IWI Masada range report and brief review

[ken_mays]

I've got about 350 rounds downrange with the Masada as of today.  

Basics:

• 2 x 17 round magazines, with remarkably stiff springs.
• Comes with 2 backstraps (small and large), and optic mounting kit with 4 RDS-specific spacer plates and appropriate screws.   The optic cut cover and all the mounting plates are plastic.
• The RDS plates included are for: Deltapoint, RMR, Venom, and Romeo 1.
• Trigger pull is 4 lbs, about 4.5mm worth of takeup and another 4mm of smooth, non-stacking creep.
• Ambi mag release and ambi slide release.
• Steel 3-dot sights.

Handling and shooting impressions:

• Good hand feel for me, I left the large backstrap installed.
• Trigger has a great pull, but trigger slap does occur on mine.   Out of the box, shooting a few mags of mildly hot 9mm earns you a stinging trigger finger.    After mounting a RDS, the trigger slap was softened and all but unnoticeable.  The Glock-type safety dingus isn't really a problem.  I'd put about 100 rounds through it before I installed the Vortex Venom RDS, and the trigger slap was unpleasant enough that I was considering getting rid of the gun.  After installing the RDS and putting 250 more rounds through it with considerably tamed trigger slap, I feel like it was built and intended for RDS use exclusively.
• Sights are very much a "combat hold" setup, where the POI is about where the white dot on the front sight is.   I was using a 6'oclock hold at about 10 yards and my group was about 1.5"-2" below the 1" dot that I was resting atop my front sight.
• Accuracy was about average for your typical $400 polymer combat pistol, about on par with my S&W M&P 1.0s, at least while shooting irons. The rear sight notch is a bit too wide for me, so that likely contributed.  With the RDS, accuracy seemed to tighten up to the point I had no complaints.
• Reloads were not as fast as I'd have liked.   The front of the magazine extends up into a "tab" that is prone to catch on the frontstrap side of the mag opening.  The mag opening has a pretty good bevel on the rear but not on the sides or front, which are thin; and the recessed area on both sides doesn't do you any favors, either.  The mag release button is a bit small and requires me to twist the gun just a bit to hit it reliably, but since this is an ambi mag button, I may just work on hitting it with my trigger finger instead.  At least the mags eject briskly.
• Slide release is large and easy to hit but not big enough to be in the way.
• The gun doesn't seem all that fat, but the only holster it would fit in is the one for my Steyr M9, which, along with the Beretta APX, has the fattest slide of any gun I own.  Fortunately, the Steyr, APX, and Masada all fit very nicely into the same holster, so that what I'll use.
• Reliability was 100% with my ammo, which are 115 gr coated lead reloads running about 1200 FPS.

Summary:
An exceptional value at a little over $400.   Trigger slap is something to watch out for, maybe it was just my gun, but installing a RDS made that a non-issue.  Due to its magwell, mag changes are a little slow.  Accuracy and reliability earn an "A" for me.  Sights adequate but not optimal.

 

 

 

[Snaveba]

Jealous.

I was really thinking about getting this same pistol. I was wanting more of a combat sized and I liked that it was RDS ready.

Then I “accidentally “ bid on a M&P 2.0 9 Compact and won. After moving the Crimson Trace Laser on eBay, the pistol only cost me about $200.  I really like it.

Because I still wanted a pistol which was built to take an RDS sight, I will be the proud owner of a P365XL tomorrow.

i will post my own review once I get it to the range. Then, once I get the Romeo Zero installed ( if they ever come off back order) I will add it’s review.

I will be interested in your thoughts on the Masada after you put another 500 rounds through it. 

[ken_mays]

To me, something like the M&P 2.0 Core would be the ultimate... but I haven't seen any on the street yet, and they are guaranteed to be more than $400 when they show up.  I'll have one someday, though.

[Snaveba]

Ditto

[Trekbike]

Nice detailed report!     As you mentioned, that mag release does look small.    Also looks too far forward and close to the trigger guard, at least based on your photo since I haven't handled one.   

[hipower]

32 minutes ago, Trekbike said:

Nice detailed report!     As you mentioned, that mag release does look small.    Also looks too far forward and close to the trigger guard, at least based on your photo since I haven't handled one.   

Sort of reminds me of the CZP10. Hope it releases better than the CZ! 

[ken_mays]

1 hour ago, hipower said:

Sort of reminds me of the CZP10. Hope it releases better than the CZ! 

