Pond James Pond
New member
Of course, when I said I liked them and would buy if I had the cash, what I really meant was "I really must find a Derringer in .22-Short."
Desert Eagles. Do they or did they ever serve a purpose?
- Thread starter Pond James Pond
- Start date
Of course, when I said I liked them and would buy if I had the cash, what I really meant was "I really must find a Derringer in .22-Short."
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
I'm not interested until they make a clone in 22lr 
There are a couple special operations units that have or do issue it as a standard sidearm. Not US.
In Counter-strike, if you don't have enough money for a rifle/shotgun AND body armor, a DE, or "DEAGLE" and body armor will get the job done. At least in the 1996 version of the game I played 20 years ago. That is the most "practical" role the gun has ever filled.
There are a couple special operations units that have or do issue it as a standard sidearm. Not US.
In Counter-strike, if you don't have enough money for a rifle/shotgun AND body armor, a DE, or "DEAGLE" and body armor will get the job done. At least in the 1996 version of the game I played 20 years ago. That is the most "practical" role the gun has ever filled.
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I wear a size 9 glove, and while it is a handful, I can manage it, even one handed. The Auto Mag, Grizzly, Coonan, are both thinner and shorter (front to back - trigger reach) The Wildey is slightly shorter front to rear but wider and very "round" feeling in my hands.
Yes, James, that is a "dovetail" type rib on the barrel, and I do have a scope mount that clamps on it,...somewhere...
Later, and current "Marks" of the Desert Eagle changed the dovetail into an actual mount, (with the cross cuts for scope rings), so the scope mounts directly on the barrel without a separate mount.
Yes, no doubt in my mind on that. The fact that they are huge and impressive means they create a very dramatic image, which lends itself well to action adventure fantasy books, films and games. The reality is a skilled shot who fits the gun could do tolerably well with one, but would do better with a smaller handier pistol for combat.
I have taken some of my magnums to local bowling pin shoots in the past. Lots of FUN, not seriously competitive.
My best personal time ever (with anything, oddly enough) was clearing the table in 4.37 seconds, using a .357 Mag Desert Eagle, and all 9 rounds in the gun!) (5 pins)
Shooting the Auto Mag, 5.36 seconds. 5 shots, 5 pins...
Didn't even come close to placing 3rd....
The gas system of the DE is unlike any other I know of. The gas port in the barrel is just ahead of the chamber. Gas then travels through a tube in the barrel assy almost to the muzzle, where it enters the gas cylinder (underneath the bore, -that's the why the DE barrel is so large at the front) Gas then pushes on a piston which moves the slide back. The moving slide cams the bolt to unlock, and then the usual extraction, ejection and feeding the next round.
From day one of the gun's introduction, the makers have ALWAYS said "DO NOT USE CAST BULLETS", because of the possibility of bullet lube, and lead clogging the gas system. Use ONLY jacketed bullets.
Unlike other gas system designs, you cannot physically clean the entire system of a Desert Eagle. You cannot get a rod or brush (or even a pipe cleaner) in there to scrub anything. If you clog the gas system, and chemical cleaners don't dissolve the blockage, you are out of options.
In the early 90s, I knew a fellow who "knew better" and shot stuff that did clog his Desert Eagle. (BTW, shooting lead bullets voids your warranty). After trying absolutely everything the local gunsmith sent the gun back to the maker.
THEY COULD NOT CLEAN IT, EITHER. Possibly they didn't try, either way, the gun came back with a new barrel, and a bill for a new barrel. (lead bullets, no warranty replacement of barrel, we TOLD you not to shoot them, etc...)
The DE, and the Auto Mag, and the Wildey are very accurate, a bit more so than the Grizzly and Coonan, which use the Browning style tilt barrel lock up. With the DE, AMP and Wildey, the barrel and sights are always in the same plane, and with the Auto Mag, are one rigid assembly. The Auto Mag is recoil operated, but there is no tilt, the barrel moves only straight back and forth.
The DE and Wildey have fixed barrels (that do not move) the slides move, (again, only straight back and forth) sights stay aligned with the bore.
The DE wants full house loads. There are only certain loads approved by the manufacturer. If your DE won't run on them, they will work on it. If it won't run on something else, its your problem, and your expense.
This is not a gun built to run on everything that happens to be on the Wal-Mart shelf. For some people, that's an issue. They are mentally conditioned to the defensive/combat class of auto pistol (which should run on anything you feed it, within reason). The DE simply isn't in that class.
There are a number of things I don't care for about the DE (ignoring the hype), things about the gun itself. The grip is larger than it has to be. This makes it difficult for many to use the gun well. It might not be able to be reduced a LOT, but it could be reduced SOME.
