Jericho 941
Jericho 941F
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originIsrael
Service history
Used bySee Users
Production history
Manufacturer
Produced1990–present
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Cartridge
ActionShort recoil
Feed systemDetachable box magazine

Capacities:

  • 16 (9mm)
  • 12 (.40 S&W)
  • 10 (.45 ACP)
SightsFixed (combat), or optional fully adjustable, or optional illuminated night sights.

The Jericho 941 is a double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Military Industries (1933–2005) (now Israel Weapon Industries (2005–present) introduced in 1990.

It was first imported into the United States in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was later imported by O.F. Mossberg & Sons and named the Uzi Eagle and by Magnum Research, Inc. as the Baby Eagle until the end of 2008. Some pistols from Magnum Research are marked Desert Eagle Pistol. Despite these names being used in the American market, the Jericho 941 is not related to the IMI Desert Eagle other than its manufacture by IMI and being affiliated with MRI, and bears only a slight cosmetic resemblance to the larger pistol. From January 2009 until they ceased business in January 2010, K.B.I., Inc. (which also imported Charles Daly firearms) imported the handgun as the Jericho. Magnum Research, now a division of Kahr Arms, announced a renewed importation of the Jericho.

In December 2014, IWI US, Inc. announced they would begin importing both the steel and polymer versions of the Jericho 941 in early 2015.[1]

Design and features

The original Jericho 941 was modeled on the CZ-75 pistol and built using parts supplied by the Italian arms house Tanfoglio, which had been making their own CZ-75 clones. Using a well-tested design allowed IMI to avoid the teething problems most new pistol designs experience, and subcontracting much of the basic fabrication work to Tanfoglio allowed IMI to quickly put into production a pistol that would have enough Israeli content to satisfy government contract requirements.[2]

While the R-versions of the Jericho 941 feature a combined safety/decocker (the decocking lever also acts as a safety and remains on "safe" when actuated), the decocker version of the CZ-75 (CZ-75BD) features a simple decocker (the pistol is always ready to fire in double-action mode when decocked). The barrel of the CZ-75 is traditionally rifled, while the Jericho 941 features a polygonal barrel, furthermore the Jericho 941 is substantially heavier. These differences translate into substantial differences in the condition in which the gun is carried. Magazines for the CZ-75 and Tanfoglio T95 will function in the Jericho 941.

One innovation by IMI was a new, much "hotter" cartridge, the .41 Action Express (see below) to go along with the Jericho 941. A key feature shared between 9mm and .41 AE is that the Action Express cartridges have rebated-rims, which are the same diameter as the less powerful rounds, but the case is wider, providing more capacity and potential for more power. This allows these pairs of calibers to be used in the same firearm with only a change of the barrel, recoil spring, and magazine.[2]

The .41 AE was less commercially successful than the 10mm Auto, and was soon discontinued.[3] Experience with heavily loaded rounds gave IMI a considerable lead, however, in chambering for the soon-to-be successful .40 S&W and also allowed the Jericho to be designed for the popular .45 ACP.[2] The Jericho 941 design has been modified to include accessory rails on the frame for mounting lasers or flashlights, a feature found on many modern semi-automatic handguns.

Variants

Jericho 941 F with magazine removed
Semi-Compact Polymer BE

The introduction of the Jericho 941 also introduced a new caliber to the market, the .41 Action Express (or .41 AE), which was developed in 1986.[2] The .41 AE was a rebated rim cartridge designed to use .410-inch (10.25 mm) bullets and duplicate a reduced power police loading of the .41 Magnum.[3] The Jericho originally shipped with two barrels, one for 9×19mm Parabellum and the other for .41 AE. Since the .41 AE was designed with a rebated rim the same dimensions as that of the 9 mm, the extractor and ejector worked equally well for either cartridge.[2]

A later compact version, the Jericho 941, was chambered in .45 ACP or 9 mm.

Initially Jericho pistols used barrels with polygonal rifling, which sometimes produces slightly higher velocity due to better bullet to barrel fit. IWI switched to conventional land and groove rifling from 2005 to 2007.

The Jericho 941 is issued in current service throughout the Israeli Security Forces, but Israel Weapon Industries lost a 1.2 Billion Pesos bid for the Philippine National Police's 60,000 handgun procurement on July 11, 2012.

