Desert Eagles. Do they or did they ever serve a purpose?

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Pond James Pond

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This is not to disparage the DE, but I genuinely want to know if they were ever designed to fill a role beyond that of being badass...

We're they some sort of hunting sidearm that was not a revolver/single-shot?

Where they some obscure military commission that was later shelved?

Are they just supposed to be novelties for those with extra cash?

Which ever category they fall into, are there other guns in that same pot, or are they quite unique?
 
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They're suitable for certain forms of silhouette shooting. I don't follow that game very closely though.

The .440 Corbon version was a uniquely capable hunting gun. The .44 mag and .50 AE aren't bad either.

The other gun in the same category that comes to mind was the LAR Grizzly.

I should also mention that I always thought them rather gimmicky because of their film associations and absurd finishes and so forth, until I shot one. It was a .50AE with a brake, and I came away thinking it was a well made, well though out gun I'd be happy to own just for entertainment. Never bought one, but at least from first impressions the quality was there.
 
I see it being useful as a hunting handgun but I don't see any advantages over a revolver in that role.

Other than that they star in many movies and video games. They are really cool looking and fun to shoot.
 
Well, it certainly is famous from screen and monitor appearances, it is definitely both fun and a head-turner at the range and so far you've both mentioned hunting, but was that the initial plan, then, when it was designed an launched? As a hunting gun?
 
They are good for silhouette shooting and the Huntings of the Animals.

The .357 magnum version can be effective for home defense when loaded with proper expanding JHP bullets.

Other than that, not much. Just FUN!
 
It's a very heavy weapon. Some claim irregularities with magazines and smooth ammo feeding.
The high mass helps absorb recoil, but small to medium hands have a more difficult time holding them.
You can get 10 and 14" barrels.
I did not like the balance, too front heavy, but others may like it.
My wife can't hold it in 1 hand and 2 handed is not comfortable she says.

There are other MUCH better balanced .357 and .44's.
If you want real power as in the .50 AE in a hand gun i.e. .50 AE, go find a Ferrett .50 BMG and try to shoot it 1 handed. :)
 
Well, I am no expert but I will attempt to answer the OPs questions.

The Desert Eagle was designed to be macho and look cool.

It's purpose was to make money for the manufacturer.

We all know that the IMI Desert Eagle XIX chambered in .50 Action Express was chosen to be the pistol used by the "agents" in "The Matrix" movie. According to the Internet Movie Firearms Database, this was the specific choice insisted upon by the Wachowski brothers, but the movie armorer, John Bowring dismissed them as "wanker pistols."
 
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Desert Eagles. Do they or did they ever serve a purpose?
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Only in Schwartzenegger-style action or sci-fi movies, ... although the airsofter crowd seems to think they're pretty bad-ass. :rolleyes:
 
One thing to remember about the DE is that the .357 was the first chambering. I think the design goal was simply to design an auto loader that functioned like a rotating bolt rifle. Beyond that, it was potentially useful for any application .357 was suitable for. But I think the real goal was to push the state of the gun making art and see what was possible. AFAIK the operating mechanism was completely unique in the handgun world.
 
Can't deny that a pistol that operates more like a gas operated rifle ain't neat.
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Agreed. As a design, both in terms of aesthetics and engineering, I do like them.

If money were not an obstacle and neither were local regs, I'd probably have one for the sheer fun...
 
I have a friend, a now-retired Colonel in the Thai Army whose job was in Army intelligence - specifically anti-drug operations. Because of that she was a target for drug cartel hit squads. In the 80's and 90's the hitmen tended to be non-professionals who would get high on their own supply to build up the courage to do the deed. For that reason she carried as her personal weapon a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum because someone stoned out of their mind doesn't always go down easy and she needed as much knock-down power as a handgun could offer. Her two bodyguards carried M4's with M203's loaded with canister (really big shotgun) rounds for the same reason.

By the late 90's the cartels switched to using professional hitters who often wore body armor so my friend ditched the DE for a FN FiveSeven.
 
Desert Eagles, do they serve a purpose? Absolutely. Do they serve every purpose? Absolutely not. ;)

The point of the design was to bring magnum level power (using existing magnum ammo) to a semi auto handgun.

Yes, they are useful hunting guns. And for certain types of sporting competition. They were never intended to be a military or combat weapon, although I understand that the .357 Magnum was tested by the SAS at one time.

I see it being useful as a hunting handgun but I don't see any advantages over a revolver in that role.
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The main Advantages over a revolver are reduced recoil (due mainly to the massive weight of the DE, and possibly a little bit to the gas operated action), and a different kind of grip shape than any revolver.

What you get is a pistol with a higher capacity than a revolver, shoots (some) of the same ammo as a magnum revolver, does not FEEL like a DA or SA revolver, has a slight increase in muzzle velocity, and a large decrease in felt recoil.

I got my first Desert Eagle in 1984, the .357Magnum (the only caliber at the time). Amazing piece. A tremendous blend of what was needed to run right, and "why the heck did they do THAT???" as a design.

I "discovered" the Desert Eagle well before Hollywood and the video gamers. Those who think it was just made to be a show piece are mistaken. That is what it got turned into, and the makers DID play to that market, once it became established, after all their job is to sell pistols!

