BUL Armory: From Duty Pistols to World Champions — The Story of Israel’s Precision Pistol Maker
BUL Armory: From Duty Pistols to World Champions — The Story of Israel’s Precision Pistol Maker
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BUL Armory: From Duty Pistols to World Champions — The Story of Israel’s Precision Pistol Maker
When people think of precision race guns and high-end 2011 pistols, names like STI/Staccato or Taran Tactical usually come up first. But in the last decade, BUL Armory — a company born in Israel — has muscled its way onto that short list of trusted competition-grade firearms.
Humble Beginnings in Tel Aviv
BUL Armory was founded in 1990 in Tel Aviv. Originally, the company focused on manufacturing duty-grade pistols for Israeli military and law enforcement markets. Israel has long been a hotbed of firearms innovation, blending practical combat experience with cutting-edge design — and BUL was no exception.
In its early days, BUL produced polymer-frame pistols like the BUL Impact and M5 — affordable alternatives to mainstream service handguns. These pistols gained a quiet reputation for being reliable and easy to maintain, but they didn’t make waves internationally.
Entering the 1911/2011 Arena
The company’s turning point came when it shifted focus to the 1911 platform — and more importantly, the double-stack “2011”-style pistols that dominate the practical shooting world. The “2011” is a modular evolution of the classic 1911, originally popularized by STI. It pairs a metal upper with a polymer or aluminum modular grip, allowing for high-capacity mags while keeping the familiar single-action trigger and superb ergonomics.
BUL recognized a niche: many shooters wanted match-grade 2011s without paying custom-gun prices or waiting a year for a build. So they leaned into competition pistols with innovative design touches — aggressive slide cuts, integrated compensators, and race-ready features straight out of the box.
The Rise of the BUL SAS and BUL M5
By the mid-2000s, BUL’s pistols started showing up on IPSC and USPSA match circuits. The BUL SAS II series in particular — lightweight, competition-tuned 2011s in multiple calibers — gained fans for their reliability and clever engineering.
The BUL M5 series, an evolution of their original double-stack design, also became popular among practical shooters who wanted an affordable but capable open-class pistol for fast shooting disciplines.
Breaking Out on the Global Stage
What really pushed BUL into the spotlight was the combination of high performance and competitive pricing. Unlike some brands that lean heavily on fully custom work, BUL managed to produce pistols with many custom features — ported slides, match triggers, magwells, optic-ready slides — straight from the factory floor.
Top shooters across Europe and Asia began to run BUL pistols in major matches. The company’s sponsorships and presence at IPSC World Shoots and European Championships only cemented its credibility.
Today, BUL’s competition lineup includes the popular SAS II, Hunter, and the more radical Axe Cleaver — a model that shows BUL’s willingness to blend tactical styling with race gun DNA.
Innovation Meets Practicality
One reason for BUL’s staying power is its willingness to innovate within practical constraints. For example:
The modular design of its frames allows for easy upgrades and custom fits.
The out-of-the-box performance reduces the need for expensive gunsmithing.
The bold slide designs and compensators help manage recoil without making the pistols unwieldy.
BUL pistols have become a favorite for shooters who want to jump into USPSA Limited or Open divisions without spending the price of a small car.
What’s Next for BUL Armory?
As of today, BUL is expanding its offerings to the U.S. market more aggressively than ever — a market that’s hungry for 2011-style pistols that don’t break the bank. Models like the Axe FS Cleaver are catching the eye of not just competitors, but tactical shooters and collectors who want something a little more unique than the standard polymer striker-fired fare.
With growing brand recognition, partnerships with major distributors, and a dedicated following in IPSC and USPSA circles, BUL Armory looks set to keep pushing the envelope — blending Israeli practicality with race-gun performance.
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