Well, recently acquired a bul cherokee compact and had the opportunity to test it out yesterday. Since this weapon still seems to be pretty obscure (most shooters I know have never even heard of it), I thought I'd post anything that might be of significance to someone interested in this model. Pictures and general specs are available on Bul Ltd's website, and the handgun is usually to be found on Gunbrokers, but few people seem to have had one in their hands.
The bul cherokee is available only as a full-size or compact model, with no other variants. It is 9mm only, with no other calibers available. No finish options, etc.
The model I've got my hands on is the compact, which in fact differs from the full-size only in the barrel/slide length. The grip is identical, with a 17rd. magazine. Obviously "compact" is a relative term, with this giving the pistol an overall height of 5 1/2" and length of 7 1/4". The full-size is approx. one inch longer.
Everyone who held this pistol had to remark about how comfortable the grip was. Slim, with deep finger grooves, thumb rest/indent and nice beavertail. This pistol is about as ergonomic as it gets. One who is aware that, like the eaa witness series of Italian manufacturage, this Israeli design is modified from the CZ75 platform might ask why not just buy an actual CZ. Hold both and you will likely agree that the grip itself is worth it. Bul clearly made a major improvement on CZ's design here, not to mention that a polymer frame of these dimensions is also not offerred by CZ.
Upon close examination of the finish, I found it to be less refined than that of, say, an HK, but far better in quality than a keltec, taurus, or eaa firearm. I note the front sight to be fixed, and the rear to be actually adjustable, not discernable from photos on the internet. The rear sight is however polymer, and should you dislike that you may have a problem. From front to back, the dovetail measures 15/16"- not any standard sight that I know of. Certainly not interchangeable with closest cousins like CZ, EAA, or even IMI Jericho.
I fed this pistol 50 rounds of cheap blazer brass, 50 rounds of independence, and another 25 of remington gold saber hollow points for good measure. The very first round resulted in a failure to feed the second into the chamber. Checking the magazine seating, I found no issue there. I cycled the slide and continued shooting and the issue was not repeated afterward. One round break-in period maybe? After shot one, there were no more failures or malfunctions of any kind.
Trigger is usually advertised at 5.5lbs in single action. I did not measure in any way, but found the pull to feel both short and stiff, much like some berettas I have known. A little lightening and/or polishing might be in order.
Overall advantages:
Extremely comfortable shooter! Lighter than it looks; very high capacity. A good price at around $500-$550 new.
Disadvantages:
Like the CZ75, this pistol has the slide railed into the receiver instead of the other way around. This design results in a very short slide height, giving your hand only about 1/2" of purchase to rack the slide-a major drawback in my opinion. I expect to have a hard time finding a holster, and an impossible time finding a replacement rear sight, should I choose to do so.
That's it in a nutshell. If you're researching the bul cherokee and can't get your hands on one without actually ordering it, I will be glad to answer any questions to the best of my ability.
The bul cherokee is available only as a full-size or compact model, with no other variants. It is 9mm only, with no other calibers available. No finish options, etc.
The model I've got my hands on is the compact, which in fact differs from the full-size only in the barrel/slide length. The grip is identical, with a 17rd. magazine. Obviously "compact" is a relative term, with this giving the pistol an overall height of 5 1/2" and length of 7 1/4". The full-size is approx. one inch longer.
Everyone who held this pistol had to remark about how comfortable the grip was. Slim, with deep finger grooves, thumb rest/indent and nice beavertail. This pistol is about as ergonomic as it gets. One who is aware that, like the eaa witness series of Italian manufacturage, this Israeli design is modified from the CZ75 platform might ask why not just buy an actual CZ. Hold both and you will likely agree that the grip itself is worth it. Bul clearly made a major improvement on CZ's design here, not to mention that a polymer frame of these dimensions is also not offerred by CZ.
Upon close examination of the finish, I found it to be less refined than that of, say, an HK, but far better in quality than a keltec, taurus, or eaa firearm. I note the front sight to be fixed, and the rear to be actually adjustable, not discernable from photos on the internet. The rear sight is however polymer, and should you dislike that you may have a problem. From front to back, the dovetail measures 15/16"- not any standard sight that I know of. Certainly not interchangeable with closest cousins like CZ, EAA, or even IMI Jericho.
I fed this pistol 50 rounds of cheap blazer brass, 50 rounds of independence, and another 25 of remington gold saber hollow points for good measure. The very first round resulted in a failure to feed the second into the chamber. Checking the magazine seating, I found no issue there. I cycled the slide and continued shooting and the issue was not repeated afterward. One round break-in period maybe? After shot one, there were no more failures or malfunctions of any kind.
Trigger is usually advertised at 5.5lbs in single action. I did not measure in any way, but found the pull to feel both short and stiff, much like some berettas I have known. A little lightening and/or polishing might be in order.
Overall advantages:
Extremely comfortable shooter! Lighter than it looks; very high capacity. A good price at around $500-$550 new.
Disadvantages:
Like the CZ75, this pistol has the slide railed into the receiver instead of the other way around. This design results in a very short slide height, giving your hand only about 1/2" of purchase to rack the slide-a major drawback in my opinion. I expect to have a hard time finding a holster, and an impossible time finding a replacement rear sight, should I choose to do so.
That's it in a nutshell. If you're researching the bul cherokee and can't get your hands on one without actually ordering it, I will be glad to answer any questions to the best of my ability.