I got my .44 Magnum Desert Eagle in 1990. I have no personal experience with the .50 cal version, so will not comment on that one.

The Desert Eagle is not quite like any other handgun. The people who expect them to be, often think the design is flawed, because it isn't exactly like every other handgun.

First off, they are very picky eaters. They are NOT ominvores. They require a specialized diet, and not every bullet and load are suitable. Some are expressly forbidden.

They require being held a certain way, or things often choke. One major point is the magazine. What I have found is that for best operation, the magazine must "float", meaning no pressure being put on it by the grip. If you "cup and saucer" the DE, it will often jam.

The most frequent complaints against the DE that I see are against its size, and weight. Personally, I have always thought that the designers went a little too far in this department, further than they had to. A large size and weight is something you cannot get around firing rounds of the size the DE does, but I have other guns firing the same size rounds that are slightly smaller and lighter.

Which ever category they fall into, are there other guns in that same pot, or are they quite unique?
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I have all of what I consider the "first generation" semi auto magnum pistols. Auto Mag, Desert Eagle, Wildey, LAR Grizzly, and Coonan.

.357 Magnum, .357AMP, .44 Magnum, .44AMP, and .45WinMag. I also have DA (S&W) and SA (Ruger) revolvers in magnum calibers. And a Contender with barrels for .357mag, .44Mag, and .45WinMag. I have a little bit of experience shooting them, as well. :D



Colt Govt Model and .44 Auto Mag



S&W M29 and .44 Auto Mag



.44 Magnum Desert Eagle and .44 Auto Mag

This should give you an idea of the size of the guns.

The Desert Eagle was not designed to be a badass movie or video game gun, the entertainment market did that. Can't fault the makers for taking advantage of it, though.

Hope this answers some of your questions, James. I have a lot more info I can share, if you want.
 
They have a use in hunting and long-range silhouette shooting because they can chamber the same class of magnum cartridges as a revolver or single-shot, but because of their weight and semi-automatic operation they have significantly less recoil. Beyond that, they're pretty much a novelty/curiosity, just like most other magnum semi-autos.

They were not, as some seem to believe, designed for Israeli military use or any other combat application. They were designed purely for the private purchase, primarily in the U.S. since we are the largest customer for non-military/LEO firearms. It is my understanding that they are only reliable as long as the ammunition is loaded to certain specifications that the gas system will tolerate. I've heard .44 Magnum DE owners go so far as to say that they have to handload ammunition specifically for their guns in order to achieve reliability.

I don't know that the gun was specifically made for Hollywood, but it not surprising that Hollywood latched on to it. What better gun for an over-the-top action hero that an enormous, imposing, loud, and powerful gun like the Desert Eagle. In film, if fills the same space in the 1990's that Dirty Harry's S&W M29 filled in the 1970's. I'm sure Magnum Research didn't mind all the free advertising either.

Finally, the Desert Eagle certainly isn't the only gun in it's class. There have been others like the Wildey (of Death Wish III fame) and the AutoMag (of Sudden Impact fame). One thing that seems to be fairly common among magnum semi-autos is that Hollywood seems to be among the most interested in them.
 


.44 Mag Desert Eagle and .45 Win Mag Wildey

These are both gas operated, and have multiple lug rotating bolts, but their designs are radically different otherwise.

The gas system of the DE is "fixed" and the gun will only run on ammo that meets it's requirements (essentially full power magnum ammo).

The gas system of the Wildey is fully adjustable, and the gun can be set to run on almost any load that pushes the bullet out of the barrel. (not as much of an overstatement as it might seem, ;))

It's an interesting comparison of design philosophies.

Remember, despite what movies etc., have made of them, pistols in this class were never meant to be combat arms. I often hear people say "not practical", but they almost always leave off the "for them" at the end.

A Ferrari isn't very practical for hauling a cord of firewood. Nor is a large truck very practical for rally sport racing.

These guns are specialty pieces, which fit well in very specialized applications. Claiming they aren't practical for you, is honest. Claiming they aren't practical at all, isn't.
 
There's a lot of stuff that serves no real purpose. However, toys don't need a purpose.
The DE is the biggest friggin' handgun I've ever fired. Very funny to see that too. My normal sized hands didn't even come close to being able to grab it properly. Finger came to the side of the trigger. An inch or more away from where it should. Laughed my butt off.
 
Hope this answers some of your questions, James. I have a lot more info I can share, if you want.
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Well... errr, yes!

So it would be fair to say that the DE and the other behemoths you pictured were largely for the recreational shooting market, then?

And one more point:

I know that the front of the DE is immobile whilst the rear section cycles the gun. I see what almost looks like a dovetail rail along the top of the front section.
Is that for possible scope attachment or is it a design feature?
 
I was able to shoot the 50AE version once.

It was fun, seemed well built. The recoil is odd, almost delayed in feel due to the way the gas system works.


While you can find uses for it in hunting and some competition, it seems to serve most of its existence as a fun toy and cool macho tough guy movie and video game gun.

While I doubt I would own one, I was glad to get to try one out... They are just interesting.

I do think of them as a bit of a gun for those in need of compensation, but that is just perception on my part.
 
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