Galil 329 help-gifted with no history

[DMD208]

Family member inherited this from a friend and passed it down to me so I don’t have any info from the previous owner(s). Been trying to research but get more confused the more I read. Wondering what the contraption on the side of the receiver is and if it’s missing pieces or what? Not sure I’m a fan of the thumbhole, is it difficult or frowned on to swap it to a folder?

Seems to be a post-ban without the “S”? Any thoughts from the experts?

 

[dubagel]

In that configuration it was called the “Hadar”. It’s not a ARM, it’s a AR, the front gas block cannot take the bipod. Looks like someone drilled the receiver and mounted a scope mount. From what I remember, Yours was probably the last batch after Action Arms the importer folded up in the 1989 AWB. Yours is a Springfield Armory import, not many of those as they were the stragglers as Action Arms closed up shop and cleared out their inventory. SA was trying to market Galil’s for LEO briefly. There were also some SA marked unused Galil Receivers that may have ended up being imported before the whole thing was shut down. The last 4 digits of your serial number will be on the top cover rear sight wing , left side. So you will know if that top cover came with it.

 

[2manytoys]

It's not a Hadar, but a standard AR in 7.62. It's a model 329 imported by Springfield Armory. I have no idea about the mount on the side.


For reference, here is a pic of a Hadar. They have different sights, and the bottom rear of the receiver has a slant cut like some milled receiver Valmets.

 

[DMD208]

Thanks for the responses. With just the thumbhole buttstock rather than a full wood stock with thumbhole I had figured it wasn’t exactly a hadar.

My eyes would appreciate putting a red dot or 1-6 scope on it, but I can’t even figure out the existing mount. I wasn’t expecting having such a hard time finding info online for this thing.

It shoulders and shoots pretty nice, but they are prettier with the folder and the pistol grip IMO.

 

[JohnnyBfromAZ]

Thanks for the responses. With just the thumbhole buttstock rather than a full wood stock with thumbhole I had figured it wasn’t exactly a hadar.

My eyes would appreciate putting a red dot or 1-6 scope on it, but I can’t even figure out the existing mount. I wasn’t expecting having such a hard time finding info online for this thing.

It shoulders and shoots pretty nice, but they are prettier with the folder and the pistol grip IMO.

I'm not too sure about that mount- it is definitely not OEM for the Galil series(since the drill and tap required). The dovetail on the left side of the receiver would accept a few different mount options, but original versions of those are quite scarce at this point, and quite honestly, not exactly the best quality in terms of repeatability. There was a tendency for people to overtighten the thumb screw that secured the mount into the dovetail to the point it would actually dent material inside the receiver as the wall was incredibly thin. It was obviously an afterthought in design to accomodate the needs of various export customers. I feel like if there was enough interest, I would design and run some new mounts, but as I'm already sitting on over 50+ barrels, I'm not super stoked about more inventory that doesn't sell, lol.

 

[skoda]

That looks like a Soviet PU mount or at least a sorta copy of one.

 

[INV136]

What I remember about those Galils with the thumb hole stock, they were designed that way withe removal of the flash hider and and barrel threads to get around the assault rifle import ban. That scope mount is definitely not OEM Galil scope mount. Some kind of after market franken mount used to mount a scope without the Galil scope mount. But, I don't see how a scope can be mounted to it, as the Galil scope mount sets the scope several inches above the top of the top cover..

 

[Bret]

What I remember about those Galils with the thumb hole stock, they were designed that way withe removal of the flash hider and and barrel threads to get around the assault rifle import ban.

I have a 5.56x45 chambered one with the same thumbhole stock that is a Springfield Armory import. The barrel threads were not removed. A sleeve was put over them and Loctited in place. I was able to twist it off using a set of plyers.