Why aren't the IWI Pistols more Popular (Jericho, Baby Eagles, etc.)

[veprdude]

Built on the CZ-75 platform people love. I see these around for sale a lot. They seem to fit the bill for many things people like higher priced Sigs, CZs, etc. for:

1. Metal Frame
2. Hammer Fired
3. Good reliability (haven't heard anything bad about that)
4. Double Stack mag
5. Manufactured by a company that produces military arms

What am I missing?

[HistoryJunky]

My only personal gripe is the lack of ambi controls. Other than that I think they are pretty neat guns. If most models had an ambi decocker and swappable or ambi mag release, I would buy one.

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[Bfglowkey]

Not commonly seen on a daily basis so folks only take a interest to them if they happen to see one in front of them ( gun show, LGS shelf checks). But I agree... great pistol that looks sharp and functions well. I am contemplating one in 45 ....I just feel like I am cheating on my 1911 every time I get one in hands and get ready to plop down the money������

[GarandTd]

My gripe is price. They are a "clone" that is priced at or above the cost of the original(CZ).

[Lohman446]

Why is pistol X not more popular? Because there are a tremendous amount of choices in firearms and unless you are one of the benchmarks in name recognition AND price point you are forced to fight for a very small piece of the pie.

Think about the amount of new buyers who will buy a pistol. The vast majority are going to buy one of the polymer striker fired pistols that fits whatever name they recognize and the price point they want. Glock, the Shield, one of the Sigs polymer, etc.

Then you have those who want a 1911.

Then you have those who are going to buy an internet name hammer fired - HK, SIG, CZ, etc.

They are not more popular because they are not the benchmark and that is a catch 22 - you are not the benchmark and you need to be to sell more but to sell more you need to be the benchmark.

Simply put there are so many choices with better name recognition and good functional quality that these end up an afterthought

[Bart Noir]

Think about the amount of new buyers who will buy a pistol. The vast majority are going to buy one of the polymer striker fired pistols that fits whatever name they recognize and the price point they want. Glock, the Shield, one of the Sigs polymer, etc.

And that is exactly what I just did. Bought a slightly used IWI Masada pistol but have not been able to get to the range to fire it. Frustrating to notice some rain in the forecast since I shoot at an outdoor range.

My point is that IWI has a new design to compete with all the other poly-striker pistollas out there, but priced like the cheapest Ruger. Fully ambi, with a cold-hammer forged barrel. Good sights and trigger, and I think the dovetails will allow me to put in aftermarket sights which are being sold for some other and more well known pistol. Just can't remember what.

Bart Noir

[JDBerg]

The IWI Jericho 941 is an excellent very underrated firearm. It points & shoots nicely even with the crazy hump at the bottom of the backstrap. IMI is a company who doesn’t have a very big advertising budget

[Fishbed77]

Why aren't the IWI Pistols more Popular (Jericho, Baby Eagles, etc.)

Easy:

-Less marketing

-No US military or law enforcement adoption

-To much competition (including CZ75 variant pistols, which are practically the same as most IWI pistol designs outside the Masada but have more aftermarket support and don't cost any more)

-Less marketing


All that said, I do want to pick up a surplus Israeli Jericho at some point.

[hemiram]

I love the CZ-75 and it's many clones. I have a half dozen. Two Jerichos, an old surplus SA nickel one, a nearly new black one with a rail that I got for a great price from a pawn shop. My 3 Tanfoglio guns are all surplus guns from Israel, and the "Mossad" full sized TA/90 is my favorite gun of all I own. All except the black Jericho ($400) were under $350, and one of the Tanfos was under $300. It's pretty rough looking, but shoots great. All I did to get them shooting is clean and lube and I replaced the recoil spring on all but the nearly new Jericho.

Oops, I forgot the CZ-75 that needs work, the rear sight was missing and I discovered that it's missing because the previous owner machined the sight mount and refinished the slide and I haven't found anything that fits into the dovetail yet. I shoot it OK with just the front sight though. It just looks very strange "empty" back there.

[spacemanspiff]

I have kept my eyes out for a Baby Eagle for, more years than I care to count. Not something I have to have, but if the opportunity arises I wouldn't hesitate. Had a chance to try one at the range, way back when I was shooting/carrying a Steyr M9 and M40. That M40 compared with the Baby Eagle chambered in .40 cal, I was very impressed with the Baby Eagles accuracy and tight groups.

[dyl]

My guess is that they never needed the civilian market. They always had the country's own military to advertise to.

