A few Desert Eagle Questions:

[Waingro]

I only own a Glock 19 - so I use Breakfree CLP only. I realize that the Desert Eagle is much more powerful then a Glock and much more complex. I heard you need to use better lubricants to lube it, someone told me Hopps #9. I am worried about taking off the standard black finish with something that is too abrasive (I read about this happening). Should I just use Breakfree CLP for cleaning and then Hopps #9 (or something else) for lubing?

I know that releasing the slide with no round in the chamber is bad for most handguns (learned the hard way when the guy at the rental store yelled at me for doing it). Yet I see people with DEs releasing the slide with no round in the chamber all the time. Since the DE uses a rotating bolt assembly and a gas operated system does this not matter? Or are the people I see doing it just careless?

Is it bad to dry fire a DE? I was told it is only bad to dry fire .22. Should I invest in snapcaps?

Along the line if I wanted to convert to .50AE what would I need to buy?

I assume I would need to buy just these 2 things here:

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=BAR506

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=MAG50

Am I correct on that assumption?

Please give me your suggestions - I am a new gun owner and have never dealt with a beast such as this before.

Vin

[DIG]

I only own a Glock 19 - so I use Breakfree CLP only. I realize that the Desert Eagle is much more powerful then a Glock and much more complex. I heard you need to use better lubricants to lube it, someone told me Hopps #9. I am worried about taking off the standard black finish with something that is too abrasive (I read about this happening). Should I just use Breakfree CLP for cleaning and then Hopps #9 (or something else) for lubing?

I know that releasing the slide with no round in the chamber is bad for most handguns (learned the hard way when the guy at the rental store yelled at me for doing it). Yet I see people with DEs releasing the slide with no round in the chamber all the time. Since the DE uses a rotating bolt assembly and a gas operated system does this not matter? Or are the people I see doing it just careless?

Is it bad to dry fire a DE? I was told it is only bad to dry fire .22. Should I invest in snapcaps?

Along the line if I wanted to convert to .50AE what would I need to buy?

I assume I would need to buy just these 2 things here:

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=BAR506

http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=MAG50

Am I correct on that assumption?

Please give me your suggestions - I am a new gun owner and have never dealt with a beast such as this before.

Vin

Breakfree CLP is fine all by itself for your DE. Just make sure you lube the points of contact.
Releasing the slide w/o a round chambered and dry firing is not a good idea. Every once in a while (if necessary) is one thing but doing it habitually is a no-no. Snap-caps are a good investment.
If you're converting a 44 to a 50, the above links are all you need.
If you're converting a 357 to 50, buy the 44/50 bolt in addition.
Not just ANY ammo will work reliably in the DE. Everybody has their preference. What personally works well for me is the MiWall +P JHP 240gr. I haven't had a F2E or F2F since.
Happy Holidays!

[DrjonesUSA]

I only own a Glock 19 - so I use Breakfree CLP only. I realize that the Desert Eagle is much more powerful then a Glock and much more complex. I heard you need to use better lubricants to lube it, someone told me Hopps #9. I am worried about taking off the standard black finish with something that is too abrasive (I read about this happening). Should I just use Breakfree CLP for cleaning and then Hopps #9 (or something else) for lubing?

Read the label: Hoppes #9 is a powder solvent, NOT a lubricant and it certainly should not be used as one.

Breakfree is fine as a lube.

I know that releasing the slide with no round in the chamber is bad for most handguns (learned the hard way when the guy at the rental store yelled at me for doing it). Yet I see people with DEs releasing the slide with no round in the chamber all the time. Since the DE uses a rotating bolt assembly and a gas operated system does this not matter? Or are the people I see doing it just careless?

Is it bad to dry fire a DE? I was told it is only bad to dry fire .22. Should I invest in snapcaps?

Yes, it is not a good habit to release the slide on an empty chamber. This is most harmful to a 1911, but it is not good practice on any gun.

The people you see doing that are ignorant and do not know better.

I do not believe there is anything wrong with dry firing the DE in particular. There is a DE-specific forum online, you should ask there or just get a couple snap caps.

Regarding ammo, it needs to be at the very least full-power and some people use +P loads. It has to be full-power in order to fully cycle the gun.

BE SURE YOU DO NOT USE LEAD BULLETS - ONLY FULLY JACKETED BULLETS.

Good luck & enjoy!!! The DE is a hell of a gun!!!

[Waingro]

I only need CLP and that is it?

[Bagger]

Just the DE 50 Barrel and the Mag.
Were are you located at I just bought mine and Want to take it out next week.

weres a good place to buy the 50 ammo?

