Chennai. 10 April 2018. Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), SK Group member a producer of combat-proven small arms for law enforcement agencies, governments, and armies around the world – will present the company’s latest additions, the MASADA line of Striker-based pistols, and the TAVOR 7, the newest member of the TAVOR 7.62X51mm caliber TAVOR Bullpup rifle family, at DEFEXPO 2018.
According to Shlomi Sabag, IWI’s CEO, “We are proud to say that our entire weapons portfolio is being used by military and paramilitary forces in India. As is widely known, about a year ago, we established a joint manufacturing facility together with the Indian company, Punj Lloyd, in order to locally manufacture our weapons – in line with the Indian government’s policy of MAKE IN INDIA. Together with our partners, we continue to produce our weapons and to support the Indian market. We believe that our newest weapons will also be successful in this important market.”
The MASADA Striker-based line of pistols has several advanced safety mechanisms including a firing pin block safety, a clean and crisp trigger reset with a built-in trigger safety, and a fast, easy and safe takedown – with no need to pull the trigger. The pistol can be provided with or without manual safety. It has an easy racked slide with improved front and rear cocking serrations, enhanced ergonomics with the IWI grip angle, and a low barrel axis for reduced recoil. The body has a glass-reinforced polymer frame as well as a polygonal cold hammer forged barrel with a 1:10RH twist rate.
The first model – the Full Size 9X19mm MASADA pistol – will be on display at Defexpo.
Additional features include fully ambidextrous operating controls and fixed 3-dot tritium illuminated Meprolight night sights. It offers 100% interchangeability with a compatible trigger mechanism housing, reducing maintenance and life cycle costs. The pistol has an overall length of 6.6″ (186.4mm) with a barrel length of 4.1″ (104mm), a trigger pull weighing 5.5-7.0 lbs. (2.5-3.175 kg), and a weight without the magazine of 22.9 ounces (650 g). The MASADA will be available in four colors: Sniper Gray, OD Green, Black, and Flat Dark Earth.
The TAVOR 7, a 7.62X51mm Caliber AR, is a fully ambidextrous platform on which the ejection side and the charging handle can be switched quickly and easily from side to side by the user. Additional ambidextrous features include: safety lever, magazine release, and bolt catch similar to the X95. The IWI TAVOR 7 also includes an M-LOK fore-end (2 M-LOK slots at 3 and 9 o’clock) as well as MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail at the 6 o’clock position, to allow the use of multiple devices and accessories. The rifle’s body is built from high-strength, impact-modified polymer, and has a hammer-forged, chrome-lined, free-floating barrel for enhanced accuracy and life cycle.
Additional features include a short stroke gas piston with a 4–position variable gas regulator, (including an OFF position – a unique feature designed for special operation needs), a rotating bolt system that ensures maximum safety for the user, and a pistol grip that can be changed or modified. The IWI TAVOR 7 enables 100% interchangeability, reducing maintenance costs. It is available in four colors: Sniper Gray, OD Green, Black, and Flat Dark Earth, with replaceable barrels available in two lengths – 17″ (432 mm) and 20″ (508 mm) – for various uses. The rifle has an overall length of 28.4″ (723 mm) and a weight without a magazine of 9lbs (4.1 Kg).
