Desert Eagle dilemma

T

thestallion

New member
I'm considering having a dealer order me a Desert Eagle XIX (probably 6" in .44mag, maybe a .50AE barrel later on) but I have yet to find one anywhere around here to shoot or even look at. My first big concern is grip size. I have pretty small hands. I want to be sure I can hold/shoot the thing before I drop that kind of cash for one. Can any small-handed/women cannon owners ease my worries?

I guess for the sake of comparison, I could also define "small" a little better. I read that the circumference of the DE's grips is 7", when reaching around a 7" grip-shaped object (specially created for the sake of this question :)), my thumb and middle finger are about a finger's width from touching...

[This message has been edited by thestallion (edited January 15, 2000).]
 
It does have big grips, and it's heavy. It's not the sort of gun you can shoot all day.
My wife, who has small hands, doesn't like it.
My daughter loves it though.
 
I have two Desert Eagle's and they are fun guns. Yes, they are huge. If you're looking for a gun that is "comfortable" to shoot, the Desert Eagle is the wrong choice for many reasons. I see them as novelties... fart useless for any practical application, but neat to have nonetheless. One can overlook their failings and uncomfortable nature because they're just so damn cool! If you want a hand cannon to actually shoot things with, I'd look into some of the great revolvers out there. Enjoy.
 
Here is a test that my friends use when shooting my Desert Eagle XIX .44 mag.

I have four sets of leather work gloves that are small, medium, large and X-large. They were all obtained from Lowes so they should be easy to find. If you fit in the small gloves, the DE will be very uncomfortable for you to shoot for any length of time and you will have a hard time taming the beast. If you fit in the medium gloves then you will be able to shoot the gun and have some control but it will still be uncomfortable but not all that unpleasant.

If you fit in the large or X-large then you will be able to control the gun better and have a more comfortable grip.

Please note that no matter what size glove you fit into, you must hold onto to the beast or it will malfunction and hurt like hell.

Happy shooting.

God bless and keep ya'll safe.

Judge Blackhawk


Government's ability to control is directly related to it's ability to disarm. Judge B.
 
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It's like... a work of art 'n stuff :)

I love mine! But not for everyone.
 
Yow. I used to own a .44 Mag DE in 1989...traded it in exchange for a Browning HP from a guy I served with. he wanted something he could actually carry w/o a rifle sling. He even had a shoulder rig for it. Funny thing is, I carried it for a week or so before I relegated it to be a range gun. It's like having a car battery under your arm.

Grips were great, but I have big hands. Fun to shoot if you love hand artillery. it turns heads at the range, but it's near useless for CCW, and .44 Mag is not the ideal home defense caliber. It might make a good trail gun, just in case Mr. Bear needs a reminder that you are not intended for consumption.

With big hands and a strong grip, it is actually the most comfortable .44 Mag i have ever shot. Small hands are not good when shooting a DE. Plus, the thing is *heavy*. If you are used to polymer or alloy frames, you'll think you're lifting a rifle one-handed.

A caveat: people with low upper body strength will have problems with the slide on the .44....it takes three hands to rack that thing. If you don't have a lot of elbow grease, you may want to check with the gunsmith whether he can weld a crossbow footrest to the front of the gun. :)
 
I recently replaced the stock plastic grips with Hogue rubber grips and the difference in comfort and accuracy was amazing. The original plastic grips were fairly loose to the frame after a few tange sessions and had to go. I thought the quality of the stock grip was fair to poor in relationship to the rest of the gun. Now, I love to shoot this gun and find it more comfortable than my model 29.
 
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