If you’re looking to snag a Desert Eagle for your firearms collection, there are a couple of things you need to know. You’re going to need a bigger handgun safe; the Desert Eagle isn’t just a large pistol, it’s a hand howitzer. If you want to shoot your new cannon on a regular basis you’ll need a trust fund or a second job. Quality 50AE ammo costs from $1.50 to $2.50 a shot, which is cheap for old bourbon but pricy for ammo. Last but not least, if you haven’t personally shot a Desert Eagle, throw out everything you’ve heard about the gun. Read this first . . .
Deagles were originally made in Israel by Israel Weapon Industries, part of Israel Military Industries, Ltd., the same people who brought the Galil and the Uzi into the world. Magnum Research, the U.S. patent holder, subsequently transferred manufacture to the United States. A few years later, production of the Desert Eagle was returned to Israel. IMI then spun off IWI. Finally, Kahr Arms acquired Magnum Research in the middle of 2010. Thus, the poor Desert Eagle has gone through more hands than the Kardashians.
My test subject is an Israeli-made pistol manufactured by IWI, which is as close to an original Mark XIX as it gets.
How Does It Operate?
The Deagle is not recoil-operated like the locked breach and blowback designs that pistol shooters know and love. The Desert Eagle is gas operated, like grandpappy Mikhail’s AK-47. Being gas operated, the pistol’s barrel can be fixed in position like a rifle barrel. The barrel’s also different on the inside. It lacks lands and grooves, boasting instead six-rib polygonal rifling like medium-bore Glock pistols.
There’s a small gas valve under the barrel. Upon firing, the valve diverts propellant gasses to a piston that drives the slide back. As the slide begins its rearward travel, the rotating bolt unlocks from the barrel and moves with the slide. Toward the end of slide travel, the hammer gets cocked.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the spent brass is ejected, a new round the size of a cocktail weenie is crammed into the chamber and the twin recoil springs ram the slide forward. The bolt rotates until its three heavy lugs reengage the barrel and lock into position, and the gun is ready once again to rock and roll.
Okay, it sounds like the Desert Eagle is some kind of Frankengun cobbled together by Eugene Stoner and Mikhail Kalashnikov one night after they sucked down way too many Jell-O shots. Realistically, though, the intricate inner workings of any traditional short-recoil pistol are just as mysterious and spooky, and altogether ooky. Therefore, if any additional complexity of the Desert Eagle yields significant advantages, it’s all good. So does it?
In theory, yes.
Polygonal rifling is thought by some to create a tighter seal than lands and grooves. By some accounts, it reduces the potential for barrel fouling. Polygonal rifling has been around since the dawn of rifled firearms, so it’s not exactly unproven technology. Besides, if Gaston Glock chose polygonal rifling for America’s gun, how can we mere mortals object to the same for Israel’s gun?
The fixed barrel is also a plus. If fixed barrels are good enough for rifles and revolvers, there no reason why they can’t be good enough for pistols. A barrel that stays on the same plane as the frame at all times, instead of one that cams upward with every shot, should improve accuracy. The setup is very sturdy, too; a requirement for a pistol firing heavy magnum loads. Check off another potential plus or two for the Deagle.
Redirecting the propellant gasses into the gas valve probably reduces recoil, at least by a little. The effect is similar to that of a small muzzle break, except that the gas valve technology incorporated into the Desert Eagle does nothing to directly counter muzzle rise. Still, a little improvement is better than none.
Finally, the rotating, triple-lugged bolt offers dual advantages in safety and durability, especially when firing the powerful .50AE round. Anyway, those are the theories.
In contrast to the theories, there are the rumors. According to every blogger’s best friend (“reliable sources”) the Desert Eagle is a piece of junk. Most of the rumors center around cycling issues. Purportedly, quality went into the crapper about the time that production was switched stateside from the land of Canaan. Thereafter, the Desert Eagle rapidly developed a reputation as an unreliable problem pistol that jammed more than a Dixieland jazz quartet.
