Behind the Scenes with the American Tactical Galeo Rifle

We thought our readers might like a glimpse behind the scenes of just what goes into the making of a Firearms News cover photo shoot. So, we had Michael Anschuetz, the Outdoor Sportsman Group in-house staff photographer shoot this short video while he was crafting another cover. The rifle seen here is American Tactical’s new 5.56x45mm Galeo. It is a modern take on the classic Israeli Galil combat rifle which served with the IDF. IDF, three little letters which inspire either respect or fear. Time and time again the Israel Defense Forces have proven capable of landing knockout punches on all comers. Encompassed by enemies extravagantly armed by a super power, they have consistently faced overwhelming odds. Yet despite their relatively small numbers they have hewn their enemies down in Biblical proportions. In doing so, the rifles they carried became of great interest to American shooters and collectors, with the Galil earning special status.

The Galil was developed from feedback received from combat troops concerning both the FAL rifles then in Israeli service, and the AKs they faced.  Yisrael Galili and Yaacov Lior set out in the late 1960s to develop a modern replacement for the FAL. IDF troops who had faced the Kalashnikov in combat referred to it as, ‘The tiger of the desert’. So their goal was to develop a fighting rifle superior to the Soviet design. However, rather than designing something entirely new, Galili and Lior simply based their work around Kalashnikov’s proven system. Basically a more Western design was developed in the US standard 5.56x45mm caliber.

Adopted by the IDF in 1972 the 5.56x45mm Galil assault rifle was, as to be expected, an incredibly durable and reliable design. It was after all a Kalashnikov at heart. Galili and Lior based the design around a rugged Finnish-pattern milled steel receiver. It featured a beefy folding stock, folding carry handle and bipod. Its list of features was impressive for 1972. American Tactical’s Galeo has all the flavor of the original as seen in this short video. Look for a copy of our next issue on the newsstand and for more information on the American Tactical Galeo visit https://www.americantactical.us/