelli chokes you can try some different chokes to get the shot pattern you want -including at ranges beyond what most 18.5” defensive shotguns are effective. You can load either tube that isn’t being used - so topping off the rounds is pretty easy - not as fast as a “match” shotgun though.
From a match perspective- I placed 11th in for the 3 shotgun stages and I am normally place a little better. It is a little awkward to reload quickly - by quick I mean stuffing 2 or 4 shells in at one time, On the usual stages a short shotgun isn’t really an advantage- but in a house or around a vehicle - heck yes.
Oh and I finished 6th place overall for all 9 stages , but I have to have a proud dad moment - my 16 year old little girl PLACED 1ST place for the 3 pistol stages - she only shot the 3 pistol stages. We have been shooting matches on and off for 4 years , but really started taking it more serious about 18 months ago. She has top 10s , and top 5s but her first 1ST place !
 

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73Chall said:
@BrettB , hello!

Hey, I am really, REALLY curious to hear any more you can fill me / us in on the reliability and / or any functioning issues of that ISI “Tavor” TS12 shotgun ...

Ive been scouring the interweb for reviews and videos until my head hurts and I’m at the point where I need to hear from some folks other than “full time bloggers“ or “semi-pro reviewers” whose reviews may not be 100% objective ...

I am pretty convinced IWI released a bunch of prototypes to bloggers etc back in 2018 / 2019 before A LOT (too many!) bugs had been ironed out of the system (and I am only guessing those early TS12’s were possibly the ones places like CDNN had on sale in late 2019 - early 2020?)

The vast majority of the reviews from 2020 were favorable - until one of the last ones I watched that appeared to be from just last month where the reviewer had one choking a lot on 3” shells but, not 2-3/4” shells. Go figure.

id like to “pull the trigger“ on one so to speak but, am not up for making a $1300 regret ....

thanks in advance!
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I am not a professional. Depends on your primary use- for hunting not the best choice , for action shooting matches may not be the best choice - but for a defensive shotgun - this is hard to beat. I watch guys with mag fed shotguns that rarely get through a match without tons of issues - it takes voodoo to make mag fed shotguns run reliably - and the mag sticks out so far
Charging handle and controls are all pretty well laid out.
 
BrettB said:
I am not a professional. Depends on your primary use- for hunting not the best choice , for action shooting matches may not be the best choice - but for a defensive shotgun - this is hard to beat. I watch guys with mag fed shotguns that rarely get through a match without tons of issues - it takes voodoo to make mag fed shotguns run reliably - and the mag sticks out so far
Charging handle and controls are all pretty well laid out.
Click to expand...
I am retired but, in all honesty, I am intrigued by the innovation to the point I’m willing to drop dime on it, even if but for off-the-back-deck entertainment / decompression and/or great way-to-end otherwise serious range sessions. Then there is all the buckshot and slugs I gotta use up, can’t imagine a more fun way of doing it, lol!

But, nagging at me is needing to talk with someone who can confirm, ”They 100% got the bugs worked out ...”
 
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BrettB said:
... I have to have a proud dad moment - my 16 year old little girl PLACED 1ST place for the 3 pistol stages - she only shot the 3 pistol stages. We have been shooting matches on and off for 4 years , but really started taking it more serious about 18 months ago. She has top 10s , and top 5s but her first 1ST place !
Click to expand...

I just saw this post (didn’t see it when I replied to the preceding ^one^, sorry)

OOO, freaking, RAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
73Chall said:
I am retired but, in all honesty, I am intrigued by the innovation to the point I’m willing to drop dime on it, even if but for off-the-back-deck entertainment / decompression and/or great way-to-end otherwise serious range sessions. Then there is all the buckshot and slugs I gotta use up, can’t imagine a more fun way of doing it, lol!

But, nagging at me is needing to talk with someone who can confirm, ”They 100% got the bugs worked out ...”
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I have been shooting for a month and have about 450-500 rounds through it - zero malfunctions. I am not sure what bugs this may have had before . I will be sad to see this go- if you look at my first post - this is not mine. I set up the shotgun for a buddy and completed “break in period”
 
LOL, you are a good friend!

And I really, REALLY appreciate your last testament; it is pretty much what I was looking for (the missus on the other hand is likely gonna out a bounty out on ya, though, lol!)

Best o’ success to you and your up and comer 3-gunner (young women such as ARE the future of not only the shooting sports but, the 2A entirely)!
 
PS - oh, about the “bugs” from 2018-19. Many of the videos I pulled up included interviews of actual high ups within IWI who unabashedly talk about IWI’s usual process of “announcing” a new gun - while the designers are still putting the first prototypes together! Making it worse iirc they actually use the specific term “release” - which to you and I you would think means you can go to a dealer and pick one up off a shelf and handle it, maybe even take it to the checkout. No, no, iirc they call that ”display” or “stock”

They openly repeat how”it can be YEARS” between the time they “release“ a gun and when it is actually sent to dealers for retail sales ...!

Annnnnnyhoo, the IWI rep.s were also unabashed in discussing all manner of hiccups they encountered in the evolution of the TS12 regarding chamber length, spent rounds not clearing the ejection port (seemEd to be the #1 gremlin in a lot of the bloggers’ videos), ejection port configurations and specifically according to one exec., “much more than shortening a spring a little or opening a gas port up a tad” (also how even if a screw changes Israeli Mil Specs makes it a “new gun” and the requirement for repeating the mandated 20,000 round live fire testing all over again necessary ...)