But rumors need to be taken with a whole Jimmy Buffet shaker of salt, especially when it comes to firearms. Let’s face it, the gun culture community is a lot like a suburban middle school. Information rolls off the desks like Tic-Tacs, disappearing into cracks and corners never to be seen again, while rumors travel fast and last forever. Which doesn’t account for the irrefutable fact that while many rumors are utterly false, others are absolutely true.
To put theory and rumors to the test, I headed off to the range carrying the Desert Eagle and several boxes of ammo that collectively cost about as much as a new Smith & Wesson J-frame revolver.
Handling and Shooting the Desert Eagle
The .50AE pistol is a hefty 4.5 pounds, about as much as two fully loaded 1911s plus a six-inch Subway sandwich. The big bazooka is 10.75” long from stem to stern and 6.25” high. The bore axis is a good 1.5” above the bottom of the long beavertail and it’s very muzzle-heavy. To accommodate such big rounds, the handle needs to be extremely thick. Achieving a good grip is a bit of a “challenge.”
With this much mass and such epic proportions, you don’t handle this gun; you wrangle it. And that’s before the shooting starts. As for portability, I personally wouldn’t want to tuck this monstrosity into my Thunderwear for a trip to the Piggly-Wiggly but your chafing may vary. [ED: Louisville Leathers is developing a Desert Eagle holster for Ralph’s dining and dancing pleasure. Stay tuned.]
Touring the landscape of the pistol, I immediately loved the patridge sights. Employing the old saw of “equal height, equal light,” I found it easy to put these sights right on target while dry-firing. Overall fit and finish seemed perfect, with the entire gun feeling like one solid piece. Field stripping and reassembly was a no-tool breeze.
The ambidextrous safety was very stiff and required a firm push of the thumb to move up to the fire position or down to the safe position. The hammer cocked and de-cocked more easily than I expected. Racking the slide was tough, requiring a tight grip and a 2.75” long pull against the powerful gang of recoil springs. The magazine release button likewise required a decisive push before it would give up its chokehold on the mag.
While working with spring-loaded hand grips would be a cheaper way to develop forearm strength, racking the slide and working the controls of the Deagle will likewise turn the average Joe into Popeye with none of that messy spinach.
Loading up the magazine was easy. The big cartridges provided plenty of leverage, and the magazine spring wasn’t fighting me like the controls had done. Magazine insertion required a degree of force. Once inserted, it seemed like the magazine fit a bit loosely in the well, but that’s the way it’s supposed to fit. According to the manual, any attempt to stifle that little bit of mag movement would result in a jam. When the manual says, “don’t do that,” then I don’t do that.
My first shot was a “ranging shot” to get the feel of the pistol and locate its true point of impact relative to point of aim. I used my preferred Weaver stance with my dominant arm fully bent at the elbow. The reason I bend the elbow is to shorten the distance between the front sight and my ancient eyes. That has the unfortunate effect of also shortening the distance between the recoiling mass of metal and my coconut. With .45s, .44 magnums or anything less, the recoiling handgun’s proximity to my noggin is a non-issue. Not so with .50 magnums. Recoil with this pistol is prodigious.
Here’s a viddy of Eddie shooting the Deagle. He’s a very powerful guy; watch the pistol jump around in his hand like an angry snake as his fires a miniscule group. I was subsequently to best that group by placing five shots touching in the same little outline.
Back to my initial firing experience. My first shot was on target, but the pistol overwhelmed my stance. The recoil forced my arm to pivot at the elbow, like a football referee signaling a first down. That pushed the pistol unreasonably close to my face, which is an organ that I prefer to leave just the way it is.
I found that the big sights were easy to see, even at full arm’s length, so I didn’t need to shorten up the focal distance between the front sight and my eyes. The long sight radius of 8.65” also made for accurate sighting. My second shot was fired from a Chapman-style stance with the dominant arm straight out and the elbow almost locked. It’s not my normal style, but it worked very well, reducing muzzle rise and improving my follow-through.
I normally prefer to test self-defense handguns at self-defense distances, meaning five to seven yards. It was quickly apparent that testing the Desert Eagle at such a distance was the equivalent of testing a sniper rifle at snowball distance. I loaded four, moved the target out to fifteen yards and proceeded to drill the bullseye, effortlessly.
