Ive decided to take a break from the AR builds and focus on the desert eagle. Its a pistol ive always wanted and would like to build myself. Let me start by saying, ive never done a pistol build before. I found a comprehensive parts diagram and list online to identify everything needed. Has anyone ever built one before? How difficult is it? What should i watch out for? And does anyone have any info they could offer for building such a pistol?
.50ae desert eagle build
- Thread starter Jeff2131
- Start date
NorwegianShooter
New member
You are actually gonna construct it from raw materials yourself?
Unlike the AR I would assume the D.E still have patents covering it...
You can have on second had for less than 1000 USD..
Unlike the AR I would assume the D.E still have patents covering it...
You can have on second had for less than 1000 USD..
g.willikers
New member
What will it be like that's going to be different from a factory model?
The one I tried definitely could have used a bi-pod.
The one I tried definitely could have used a bi-pod.
Will they sell you a serialized Desert Eagle frame? Unlike AR's and 1911 pistols, there exists no cottage industry for custom builds that I know of. I would imagine they don't get many phone calls for folks that need a Desert Eagle frame.
I would also imagine that you end up spending more money by the time the gun is functional that you would have spent to purchase a new one. But if I am mistaken, I'm looking forward to learning a bit about this idea.
I would also imagine that you end up spending more money by the time the gun is functional that you would have spent to purchase a new one. But if I am mistaken, I'm looking forward to learning a bit about this idea.
Idk if i can get a frame. Havent begun looking into it yet. Thats why i figured i ask you guys and see whats what before i waste time tracking.down parts and hitting road.blocks. i have no experience with pistol builds/repairs so this was going to be my first adventure. Now im wondering if i should.just buy one instead. Thought maybe i could get parts and build cheaper then buying like doing an AR but maybe im wrong. Also, i look at a build like layaway....a few parts here a few parts there...before ya know it you have an expensive gun that didnt bust the bank all in one shot. Thats what i just did with my beowulf and socom. I just wanted to see if anyone had experience with building pistols and get some info but maybe its not as easy as i.expected.
I don't think what you are proposing is even possible, since I'm pretty sure Kahr/Magnum Research does not sell stripped frames. Even if they did, Desert Eagles are not Lego builds and do require some fitting.
Regardless, you are certainly better off financially by buying a complete new or used (there seem to be a good many out there) pistol.
Ok, well i guess the.concensus is im buying one not building. Seems that the frame is what will be the.red light on my plans. Numrich is where i was planning on buying all the parts and now that i look, i see the frame is numbered in the picture but not listed in the parts list. Thanx for the input fellas. So, with all this being.discussed, does this hold true with ALL pistols or just certain ones? If i wanted to build something else like a 1911 or a comparabled pistol is that off the table aswell? Is the frame the big hold up on pistol builds?
Numrich has several other options, like the Lahti pistol, P38, Hi-Power IIRC, and of course 1911. You will occasionally see a DEagle parts kit on Gunbroker from some misguided buyback idiocy or evidence-room clearout, and you could probably locate a functional frame from somebody who has irreparably soiled his gun with cast lead bullets (apparently the gas system cannot be cleaned).
A better bet would be to design your own setup if you want to actually build something and have the means (it's not as daunting as you might think, since there's lots of stuff to base it on), but otherwise I'd suggest a 1911 build off a completed frame requiring 'minor' fitting --you know, that part that takes the most time
TCB
A better bet would be to design your own setup if you want to actually build something and have the means (it's not as daunting as you might think, since there's lots of stuff to base it on), but otherwise I'd suggest a 1911 build off a completed frame requiring 'minor' fitting --you know, that part that takes the most time
TCB
Theohazard
New member
The main hold-up on any build -- whether pistol or any other gun -- isn't just the availability of frames, it's also availability of all the other parts. And if the only thing available is factory parts, it's almost certainly going to be cheaper to just buy the gun whole. And if there isn't a large supply of different parts, your custom build probably won't be any different than what you could buy from the factory.Jeff2131 said:
Guns like Glocks, 1911s, AR-15s, etc. lend themselves to builds because there's a huge aftermarket supply of parts, so you can make yourself a gun that's completely customized. That said, some builds require more gunsmithing skills than others.
Q for Rembrandt:
I shot a DE .44 that belonged to a friend back in the early 90's. It had a long barrel and a standard barrel (not sure of the sizes).
IIRC, if the magazine was pushed up into the magwell by the weak hand while firing it, it experienced failure-to-feed malfunctions. Otherwise it worked well.
Was it just this pistol or is this a somewhat common problem?
Thanks!
Jim
I shot a DE .44 that belonged to a friend back in the early 90's. It had a long barrel and a standard barrel (not sure of the sizes).
IIRC, if the magazine was pushed up into the magwell by the weak hand while firing it, it experienced failure-to-feed malfunctions. Otherwise it worked well.
