Nightcrawler
New member
Just out of curiosity, what brand/loads of ammunition does your Desert Eagle .357 or .44 Magnum work best with? Which is it most reliable with, and which is it most accurate with?
Desert Eagle .357/.44 Owners
- Thread starter Nightcrawler
- Start date
hksigwalther
New member
I've never had any problems with Remington, Winchester and IMI .44 Mag in my MkVII. I've never really tested any for accuracy though. I'll have to see next time around just how well it can do off the bench with me on the trigger.
Hooboy! Wish this was asked earlier online...
My early (4-digit serial number) .357 Magnum Desert Eagle doesn't like ANY of the commercial loads I've tried to date. The only ones I haven't tried are Cor-Bon, if they make a 158 grain load to their usual level of performance that may cycle the beast. Sellier & Bellot might be another one. There is a website devoted to the Desert Eagle, and it has a specific page listing ammo that supposedly works for the guns:
http://zvis.com/dep/dep.shtml is the main Desert Eagle fan club page.
When talking to several powder manufacturers, I got a real education on the gun.
Accurate Arms sent me a nice email, stating that the Desert Eagle in .357 Magnum was almost too big a gun for the gas pressure of the cartridge, since the guns need a healthy bit of oomph to cycle their gas systems and slides. No problem with the .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .440 Cor-Bon, and .50 AE Desert Eagles, just the .357 Magnum. They recommended a stout load of AA #9, and at a minimum a 158gr bullet, or even a 180gr bullet.
I've since worked up loads for my gun using 158gr bullets, with stout charges of AA #9, WW296, and Alliant 2400. I won't list the loads online here, but I've cronographed several that approached 1600 fps. They also wreak havoc on the brass, I learned early on that nickel-plated stuff doesn't hold up in a Desert Eagle at those pressures.
My early (4-digit serial number) .357 Magnum Desert Eagle doesn't like ANY of the commercial loads I've tried to date. The only ones I haven't tried are Cor-Bon, if they make a 158 grain load to their usual level of performance that may cycle the beast. Sellier & Bellot might be another one. There is a website devoted to the Desert Eagle, and it has a specific page listing ammo that supposedly works for the guns:
http://zvis.com/dep/dep.shtml is the main Desert Eagle fan club page.
When talking to several powder manufacturers, I got a real education on the gun.
Accurate Arms sent me a nice email, stating that the Desert Eagle in .357 Magnum was almost too big a gun for the gas pressure of the cartridge, since the guns need a healthy bit of oomph to cycle their gas systems and slides. No problem with the .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .440 Cor-Bon, and .50 AE Desert Eagles, just the .357 Magnum. They recommended a stout load of AA #9, and at a minimum a 158gr bullet, or even a 180gr bullet.
I've since worked up loads for my gun using 158gr bullets, with stout charges of AA #9, WW296, and Alliant 2400. I won't list the loads online here, but I've cronographed several that approached 1600 fps. They also wreak havoc on the brass, I learned early on that nickel-plated stuff doesn't hold up in a Desert Eagle at those pressures.
desert eagle .357
I don't have it anymore but here's what I found when i did:
125 gr hot stuff like blazer and federal HP (@1400fps) were very controllable but jammed about 10% of the time. (failed to eject completely)
Most 158gr fed fine except pmc.
It really loved winchester 180 gr partition gold hunting. Never failed and very accurate. Pretty expensive though.
I think that makes sense re. the marginal gas pressures mentioned above. The heavier bullet accellerates more slowly allowing greater buildup of gas pressure in the action. just my opinion.
I don't have it anymore but here's what I found when i did:
125 gr hot stuff like blazer and federal HP (@1400fps) were very controllable but jammed about 10% of the time. (failed to eject completely)
Most 158gr fed fine except pmc.
It really loved winchester 180 gr partition gold hunting. Never failed and very accurate. Pretty expensive though.
I think that makes sense re. the marginal gas pressures mentioned above. The heavier bullet accellerates more slowly allowing greater buildup of gas pressure in the action. just my opinion.
thequickad
New member
Same problem here, can't find any commericial load to feed 357 DE. 50 DE using Samson ammo worked great.
I have a MKVII .44mag which did have a problem with ammo early on. Around 500 round or so it mellowed out and became a lot less picky.
Currently, I use Magtech or Blazer. Both work fine, that is not to say that other brands won't. One thing I will say though, when using ammo my DE doesn't it no longer jams instead it throws brass in my face or hair.
Currently, I use Magtech or Blazer. Both work fine, that is not to say that other brands won't. One thing I will say though, when using ammo my DE doesn't it no longer jams instead it throws brass in my face or hair.
kidcoltoutlaw
New member
a 240 jhp and a case full of 296 or 4227
I havea mk XIX .357.
It hates lots of stuff. It has fed american eagle 158 gr semi-jacketed soft points just fine.
These days I am using magtech 158gr semi-jacketed soft points. no failures to feed, and the stuff although smellier than the american eagle bruns cleaner, and that is a VERY GOOD THING(tm) with the DE.
It hates lots of stuff. It has fed american eagle 158 gr semi-jacketed soft points just fine.
These days I am using magtech 158gr semi-jacketed soft points. no failures to feed, and the stuff although smellier than the american eagle bruns cleaner, and that is a VERY GOOD THING(tm) with the DE.