Why not 25 yards? Because indoor range lighting is no friend of mine, that’s why. But it is my firm opinion that offhand shots at 25 yards and far, far beyond would be child’s play with this pistol at an outdoor range bathed in even moderate sunlight.
I shot a couple of boxes of ammo with no jams or any other stoppages whatsoever. Six or seven other people, selected at random from the crowd at the range, also fired the pistol. The shooters ranged from trainers like Eddie to experienced gunsels to near-noobs. The purpose of sharing the pistol with others was to make the pistol jam. But voila, there were no failures, period. I was beginning to think that the whole jam-o-matic business was so much bushwah.
But hosanna, one of the range instructors did have two jams while firing a magazine-full. It did not appear that he was limp-wristing, but he was shooting from a Weaver stance and permitting the pistol to roll up with each shot. Well, Deagle don’t like roll-ups, and it got to jamming right away to show its distaste for the shooter’s style. That shooter never did manage to dial-in his presentation, but subsequent shots by other operators went off without a hitch.
We went through a lot of expensive ammo trying to get this pistol to sh!t the bed. For all our efforts, all we got were those two lousy jams. So this is what can be said about this particular specimen, if not all its siblings out there: the pistol will do its job if the shooter does his or her job. However, this gun doesn’t make it easy for the shooter to do his or her job. Far from it. Any defects in stance or grip will be penalized. That’s not a good thing.
A great pistol should assist the shooter by being accurate, safe and easy to shoot well. The Desert Eagle is dead-nuts accurate shot offhand, and probably scary accurate if shot from sandbags, vise or rest. Most models are drop-safe, so the gun is just as all-around safe as other single action autoloaders. But when it comes to helping the shooter to shoot well, the Deagle doesn’t give an inch. Therefore, it’s not a great pistol.
Conclusion
The Desert Eagle is a powerful.50 caliber pistol that is capable of producing muzzle velocities exceeding 1900 fps and muzzle energy of 2800 ft-lbs. To put those numbers in perspective, .50AE bullets can travel twice as fast as.45s and hit with the force of a .308 Winchester.
The Desert Eagle is also challenging to shoot. Marksmen who master it will be rewarded with a fun experience. Those who don’t master it will find that it jams. When it comes to jams I prefer Smucker’s over pistols, but that’s just me.
I’m not really sure why anyone would want a Desert Eagle. Punching holes in engine blocks comes to mind, but how often would someone really need to do that? Maybe once or twice a month, tops. Target practice? Ixnay. Not at two bucks a round. Self defense? Any handgun from .38Spl to .45 caliber would be a far better choice. Surviving the zombie apocalypse? A .22 would do just as well. Taking out Neo? Agent Smith had his Deagle. Neo had guns. Lots of guns. Neo won.
No, I have to say that the Desert Eagle is simply the most useless gun ever made. Paradoxically, it’s also, maybe, the most fun gun around, at least in .50AE. If I was rating the Desert Eagle’s fun factor using TTAG’s star system, the gun would get more stars than Hollywood.
So what makes the Desert Eagle a not-so-obscure object of desire? Maybe it’s the fun, maybe the glamour, or maybe it’s the excitement of hanging out with a movie star. It might be the power. While it’s not the biggest hitter out there, the fifty is definitely near the top.
Frankly, I don’t really know what it is about the Desert Eagle that makes it so intriguing, but I’m jonesing to shoot this one some more. I’m jonesing bad.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Desert Eagle Mark XIX
Caliber: .50AE
Magazine capacity: 7 rounds
Materials: Steel
Weight empty: 72.4 ounces
Barrel Length: 6.0″
Overall length: 10.75″
Sights: Dovetailed front and rear “combat-style,” windage adjustable
Action: Hammer fired, single action
Finish: Matte black
Price: around $1500
RATINGS (out of five stars)
Style * * * * *
Love the look or hate the look, the Desert Eagle’s been photographed more often than Paris Hilton and featured in more movies than Ron Jeremy. It’s an icon. I mean the gun. Not Ron Jeremy.
Ergonomics (carry) *
On a scale of zero to five, with five being an Airlight and zero being a flaming porcupine, the Desert Eagle is a one. On a scale where anything short of a flaming porcupine is a zero, the Desert Eagle is a zero.
