Explained: What Are Zigana Pistols? The Turkish-Manufactured Firearms 'Used To Kill Atiq Ahmed'

Zigana pistols are polymer-frame pistols manufactured in Turkey. They are banned in India, and cost about Rs six to seven lakh.

Zigana pistols are semi-automatic pistols made by Turkish firearm manufacturing company TİSAŞ. These have been manufactured in Turkey since 2001.

Source : AFP

Zigana pistols, which are semi-automatic pistols made by Turkish firearm manufacturing company TİSAŞ, were "used to kill" gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed, media reports said. These pistols are banned in India. Zigana is a polymer-frame pistol. 

TİSAŞ was the first company to manufacture the polymer-frame pistol in Turkey. Zigana pistols have been manufactured in Turkey since 2001. These pistols cost about Rs six to seven lakh. 

Several security companies in Turkey and Turkish military units use Zigana pistols. 

All about Zigana pistols

According to a website called Modern Firearms, an encyclopaedia of firearms and ammunition of the 20th and 21st centuries, Zigana pistols, unlike most other pistols of Turkish origin, have an original design. Other pistols of Turkish origin are usually copies of existing European pistols. 

The Zigana pistols are short recoil-operated weapons with a modified Browning-type locking system, which means that the barrel is locked to the slide using one large lug that engages the ejection port. The trigger unit has an exposed hammer and is equipped with slide-mounted safety. 

Zigana pistols are also equipped with an automatic firing pin block, a mechanical block used in semi-automatic firearms. 

The Zigana M16 pistol is the first version of Zigana pistols. The barrel length is 126 mm. The Zigana T pistol has an improved frame with a longer dust cover, and features a heavier and slightly longer slide. Its barrel length is 130 mm. 

Zigana K, the compact version of the Zigana T pistols has a shortened slide and a barrel length of 103 mm. 

The Zigana P06 model was released to the market in 2009, according to the Turkish Defence Industry Product Catalogue. 

In 2014, the Zigana PX-9 model was offered to the market. This model stands out due to its cost, recoil and accuracy performance among its counterparts. 

The Zigana PX-9 model with a 9 mm calibre has a pin safety block, an ambidextrous thumb safety, a chamber indicator, a changeable magazine release latch and picatinny rails conforming to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) standards for accessory use. Picatinny rails are mounting platforms widely used in the firearm industry to attach accessories to firearms. 

The Zigana PX-9 model is produced for the Malaysian security units, and is also used by the Philippine National Police.