They cheaped out on the standard sights. Plain black, drift adjustable for windage, only. Good adjustable sights are available, but do not come standard.
Auto Mag, Wildey and the Grizzly had good or excellent adjustable rear sights as standard.
Triggers on the guns I have had, and have handled are decent. Not great, but not horrible. The Auto Mag trigger is about equivalent to a good 1911 and has an adjustment screw. The Wildey, has a DA/SA trigger, as good as the Sigs I have used. The Grizzly IS a 1911A1, exactly, in design, with the allowance for the longer length of the magnum round. SO, excellent trigger possible there.
I suppose there are some (maybe most, by the numbers) who buy DE for that. Lots of people bought S&W .44mags for that, too. Many of those S&Ws wound up on the gunshop shelves for sale with a box containing 44 rounds...
The DE is much more mellow to shoot, so they probably don't get sold off as often by the posers.
I do wonder though, if the guy who buys the DE is compensating, is the guy who buys the pocket pistol "truth in advertising"??
(sorry, couldn't resist
)Dfariswheel
New member
There's a very good write up on the development of The IMI Desert Eagle in Leroy Thompson and Renee Smeets book "Great Combat Handguns".
While it was a civilian pistol, development was done by Israeli Military Industries as "The Eagle".
Over the years a number of American and European Special Ops units have tested and possibly used it for special purposes, among them was the German GSG-9 unit, French DGSE, Army Delta Force, and SEAL Six among others.
Most seemed to be either using it or looking at it as a special purpose entry weapon for tight quarter use against terrorist that might be wearing body armor, as example in aircraft cockpits, like the Germans and French had to do on several occasions.
A few years ago a few members of Army Special Forces were seen on a range at Fort Campbell test firing the Desert Eagle.
There was an immediate burst of rumors that "The Green Berets are adopting the Desert Eagle".!!!!!!!
This overlooks the fact that the military in general and Special Ops in particular are ALWAYS "looking at" various weapons to see if they might have a use.
While it was a civilian pistol, development was done by Israeli Military Industries as "The Eagle".
Over the years a number of American and European Special Ops units have tested and possibly used it for special purposes, among them was the German GSG-9 unit, French DGSE, Army Delta Force, and SEAL Six among others.
Most seemed to be either using it or looking at it as a special purpose entry weapon for tight quarter use against terrorist that might be wearing body armor, as example in aircraft cockpits, like the Germans and French had to do on several occasions.
A few years ago a few members of Army Special Forces were seen on a range at Fort Campbell test firing the Desert Eagle.
There was an immediate burst of rumors that "The Green Berets are adopting the Desert Eagle".!!!!!!!
This overlooks the fact that the military in general and Special Ops in particular are ALWAYS "looking at" various weapons to see if they might have a use.
Pond James Pond
New member
@ 44AMP
I'm going to use my keen perceptive skills here to read between the lines....
I'm getting the vague impression you might be saying this is not the best SHTF, EOTWAWKI truck gun ever made.
Nothing gets by me, eh?
I'm going to use my keen perceptive skills here to read between the lines....
I'm getting the vague impression you might be saying this is not the best SHTF, EOTWAWKI truck gun ever made.
Nothing gets by me, eh?
chris in va
New member
On a side note...
The 50 AE version used in The Matrix always gives me a chuckle. Having fired one, I know how much muzzle flip that sucker has. The Agents are firing it like it's a 9mm. If you freeze frame the Neo death scene, you can see a blank being ejected out the top.
The 50 AE version used in The Matrix always gives me a chuckle. Having fired one, I know how much muzzle flip that sucker has. The Agents are firing it like it's a 9mm. If you freeze frame the Neo death scene, you can see a blank being ejected out the top.
Pond James Pond
New member
But, but... they're Agents!!
Frankly, I'm surprised they even had to aim!
I wonder what it really was designed for.....
Frankly, it is an amazing gun. I wish I knew why it needed so much mass! A gas operated rotating bolt mechanism is kind of the ultimate operating system. The to put it all in a pistol. To me it's greatest weakness is it's greatest selling point. I love 44 mag, but a 44 mag semi-auto will never fit in my large hands well!
I have shot one and almost bought one. I probably should.
It loses my interest when I think about holster carrying it vs my Ruger SA. Not shire I could keep my pants up!
I wonder if they would be better to put it on a diet and reintroduce it in like 10 mm Super Jet or 45 Super Jet or 6mm Rocket(45 Super Jet necked to 6mm). Basically shorter rounds at like 65,000psi. That is probably not a ridiculous pressure level for this action. The same design at 1911 size and weight with new fancy rounds would be da bomb!