Ergonomics (firing) * * *
Try a little experiment. Take all the guns out of your gun safe. Now hold the safe straight out at shoulder level with one arm. Comfy? If it is, then you’ll like hefting the Deagle. As heavy as the gun may be, the single-action trigger is light and precise. The trigger pull is smooth, with a short, nice ‘n’ easy take up. Reset is faster than most DA pistols in lesser chamberings, which is irrelevant since accurate follow-up shots will be slower than erosion. The sights are very good and the long sight radius makes for accuracy. One-handed shooting is something best reserved for a scene in Jackass 4.0.
Reliability * * *
It’s not a jam machine, but it can jam. A grip that would be firm enough for any other pistol might be too limp for the Desert Eagle. Oddly enough, habitual snubby shooters who have practiced a “convulsive grip” (trying to crush the handle into powder) will have no limp-wristing jams with this pistol. Keeping the gas valve clean is imperative to assure proper functioning. Field stripping is so easy even a cave man can do it, so there’s no excuse for not cleaning this big noisemaker. Long term durability is difficult to assess based on just a few range sessions, but any gun this heavily built should have a longer half-life than Uranium-234.
Customize This * * *
If the gun isn’t heavy enough for you just the way it is, there’s that long rail atop the barrel where one might mount a light, scope, a set of toy trains or an electric hoist. The .50AE Desert Eagle is also convertible for shooting .44Mag and .357Mag cartridges simply by purchasing expensive drop-in replacement gear that requires no gunsmithing to install. Why anyone would want to fire mere .357s from a gun this heavy and unwieldy is beyond me.
OVERALL RATING * * *
Shooting a Desert Eagle is like taking a honeymoon in Las Vegas. There’s no justification for it, except for having a raucous good time and burning through all those cash wedding gifts when your spouse isn’t looking.
I’ve owned my DE for about 20 yrs now and can honestly say… Yes, it will hold up to the test of time. I have AT LEAST fired 10,000 +/- rounds through it. In the beginning I used factory ammo and got about 2 ftf’s per mag, after I got the set of dies for 50ae that number went down to zero, and my wallet greatly appreciates them too, but the credit card company doesn’t. About 75-80 cents per round. As for accuracy… 100 yds – 6″ circle all day.
I was at the range one day and as I walked up to the counter there was a couple shooting next to where I was going to shoot. The girl looked at me and said “you might want to move down one station he’s (the guy she was with) shooting a .357 magnum… a MAN’S gun” I just smiled, then turned my back and snuck out my DE, loaded the mag, turned to the target, dropped the slide and fired. They both jumped out of there skin. I then opened my handgun case again pulled out a .357 and handed it to my wife and with a tad bit of sarcasm said to them “yeah, the .357 is a nice gun… my wife shoots one” Then they both just left. Moral to the story -DE is an awesome gun to shoot!!!
I know how ya feel. I was shooting my .45 ACP clip loaded revolver while the local rent-a-cops were shooting their qualification with .38 Specials.
They felt darned inadequate. And moon clips speed the reloading quite a bit.
Glad I FINALLY read sumphin’ ‘gee golly swell’ about this thing ’cause I just plunkered down $1870 for one on line from Gander. I just HOPE to GOD that I do not get buyer’s remorse.
YOUR comment got me ta’ thinkin’. Yes. I DID in fact purchase it as a penis extension and NOW realize that ALL guys gravitate toward penis extensions in one way or another. I mean, that’s why I’ve ridden nuthin’ but Harley’s since ’67 and not the rockets, which technologically are like comparing a NASA space ship to an Edison Model T. But we do things for various reasons ’cause we’re creatures of habit. Especially the MALE gender. We like our toys, and I have always liked mine.
It’s an addition to my collection and something to trot out when a shithead is braggin’ ’bout his .357 or .44 mag. It’s a shut the fuck up item. I’ve got the biggest dick.
Is there any history about why the gun was made? Was it supposed to be a vehicle crew weapon or a backup main gun on the Isralei Merkava?
it was made to get american right wingers to like israelis.
It’s a great weapon to have out in the wiles of Alaska, Period.
