Thoughts on Desert Eagle .50AE?

[Roo]

That's a good general advice, but perhaps this case is slightly different.

For a 1993 DE, unless there is something really special about that particular gun, is most likely a budget choice. If that's the case, 50AE may not be a very wise choice of caliber, unless one is prepared to pay a high premium for the bragging rights. But even a DE44 gets you envious looks and some conversation at the range, and you get to shoot it a whole lot more.

So in this rare instance, my sense is that maybe the answer is "NO", unless there are exceptional circumstances that the OP has not mentioned.

-- j

I wasn't really asking if I should buy it I was more asking about the gun itself and reliability. I didn't want to have to buy the gun to find out the barrel can only shoot 500 rounds (just throwing out a number) before being replaced and such.

[moredes]

If you take care of it, it'll last as long as any other quality gun. I've put 4-500 rounds through one of my 50s, but the bore doesn't look like I've fired any rounds at all. I used to have one that I probably fired 4500-5000 rounds through; its' bore was in unmarked condition, too.

The 50AE has always been built exactly the same way throughout it's lifetime; the model change from Mk VII to Mk XIX was used to designate a change in slides and barrels of other calibers, but the frame never ever changed--in fact, the entire assembled 50AE has never changed from its' inception to present.

The way to remember the different configurations is that the 50AE's shape has never changed--whether it was called a Desert Eagle 50AE Mk VII or 50AE XIX, it's been the same all its' life. The only difference was the lettering on its' side declaring the model number. The topstrap on the early .357s and 44Magnums were narrower than they were after the change--narrower 'strapped barrels necessitated narrower slides, and these configurations (in .357 and .44Mag) were called Mk VII's. These parts weren't interchangeable with a 50AE. (even though the 50AE was branded a "Mk VII", for uniformity's sake)

Once the decision was made to make the width of the topstrap the same across all three (popular) calibers (and the 440 Corbon), the widening of the new corresponding slides to accomodate that barrel-topstrap change made changing slides unnecessary--all one needed with the new models was a barrel, bolt, and magazine to make a caliber change. This modification--making the uniform width of the topstrap across all calibers identical, was badged "Mk XIX". Coincidentally, the new uniform topstrap width was equal to the width of the first 50AE's.

They were manufactured in Minneapolis for a time. I can't remember when, but I think around 1999 the site was moved back to Israel.

What's my name??

[supersonic]

An employee @ the GUN Room in Elk Grove told me that (regarding the D.E.) ANY color/finish on the gun ,but BLACK, is illegal in Ca. WTF??????
SS

[Grouch]

An employee @ the GUN Room in Elk Grove told me that (regarding the D.E.) ANY color/finish on the gun ,but BLACK, is illegal in Ca. WTF??????
SS

Slap him.

[mike452]

An employee @ the GUN Room in Elk Grove told me that (regarding the D.E.) ANY color/finish on the gun ,but BLACK, is illegal in Ca. WTF??????
SS

That's been my understanding! Damn... I could have had the SS...

Does this mean all specified finish can be ignored? Who's your FFL?

"Desert Eagle Mark XIX DE44CA/blk oxide / Steel Pistol 6" .44 Magnum 7/19/2008 "

[DrjonesUSA]

An employee @ the GUN Room in Elk Grove told me that (regarding the D.E.) ANY color/finish on the gun ,but BLACK, is illegal in Ca. WTF??????
SS

What he meant is that the Black .44 is the only finish/caliber that is on the approved list.

If you want to buy a brand-new DE in california, it has to be black and .44 mag.

Now, modifying it after you own it is perfectly fine; so you can buy a black gun and have it refinished however you like.

You can also buy a .50 barrel & mags and convert it to a .50.

You can also PPT any DE that is already in the state - if you find someone in CA willing to part with their Gold .50 DE, you are in luck!

Does that clear it up?