Baby Eagle safety/functionality question

[djleisure]

I have a new, 9mm Baby Desert Eagle from IWI (slide mounted safety/decocker) and I took it out shooting this weekend. First of all, it is a great gun to shoot! Very comfortable and easy to control for double-taps. But there is something happening with it that I'm not familiar with, so I want to see if this is normal "functionality" for this handgun.

If I put a fresh mag in (hammer down, slide not locked back) and work the slide to chamber a round, pull the trigger and go - everything works great. If I put a fresh mag in (hammer down, slide not locked back) then work the slide, then hit the safety/decocker to decock the handgun, then take it off safe and try to fire a round with a DA trigger pull it won't shoot the round. The hammer goes back on the pull and drops, but it does NOT fire the round. BUT, the second DA trigger pull does fire the round. Also, if I decock the hammer, but then thumb the hammer back and pull the trigger, that works just fine... Is that normal? It doesn't seem very SAFE to me at all...

[hybridatsun350]

Interesting... I may have to try this with mine and see if I can reproduce the problem. I haven't had such a problem with mine yet, but I might not be doing exactly what you're doing. I'm sure somebody else will chime in on their personal experience.

[djleisure]

still looking for any info...

[djleisure]

Anybody have a CZ variant that does this? Does this seem normal in a DA/SA w/ decocker?

[bigcalidave]

No, that sounds broken. Absolutely send it back. The decocker should just release the hammer to the hammer bar, a pull on the trigger from there as DA should shoot the weapon. As a defense gun you don't want it to have any situation where it can't shoot. Sounds like a magazine disconnect is hanging up? Does that gun even have one? Chamber a round and drop the mag, see if you can make it shoot. Also, pull the hammer back just until the hammer bar pops up, first click. Try to shoot from there?

[JTROKS]

Something is definitely not right. The Baby DE is very similar to the slide mounted safety/decocker Tanfoglio. I did have one and sold it here. As I remember the decocker trips a lever that disengages the sear to drop the hammer, the decocker has a bar that covers the firing pin to prevent the hammer that is being drop from striking it. Try this with an unloaded gun. Do the steps you described leading to the malfunction. After dropping the hammer with the decocker and disengaging the safety see where the end of the firing pin sits. Pull the trigger (dry fire - no round) in DA mode then pull the hammer back to see where the end of the firing pin sits. There has to be something different with either where the end of firing pin rest or the bar. I'm aware you said, "new", but there could be gunk or metal shavings in there causing the malfunction. OR it could just be out of spec.

[Shui Po]

sounds broken. mine doesnt do that at all. the first DA trigger pull should fire the round. did you get ur baby eagle form magnum research or KBI?

[djleisure]

Hmm... Okay, looks like I'll have to try out a couple things. I did say "new" but I actually got it from a Calgunner that claimed it was new, never fired. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, either way I'm glad to hear this is NOT normal behavior.

It is definitely a newer, railed version that has "IWI" on the grip. Anyone know which company I should contact about possible warranty work?

Thanks for all the input so far - very helpful!

[djleisure]

Chamber a round and drop the mag, see if you can make it shoot. Also, pull the hammer back just until the hammer bar pops up, first click. Try to shoot from there?

Thanks, I will give that a shot. I thought it may be some errant safety issue - like a mag disconnect malfunction - that sounds like a good way to test.

[djleisure]

After dropping the hammer with the decocker and disengaging the safety see where the end of the firing pin sits. Pull the trigger (dry fire - no round) in DA mode then pull the hammer back to see where the end of the firing pin sits. There has to be something different with either where the end of firing pin rest or the bar. I'm aware you said, "new", but there could be gunk or metal shavings in there causing the malfunction. OR it could just be out of spec.

I will give this a shot as well - thanks!

[Shui Po]

im pretty sure you have one from magnum research. check the side of the firearm on the frame. if it says desert eagle on it then it is a magnum research gun.

Thanks, I will give that a shot. I thought it may be some errant safety issue - like a mag disconnect malfunction - that sounds like a good way to test.

baby eagles don't have a mag safety disconnect since they were on the list before the stupid law got enacted.

[djleisure]

im pretty sure you have one from magnum research. check the side of the firearm on the frame. if it says desert eagle on it then it is a magnum research gun.

baby eagles don't have a mag safety disconnect since they were on the list before the stupid law got enacted.

I'll give it a look when I get home - thanks for the excellent info!

[hybridatsun350]

sounds broken. mine doesnt do that at all. the first DA trigger pull should fire the round. did you get ur baby eagle form magnum research or KBI?

The Baby Eagle was imported by Magnum Research. If it was a KBI gun it would be a Jericho. Just a technicality.