Don’t want ‘no’ bear draggin’ ya’ someplace to skin ya’ first and then bury its meal for later chompin’. Period. LOL
Informative and well written.
Well, as you know, DE was not builded as a Self-Defense Pistol or Combat Pistol. DE is a kind of Hand Cannon, Sniper Pistol (especially if you used the 10″ barrel), a monstrous power pistol.
If you compare it with “normal” handguns for the weight, size, recoil, etc. I just can say that DE is “different” one. And if you compare DE 50AE with SW 500 for the “power” of the blast, how about the “handling”, “recoil” and “accuracy”? Judge it after 5 rounds in the shooting range, look at “holes” group in target.
You have your energy wrong unless you are comparing the 50 at 10 feet and the 308 at 500 yards ……………………..the 50 has nowhere near the energy
Loved the review, Ralph–hilarious and spot-on! I have an old Mark
I Israeli-made .44–first gun I ever bought (that was an
education). Still going strong after 25 years, mostly reliable with
ammo it likes (and it likes hot). Added a .357 conversion which
makes it feel like a 9mm. Always makes this odd magic on the range:
for some reason (gas action? locked breech?) the blast is
significantly bigger than the same-caliber revolver. Lights the
place up like a flare and gets everybody running to see what just
exploded. I keep having to show them I’m just using factory loads
(even in .357). Then they notice how accurate it is. And the recoil
is remarkably mild: my kids like shooting this gun better than most
(they hate poly-framed pistols because of the recoil)–it’s mostly
the sinus-clearing blast that’s intimidating. Practical: hell no.
It’s an anvil with an expensive appetite. Fun: Oh yeah. It’s a
hand-held roller-coaster.
i reeeeaaallllly like this gun
Here’s the real question (pertaining to buying a .50AE Deagle for self defence). Do you want to turn your assailant’s brain into soup, or blow his head off?
Big Bore My Ass
I carry a sig 229 .40
I can hit a gong at 50 yards
I shot a .50 once
and was only accurate at 30 feet
I’ve had my DE 357 for years and love it, sure I also have a Ruger 44 mag and just got my hand on a DE 50ae and agree the DE’s are not the easyest handguns to handle. But agree with everyone on the fun factor. Cheaper then dirt has 50ae, 350gr jacketed for $26 a box or $1.30 each no worse then a rifle. I just put a red dot on the 50 to clear the sight and with a steady hand 50 yards is no problem. In my humble opinion the Eagles are no different then buying a Corvette when a Toyota will do.
I really injoyed your report Ralph, you were right on target.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT POST. THAT just made me feel a WHOLE LOT better and that I will not have buyer’s remorse after having just plunked down $1870 big ones on-line at Gander.
Great review. My only question would be if anyone has any different experience with the US models? You said you used an Israeli model, but also said the rumors of problems were largely with the US made ones.
This bogus raid happened on campus? That figures. People who think that the Soviet Union fell have never been to an American university. The typical professor thinks that Bill Ayers is the soul of America but George Washington was a running-dog capitalist oppressor who stole the milk from the babies of the oppressed peasants and workers.
so, have had my 50ae since the 90’s – one of the “collector” xix models.
have had so much fun!!
ergonomics are a direct link to reliable cycling. my son-in-law is at least a half foot shorter than me and grip becomes an issue. although i am only6’4″, i installed the aftermarket grip and can still get a full purchase on the pistol.it helps and if you’re a taller sort of fella – try it..
used this with the speer 325s on feral hogs – even at 60-70 yards the effect was “impressive” and i have since gone DOWN to a 44 mag for that sort of game.
ordered up some hawk 350s (just wish i could get a 400 gr bullet!) for my “dream” moose hunt – pricey to practice with. .
while my first choice for a handgun if i had none – would be a 22, if you have a couple of other handguns – get one – and grin all day!!
Height of the shooter means absolutely nothing with the DE .50 or a S&W .500. Absolutely nothing.
