I buy weird guns so you don't have to: IMI SP-21 "Barak"

[MattyD380]

I never thought I'd see one of these in person. But I did. And now...

Here we are.

106829

Basically, it's a polymer-framed CZ/Tanfoglio/Jericho patterned pistol, with a unique dual/parallel recoil spring design. Kinda like what you find in a P38, but in front. The barrel uses a belled, bushing-less design. What little I can find on the internet suggests that this gun was supposed to replaced most/all other service pistols in Israel's arsenal. Not sure how true that is--but, obviously, it never happened.

106831

The slide has a very distinctive round profile with a plastic "housing" on the back, containing the rear sights and.... (drum roll) a P99-style push-button decocker! I firmly believed that the P99 and it's clones were the only guns with slide-mounted push-button decockers. I was wrong.

106832

The gun also has a frame-mounted safety, so you can carry cocked and locked. Based on the barrel markings, I believe this specimen was made in 2001. Like most (all?) CZ-patterned pistols, it has the reversed frame/slide rail setup. The fire-control components also look very CZ.

106833

This one happens to be in .45, which I guess is the rarest caliber in this rare pistol. So... cool. It uses 10-round staggered mags, which I think are basically CZ-97/Tangfo .45 mags. From pictures, the followers do look slightly different from CZ-97 mags. But I'm guessing that's just because these mags hail from the early 2000s. I'm sure there were some tweaks since then.

I put 50 rounds through it when I picked it up (just dabbed some oil on it). No issues. Seems very accurate. It feels good in the hand and points naturally. The gun feels very lightweight ("barak" is Hebrew for "lightning," apparently). Ergos seem good, though the grip texture is vexingly slick. Could certainly use some assistance in the traction department. The single action trigger is good: firm wall, clean break. The DA is... decent. The gun is certainly capable of better than this, but... that was the best my coffee-inundated brain could muster, at 10 yards.

106835

I'm not entirely sure what benefit the dual-recoil spring setup provides. I thought, maybe, the absence of the single spring under the barrel would enable a lower bore axis? But it doesn't seem notably lower than other DA/SA hammer-fired guns. I'll say it shoots very smoothly; I suspect having two side-by-side springs might help distribute the recoil energy more evenly. I wouldn't say the recoil is light, per se... it's still a lightweight .45. But the impulse seems balanced and fairly relaxed.

In any case...

106830

It's a cool gun I never thought I'd get a chance to experience. I'd seen a few pictures of it online... followed by the obligatory "what is THAT?!?!" Can't say I was looking for one, necessarily. But I'd feel remiss in not taking this opportunity to enrich the gun hipster historical record.

[Evil_Ed]

That looks like it was made to answer at least 3 different questions that no one ever asked...at least not out loud and in public.

It will either become another "never was" in the annals of history, or 50 years from now every gun will be a derivative of it.

[okie john]

On the bright side, at least the rear sight will never drift.


Okie John

[MandoWookie]

I remember seeing one years ago is the used gun case at a Cabelas. I recognized it, but beyond that knew nothing about it.
Basically said to myself, "Neat, I didn't think those existed outside of pictures on the internet." and didn't give it a second glance. I think it was in 9mm, and they were asking a higher price than I was interested in.
I left with the Security Six in the case next to it instead.
That Cabelas has had some of the strangest and unexpected guns come through it over the years.

[JonInWA]

Hmmm...Cee Zed meets Obregon meets P38/P5 meets obscure Eastern European semi-auto.....

Sometimes parties can get a bit out of hand...

Best, Jon

[feudist]

Hmmm...Cee Zed meets Obregon meets P38/P5 meets obscure Eastern European semi-auto.....

Sometimes parties can get a bit out of hand...

Best, Jon

Who has the sigline saying "A Glock will do anal in the restroom when you swipe right..."?
What will that do?

[MattyD380]

Who has the sigline saying "A Glock will do anal in the restroom when you swipe right..."?
What will that do?

If creating threads that culminate in seedy metaphors wasn’t a life goal… it is now.

