IWI Jericho 941
A CZ-75 clone built with Tanfoglio parts, introduced in 1990.
The Jericho 941 is a double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol from Israel Weapon Industries (known as Israel Military Industries before 2005), first released in 1990. Its design was based on the CZ-75, and it was assembled using components from the Italian manufacturer Tanfoglio, which already produced its own CZ-75 clones. This approach let IMI skip the usual early-stage problems that plague new pistol designs, while outsourcing most of the basic manufacturing to Tanfoglio allowed IMI to quickly produce a firearm with enough Israeli-made content to meet government contract requirements.
The R-versions of the Jericho 941 come with a combined safety and decocker—when the lever is activated, it decocks the pistol and leaves it on safe. In contrast, the decocker-only version of the CZ-75 (the CZ-75BD) simply decocks the gun, leaving it ready to fire in double-action mode. The Jericho 941 also differs in having a polygonal barrel (the CZ-75 uses traditional rifling) and being noticeably heavier. These features affect how the pistol is carried. Magazines designed for the CZ-75 or Tanfoglio T95 work in the Jericho 941. Later versions added accessory rails on the frame for mounting lasers or flashlights, a common feature on modern semi-automatics. Initially, Jericho pistols used polygonal rifling, which can give slightly higher bullet velocity due to a tighter barrel fit, but IWI switched to conventional land-and-groove rifling between 2005 and 2007.
IMI also introduced a new, more powerful cartridge alongside the Jericho 941: the .41 Action Express (.41 AE). This was a rebated-rim round using .410-inch (10.25 mm) bullets, designed to match a reduced-power police loading of the .41 Magnum. Because the .41 AE’s rebated rim matched the dimensions of the 9 mm Parabellum, the same extractor and ejector worked for both calibers. Experience with these hot loads gave IMI a head start in later chambering the pistol for the .40 S&W and the .45 ACP.
The Jericho 941 debuted alongside the .41 AE, which had been developed in 1986. The pistol originally shipped with two barrels: one for 9×19mm Parabellum and one for .41 AE. A later compact version was offered in .45 ACP or 9 mm.
The pistol was first imported into the United States in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Later, O.F.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Israel
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Manufacturer
- Israel Weapon Industries
- Production Date
- 1990–present
- Cartridge
- 9×19mm Parabellum / .41 AE (discontinued) / .40 S&W / .45 ACP
- Action
- Short recoil
- Feed
- Detachable box magazine / Capacities: / 16 (9mm) / 12 (.40 S&W) / 10 (.45 ACP)
- Sights
- Fixed (combat), or optional fully adjustable, or optional illuminated night sights.
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Jericho 941 was developed by IMI and introduced in 1990, modeled on the CZ-75 and built using parts supplied by Tanfoglio, an Italian arms house that had been making CZ-75 clones. This approach allowed IMI to quickly put into production a pistol with enough Israeli content to satisfy government contract requirements while avoiding the teething problems most new pistol designs experience. The design featured a polygonal barrel, which sometimes produces slightly higher velocity due to better bullet-to-barrel fit, though IWI switched to conventional land and groove rifling from 2005 to 2007. The Jericho 941 is substantially heavier than the CZ-75 and includes accessory rails on the frame for mounting lasers or flashlights. Magazines for the CZ-75 and Tanfoglio T95 function in the Jericho 941. The R-versions feature a combined safety/decocker, unlike the CZ-75BD which has a simple decocker. The pistol was first imported into the United States in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and later by O.F. Mossberg & Sons as 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, though the Jericho 941 is not related to the gas-operated IMI Desert Eagle other than its manufacture by IMI and affiliation with MRI. From January 2009 until January 2010, K.B.I., Inc. imported the handgun as the Jericho. Magnum Research, now a division of Kahr Arms, announced renewed importation. In December 2014, IWI US, Inc. announced they would begin importing both steel and polymer versions in early 2015.
Reader's Guide
The Jericho 941 introduced the .41 Action Express cartridge to the market, a rebated rim cartridge designed to use .410-inch bullets and duplicate a reduced power police loading of the .41 Magnum. Since the .41 AE had a rebated rim the same dimensions as that of the 9mm, the extractor and ejector worked equally well for either cartridge. The pistol originally shipped with two barrels, one for 9×19mm Parabellum and the other for .41 AE. Experience with heavily loaded rounds gave IMI a considerable lead in chambering for the soon-to-be successful .40 S&W and also allowed the Jericho to be designed for the popular .45 ACP. The design has been used by military and police forces in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Georgia, Greece, India, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Romania, Serbia, South Korea, Ukraine, and Vietnam. In Romania it was manufactured by the Cugir Arms Factory as the Pistol model 2000; in Ukraine it was produced under the name Fort-21.03. The 1998 anime Cowboy Bebop predominantly featured the Jericho 941 R model as Spike Spiegel's weapon of choice.
Did You Know?
- The .41 Action Express cartridge was developed in 1986 and introduced with the Jericho 941.
- The Jericho 941 was imported into the United States under the names Uzi Eagle and Baby Eagle.
More in Semi-Automatic Pistols, Part 3 1-24
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