Was it just this pistol or is this a somewhat common problem?
Thanks!
Jim
NorwegianShooter
New member
If you are going through with this, I would look into having all the parts done in a nickel boron finish. The D.E loves lube, and Nickel boron has a very low friction coefficient. You´ll have a much easier time cleaning, maintaining and running it.
I own a stock D.E myself, and by my experience you should also look into a good adjustable rear sight and the hogue grip.
I own a stock D.E myself, and by my experience you should also look into a good adjustable rear sight and the hogue grip.
It is more than "somewhat common", it's actually a well-known thing. I can't call it an issue or a problem because the current instructions with the pistol specify that it won't run properly when held in this manner. The magazine needs to float with no interaction from the hand. They all do this.
Unlike the 1911 or the Glock, the Desert Eagle was NOT designed to be a military firearm. It was not designed to be constantly taken a part and put back together. And while its not even in the same category as a finely fitted DA revolver, its not a "throw parts in a can, shake well, and remove pistol" class, either.
As others have pointed out, there is no market of purpose built aftermarket parts. There is only ONE maker. Parts at Numrich are from guns people have sold them for parts. Their diagrams will show you all the parts, but, particularly with certain guns, they don't have all the parts. Also, they don't sell frames (generally) and if they do have a frame for sale, it has to be sold as if it were a complete gun, with all laws applying.
You don't "irreparably soil" the entire gun from using cast bullets, but you can PERMANENTLY plug the gas system. A new barrel assembly with return the DE to operating condition. The downside to that is it costs close to 1/3 the price of the entire gun (or it did 20 years ago).
Unlike other gas operated guns, the DE ports gas from just ahead of the chamber, and the tube it travels through is a tunnel under the bore, Not a separate piece that can be removed and physically accessed for cleaning. Nothing at all like an AR. If you clog the gas tube in a DE, ALL you can do is use liquid solvents, and hope they do the job. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes, they don't.
One DE I know of had to go back to the maker to unplug it, and when it came back, it came back with a new barrel, and a bill for it. Its NOT a warranty covered problem.
IF you are able to get all the parts (even over time), AND you have the skills to do the fitting that will be needed, the odds are still very high that in the end, it will cost significantly more than buying the gun used, and very likely to exceed the cost of the gun new.
If you want to play Dr Frankenstein, choose a 1911 pattern gun. ALL the parts are widely available (you won't have to rob graves), and the huge market means the parts will be as cheap as practical. Also there is a wealth of information on how and what to do, and not do. The 1911 is one of those guns where there is little if any fitting needed for a functional assembly. Some might be needed, but if the stars line up, none will be, and the gun will be functional, and safe (assuming you don't get crap (out of spec) aftermarket parts).
And yes, with the DE, the magazine MUST "float" or it will malfunction. They are a very specialized piece, and one has to treat and shoot them they way they want, sometimes quite different from a regular service autopistol.
If you are going to go ahead with a DE build, GOOD LUCK!
As others have pointed out, there is no market of purpose built aftermarket parts. There is only ONE maker. Parts at Numrich are from guns people have sold them for parts. Their diagrams will show you all the parts, but, particularly with certain guns, they don't have all the parts. Also, they don't sell frames (generally) and if they do have a frame for sale, it has to be sold as if it were a complete gun, with all laws applying.
You don't "irreparably soil" the entire gun from using cast bullets, but you can PERMANENTLY plug the gas system. A new barrel assembly with return the DE to operating condition. The downside to that is it costs close to 1/3 the price of the entire gun (or it did 20 years ago
).Unlike other gas operated guns, the DE ports gas from just ahead of the chamber, and the tube it travels through is a tunnel under the bore, Not a separate piece that can be removed and physically accessed for cleaning. Nothing at all like an AR. If you clog the gas tube in a DE, ALL you can do is use liquid solvents, and hope they do the job. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes, they don't.
One DE I know of had to go back to the maker to unplug it, and when it came back, it came back with a new barrel, and a bill for it. Its NOT a warranty covered problem.
IF you are able to get all the parts (even over time), AND you have the skills to do the fitting that will be needed, the odds are still very high that in the end, it will cost significantly more than buying the gun used, and very likely to exceed the cost of the gun new.
If you want to play Dr Frankenstein, choose a 1911 pattern gun. ALL the parts are widely available (you won't have to rob graves), and the huge market means the parts will be as cheap as practical. Also there is a wealth of information on how and what to do, and not do. The 1911 is one of those guns where there is little if any fitting needed for a functional assembly. Some might be needed, but if the stars line up, none will be, and the gun will be functional, and safe (assuming you don't get crap (out of spec) aftermarket parts).
And yes, with the DE, the magazine MUST "float" or it will malfunction. They are a very specialized piece, and one has to treat and shoot them they way they want, sometimes quite different from a regular service autopistol.
If you are going to go ahead with a DE build, GOOD LUCK!