Today, many countries around the world have released their own pistols based on the classic "Glock". The Glock 17 with a polymer frame was the first such pistol with a striker trigger. Later, many pistols around the world began to be compared precisely with the brainchild of designer Gaston Glock, simply for the reason that his pistol was the first. At the same time, Glock 17 is already a legendary weapon in service with the army and police in more than 30 countries of the world and is well represented on the civilian market. It would be strange if other states did not try to bite off their share of this weapon pie, offering their own versions of a pistol with a similar technical characteristics on the market. Israel did not stand aside, in which the IWI company presented the compact 9-mm IWI Masada pistol in 2017.
Choosing a name for its new pistol, IWI continued its own practice of borrowing historical and geographical names. "Masada" is the name of an ancient impregnable fortress, which was located on the southwestern coast of the Dead Sea. The fortress was erected during the reign of King Herod. For the people of Israel, this fortress is a symbol of heroism.
Israeli striker will compete for its market share
For the first time, an Israeli pistol, dubbed Masada, was presented at arms exhibitions back in 2017. By 2020, the model has already become well established in the international market. With this model of short-barreled weapons, Israel Military Industries (IWI) competes not only with numerous Austrian Glocks, but also with pistols Beretta, SIG-Sauer, Heckler & Koch and other well-known manufacturers that have presented their own models of plastic strikers or strike pistols on the market. (Striker is the drummer).
The Israelis themselves do not feel too humble when promoting their new pistol, which is absolutely true in principle. So the representative of the company IWI US, Inc. (the American division of the arms company), calls the new pistol chambered for the perpetual cartridge 9x19 mm Parabellum "a serious competitor in the international market for state and civil customers of weapons." According to representatives of the developer company, the new pistol was created in accordance with all modern requirements of the military, and the technical characteristics of the Masada model themselves were formed on the basis of feedback from the shooting community: processing feedback from military personnel, law enforcement officers, as well as sports shooters … Involvement of athletes involved in practical shooting in the creation of small arms is becoming an increasingly common practice in the modern world.
True, not all experts share a similar approach to creating weapons. For example, the editors of Kalashnikov magazine believe that the development of a pistol that takes into account the interests of such diverse consumers can lead to the creation of an average model that will be lost in the lineup of the same Glock strikers, very well adapted for solving different problems.
At the same time, the use of modern collimator sights can become an additional advantage of the Israeli Masada pistols. The manufacturer claims support for Trijicon RMR, Vortex Venom, Leupold Delta Point Pro and Sig Romeo1 scopes. The success of the version of the Masada pistol with such "optics" can be facilitated by the reasonable price and the fact that the fashion for pistols with collimator sights has not yet passed. The cost of the pistol for the American market at the moment is $ 480 (approximately 29,500 rubles at the current exchange rate).
Technical features of the IWI Masada pistol
The IWI Masada pistol is a weapon chambered for 9x19 mm Parabellum. The cartridge created back in 1902 by Georg Luger (hence the second name "Luger") is still produced and widely used in a huge number of small arms around the world, feeling great in the 21st century. The standard pistol is a 17-round box magazine. A version with a 10-round magazine is also available. 10-round versions of the store are designed primarily for the civilian firearms market. For example, some states in the United States have restrictions on the number of cartridges in a magazine.
The new Israeli pistol is quite compact. The total length of the weapon is 188 mm, the barrel length is 104 mm. The barrel of the IWI Masada pistol is made by cold forging. The mass of a pistol without a magazine is 650 grams. For comparison, the ancestor of the genre, the classic Glock 17 is equipped with a 114 mm barrel, the total length of the weapon is 204 mm, and the mass without a magazine is 625 grams. At the same time, the barrel of the new Israeli pistol is deliberately located very low. This solution reduces the toss of weapons when firing and allows for faster and more effective targeted fire.
According to the principle of operation, the new Israeli Masada pistol does not differ from other modern compact self-loading pistols. It is based on a short-travel automation. At the same time, "Masada", like numerous followers of the Glock 17 model, is a striker pistol with a frame made of high-strength, shock-resistant reinforced polymer material, which reduces the weight of the model. A characteristic feature of such pistols is the absence of a trigger and a safety catch (manual safety is available only as an option). The pistol is based on the “grab and shoot” principle. One of the features of the model is the interchangeable escapement made of high quality steel. If necessary, such a solution makes it easy to disassemble and service the weapon, as well as change the mechanism itself.
The 9-mm pistol IWI Masada received an effective automatic safety, which is integrated into the trigger to increase the shooter's safety. The fuse is a button on the front surface of the trigger. The manufacturer claims an average trigger pull of 5.5 to 7 pounds (2.5 to 3.18 kg). The gun will never fire unless the trigger is pulled. At the same time, the safety of the user increases during the maintenance and cleaning of the weapon, since the disassembly of the pistol does not require pressing the trigger.
Open-type sights are standard for the pistol. The model received an open mechanical sight with a large front sight and the whole. Optionally, the pistol can be equipped with models of red dot sights from certified manufacturers. Also, as an option, the shooters have an option with three self-glowing tritium dots in the dark, making it easier to aim and shoot a pistol in low light conditions.
Advantages of the IWI Masada pistol
Like almost all models of modern pistols, the new Israeli striker pistol with a polymer frame is a model with good ergonomics and the ability to adjust to a specific shooter. For better holding of the weapon, there is a finer groove on the pistol grip. Especially for this model, gunsmiths from the IWI company have provided three interchangeable grip pads in sizes: S, M and L. The shape of the grip and the ability to change pads make it easy to adjust the weapon to any grip depending on the size of the hand. It is worth noting that this is a very important feature for the army model of the pistol, especially when you consider that a large number of women serve in the Israeli army.
In addition to improved ergonomics, the IWI Masada pistol is an ambidextrous weapon, it can be used by both right-handers and left-handers. The weapon is equally convenient for both, since the pistol controls are duplicated: the magazine latch button and the slide stop lever are double-sided.
Returning to the ergonomics of the model, it can be noted that the 9mm Masada pistol received an enlarged trigger guard. This bracket allows the shooter to confidently use the weapon, even with gloves. At the same time, there is enough space on the model to accommodate a standard Picatinny rail (integrated element), which can be used to accommodate a tactical flashlight or laser designator.
Another important small detail of the new Israeli pistol is the bottom of the magazine, which has recesses on the sides. Such recesses allow the shooter to more easily reach the magazine in difficult operating conditions. For example, when the magazine is dirty, bent, or with slippery hands (gun grease, sweat).
For many models of modern pistols, all of the above is in the order of things. But at the same time, these are very important details that are designed to increase the competitiveness of the model in the market. Much today is tied precisely to the ergonomics and ease of use of weapons, because the main technical solutions were invented decades ago. It is no coincidence that when promoting the Masada pistol, IWI focuses on ease of maintenance and safety in handling, as well as a high level of ergonomics and ease of use.