Frankly, it is an amazing gun. I wish I knew why it needed so much mass! A gas operated rotating bolt mechanism is kind of the ultimate operating system. The to put it all in a pistol. To me it's greatest weakness is it's greatest selling point. I love 44 mag, but a 44 mag semi-auto will never fit in my large hands well!
I have shot one and almost bought one. I probably should.
It loses my interest when I think about holster carrying it vs my Ruger SA. Not shire I could keep my pants up!
I wonder if they would be better to put it on a diet and reintroduce it in like 10 mm Super Jet or 45 Super Jet or 6mm Rocket(45 Super Jet necked to 6mm). Basically shorter rounds at like 65,000psi. That is probably not a ridiculous pressure level for this action. The same design at 1911 size and weight with new fancy rounds would be da bomb!
Pond James Pond
New member
If you don't mind going to bed 3" shorter than when you got up, get a shoulder rig for it!
Davelliott
New member
All
As I recall, the Desert Eagle was designed for the IDF. The military version had a shoulder stock, and a 28 round drum magazine and was select fire with a 3 round burst.
I think the Israelis were trying to make something more durable and powerful than the Uzi.
It was designed for the 158 grain bullets and to zero at 100 meters. Barrel lengths varied up to 16 inches.
I had one years ago...one of the first imported to the US.
Took it hunting once, before I could find a holster for it...never again...at the end of the day, I had to drive home one handed...that thing really got heavy!!!
As I recall, the Desert Eagle was designed for the IDF. The military version had a shoulder stock, and a 28 round drum magazine and was select fire with a 3 round burst.
I think the Israelis were trying to make something more durable and powerful than the Uzi.
It was designed for the 158 grain bullets and to zero at 100 meters. Barrel lengths varied up to 16 inches.
I had one years ago...one of the first imported to the US.
Took it hunting once, before I could find a holster for it...never again...at the end of the day, I had to drive home one handed...that thing really got heavy!!!
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g.willikers
New member
Some times it's ok to wear suspenders, even if they do look dorky.
Theohazard
New member
To be fair, the Agents can also run up walls and dodge bullets...chris in va said:
I remember when they first came out. I was shooting at a range and a dealer rep was there so I shot a Desert Eagle in .44 magnum. The rep asked my impressions and I just shrugged my shoulders and told him that ahh I guess it is OK. The rep then went on about how great the Desert Eagle was. I let him yap on for a minute or two and then I said plainly you keep telling me this this is such a great firearm to have......compared to what and then I opened up you steel case and he saw my .44 Auto Mag and he shut his mouth.
What the Desert Eagle did is make it easier for those that wanted to shoot a magnum semi auto pistol to do so. One no long has to form their own cases to shoot a magnum.
I see forming my own cases as part of the fun of having a magnum but then I am not lazy.
What the Desert Eagle did is make it easier for those that wanted to shoot a magnum semi auto pistol to do so. One no long has to form their own cases to shoot a magnum.
I see forming my own cases as part of the fun of having a magnum but then I am not lazy.
Actually, what it did was make it possible for the rest of us to shoot a magnum semi-auto pistol.....since the Auto Mag was already out of production when the movie Sudden Impact made most of us aware of its existence. And to my knowledge, it is still the only handgun that fires standard .44 magnum ammunition
The Coonan was a contemporary of the Desert Eagle, and also fired standard .357 cartridges, and the gun was more compact than the DE, about the size and general shape of a 1911. But the Coonan was only chambered in .357, not in .41 mag, .44 mag, or .50 AE like the DE
Don't know what the sales figures are, but I'm pretty sure there are more Desert Eagles out there than the Auto Mag, Wildey, Grizzly and Coonan combined. Anybody have any data to support or refute that?
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Well, I've seen a few of the DEs outside of gun shows. I haven't seen the others.
Well, I was only a teenager when they first came out so I am going on a guess here. In those days, the .357 Magnum was the premier self defense cartridge for both civilian and LEO use. However, it was also mainly relegated to use only in revolvers (the Coonan being a rare exception). Autos in those days were limited to 9mm S&W pistols, Browning Hi-Powers, and the 1911 being the most common along with a smattering of Walther P1, Browning (made by Sig) and odd H&K pistols. In those days as well, the 9mm was not thought highly of in the stopping department with the bullet designs of the day and the 1911 was reliable when properly tuned but could also be finicky if something was going on it didn't like. Now the idea of marrying the stopping power of the .357 Magnum into the automatic with a higher capacity and faster reloading times, I can see where this would have been attractive to shooters of that time period when it was developed. Uber lightweight pistols like what we have these days weren't available so the heavy weight of the Desert Eagle while heavier, wasn't as excessive as younger generations see it today.