My Desert Eagle doesn't cycle right sometimes?

[Flipflop]

I have a DE in 44 mag, Sometimes the slide does not quite go home when your shooting it, it will stop like 1/8"-1/16" of an inch from closing all the way.

I was just wondering if anyone had some ideas why that it is.
It seems to do that with different loads and different shooters.

It is nice shooting pistol and it would be flawless if I could figure this out.

[Marquand]

Without inferring any insult, are you bracing the pistol firmly enough to prevent a "limp wrist" malfunction? Based on the significant torque and the high bore axis, I've never fired a handgun more prone to this sort of failure than the DEagle and based on comments I've read on other forums this seems to be a common issue. You really do have to manhandle it to make it behave.

You mentioned that this has happened with different loads. What exactly were you putting through it? The Desert Eagle gas system is a finicky beast so if you are using any rounds not recommended by IMI I'm guessing that might have something to do with it as well.

[Beelzy]

Gas piston and bore for it are dirty. There is a tool for cleaning the piston bore that should
have come with the gun. Trust me, it's just dirty. I bought one from a guy with the same
problem for cheap....went home and cleaned it and it worked flawlessly.

[dennis1979gm]

To be honest I've never seen a DE in 44mag work right. I have 2 family members that have them as well as a friend with one. NONE of them have fired more that 2 mags without a malfunction. Usually a FTF all the way in the chamber and you just have to bump the slide for it to close and fire. These were all bought new 5-10yrs ago. I always seen these guns as conversation pieces and not any serious use of any kind. Good luck in getting yours running. My uncles a very skilled reloader and descent gun smith and his has never been right. I think last I seen he had 12-15 mags for it and like 20 different loads trying to get something it would shoot.

[walmart_ar15]

DE is a gas gun, make sure u don't shoot ammo that is not full metal jacket. The gas piston can get foul and prevent proper function. It also likes full power round, low end stuff will also cause problems.

[drkphibr]

To be honest I've never seen a DE in 44mag work right. I have 2 family members that have them as well as a friend with one. NONE of them have fired more that 2 mags without a malfunction. Usually a FTF all the way in the chamber and you just have to bump the slide for it to close and fire. These were all bought new 5-10yrs ago. I always seen these guns as conversation pieces and not any serious use of any kind. Good luck in getting yours running. My uncles a very skilled reloader and descent gun smith and his has never been right. I think last I seen he had 12-15 mags for it and like 20 different loads trying to get something it would shoot.

We've found the way to DE 44/50 nirvana is:

1. No cast/lead down the poly barrel
2. A clean DE is a happy DE
3. Magazine springs do go bad and will FTF, especially on the last round
4. Reloading is the way to go, hands down. DE's love a hotter load and excel with the right charge
5. Limp wrist will ruin your fun

There is noting more satisfying that shooting 50 rounds of 50AE and then another 50 rounds of 44 that cycle without a single FTF/FTE for afternoon fun.

By the same token, nothing more frustrating than having to manually cycle the slide on 44 after every shot due to factory ammo lighter loads.

DE is pure joy to shoot IMO. Incredibly accurate semi that is very underrated and over hyped by Hollywood.

[Flipflop]

Rounds are hard to come by so I have fired what ever is available, but so far they have all been jacketed. I know these pistols are finicky, but my buddy made the point the other day that if he spent that kind of money on a pistol and it didn't cycle right he would be pissed.

I will follow up on the suggestions from you guys, does anyone have a particular load to recommend?

I don't think limp wristing is the problem but I will keep it in mind, you never know maybe I was no paying close enough attention. I know I have a benneli shot gun that wont cycle all the way sometimes if your not holding on tight.

One person had told me that if you press up and the bottom of the magazine it might not cycle right, but it doesnt seem to be the culprit.

[timbo399]

I bought a DE .44 mag few yrs ago and am a firm believer that if you don't reload your own ammo or not using the "DE rounds" they recommend, it is almost impossible to shoot without FTF's even with a firm grip and no limp wristing.

I had the exact same issue you have, it would return to battery just 1/16in behind so I would just have to nudge the slide forward w my thumb to get it back into battery all the way. I just don't have the space or time to reload and as much as I loved the soft recoil of that DE I bought I never could get through a full mag without FTF.

Sold it to a fellow calgunner who had his own load for it and he had no issues with it at all. I was using Magtech .44mag ammo as I read on DE forum that was best you could get for it on the cheap side but still far from ideal. I had a model IX? Forget cause been so long but think I read on forum the earlier model had less issues. I could be completely wrong on this but all I know is if a gun FTF's on me and I know not limp wristing issue I'm just gonna get rid of it. But I'm sure there's a lot of DE owners out there who have a blast w their own loads.

[walmart_ar15]

Not sure about current model, I removed the two inner springs on the op rod. It now works even with low power gun show reloads. Key is to ensure the slide has a full travel to have sufficient speed (MV) to return to battery after stripping a round. (Clean gas system)

[teflondog]

http://www.magnumresearch.com/faq-DE.asp#q8

Q. What ammunition is recommended for use in my Desert Eagle pistol?

A. Remember that ammunition is very important with the Desert Eagle pistol. Defective ammunition will keep you from chambering. Check the type of ammunition you are using. If ammunition is underpowered it will not reliably cycle the action of your Desert Eagle. Shooting lead or full-metal jacket with an open lead base will not only foul the recoil spring assembly crosspiece and the rods, but it will also carbon and lead-foul the piston and solder it to the barrel. You should stay with good, semi-jacketed ammunition. We do suggest trying as many commercial, manufactured, semi-jacketed Magnum cartridges as possible and see which one works the best for you and your pistol.

[Nodaedul]

I load max loads from the reloading book using H110 and Rainer copper plated 50cal rounds. I've never had a malfunction. Only time I had malfunction was using some reloads I bought. With powerful loads DE's are flawless.