IWI Carmel

IWI Carmel
Type	Assault rifle Semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
Used by	See users
Production history
Designed	2019
Manufacturer	Israel Weapon Industries
Unit cost	$1,799 USD (MSRP)
Variants	See variants
Specifications
Mass	8.125 lb (without magazine)
Length	26.74 in (stock folded) 33.75 in (stock collapsed) 37.25 in (stock extended)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO
Caliber	5.56 mm (.223 in)
Action	Gas-operated short-stroke piston, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	700–1,000 rounds/min
Feed system	30-round STANAG box magazine
Sights	Iron sights, and various optical sights by the use of Picatinny rails

The IWI Carmel was originally designed as an assault rifle capable of fully automatic fire, but the final design became a semi-automatic rifle. It is manufactured by Israeli Weapon Industries, and exported by IWI US to the U.S. commercial and law enforcement market. ^{[1] [2]} It was first revealed at the LAAD Defense & Security exhibition in Rio in April 2019. ^[3]

Design details

The IWI Carmel is a short-stroke, gas-piston operated rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm, similar to the CZ BREN 2 and the FN SCAR-L. The free-floating barrel is chrome lined and cold hammer-forged, with a 1:7 twist rate and available in a variety of barrel lengths: 10.5", 12", 14.5" and 16".

The IWI Carmel features fully ambidextrous firing controls, an adjustable gas regulator, and a foldable polymer buttstock. It is compatible with any STANAG magazine, and available in black or desert tan. ^[4]

At the SHOT Show in January 2023, IWI revealed a variant for the U.S. civilian market, with a 16" barrel and a M-LOK handguard replacing the original MIL-STD 1913 handguard. ^{[5] [6]} The overall length measures 37.25 inches (stock fully extended) and weighs 8 lb 2 oz unloaded. ^[7] MSRP for the rifle is US$1,799.

References

1. "IWI Carmel, a new 5.56 assault rifle from Israel". IWI. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
2. "IWI 2021–2022 Products Catalog - Over 85 Years of Experience and Excellence". iwi.net. Archived from the original on 2024-12-21. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
3. Valpolini, Paolo (2019-04-05). "IWI Carmel, a new 5.56 semi-automatic rifle from Israel". EDR Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
4. Wire, News (2023-04-15). "IWI's Carmel Rifle -- NRA 2023". Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com/Digest. Retrieved 2023-08-29.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
5. "[SHOT 2023] The IWI Carmel Rifle is Coming to the USA -". The Firearm Blog. 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
6. Association, National Rifle. "An Official Journal Of The NRA | New For 2023: IWI US Carmel". An Official Journal Of The NRA. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
7. "Carmel 5.56 NATO Semiautomatic Gas Piston Rifle | IWI US". IWI US, Inc. |. 2022-01-17. Retrieved 2023-11-30.