Thinking About Buying A Desert Eagle

[laurelpark]

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.

One of my next projects is to really get into reloading! I've always been meaning to do it, but its fallen into the "do it later when I have more time" category. I've got so much picked brass from over the years that it finally makes financial sense to do it.

[joefrank64k]

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.

BTW...The .44 Mag version is on-roster (black and brushed chrome). Just grab a .50AE barrel and magazine from Hinterland or Grabagun and you're GTG.

[IVC]

BTW...The .44 Mag version is on-roster (black and brushed chrome). Just grab a .50AE barrel and magazine from Hinterland or Grabagun and you're GTG.

It's a different gun.

The CA version has some extra parts and pieces. I wouldn't want to have that one.

[HPGunner]

It's a different gun.

The CA version has some extra parts and pieces. I wouldn't want to have that one.

It's just a firing pin (FP) block built into the FP stop. You can replace the FP and FP stop with a standard set at Magnum Research online to replace the CA-version. Everything else is the same. rather then spending the extra $ on SSE fees

[laurelpark]

The only thing I'm concerned about with the CA version is they're made in the same factory that has turned out some supposed sketchy guns in the past. It's possibly a non-factor and likely that people blew the situation out of proportion on internet forums, but I still would want to test drive one of those guns for at least 100 rounds of good but non-exotic ammo before plunking down the coin. To me, paying SSE fees is minor in comparison to getting a gun that is too picky about ammo. The Israeli-made guns have a reputation for eating whatever they're fed. The downside of them is that they have a crappy finish (it's a mil-spec finish that looks like it got applied with a spray can).

[VintageDUG]

I bought the 44 aith a 50AE barrel so I could dual wield when I take it out with my S&W .500 4 inch revolver.

[joefrank64k]

The only thing I'm concerned about with the CA version is they're made in the same factory that has turned out some supposed sketchy guns in the past. It's possibly a non-factor and likely that people blew the situation out of proportion on internet forums, but I still would want to test drive one of those guns for at least 100 rounds of good but non-exotic ammo before plunking down the coin. To me, paying SSE fees is minor in comparison to getting a gun that is too picky about ammo. The Israeli-made guns have a reputation for eating whatever they're fed. The downside of them is that they have a crappy finish (it's a mil-spec finish that looks like it got applied with a spray can).

I specifically wanted a USA-made DE vs. an Israel-made because (at least this was the deal when I bought mine about 2 years ago):

- They come with rubber vs hard plastic grips
- 1-piece barrels vs. 2-piece barrels, and
- The newer style safety vs. older style claw safety

Functionally the guns are the same, and the parts interchange, but the rubber grips feel better to me, and I like not having that seam between the chamber and barrel...especially when touching off hot 50AE rounds.

I'm sure the Israeli guns are fine, but the USA made I have runs like a top, and the finish is much nicer!

[HPGunner]

The only thing I'm concerned about with the CA version is they're made in the same factory that has turned out some supposed sketchy guns in the past. It's possibly a non-factor and likely that people blew the situation out of proportion on internet forums, but I still would want to test drive one of those guns for at least 100 rounds of good but non-exotic ammo before plunking down the coin. To me, paying SSE fees is minor in comparison to getting a gun that is too picky about ammo. The Israeli-made guns have a reputation for eating whatever they're fed. The downside of them is that they have a crappy finish (it's a mil-spec finish that looks like it got applied with a spray can).

My brushed chrome CA version was made in Israel. Can you elaborate on the location of this sketchy factory? All DE's are going to be picky with under powered ammo.

[The Last American Hero]

I'd luv to get a DE, "just because"(it has that hypnotic 'buy me' when you play with it in the LDS....don't buy new tires you badly need, buy the the gun).

I heard Kahr was making them and they weren't so good.

[laurelpark]

I honestly think the US made ones have a lot of advantages over the Israeli made ones, and the grip and the safety are key things. I plan to replace both of them - I hate the claw safety. It's really easy to put the gun on safe, but really tough to turn the safety off. There just isn't a good place to get a thumb grip on it.

As far as the two-piece barrel, I "think" all of them these days have the one piece barrel. I didn't do much research around that because everything I saw pointed to a one-piece barrel with the latest designs.

As far as the finish, yeah, the Israeli ones are butt-ugly.

As far as the factories that they came out of, for the last few years or so, the US made ones are all made by MRI in their Minnesota factory. Prior to that, Saco Defense contracted to make them, and I think those were the ones that got a bad reputation.

I stand corrected if the CA versions are Israeli made - I was told otherwise. But, it's too late for me to buy one of those now, my SSE quota is all used up

Honestly, I don't think there's much if any difference between today's iteration of the gun - modern machining technology is darned good. That said, the "tipping factor" for me was the relative rarity of the Israeli guns. Most of the XIX guns are US made, so to me at least, the Israeli gun got points for rarity.

[HPGunner]

The safety doesn't bother me; it's a two handed gun anyways. Grips can be replaced and most replace them with the Hogue grips. I also noticed my made in Israel 44 barrel that came with the gun is fluted - I'm not sure about the USA barrels.

Here is a googled pic of the exact model I have.

[laurelpark]

That's a really nice gun!

I think all the new barrels (other than the .50 AE) are fluted. On the black guns, I like the new barrel design with the pic rail. I think the older two-notch scope mount looks better on the fancy guns (chrome, nickel, gold), but on the black guns that pic rail rounds out the look.

It's nice to know that I can get barrels to swap the gun for .50 AE, and there's also an easy conversion kit for .357. I think .44 is the perfect caliber for this gun, but I like the flexibility. Pretty soon, I won't be able to buy what I want, so at least I can swap calibers on the same gun frame...

[Flying Bones]

I specifically wanted a USA-made DE vs. an Israel-made because (at least this was the deal when I bought mine about 2 years ago):

- They come with rubber vs hard plastic grips
- 1-piece barrels vs. 2-piece barrels, and
- The newer style safety vs. older style claw safety

Functionally the guns are the same, and the parts interchange, but the rubber grips feel better to me, and I like not having that seam between the chamber and barrel...especially when touching off hot 50AE rounds.

I'm sure the Israeli guns are fine, but the USA made I have runs like a top, and the finish is much nicer!

Did yours come with both barrels?

[dog]

Can we have the muzzle brake version? Not sure how it is attached on the barrel.

[bdock]

My Desert Eagle is a Jam-O-Matic.

This. I dont own one personally. But I have shot two. 50AE which ran great, and a 44 Mag. The 44 was maybe the most unreliable handgun I have ever shot. Jam every two maybe three rounds.