All ^this^ may put some off; however; any aware that much of the preceding is what every gun mfr (heck, mfr of just about anything) goes through recognize the candid and “up front” of IWI as refreshing transparency. (Especially compared to a lot of other mfrs and entire segments of industries) Which speaks to IWI’s philosophy and commitment that tools bearing IWI are worthy of risking - and therefore Saving - human life.

All in all, and being a glass full kinda researcher, I have to admit looking back on it that all I put myself through trying to pin down info on the TS12 really, REALLY served to sustain my affinity for and appreciation of IWI innovation!

But, in the very end, it was a Range report from someone like you that I needed so, Thank You Again, for that!
 
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It
73Chall said:
PS - oh, about the “bugs” from 2018-19. Many of the videos I pulled up included interviews of actual high ups within IWI who unabashedly talk about IWI’s usual process of “announcing” a new gun - while the designers are still putting the first prototypes together! Making it worse iirc they actually use the specific term “release” - which to you and I you would think means you can go to a dealer and pick one up off a shelf and handle it, maybe even take it to the checkout. No, no, iirc they call that ”display” or “stock”

They openly repeat how”it can be YEARS” between the time they “release“ a gun and when it is actually sent to dealers for retail sales ...!

Annnnnnyhoo, the IWI rep.s were also unabashed in discussing all manner of hiccups they encountered in the evolution of the TS12 regarding chamber length, ejection port configuration and specifically according to one exec., “much more than shortening a spring a little or opening a gas port up a tad” (also how even if a screw changes Israeli Mil Specs makes it a “new gun” and the requirement for repeating the mandated 20,000 round live fire testing all over again necessary ...)

All ^this^ may put some off; however; any aware that much of the preceding is what every gun mfr (heck, mfr of just about anything) goes through recognize the candid and “up front” of IWI as refreshing transparency. (Especially compared to a lot of other mfrs and entire segments of industries) Which speaks to IWI’s philosophy and commitment that tools bearing IWI are worthy of risking - and therefore Saving - human life.

All in all, and being a glass full kinda researcher, I have to admit looking back on it that all I put myself through trying to pin down info on the TS12 really, REALLY served to sustain my affinity for and appreciation of IWI innovation!

But, in the very end, it was a Range report from someone like you that I needed so, Thank You Again, for that!
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I like to do my homework to and research everything to the fullest. Which is also why I enjoy helping friends by setting up guns , installing optics and other accessories- it allows me to have trigger time with a much wider array of toys than my budget would allow for. I do not charge a penny , but feel like the experience has made me a better shooter. Plus I have met some really good people along the way.
I may be late to the IWI party , but now I really want to get a Galil.
Thanks for for kind words about my daughter- she is a great kid. This summer she took the NRA range safety officer course, and volunteered a weekend of her time to help adult woman learn to shoot a pistol
If you ever make it to the Eastern part of the state on a weekend- let me know
 
I didn't know this shotgun existed until today...

I immediately came here to start a post titled, "Does anybody have one of these? How is it?"

I'm glad to see you beat me to it.

I'm ready to buy one, just for funsies and maybe for home defense.

I'm a rifle guy, all day, but I'm so interested in the idea of a semi auto bullpup shotgun. I think I need one.

Sounds like it's reliable... That's most important.

Here's my question: What's the recoil like?

I like my soft shooting Remington 1100. Does it equate?

Thanks guys!
 
Alabamacoastie said:
I didn't know this shotgun existed until today...

I immediately came here to start a post titled, "Does anybody have one of these? How is it?"

I'm glad to see you beat me to it.

I'm ready to buy one, just for funsies and maybe for home defense.

I'm a rifle guy, all day, but I'm so interested in the idea of a semi auto bullpup shotgun. I think I need one.

Sounds like it's reliable... That's most important.

Here's my question: What's the recoil like?

I like my soft shooting Remington 1100. Does it equate?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
For fun and home defense it is hard to beat - short overall due to bull pup design. In and around a house or tight spaces it would be great.
Reliable - gas system is adjustable and on low setting it cycles el cheapo birdshot , higher setting for buckshot , slugs and full power loads
Recoil impulse is good , gas guns do a better job than say an inertia recoil shotgun. This is a “chunky” shotgun with a large grip and large recoil pad - once you get used to holding it. Recoil is not bad at all.
Since my original post I have used in several multi gun matches - this is a great shotgun. You can change chokes to give you longer range and it is accurate with slugs - I have hit targets out to 100 yards with slugs
 
BrettB said:
For fun and home defense it is hard to beat - short overall due to bull pup design. In and around a house or tight spaces it would be great.
Reliable - gas system is adjustable and on low setting it cycles el cheapo birdshot , higher setting for buckshot , slugs and full power loads
Recoil impulse is good , gas guns do a better job than say an inertia recoil shotgun. This is a “chunky” shotgun with a large grip and large recoil pad - once you get used to holding it. Recoil is not bad at all.
Since my original post I have used in several multi gun matches - this is a great shotgun. You can change chokes to give you longer range and it is accurate with slugs - I have hit targets out to 100 yards with slugs
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
I had missed this thread until now but I've had a TS12 since November 2019 which is when I think they were actually "released".

I really like it a lot. Its run a bunch of different kinds of ammo with no hiccups and I haven't even really needed to mess with the adjustable gas.

The only issue I did have was a screw on the inside of the buttplate backed out a bit which made it so I couldn't disassemble because the buttplate slides out. I shipped it back to them and they fixed it quick.

I'm definitely green with envy on the one that @Alabamacoastie got though.
 
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