IWI Jericho 941 Review : Quality, Reliability, and Performance

The CZ 75 is a massively influential weapon. It has inspired many a great pistol. One such gun is the Jericho 941, an Israeli-made combat pistol implementing the best parts of the CZ 75 design. We took this heavy metal pistol for a spin and have some thoughts on it. Read the Gun University IWI Jericho 941 review to see what they are!

IWI Jericho Background

There are lots of variants of the Jericho pistol. Like the CZ 75, the lineage is tricky, and multiple companies import different configurations of the gun. This Jericho is from Magnum Research; other variants are produced and imported by IWI.

The Jericho comes in both polymer and metal frames, and this is a classic metal frame variant.

This pistol traces it’s lineage to Israel. Domestic production of firearms was critical, and they produced the Jericho pistol for police, military, and security forces.

The gun was also quickly exported and sold worldwide to various military forces and civilian sales.

They teamed up with Tangolfio, a well-reputed company that produces CZ 75 clones. This team-up allowed them to create pistols based on a proven platform quickly. The name Jericho 941 is a reference to the biblical Jericho, and the number 941 references caliber.

The original Jericho 941 came in a 9mm configuration with the ability to convert the gun to anew caliber called 41 Action Express. The 41 AE was a potent cartridge that outperformed the 40 S&W but didn’t quite hit heavy 10mm loads. The caliber didn’t succeed, so the 41 AE conversion died a silent death. Modern Jericho pistols come in 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP.

The design of the gun makes it perfect for home defense, and even duty work. It handles very nicely at the range as a heavy metal gun, and the DA/SA design is a personal favorite. The Jericho serves as an odd and often unknown pop culture icon. The Jericho stars in numerous films and television shows and is oddly often wielded by the bad guys. Its distinct appearance makes it an eye-catching option in a world of plain black polymer pistols.

IWI Jericho Features

1 Ambidextrous Safety

Safety can be operated properly by either lefties or righties.

2 Picatinny Rail

Rail allows for attachment of small accessories such as a light or laser.

3 Carbon Steel Frame and Slide

This only adds to the rugged reliability of IWI Jericho.

4 Utilizes CZ-75 Magazines

Great for current CZ owners! Less time shopping for mags and more time slinging lead downrange.

IWI Jericho 941 – Our Take

The biggest thing you can love about this gun is how little it recoils. Even with 147-grain ammo, the gun barely bucks. The slide is also smaller than most taking a page from CZ’s book, which means less mass is being thrown backward with every shot.

Less mass means less recoil. The grip panels kind of suck and need replacing. They are very smooth and not practical in Florida’s heat and humidity, where my hands coat the gun in sweat.

Since we are talking grips, we should talk ergonomics. The grip panels kind of suck, but everything else is rock solid. The controls are very well suited for my massive hands, and it’s one of the few guns where my thumbs do not pin down the slide lock with a high thumbs forward grip.

The magazine release works and is reversible for lefties. The slide is relatively short, and it has very little room to grip. The frame-mounted safety does give you some little wings to grip and rip the slide rearward.

While the slide is small, it is very smooth and glides on its internal rails. Usually, I wouldn’t say I like slide-mounted safeties, but the Jericho’s short slide does allow me to manipulate the safety without changing my grip.

The original Jericho pistols feature a frame-mounted safety, but the slide-mounted safety starts to make a lot of sense when you examine the short slide. It makes manipulate the slide easier and doesn’t compromise ergonomics.

The trigger is not bad for a DA/SA. The first pull is longer and much less smooth than striker-fired design, and it takes a determined pull to make the gun go bang. This trigger pull is not the worst, but if DA/SA guns aren’t your jam, you’ll throw shots. This is especially true when firing from the draw or at any speed.

The single-action is excellent. It’s super light with a short pull and a short reset. The single-action trigger makes it easy to blaze away with a lot of control. I did some box drills against the clock and accurately landed six shots within 2.5 seconds from the holster.

Accuracy wise the gun is quite useful in single action. Headshots at 25 yards are easy to do, and the weapon produces some impressive groups at 15 yards. You can keep a five-shot group inside of 2 inches at 15 yards, and any closer, and it’s easy to make one ragged hole.

This big boy is a fun gun to shoot, and it’s an easy shooter. The Jericho is a reliable weapon without much need for constant cleaning or high maintenance. It goes bang when it needs to and is frustration-free. And it has a unique look and profile that allows it to stand out.

IWI Jericho Pros and Cons

IWI Jericho Starter Pack

The Jericho is a real workhorse. However, in order to responsibly own and operate this firearm, there are some basic necessities you’ll need to pickup in order to make the most of this firearm and have the best experience possible.

• Magazines: CZ-75 ProMags at Brownells
• Shooting Glasses: All it takes is one rogue piece of hot brass to ruin a great day at the range. Protect your eyes at all costs and get the Best Shooting Glasses for you!
• Hearing Protection: Some guns fire much quieter than others. However, such is not the case with the IWI Jericho. Figure out what ear protection you need in our Best Shooting Hearing Protection article.
• Gun Cleaning Kit: Gloryfire Universal Cleaning Kit on Amazon
• Storage: Vaultek Lifepod on Amazon

IWI Jericho Gun Deals

Finding a quality firearm can be tough nowadays. But finding a specific weapon is even more difficult. That’s why we’ve scoured the internet to bring you marketplaces that actually carry the IWI Jericho.

Disclaimer: These are priced at time of writing. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Upgrades and Accessories for the IWI Jericho 941

If you’re looking to truly turn this into a duty pistol, you may want to perform a few upgrades on your weapon in order to get the Jericho 941 up to snuff. The holster and light mentioned below also fit, so you won’t have to go digging for a specialty combination.

Best Accessories for the Jericho 941

Best Ammo for Your Jericho 941

With the scarcity of ammunition these days, prices are on the rise. And it gets even more expensive if you’re firing working ammo while at the range. Instead, try and rathole away two different types of rounds–working ammunition for defense situations and cheaper range rounds. This will ensure that you have ammo for when it really counts and bullets to throw downrange as well.

Other Duty Pistols of Its Class to Check Out

The IWI Jericho is a large full-sized duty pistol, but it might not quite fulfill all of your needs. Instead, you might find solace in one of these other options. 

If you’re looking for a no-frills duty pistol, you need to check out the Canik TP9SF. It’s sturdy, reliable, and gets the job done without a hitch. Oh, did I happen to mention that it’s one of the best budget guns we’ve ever reviewed?…READ MORE

If you’re looking for a premium option, check out the H&K VP-9. We prefer the “B” style with the Americanized push-button mag release. Either way though, this is definitely a top tier duty pistol for a reason…READ MORE 

How to Care for Your IWI Jericho 941

Other than shooting the firearm, one of the best parts about owning a gun is knowing how to take it down and perform maintenance. Doing so actually help you to build a stronger bond and deeper trust with your weapon. Check out this video by Citizen Soldier to learn how to properly take down and reassemble the Jericho 941.

Important Links and Manuals for Your IWI Jericho 941

Looking for more info on this firearm? Here are some quick links to get you started.

• IWI Jericho
• IWI Jericho User’s Manual
• IWI Jericho Enhanced Shooting and What’s for Dinner with GB Guns