As for 400 grain, how about a 500 grain? I reload these sometimes for my S&W .500. The 350 grain .50 AE will take care of anything that walks on two or four legs.
magnum 44:safely but he will make damage. magnum 45:it’s still make damage.
magnum 50:aah,now this is weapon. magnum 357:it will make enough damage.
and magnum 500:god! you are not well,this thing will finish you.
niiice
Very excited to try this! I’m a little worried by the sheer weight, but I think with practice it’ll get easier. Thanks for the great review, I think I’ll get an Israeli one 🙂
My two DE XIX .50s are the most accurate handguns I own. My S&W .500 is close but I just can’t shoot it as well as the DE.
Either one can handle the .50 or they cannot. Shooting it well has nothing to do with brute strength, height or age. I’m a big short-medium guy and I mastered the .50 after 100 shots or so. I’ve seen bigger guys who can lift a car jam up and/or not hit the bulleye once. I’ve seen my aunt shoot mine very accurately with not a single jam. My brother has jam issues yet my dad who is a bit frail and old can go through a few mags without a single issue. There is no rhyme or reason for who can shoot the .50 well, it’s all about a mixture of things, a perfect storm if you will. IMO it’s about gripping the grip enough but not too much. Then your follow through then your stance. For me it just works well much like the S&W .500 does. With the DE I have the aftermarket rubber grips from Magnum and with the S&W .500 I have Xlarge Nills wood grips.
I wouldn’t trade or sell either of my DE’s for anything. they will stay with me for life. Such a unique, powerful and yes useful firearm. Talk about a range attraction, talk about a intimidating, talk about a defensive round that will split your target in two, talk about the range of this round from a handgun. Just amazing! How one could call themselves a gun enthusiast and not own a DE .50 I do not know.
Tip-Get reloading equipment and supplies, learn to reload. The ammo is easily available through auctions and some online stores, but the prices are just ridiculous of course. Currently .50 AE is about $2 a round, $3 for specialty defensive type rounds. I reload now for about .70c tops, when I go in on supplies with the group I shoot with it goes down to .50c a round. I also do .500 so reloading is a must if I wish to have money for retirement.
BEST GUN EVER!
really enjoyed that review I recently purchased eagle in 44 mag big bulky blast to shoot plan on hunting with it this season I love it so far
Have had a Deagle .50 AE for 6 months now, and after learning that it can’t be “limp-wristed”, haven’t had a single FTF. Actually this is my wife’s gun, and she is scary accurate with it. Yes, it is definitely all about the fun factor, because there is not much to be said for practicality. First time we brought it to the range, a guy from the group next to us came up with a 5 dollar bill, asking if he could shoot it. We let him shoot one shot for free, while his friends all filmed it with their smart phones. Definitely a range stopper!!!
Congrats to all gun owners of CO. Go for 3!
Picked up the Ruger SR1911 last weekend at a local gun show, immediately stripped it to nuts and bolts, nothing dirty or out of place, other than it has been factory shot for our liberal lawyers amusement, then cleaned and lubed it as it should be. Shot it today at 10 yards, 230 gr flat point reloads (don’t even remember when or where I got them), and a full magazine stayed in 2″, right out of the box. I don’t shoot better than that, age, eyes, etc, but the gun shot that all day long. At the price I paid, I’m going back and pick up the CMD next gun show!!! 🙂
I entered for a chance to win one and if I do I will keep it loaded with the best large game 50ae ammo that I can find so that when I travel I do not have to depend on luck to avoid dangerous big game such as bears or bulls or buffalo or other types that I fail to mention.
The 50AE seems a bit like the answer to a question never asked.
,
Yes, I have fired one, it didn’t hurt or jam, It was fairly accurate. It seems kind of cool, but I own outboard motors that are lighter and more ergonomic.
I own and reload for 44mag, it never jams, it’s only as heavy as it needs to be. It is a stainless Ruger SuperBlackhawk. In a good holster it won’t pull your pants off, and I paid $400 for the pistol, 50 rounds loaded for 44mag and 44SPL, 50 pieces each virgin brass, and a set of carbide dies.
IMO, the .Desert Eagle is grossly over priced, along with it’s ammo. It’s also way to heavy, plus the ergonomics are abysmal. A curiousity rather than a reasonable tool, IMO.
Great review. You did not mention that the DE was originally designed to kill Buicks, not people. Israel needed something to stop cars that ran checkpoints, and the DE was the result. Engine blocks, on average, are no match for the. 50AE.