But, to answer your question: I’m not 100% sure. But I feel like there’d be some role playing involved. And leather.

[farscott]

I am guessing the design was meant more for LE than all service pistols. The captured dual recoil spring arrangement is interesting. It is not used for lowering the bore axis, so why? Perhaps an attempt to use a single recoil spring assembly for multiple calibers like Glock tried by using the .40 S&W recoil spring assembly for the 9x19 pistols.

[Lon]

Looks like the Nambu 94 has competition for ugliest pistol in the last 100 years.
106869

[camel]

It reminds me of a dump truck.

[PNWTO]

Who has the sigline saying "A Glock will do anal in the restroom when you swipe right..."?
What will that do?

I know a guy who has a great story about finding a Valentine’s Day-themed, ketamine-soaked rave in a remote part of Vietnam.

That gun was probably there.

[El Cid]

Pretty neat pistol! I’m guessing the oversized serrations are to make the infamous condition zero carry a little easier to employ?

[camel]

I know a guy who has a great story about finding a Valentine’s Day-themed, ketamine-soaked rave in a remote part of Vietnam.

That gun was probably there.

Uhh. You can’t leave without the rest of the story.

[PNWTO]

Uhh. You can’t leave without the rest of the story.

He worked near, and reported to, the C-suite of a major resort/hotel name. He also is into EDM.

Anyhow, was in Vietnam for business, heard about this crazy rave and borrowed a motorcycle for a multi-hour trip into the highlands. Found this cozy, stereotypical little village that happens to host a massive rave annually.

[feudist]

He worked near, and reported to, the C-suite of a major resort/hotel name. He also is into EDM.

Anyhow, was in Vietnam for business, heard about this crazy rave and borrowed a motorcycle for a multi-hour trip into the highlands. Found this cozy, stereotypical little village that happens to host a massive rave annually.

...Go on.
And get to the money shot.

[camel]

...Go on.
And get to the money shot.

We will end it right here.

Money shot.

[42Willys]

Cool thread and pistol Matty

[Borderland]

IMI (IWI) also made a 44 mag pump rifle along with some other pretty interesting rifles. Galil is one. The list is long.

[MattyD380]

Hmmm...Cee Zed meets Obregon meets P38/P5 meets obscure Eastern European semi-auto.....

Sometimes parties can get a bit out of hand...

Best, Jon

Haha. Yeah, I was thinking P38, meets CZ, meets P99. With a little bit of phaser mixed in :)

[MattyD380]

I am guessing the design was meant more for LE than all service pistols. The captured dual recoil spring arrangement is interesting. It is not used for lowering the bore axis, so why? Perhaps an attempt to use a single recoil spring assembly for multiple calibers like Glock tried by using the .40 S&W recoil spring assembly for the 9x19 pistols.

Interesting theory. I'm not sure if these guns used the same spring weight for other calibers. I would assume different calibers, different spring weights... but maybe the tandem design allowed a one-size-fits-all setup?

I'll say that the recoil impulse is... nice. It does feel a little less jarring than other polymer .45s I've shot (namely, HK45c/USP 45c). So, maybe that's the intent? Or maybe it has some spring longevity benefits? I know P38/P5 springs last a damn long time.

Regardless, ugly as it is, it's a nice shooting pistol. Also, I realized the front sight is drifted right. So, I'll give myself (and the gun) credit for putting my slightly-left groups right on the money. With some skateboard tape and a sight nudge... I think I might be into it.

[MattyD380]

IMI (IWI) also made a 44 mag pump rifle along with some other pretty interesting rifles. Galil is one. The list is long.

I held a Galil at an LGS. Really felt nice. Things are definitely not cheap. But damn--I think that's the AK to get.

[JonInWA]

The frame-mounted dual recoil spring setup certainly worked well, and was vetted over time with the Walther P.38/P1/P4 and P5. It had the additional benefit of being very easy to hand manipulate the slide if you lacked upper body strength.

Best, Jon

[H8Train]

That is really cool. I remember seeing that on a cover of some gunrag way back. What did it set you back?

