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

Exactly that^.

Seems to be a trend around here where some energetic opinion generators will not miss an opportunity to apply THEIR view as if it is the only view and anyone else who doesn't share it must be lost. It takes away from every discussion we have.
 
Oh yeah, it's also the perfect opportunity for someone to dig deeply in to their arsenal of dung and troll out the epic "yeah, it's an answer to a question nobody asked."
:rolleyes:
 
One thing no one has mentioned yet, if you run out of ammo, the DE makes a much better war club than any GLock....:D:rolleyes:

:eek:

(note for the sarcastically impaired: the above is humor ;))

But it would also be reality if it came down to it. :D
 
When I get a little "too much" cash gathered up, I plan on adding a Heizer pocket Ak to keep my Desert Eagle company in my safe!:D
 
Seems to be a trend around here where some energetic opinion generators will not miss an opportunity to apply THEIR view as if it is the only view and anyone else who doesn't share it must be lost. It takes away from every discussion we have.
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Isn't that what discussions are all about?:D

...an opportunity to apply THEIR view as if it is the only view...
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I think that applies equally to both sides of the discussion.:)
 
Desert Eagles. Do they or did they ever serve a purpose?
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My opinion...

It was designed as a sporting firearm.

Here's the proof.

The gun was designed during a period of time when there was a demand for semi-automatic handguns that fired more powerful rounds than the standard service sidearm.

The Wildey was designed in 1973 and was seen in Death Wish 3 (1985) with Charles Bronson and Sudden Impact 1983 with Eastwood. (As pointed out below it was the 44 AMP used in the later film).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildey

IMSA was popular as was handgun hunting. While the 44 mag and the 454 Casull drew interest there was also demand for the reduced recoil that semis offer or can offer. While there were pistols that worked with proprietary cartridges there was a demand (or the demand could be created) for pistols that fired the 357 Magnum, the 44 mag, etc. which were off the shelf available.

An American by the name of Bernard C. White of Magnum Research of Minnesote, took out the first patent on the desert eagle in 1983, the second in 85. From there they contracted with IMI to produce the gun.

To quote from the original patent...

The pistol of the invention, however, provides a fully gas actuated pistol which utilizes a relatively small number of parts. Moreover, it exhibits substantially reduced recoil when compared to other handguns of the same caliber while at the same time imparting higher bullet velocity. The pistol of the invention is fully locked (as will be discussed more fully hereinafter) until the bullet passes a gas-actuating port. This enables compact arrangement of the elements of the pistol and aids in reducing recoil and providing higher bullet velocity. Still further, the pistol of the invention supports and locks the barrel at both the breech and muzzle ends thereby enhancing its accuracy.
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http://patents.justia.com/patent/4563937

The gun was not produced for the Israeli military. It was designed as a sporting firearm that looked to fill a niche market which at that time was taking off--gas operated semi-autos that could fire Magnum revolver rounds. It has gone through several manufacturing groups and contractors. Kahr currently makes them I believe.

9. Wasn't the Desert Eagle originally developed in Israel?
The pistols were first manufactured by IMI (Israeli Military Industry, Ltd.), an Israeli defense contractor. However, IMI was a subcontractor of Magnum Research. They had no ownership of the design. IMI went through some internal restructuring and all of the commercial enterprises the company was involved in were sold to IWI (Israel Weapon Industries, Ltd.). In 2006, Magnum Research started to engineer production of the Desert Eagle in Pillager, Minn. By 2008, the first U.S.-made Desert Eagles were delivered starting at serial number DE0001000. Today, the pistols are manufactured using all American components.
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http://www.americanrifleman.org/art...-know-about-the-magnum-research-desert-eagle/

That market spot is a small one of the total market for handguns but the Desert Eagle has filled it better than anyone else.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/

A bit more...

It was a year of 1979, when in Minneapolis, USA - Magnum Research Inc. was founded :) There were 3 people in the begining. Three very determined persons, and their objective was very clear, to develop an entirely new semi auto handgun around the very popular .357 magnum revolver cartridge. Working name of the project "Magnum Eagle". "Fathers" of the gun are J. Lindig, J. Skildam and H. Z. Skildam, founders of the company, also B. White - technological details and development. Originally gun was designed for target, silhouette shooting and hunting.

The first working prototype was ready by 1981, however problems with cycling/feeding made MRI to look for outsiders help. Such help was soon found - IMI(Isreaeli Military Industry). So in 1983 the first Desert Eagle was produced & sold, chambered for .357 magnum. Later the much more powerful .44 magnum DE was produced, by 1987 the .41 Mag round appeared, unfortunately this promicing round later was abandoned. In 1991 desert eagle was introduced in very mighty .50 Action Express caliber, designed by Evan Wilding, rebated case, base .44 magnum, which made very easy to interchange barrels between .44 .50 AE calibers. Finally the latest but hopefully not the last .440 Cor-Bon (Cor-Bon round, necked down .50 AE, for more info about this round read in .50 AE vs. .440 Cor-Bon) was produced in 1998.
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http://zvis.com/dep/articles/dephist.shtml

tipoc
 
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Goodness no, the Wildey was most definitely NOT featured in the 1983 film Sudden Impact starring Clint Eastwood... that was "the .44 Automag, the most powerful handgun in the world. And, if properly used, it can remove the fingerprints."
 
Personally, I have always thought the "remove the fingerprints" line was one of the very few "weak" lines Harry says. It totally relies on the context, and isn't intended to be factual. It's macho one upmanship entirely dependent on the previous line frome his friend. The friend dumps a couple rounds of buckshot into a target, to which Harry says "not bad".

Friend replies, "Not bad. my ass, you'd have to strain the remains for the fingerprints!"
Harry comes back with "this is the 44 Magnum Auto Mag, it fires a 300gr cartridge, and properly used, it can remove the fingerprints!" ;)

The Auto Mag (note, two words) predates the Desert Eagle by over a decade arriving on the market in 1970. Sadly neither the gun, its cartridge (.44AMP) nor the market were fully ready.

The Automag II, III, IV, & V (note, "Automag is one word here) were a completely different design(s), having nothing to do with the Auto Mag, other than the similarity of the name, and the involvement of Harry Sanford.

It is the Wildey in Death Wish III.

It is absolutely the Auto Mag in Sudden Impact.
 
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