Thinking About Buying A Desert Eagle

[HKRick]

I used to want one then I had to test fire 300 rounds of .50 AE through one. That changed that. The grip is too big for my hands, the gun is heavy, (damn I sound like a little girl for saying that) and the ammo is expensive. I will say it is accurate and very cool looking. We used to call it the 50%er, 50% of people at the range will think it's cool, the other 50% will think you're compensating for insufficient wedding tackle.

[HPGunner]

I have a brushed chrome .44 with a .50 conversion barrel and it's a fun gun to shoot. It's been a long time since I shot it, but all this talk about it is making me want to take it out again.

I say it's worth while gun to own. I love it because of the engineering design and thought put into these iconic guns. I think is a must have for any gun collection.

[RNE228]

One reason I have always like the DE; I have big hands; the grip fit me nicely.

I reloaded for mine; so did my friends. Even 50AE was easy to reload.

The 50% thinking it is compensating, should shoot one at 50 or 100 yards, instead of the 3-7 yards they shoot thier 9mm's at...

100m steel chickens were a bit of a challenge off hand, but we did it consistently. 100m stell turkeys and pigs were easy.

The grip is too big for my hands, the gun is heavy, (damn I sound like a little girl for saying that) and the ammo is expensive. I will say it is accurate and very cool looking. We used to call it the 50%er, 50% of people at the range will think it's cool, the other 50% will think you're compensating for insufficient wedding tackle.

[laurelpark]

I had one of the original ones back in the 80's and loved it. Then I messed with one about ten years ago and it was a piece of crap... I totally forgot about them until just recently.

After doing a bunch of research, the Mark XIX is a much improved gun. And, it's easy to do an SSE on - just buy the 10" barrel and give your FFL a blocked magazine.

One thing that I found out is that you definitely want the "DE44W" model. That one is made in the same factory in Israel that made the original ones. From what I've heard, they are tack drivers and they are super reliable. The ones made in the US are, unfortunately (I normally buy American whenever possible), still hit and miss ever since Kahr took over the company.

I'm looking forward for my DE44W to get out of jail. The ammo is expensive, but you can find some good deals. The Privi Partizan ammo in .44mag is supposedly a "best buy" with DE shooters - it's comparatively cheap, it's loaded as hot as a .44 mag can be loaded, and it's accurate. I've also heard that the Hornady Leverevolution ammo is the bomb - it has a pointed ballistic tip that sends a .44 mag bullet downrange at about 1500 fps.

[IVC]

And, it's easy to do an SSE on - just buy the 10" barrel and give your FFL a blocked magazine.

Slight correction. Standard barrel is sufficient for SSE - all you need is the magazine block. Standard DE is big enough to pass all tests except magazine block.

[IVC]

I have the practical handguns covered, been itching for a 44 for a while, (327PD) but I'm thinking why not DE?

Off topic, but you'll need something ending in "29" to get up to .44.

[Spawn]

Get one. Why not? They are fun to shoot, and cool looking. And who cares about what other's deem as "practical". If you practice enough to be able to fight with it, and win, then who cares. Any weapon, any time.

[laurelpark]

Get one. Why not? They are fun to shoot, and cool looking. And who cares about what other's deem as "practical". If you practice enough to be able to fight with it, and win, then who cares. Any weapon, any time.

Exactly. A gun collection doesn't necessarily have to have "practical" guns in it - I know plenty of people that have things in their collections that are impractical just because they'd lose a ton of value just by shooting them. That's about as impractical as it gets.

The DE is a gun that I'd never attempt to carry, and I wouldn't use for home defense. But, as far as having something cool in my collection that I've been meaning to get for the last 20 years, now's the time because I doubt they'll ever be on-roster.

[billofrights]

A friend of mine is an armorer for film and has shot them quite a lot. Evidently if you're a lefty it's much more prone to jamming and misfeeds, for some reason.

[Flying Bones]

Off topic, but you'll need something ending in "29" to get up to .44.

Correction acknowledged!

[iluvmycolt]

Just do it...and when you do purchase one just make sure you post some pics

[HPGunner]

.....The Privi Partizan ammo in .44mag is supposedly a "best buy" with DE shooters - it's comparatively cheap, it's loaded as hot as a .44 mag can be loaded, and it's accurate. I've also heard that the Hornady Leverevolution ammo is the bomb - it has a pointed ballistic tip that sends a .44 mag bullet downrange at about 1500 fps.

Thanks for the 44mag ammo suggestions. I'll look into these .44 mag and try them.

[subrvin]

Bought my black Mark XIX from a fellow calgunner last year and it's def an attention grabber, mine is Made in Israel and marked .50AE on the receiver and not on the barrel, it's one of the first old school ones, never jammed. I'd say get one if you can find one like mine. And yes I did get a .44 barrel and mags but never used it, the .50 is too much fun.

[subrvin]

Oh, and get a holster, pulling this bad boy is kind of fun too, I tell people it's my CCW, haha.

[RNE228]

I fed my 44 DE a steady diet of warm reloads; 240gr JHP over either 2400 or H110. H110 had slightly less felt recoil, but more fireball at low light.

I'm looking forward for my DE44W to get out of jail. The ammo is expensive, but you can find some good deals. The Privi Partizan ammo in .44mag is supposedly a "best buy" with DE shooters - it's comparatively cheap, it's loaded as hot as a .44 mag can be loaded, and it's accurate. I've also heard that the Hornady Leverevolution ammo is the bomb - it has a pointed ballistic tip that sends a .44 mag bullet downrange at about 1500 fps.