[silvermane_1]

Originally Posted by JDBerg

The IWI Jericho 941 is an excellent very underrated firearm. It points & shoots nicely even with the crazy hump at the bottom of the backstrap. IMI is a company who doesn’t have a very big advertising budget

Depends if you're talking the Original Jericho 941 or the "new" production of Jericho 941.

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Most popular means nothing to me. Seen to many Popular guns that I would not buy and some I did and wish I had not. Just recently shot a GRAND POWER and have to say it was one well built gun and fine shooter. Don't expect to see it at the local gun stores or on the most popular list. Most popular list IMO are made up by the General Public. Go the the local LGS and see what the general public is as far as gun Knowledge. . Most popular list are fads, hype,and advertising.
How many that make up most popular list have ever even heard of the guns you mentioned? Which by the way are some excellent built firearms.

Grand Power rotating barrel

[Forte S+W]

Because their guns are expensive for what they are, especially when it comes to their clones like the Jericho, which is more expensive than the CZ-75.
Typically speaking, clones are less expensive than the original, even in cases in which the clone arguably improved upon the original.

Furthermore, their firearms aren't typically known for bringing something new to the table, nor are they known to be of superior quality, yet still they are priced higher than other firearms with similar features.

[kozak6]

Hammer fired DA/SA's (especially metal framed) are out of fashion, differentiation and competition with CZ's and the other clones is difficult, and IMI doesn't seem interested in marketing them.

[P-35HP]

I agree with the vast majority of the opinions expressed above, not so much with Forte S&W's.
Jericho is a quality, well made handgun with excellent ergonomics. My personal experience with it is excellent. From what I read, the majority of people who actualy bought and used them are very impressed with its quality and reliability. Once in a while, I see comments denoting very little or no first hand experience with this specific brand and who offer no relevant or useful information. Well... they are protected by the First Amendment too.
I believe that the lack of consistent marketing strategy was / is Jericho's worst enemy here in US of A.
CZ 75 is excellent too, I like it very much, but Jericho works better for me.

[zoo]

Not enough advertising and marketing, lol. Really! How many have you seen at your local gun shops?

There's some folks in Israel that really know how to manufacture some very excellent firearms!

Heck, not from Israel but it was like pulling teeth just to get a couple gun shops in my area to stock a few CZ pistols.

[JohnKSa]

The reason I haven't bought one is that they never seem to perform very well in the accuracy testing I've read.

That's really the only thing that's kept me away from them.

[zoo]

"Accuracy"? Yeah, I'm sure Smith and Wesson has them beat, cough, cough.

[sigarms228]

Limited appeal and competing with CZ that has a whole ton more models including models with decockers and great aftermarket support.

[JohnKSa]

"Accuracy"? Yeah, I'm sure Smith and Wesson has them beat, cough, cough.

Can you explain why the relative merit of IWI offerings, in terms of accuracy, compared to S&W products, should mean something to me?

[5whiskey]

The reason I haven't bought one is that they never seem to perform very well in the accuracy testing I've read.

I had a BDE compact in 9mm that was quite accurate, at least as accurate most offerings from Sig. Of course that is also a sample of one.

They are fine pistols, but I personally do not feel that they offer much of anything that CZ doesn't already bring to the table. Some models had some weird ergonomics as well (slide mounted safeties that stuck WAY out). My particular model had quite the long, hard, gritty DA trigger pull. SA was nice and crisp, but with a good bit of take-up (as most DA/SA pistols do, but this one had maybe a touch more than normal). All in all it was a great pistol, but I prefer a CZ to the BDE that I had honestly. Some of the newer models with frame safeties may hang with a CZ, assuming IWI has worked on making the trigger slightly better.

[T. O'Heir]

IMI(now called IWI) is a company that has been busy making ammo for the IDF. They also tend to discontinue stuff without concern for their existing customers.
Davidson's GalleryOfGuns.com is supposed to be an IWI distributor according to IWI USA. No or very few IWI firearms in stock or available.
Pretty similar at Lipsey's too. In their catalogue doesn't mean they have any.
The Baby Eagle isn't marketed or owned by IWI. IMI/IWI were strictly contractors for Magnum Research. Magnum Research is owned by Kahr Firearms. Who also own the Desert Eagle among others.

[Airman Basic]

Where are the Magnum Research guns made?

[JohnKSa]

I had a BDE compact in 9mm that was quite accurate...

It's not that their accuracy was abysmal or anything, they just don't seem to test out as good as average from what I've seen. Which I might have been ok with except that they are based on the CZ-75 design which usually exhibits exemplary accuracy.