Hi,
In the first time of my life I have a Flattop M-16. Well I did have an M-4 once for seven days during a training in Tze’elim, but when I held the Flattop, I realized there are two different models now in the IDF: A flatop and an M-4.
But let’s start from the beginning. The IDF got the M-16 AR (assault rifle) during the Yum Kippur war in 1973 and was used by most of the Israeli soldiers. It was pushed by the Israeli IMI Galil, and came back to be the main IDF rifle on the 1990’s.
The “Long” M-16 (M16A1 and M16A1) is what I got when I was on basic training.
The Long M-16 used in the IDF (Source: Wikipedia.org)
The “Short” M-16 is a much shorter version of the assault rifle, which also has a telescopic buttstock. That what I got when I got during my advanced training, and had since then.
The Short M-16 used in the IDF: Shorter barrel and a telescopic buttstock. With a telescopic aiming device (Source: Wikipedia.org)
The M4 version of the rifle in the IDF had a flat top (and this was it nicknamed Flattop back then), a much thicker barrel and many other changes to make the rifle easier to use and more efficient and accurate.
The M4 used in the IDF (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Those are the basic versions of the assault rifle the IDF got. it had also added more versions of its own, due to its needs:
The Sawn off version of the assault rifle is an Long version that was cut down to be used like as a short version. Because the the twist of the bolts in the barrel, it had to be cut a bit shorter than the original short version of the rifle. The buttstock was also changed to a telescopic version.
The Sawn off version of the assault rifle (Source: mako.co.il)
A shorter version of the rifle (Mekotzrar) is a version where the barrel was shorten even more to be used by Close quarter combat units in Israel.
The shorter version of the rifle( Source: army.fresh.co.il)
A flattop version – For some reason the IDF created a short flattop version of the M-16 rifle, It looks just like the short version, but has a flattop (with a Picattiny rail to allow to mount firearm accessories). This is what I have at the moment
A flattop version of the rifle (with a Meprolight M21 optic sight and Eotch Magnifier)
Take Care
Gad