Working the ATI Galeo and addressing magazine problems.

by Brian R Smith

American Tactical, Inc. makes a Galil-style rifle called the Galeo. This 5.56mm rifle is a semi-automatic clone of the ARM version of the Galil using newly-machined receivers, barrels, and parts from demilitarized rifles. Some Galeo rifles have issues with magazine fit and this article describes the problem and possible remedies. I had a chance to find these remedies after a customer brought in his Galeo after it exhibited a couple of functionality issues.

The Galil, invented by Ysrael Galil and made by Israeli Military Industries, was based on the Valmet Rk62 military rifle, which itself was closely derived from the Kalashikov AK-47. The Galil entered service in 1972, replacing the FN-FAL as the Israeli main battle rifle. Variants include the AR (Automatic Rifle), ARM (Automatic Rifle Machine Gun) with bipod, and SAR (Short Automatic Rifle). Aside from Israel, Galil rifles were adopted in varying quantities by dozens of countries, with South Africa being the most referenced. Semi-automatic IMI-made Galil AR and ARM rifles have been imported beginning in the mid-1980s by Magnum Research, Action Arms, and Springfield Armory, Inc. New manufacture receivers assembled with parts kits were produced by Century Arms (Golani) and now ATI with its Galeo.

ATI Galeo rifles are assembled on newly-made receivers using new production barrels and the rest of the components sourced from ex-Galil ARM parts kits from which usable, Good+ condition parts are selected. The metal bits on the completed Galeo exhibit a finish that at a glance visually appears to be gray-green phosphate, but glossy, and I believe it to be a flavor of Cerakote or a similar coating product. The tubular aluminum folding stock has a darker, almost black coating with the appearance of nitriding. Not saying it is nitriding; it just looks that way.

The ATI Galeo ships with one Tapco Intrafuse 30-round polymer magazine, which was explained to me by the customer as functioning 100% with brass and steel cased 5.56 and .223 ammunition. The customer’s complaint was that only one of six surplus steel Galil magazines he had obtained would latch in place and function. The other five would either not fully latch or would partially latch and fall out if sharply nudged forward at the bottom end.

Writing parenthetically for a moment, with the recent business decision of …

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