[MattyD380]

That is really cool. I remember seeing that on a cover of some gunrag way back. What did it set you back?

I paid about $500 and change for it. Did come with 4 mags and the box. Not a bad deal, I suppose. I just figured I’d never get a chance to check one out if I didn’t buy it. As rare as they are on Gunbroker, I don’t think I’d have a problem selling it.

But I kinda like it…

[MattyD380]

Another thing I’ve noticed, doing some internet trolling… I’m not sure there are polymer-framed Jerichos/Baby Eagles in .45. There are steel Jerichos/BDEs in .45. There are a polymer Jerichos/BDEs in 9mm & .40–but not .45. At least haven’t found solid evidence they exist… but they might.

Pure conjecture: but I wonder there’s something with the standard Jericho setup that precludes .45 in a polymer frame? Per farscott , maybe the Barak was an effort to rework the Jericho platform to house all 3 calibers with minimal variation.

[Phxbird57]

I never thought I'd see one of these in person. But I did. And now...

Here we are.

106829

Basically, it's a polymer-framed CZ/Tanfoglio/Jericho patterned pistol, with a unique dual/parallel recoil spring design. Kinda like what you find in a P38, but in front. The barrel uses a belled, bushing-less design. What little I can find on the internet suggests that this gun was supposed to replaced most/all other service pistols in Israel's arsenal. Not sure how true that is--but, obviously, it never happened.

106831

The slide has a very distinctive round profile with a plastic "housing" on the back, containing the rear sights and.... (drum roll) a P99-style push-button decocker! I firmly believed that the P99 and it's clones were the only guns with slide-mounted push-button decockers. I was wrong.

106832

The gun also has a frame-mounted safety, so you can carry cocked and locked. Based on the barrel markings, I believe this specimen was made in 2001. Like most (all?) CZ-patterned pistols, it has the reversed frame/slide rail setup. The fire-control components also look very CZ.

106833

This one happens to be in .45, which I guess is the rarest caliber in this rare pistol. So... cool. It uses 10-round staggered mags, which I think are basically CZ-97/Tangfo .45 mags. From pictures, the followers do look slightly different from CZ-97 mags. But I'm guessing that's just because these mags hail from the early 2000s. I'm sure there were some tweaks since then.

I put 50 rounds through it when I picked it up (just dabbed some oil on it). No issues. Seems very accurate. It feels good in the hand and points naturally. The gun feels very lightweight ("barak" is Hebrew for "lightning," apparently). Ergos seem good, though the grip texture is vexingly slick. Could certainly use some assistance in the traction department. The single action trigger is good: firm wall, clean break. The DA is... decent. The gun is certainly capable of better than this, but... that was the best my coffee-inundated brain could muster, at 10 yards.

106835

I'm not entirely sure what benefit the dual-recoil spring setup provides. I thought, maybe, the absence of the single spring under the barrel would enable a lower bore axis? But it doesn't seem notably lower than other DA/SA hammer-fired guns. I'll say it shoots very smoothly; I suspect having two side-by-side springs might help distribute the recoil energy more evenly. I wouldn't say the recoil is light, per se... it's still a lightweight .45. But the impulse seems balanced and fairly relaxed.

In any case...

106830

It's a cool gun I never thought I'd get a chance to experience. I'd seen a few pictures of it online... followed by the obligatory "what is THAT?!?!" Can't say I was looking for one, necessarily. But I'd feel remiss in not taking this opportunity to enrich the gun hipster historical record.
From what I read the twin springs were also used in the Desert Eagle gun ( made by IMI, IWI) and you missed the most funny part the decocker. that half moon cut out on top. push it down and it decocks.
Good luck finding parts. My sp-21 has MRI on the frame. I contacted them and gave the mthe serial number and they said it is not one of their's. MRI only imported them for a very short time and stop. some say because of lack of sales. A small import company started importing them but it still had MRI name on them. That stop very fast. I did a video on mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Ie5u_bSzM

[Phxbird57]

I found mine in a pawn shop in Tempe Az. it was the ugliest thing I very seen. Shoots great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Ie5u_bSzM&t=167s