What else is it good for? If your assailant hides behind a tree, it will kill him AND the tree. Same for a wall, or a row of buildings.
Do I need it? No. My. 45 will serve. Do I want it? Oh hells yes.
Yes, the most wrong handgun on the world. But I like it, because it is different.
Do not forget one think. If you are able to shoot DE 50AE, you will improve all other shooting with smaller guns. For me -DE is a tester. If you like it – you are definitely a good shooter, If you dislike it, you can chance to be good shooter as well.
Martin
Best thing I ever bought, love shooting it. Have put over 1000 round through it. My best friend 🙂
Best review of any gun in the history of ever.
No nonsense, straight forward. I LOLed a few times. Very entertaining. Looking forward to more gems like this from Ralph.
Thnx, Bugs
If you can actually get the 300 grain pill to hit 2000fps, this gun clocks in at 2664ft/lbs and a Taylor Knockout score of 42.
O.o
42??!?!?!?! For a goddamn handgun? That is wayyyyy up there.
By comparison, the hottest 10mm loading I’ve ever seen was a 180gr pill that supposedly clocked in at 2000fps out of a 16″ carbine barrel, and it barely scored a 20.
That’s unbelievable.
I have the IWI .50 AE. gotta say i love it to death i have pretty big hands along with houge grips i have never had a jam except when i bought a really cheap $20 mag for it it the rounds would catch never had a stovepipe or a doublefeed or a spent round but hell at $2.00 a round i would not be happy with a spent round i would key hole at self defence range as you mentioned but i had to get my iron sights zeroed to be able to tac targets further i would get a great group but up and to the right of the red at over 30 yards but i really like it never had any of the steriotypical issues of reliability or inaccuracy i have 1911’s an HK p-30 xd’s i must say i love my eagle the most it melts in my hands an i can pride myself a better shoot watching others not being able to handle it at its full potential but i agree it dosent give you an inch its all up to you to get it on target the gun will not assist you
Is it okay to dry fire a Desert Eagle?
Buy polished chrome, don’t fire it, don’t mess with the safety. Maybe one day these guns will ALL be manufactured in China and will be worth about half of what one paid.
Love mine. I suspect you and your friend’s inability to handle the DE 50 properly lead to the conclusion that the gun is useless. The gun is extremely powerful and accurate in the right hands, those are valuable traits in a firearm.
Set up a model train on top! ??! …lol. you are killing me! ! Coolest review ever read!!
Quit your day job and go into standup comedy. Dude…you’re killin’ me.
I’ll do a fiction/study research because I asked myself off is it possible if someone would shoot me in the forehead with a 50AE Desert eagle with 350 Grain JHP that I come away with? & that I survive? The energy joules are 4.17 times more than a 9 mm the survival chances are max 15 percent in major exceptions. You can analyze considering how much damage it to the brain gives in the least severe case or survival could? I can not evidence finding. Can you help? I can pay you money for you research
http://youtu.be/8dS6l97GOzU
For the rest i’m sure a 50AE in a soft and extreme hard object causes the most damage. Which have proved many movies. a human skull has a medium hardness, so I am confident of survival as I had read articles that even extreme brain loss or damage can survive. I’m sure you keep no account of this. Bragging does not make sense about this gun on a fair way. A wild hog wil not die in a movie 3 shots in the head en then passed death.
How do you think now to the survival chance i have you more information giving? So the question is the 50AE cross the border with the extreme impact that a human can survive in the head? If you can not examine it. Do you know someone who can?