[Waingro]

Just the DE 50 Barrel and the Mag.
Were are you located at I just bought mine and Want to take it out next week.

weres a good place to buy the 50 ammo?

No clue - have not got it yet. I just got a great deal on a used one in .44. I am in the arm pit of Long Beach.

[Waingro]

So Breakfree CLP is the best thing I can use to clean/lube/protect it? I always thought you guys used all this fancy gun oil and solvents.

[Kiba]

Slide Glide is my lube of choice. Makes things smooth as butter.

For my DE, the slide, frame rails, recoil springs & guide rods, bolt, bolt lugs, bolt camming pin, and bolt stop all get a healthy slathering with an acid brush. The firing pin I'll either treat with CLP or light-viscosity slide glide mixed with a little CLP.

My .44 mag DE likes the heavy viscosity stuff normally, although at this time of the year if you're shooting outside it would probably be better off with medium.

I use Slide Glide on all my pistols and now and also on my AR's, FAL's, and M1A's... it makes the actions on all of them super smooth, you can go longer between action cleanings, and it wipes off really clean as the lube itself tends to encapsulate and contain any powder residue & junk. There is almost no scrubbing to do during cleaning... when it starts getting dirty you simply wipe the old lube off which usually takes all the contaminants with it, and then apply fresh batch.

[OFI]

It takes about 3 seconds to change the barrel from .44 to .50ae.
This only works on the current XIX model or on the first edition .50ae frame. You can tell by looking at the top of your .44 magnum barrel and if it has the cross slots (like the .50ae barrel in the pic) you are good to go.

[SJshooter]

The CLP in Breakfree CLP stands for "Clean Lube Preserve" - so it can do all those things. Hoppes #9 is a cleaning solvent and should only be used for cleaning, NOT lubing.

I personally use FP-10 -- it is very similar to BreakFree CLP, only slightly harder to find (sometimes also marketed as "Shooter's Choice FirePower 10"). For my guns, that is the only substance that I have ever used to clean, lube or protect my guns, and they all look new. It also doesn't smell as bad as most of the other products I've used.

[jdberger]

I only own a Glock 19 - so I use Breakfree CLP only. I realize that the Desert Eagle is much more powerful then a Glock and much more complex. I heard you need to use better lubricants to lube it, someone told me Hopps #9. I am worried about taking off the standard black finish with something that is too abrasive (I read about this happening). Should I just use Breakfree CLP for cleaning and then Hopps #9 (or something else) for lubing?


Vin

Lubricants aren't what I'd call "abrasive" by definition.

Maybe if you mixed up a slurry of CLP with beach sand....

[MedSpec65]

Because I prefer high quality gun oils to grease I use Gun Butter on all the key parts after cleaning with Blue Wonder Bore Cleaner, Shooter's Choice Polymer-Safe Degreaser and Hoppe's #9 depending on the job at hand. I also use FP-10 for large areas needing rust protection and for running oiled patches through a clean bore followed by many dry ones. www.gunbutter.com

[Waingro]

Strange... I am getting a gun worth around $1,400 and all I need is Breakfree CLP. That's awesome. I find that CLP is a bit runny though when you apply it, thats why I thought a better lube would be necessary.

[MedSpec65]

Strange... I am getting a gun worth around $1,400 and all I need is Breakfree CLP. That's awesome. I find that CLP is a bit runny though when you apply it, thats why I thought a better lube would be necessary.

Breakfree is OK I guess, but it comes in a spray can and will leave a fine oily coat all over your pistol. I prefer the needle applicator on the Gun Butter container to apply the stuff exactly where I want it. It's hard to keep Breakfree from building up inside your grips, for instance. You don't need dirt and grime being attracted to large internal areas of your pistol. I have a Magnum Research Baby Eagle in .40. I'm convinced the internal slide design makes it one of the most accurate pistols I own. I keep those slide rails polished with a crocus cloth from time to time and use premium gun oil sparingly. FP-10 is good enough and cheaper than Gun Butter.

[Waingro]

Breakfree is OK I guess, but it comes in a spray can and will leave a fine oily coat all over your pistol. I prefer the needle applicator on the Gun Butter container to apply the stuff exactly where I want it. It's hard to keep Breakfree from building up inside your grips, for instance. You don't need dirt and grime being attracted to large internal areas of your pistol. I have a Magnum Research Baby Eagle in .40. I'm convinced the internal slide design makes it one of the most accurate pistols I own. I keep those slide rails polished with a crocus cloth from time to time and use premium gun oil sparingly. FP-10 is good enough and cheaper than Gun Butter.

What is crocus cloth? and FP-10 and Gun Butter is what is suggested to lube for best performance and least wear? CLP to clean?