I had a CZ P10 right after they came out.  Mine was unsatisfactory.   The mag release and slide release were both very stiff, and even after several hundred rounds, they didn't look to be getting any better.   The trigger safety was actually difficult to work with, like it would take more pressure to "pop" loose than I thought it should, and the pressure had to be straight back.   Accuracy was not bad but due to the smallish grip and narrow trigger guard, I had to cramp up on the grip and it tended to push my shots to the left.    The aluminum sights were just another slap in the face.

I'd like to shoot a P10F, I think that would be a better model for me.

[hipower]

Mine, ala TGO David, wasn't too bad. Trigger was pretty good actually, and I seemed to shoot it pretty well...or at least as well as I shoot. 

But that mag release was a total pita! Took a grip change and 2 hands to drop a mag.

I still have it. Way too many people knew enough about the P10 for me to sell it. lol And the trade value on it sucked!

Actually, I didn't try to sell it. I figured I wasn't going to give someone else a pistol with such a bad history. If nothing else, I'll shoot out the mag and throw it at whatever zombie is coming after me.

Edited February 18, 2020 by hipower

[asu174]

My CZ P10F never even made it to the range.  I was an early adopter and had the same issues. Mag release didn’t work right.  Slide stop also wouldn’t release with thumb.  Sold it.  One of the only guns I sold without ever shooting.

[ken_mays]

Update: I have about 800 rounds through the Masada by now.  Reliability 100% so far.

The inherent accuracy really shines with a red dot sight mounted.    Ergonomics continue to be excellent overall.   The trigger slap is not completely gone but has been muted enough that I mostly don't notice it.   Man, those magazines are a bear to load.   Without something like an upLULA loading tool, they'll tire you out right quick.  I wish the mag catch were just a little easier to find and activate, but I can't complain too much about it. 

The Vortex Venom is still going strong, but I want to replace it with a shake-awake or a RMR, something always-on, so I can start carrying it... and I need to look into taller sights too.   I can't really see the front sight when the dot is in my field of view, and while I don't seek a full co-witness, I would at least like to be able to line the sights up through the window.

 

[ken_mays]

Recently I installed a RMR 3.25 MOA dot model and tweaked one of my IWB holsters to accommodate it.   Then I put another 900 rounds through it, so by my estimates so far I have about 2200 rounds through the Masada.

I'm happy to report that I've had zero malfunctions so far; all ammo has been my RN reloads.   The trigger slap is 100% gone at this point.   Reloads aren't quite as smooth as I'd like, due to the shape of the mag well, but that's the only thing I can complain about.  I've been carrying the gun for about a week now and so far, so good.   

Next thing on the list is to get a set of higher sights.   The RMR sight body pretty much covers the front sight so I can't use it for any kind of index.

 

 

 

[1911turbo]

On 4/11/2020 at 9:00 PM, ken_mays said:

Next thing on the list is to get a set of higher sights.   The RMR sight body pretty much covers the front sight so I can't use it for any kind of index.

What sights did you end up going with? I'd like to put Dawsons on my Masada but they don't have any specifically for this gun. I believe some Sig sights will work but I can't figure out which ones.

[ken_mays]

I bought the SIG P320 sights from Dawson Precision, black front and rear.   Front sight height is .300".   I had to buy the .330" tall front and file it down to height.   I moved from the RMR to a Holosun 507C.

 

 

 

[1911turbo]

Thank you, that helps a lot. I assume the .300" is measured from the top of the slide to the top of the sight post, right?

[ken_mays]

Correct 

[billmeek]

Ken,

Have you gotten one of the Masada 9S (slim) in your hands yet?  My 9S has a better trigger than my Masada.  Been waiting (since Nov 20) on the EPS Carry green dot, which is on back order everywhere I looked, to mount on it.

[ken_mays]

Haven’t seen one in person yet. 

[trispeed]

thanks, i've been wondering about this line of pistols.

[billmeek]

I have both the full size and the 9s (slim).  The slim has a better trigger in my opinion.  Soon as there is a blue gun of the slim and I can get the holster I want made, it'll likely end up being my daily carry.

[billyblazes]

My Masada with a Holosun shake awake dot and NightStick weapon light along with a SiCo Omega 9K is my nightstand gun.  My only complaint about the gun is the lack of level two retention holsters for the gun.  That's what keeps it as my at home gun as opposed to an EDC.

[billmeek]

Have you seen these?

https://www.amazon.com/Orpaz-IWI-Masada-Holster-Modular/dp/B08RGHJ4X4?th=1

They seem to have pretty good reviews overall at a reasonable price point.