I am a fan of the Galil ACE Series, both generations of it. The IWI AK evolutions can be heard described from my lips as the best modern AKs, and I stand by that description. I have two, my company has three. Mine are in 5.56 and the very difficult to procure 5.45, because I am apparently a glutton for punishment when it comes to finding ammunition.
But the most handy little ACE in our collection is the one 9-Hole just dropped a review on. The 7.62×39.
7,62 (as is written in most other locales) is a phenomincally performing short barreled round compared to is lighter and faster peers. Where they Soviets made 5.45 to emulate our 5.56, we made .300 BLK to emulate many of the things that 7.62x39mm could do already. The short, chonky, mid-velocity .30 caliber is exceptionally handy in the small 8.3″ Galil ACE. The modernized control suite keeps it rolling and adding suppression is easy. If you seem to be over gassing the gun, throw in a KNS piston and tune it for your suppressor and that should alleviate.
So yeah folks, shameless ACE plug. My favorite is the 5.45 but it rocks in all four calibers. Plus the NATO ones have last round bolt locks and releases and take standard mags, which is nice.