Jericho 941 with picatinny rail and frame mounted safety

Israeli Government IMI Jericho 941F's, occasionally available on the US Civilian Surplus Market, are SAO (Single Action Only) versions of the IMI/IWI Jericho 941 models sold new in the US. These pistols can appear with either factory SAO triggers, or trigger/frame modifications performed by Israeli Armorers. The Armorer-modified version can be externally identified by an extra roll-pin added in the frame slightly forward of the trigger-pivot (also a roll-pin). This extra roll-pin prevents the trigger from moving forward to the now non-existent DA position within the trigger-guard. The SAO triggers of the Govt. 941s apply to what is commonly known as the "Israeli Method" of carry, otherwise known as "Condition 3" within the lexicon developed by Jeff Cooper.

Users

A map with users of the IWI Jericho 941 in blue
The Pistol Model 2000 on display at the 2010 Black Sea Defense and Aerospace convention

Cultural References

The anime, Cowboy Bebop predominately featured the Jericho 941 R model as Spike's, the main protagonist, weapon of choice.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "IWI US Announces the Return of Jericho 941 - The Firearm Blog". 18 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lewis, Jack; Campbell, Robert K.; Steele, David (26 September 2007). "From uzi to Cornershot". The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. pp. 242–243. ISBN 978-0-89689-498-3.
  3. 1 2 Barnes, Frank C. (5 October 2012). Cartridges of the World: A Complete Illustrated Reference for More Than 1,500 Cartridges. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 353. ISBN 978-1-4402-3059-2.
  4. ↑ García, Nicolás (30 September 2020). "The Chilean Navy buys Amomax and IMI Defense accessories for Jericho 941 pistols". Infodefensa.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  5. ↑ García, Nicolás (29 October 2020). "Willforce and Protactical will deliver individual tactical equipment to the Chilean Marine Corps". Infodefensa.com. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Jane's Infantry Weapons. Vol. 17. 1992. p. 29. ISBN 9780710606730.
  7. ↑ Central America Report. Vol. 24. Inforpress Centroamericana. 1997. p. 33.
  8. ↑ Montes, Julio A. (May 2000). "Infantry Weapons of the Salvadoran Forces". Small Arms Review. Vol. 3, no. 8.
  9. ↑ Vining, Miles (22 April 2016). "ISAF armament of BLS". Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Israel Gifts Jericho 941 pistols to Hellenic Coast Guard - The Firearm Blog". 30 August 2012.
  11. ↑ "Special Group (4 VIKAS) - Indian Clandestine Unit".
  12. ↑ Charles Q. Cutshaw (28 February 2011). Tactical Small Arms of the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-4402-2482-9.
  13. ↑ "The Deadly Arsenal Used by the Paramilitary in Nicaragua - Havana Times". 14 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "wiw_sa_peru - worldinventory". 2016-05-29. Archived from the original on 2016-05-29. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  15. ↑ "Cum arată "Pandurul", pistolul produs la Cugir, după ce a fost modernizat". Stirileprotv.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  16. ↑ "De la pistoale Carpați la "Soldatul Viitorului". Noile sisteme ar revoluționa echipamentele Armatei României". Defense Romania (in Romanian). Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  17. ↑ Nenad (3 October 2009). "Specijalna brigada Vojske Srbije".
  18. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-21. Retrieved 2014-12-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ↑ "на выставке НПО «Форт» показало и еще одну новинку израильского происхождения – пистолет «Форт-21», являющийся лицензионной копией израильского пистолета «Jericho»"
    Петр Черных. И в бою, и на охоте, и по банкам пострелять: чем оружейники порадовали украинскую публику… // УНИАН от 2 октября 2009
  20. ↑ "Pistol "Fort-21.03"". Archived from the original on 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
  21. ↑ "Ngạc nhiên vũ khí tối tân đến không ngờ của Đặc công VN". Kienthuc.net.vn. 2018-12-13. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  22. ↑ "Việt Nam sản xuất súng ngắn Jericho 941". datviet.trithuccuocsong.vn. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  23. ↑ https://www.pewpewtactical.com/guns-pop-culture-cowboy-bebop-jericho-941r/
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