In 2019, with help from reader Stimpy75 and my friend Emrah, TFB reported about new Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) that was unveiled at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Turkey. The TOKAT 571 PDW falls into a medium-sized class of machine pistols, that’s larger than one-off pistols like the Glock 18 and Beretta 93, but smaller than full stocked PDW’s like an H&K MP5 or UMP. The R&D company, Bihemta reached out to me to get the word out that the TOKAT 571 is expected to get investment funding from the Turkish government for full production.

Turkish Firearms @ TFB:

• Photos from International Defense Fair, IDEF 2019 in Turkey
• INCOMING: Turkey Selects a New Grenade Launcher
• Turkey orders more MPT-76 service rifles

Bihemta provided me with a few new photos from a recent trade show in which the TOKAT seems to have received a couple cosmetic and ergonomic changes since we first brought you this story. The window in the grip seems to have disappeared, and the large slide stop/release appears to have been replaced with an automated loading when a fresh magazine is inserted, that also locks back when a magazine runs empty (according to the following informational flier). Two extra Picatinny rail sections were also added to both sides of the dust cover. The recessed, triangular cutout above the grip looks like a spot for a frame-mounted safety selector. The newest version of the TOKAT 571 PDW has a larger profile buttstock than the previous iteration, and can also deploy automatically. I’ve added a photo of the earliest example below the flier for comparison “then to now.”

The additional foregrip as seen in the promotional flier (yet omitted from other photos) is another layer of safety added into the design. The ability to holster the TOKAT 571 should aid in its versatility if it’s destined for the traditional rear echelon and logistical support troops.

What do you think about the TOKAT 571 PDW and the changes from the first announcement a couple years ago?