I hope someone can in the high future giving me a really evidence answer! For now only god knows or survival can
I really like my Desert Eagle 50 AEI have no problem at all with it. I also have and Smith and Wesson 500 which is a fun weapon also. like the article would buy another one anytime I alsothe 44 Magnum Desert Eagle over 20 yearsgave that one to my son
One must remember that each person will like different things. I bought the DE .50 because it is one of the most unique pistols out there and fun to tame such a beast. I will agree that it is not for everyone. At just about $2 a round it isn’t cheap. But if you can fork out $1500, the cost to shoot should not be a problem. Anyway, I can’t see any one person shooting more than 100 rounds at a time without feeling the pain
Ok so I am thinking about a 44 mag in the DE and I come across this article because I am searching to learn about the rumors of jamming that every person I talk to about a DE seems to be an expert on. After the practical presentation and humor in which the author presented his experience I have decided to add one to my always growing rack of 44 mags. What I have concluded from my conversations with the above referenced experts is none of them own one and they don’t want you to buy one because then yours will be bigger than theirs and the old “big gun envy” will kick in for them. So thank you for the info and keep shooting big guns because everything else at the range is only half the fun cause it’s only half the gun. 30 years a 44 mag shooter ever since I first saw Dirty Harry as a youngster.
This guy writes like a fuck stick
One perk of the larger caliber guns, over a .45 for example, is that they’ll penetrate a standard 3A kevlar vest, and a .50AE perhaps even one with ceramic plates in it. If you’re worried about going up against armor, or need to penetrate some cover with someone behind it, you’ll want a larger gun. A .45 meanwhile is exactly what a 3A Kevlar vest is rated to block, and then your gun is worthless in a self-defense situation. You can buy kevlar armor online these days for about $250.
I have the first gen 50AE . Have used it for deer hunting . Crazy accurate at 100 yrs with a scope . It will literally knock a deer off all four feet on a shoulder shot . Though And through both shoulders. And holes you can put a garden hose though. And yes it will stop a running 350 Chevy motor too! Done it . It’s the Fun factor in shooting this weapon. The look on other people’s faces is the best. Night shots are incredible to see . Ammo cost is expensive, but so are children and just about everyone wants them . So if you have the money , buy one someday . Love mine and never have had any issues, except for finding a scope that the gun don’t break from recoil and a good eye relief view .
i shoot my desert eagle 1 handed your buddy in the video is a puss…. anyone who says the eagles recoil is too much is a pansy, im not arnold im 6ft 180lbs and shoot it one handed with very little muzzle climb, also if you load your own (ring’o fire) it comes down to 65-75 cents a round… which is still pricey but do able
The desert eagle is a gun you must load for. Factory ammo is crap and shouldn’t be run through any DE. One its too hot and the cartridge lengths vary. They also need some special attention such as a little polishing and fitting. I have every one them in 357 – 50AE. My favorites are the .41 and the 440 Corbons. I have e few Mark 1’s and 7’s but prefer the Mark 19’s because mainly parts are available. Another myth to squelch is the “Israeli Guns” are the better ones. There good but the new ones being produced under Kahr are the best-tighter tolerences I own several of them. The DE magnum is the best handgun I have ever owned or handguns- I have a about 25 of them my last check. Give them a chance.
I live in Commifornia. Reciprocty won’t matter here. The Marxist AG here will merely sue the Fed, like he has done with so many other issues lately. The ole middle finger to Trump. Looking forward to pinning down an area of AZ to relocate. See ya Jerry.
I am a huge Walther fan but after trying quite a few .22 pistols, none seem to compare the CZ Kadet conversion kit that I acquired several years back. Reliable as the day is long, and it works on a variety of CZ pistols. Love it and will never let it go.
The Desert Eagle is a powerful.50 caliber pistol that is capable of producing muzzle velocities exceeding 1900 fps and muzzle energy of 2800 ft-lbs. BS…Show me the data. I have one and can’t find data like this anywhere.
“The Desert Eagle is really fun to shoot, but I don’t know why anyone would own one.”
I think you answered your own question.
They do make lighter weight Desert eagle at 44oz if weight is an issue. and they do have muzzle breaks to take the beast a little. I have one of these 5 inch barrel with muzzle break and aluminum frame to reduce weight.the desert eagle functions just as good as any other semi auto I have or have owned in the past.bottom line if your scared of it don’t buy one.if you have confidence in your shooting abilities go buy one they are quality guns and you pay for it just like all high quality guns great for hunting, and can be carried. It is not for wimps and as far as reliability all I can say is mine I would stake my life on it.just don’t buy the cheap magazines,they are prone to feeding issues buy the factory mags they are worth price..and yes the gun is extremely fun to shoot.ammo is cheaper by hand loading…..