[10-Ring]

I have been offered a DE in 357magnum in trade. How are these guns? accuracy? reliability? durbility? comments/recommendations?

[dude]

fun...........but they are heavy and can be jam-0-matics

worth about $650 in good shape

[WonderNine]

I would never own one for a thousand reasons.

[twoblink]

I was JUST about to ask this question..

But from my understanding, the design of revolver rounds don't feed reliably into semi's..

WonderNine, care to share just a few of the thousands of reasons?

[Skunkabilly]

Hey if you're looking to dump that POS P7M8 on someone :D

[Ebbtide]

They are very ammo sensitive. I don't recall what weight etc, but it is very limiting (can only use standard ammo).

The are fun, accurate, and there is very little recoil (less than a 1911 for sure).

Easy to take apart and clean with very strange design to boot.

An impractical firearm without any real uses except for hollywood.

I would own one again at the right price. 650.00 seem to be about right.

Some model's barrles are not interchangable. The DEs that have the interchangable barrels cost almost double. But then you can shoot .357, .44 magnum, and 50AE amoung others.

Thats about all I know.

ehenz

[10-Ring]

Not being on the CA approved list, the private party transfers seem to garner a premium...if I do it, it'll run about $875 :(


NO, the P7M8 is not in need of a new home :neener:

[hksw]

IMO, if it's a Mk I or Mk VII, not really worth it. The DEP is much heavier and bigger than comparable gun of the same caliber, especially the .357 mag. It cannot (not recommended by IMI) shoot lead unless it is the harder variety and is accompanied by a gas check. The grip is very big (front to back).

The weight and action of the DEP does help considerably in dampening the recoil effects of the .357 mag. I've never shot one in that caliber but have observed others shooting theirs with almost no muzzle rise.

Now if it is a Mk XIX, getting the gun will open up your choices as the this platform is easily converted between .357 mag, .44 mag, .50 AE. (With the .357 mag, you have to also replace the bolt, a simple task.)

[meathammer]

I heard from a pretty reliable source that the Desert Eagle in .357 has more feeding problems than the other calibers. Possibly due to the skinny/long shape of the cartridge? Not sure. If you are into DE's, I was told that the .44 mag is a better choice. Again, this information is not first hand, just what I've heard.

[10-Ring]

Is th DE capable of shooting 38/357's just like other guns (revo's mostly) of the same caliber? Are the reliability issues an ammo thing or a gun thing?
hksw,how can you tell if you have a Mk XIX? is it stamped on the slide?

[hksw]

All of the Mk XIXs have Weaver/Picatinny-type scope rail notches on top of the barrel, even the .357 mag. You can directly attach the scope rings to the barrel. Previously, the Mk I and Mk VII .357 mag, .41 mag, and .44 mag barrels had simple dovetails on top where a rail must be attached to before attaching the scope rings.

I'm not totally sure about the possibility of shooting .38 Spec through the .357 mag barrel as I've never done it and have never seen anyone attempt it. IMO, it wouldn't work. The .38 Spec would not supply enough recoil and gas to work the action. The extra gap in front of the .38 case that would normally be occupied by a .357 case would get dirty pretty fast from the spent gun powder. If you decide to shoot .357 mag after shooting .38 Spec, the magnum cartridge could be prevented from fully seating due to the crud and/or possibly increase pressures if the magnum seats fully but the crud encircles the bullet and holds it up a little upon firing. Again, IMO.

[The Mighty Beagle]

Three things you might consider.

1. IMI recommends 158 gr. .357's, and only certain kinds. I personally like the 125 gr. loads, so I passed. See the Desert Eagle Pistol Knowledgebase.

2. New interchangeable barrels have become pretty hard to find for the bigger calibers. I got the impression that distributors aren't really carrying them any more like they used to.

3. There is a reason someone wants to trade that .357 off - you won't end up using it for anything. It's just too heavy and has the ergonomics of a brick. If you want an interchangeable-barrel gun, get a Dan Wesson revolver. I sold my DE50 and got a DW .44 and a 6" Smith 686 and I have never looked back.

[ZekeLuvs1911]

I own a DE in 44 Mag and it shoots accurately and is very heavy. I have had about 4 jams on feeding but since I've only put 100 rds through it, I'm not sure if it is me, the gun or the mag. I don't regret getting on since it is a high chrome version and is the talk of the table. :cool:

I don't think a 38 will feed in a DE because it qon't generate enough force to work the slide.

[Gewehr98]

I had to throw a different data point into the mix. There was a saying over on TFL about the majority of people who badmouth Desert Eagles have never owned one. Wonder if that holds true here?

I love my .357 Desert Eagle. It's a very early Mark I, note the serial number.

It doesn't like loads below 158grains, that is very true. Matter of fact, hot 158gr loads work the best. Why? Because the gun was designed for the .44 Magnum round, and the gas pressures it can deliver for the action. To get an appropriate amount of gas out of the smaller .357 Magnum case requires a fairly stout load, bottom line. I run my 158gr .357 handloads right into the 1600fps range, and they work great in the big brute.

Feeding in the Desert Eagle isn't compromised by a rimmed straight-case round. The magazine was designed for it, the bolt face is designed for it, as is the feed ramp. Magazine springs, just like any other autoloading handgun, play a big part in how reliably the big gas gun feeds. Most feeding problems, as stated above, are because of ammo without the required amount of oomph.

It's a dirty gun, the gas system routes the exhaust straight back to the piston attached to the front of the slide, so the excess gas and soot come straight back towards the shooter.

Lead bullets aren't a good idea, either. The gas port is at the forward edge of the chamber, right before the throat into the polygonal rifling. Bad place for lead shavings to accumulate, plus the gas system is integral with the barrel, so no disassembly to clean out the lead fouling.

I've shot a bunch of .38 Special in my Desert Eagle, but only by racking the slide after each round, it's effectively a single-shot in that chambering. But it lets my diminutive wife shoot it without trepidation, then she worked up to full-house .357 loads.

It's not a concealed-carry gun. Few people understand the reason for the gun's existence when it first showed up on these shores. If you're historically aware of the IHMSA sport, where steel silhouettes are knocked down out to 200 yards, you'll know where the Desert Eagle got it's baptism. Knocking over those 50+ pound steel rams at 200 yards, with a minimum of recoil, easy target acquisition and follow-up shots, and accuracy enough to do the job way out there.

I've taken wild pigs with mine, and put a few rabbits in the crock pot for dinner. It reminds me of a Kalashnikov in it's brutal simplicity and absolute lack of finesse. It does, however, have a smaller frame than the later model Desert Eagles, when the .50 Action Express version came out.

It gets shot a lot recreationally, almost every weekend. If I don't take it out to knock over the steel plates on the rack at 25 yards, one of my two sons will. And for a gun that will never see much use, it gets a lot of curious onlookers hooked on shooting a big autoloader, almost 50 of every 100 rounds through it are shot by guest shooters who ask about it.

http://mauser98.com/deserteagle.jpg

[10-Ring]

Ok, for best results stick to the 158 grain bullets and it's a bit of a beast to tote around...gotcha! Oh, and the gas port makes for a dirty gun & stay away from lead.
Thanks for all the insight guys!

[blowsomethingup]

I own desert easgle pistols in 50 ae,440 corbon and 44 magnum.
they are a hoot to shoot,no problems using my custom reloads.
the gun will never wear out,is extremely accurate,and nothing is more fun to shoot.
It's a big gun,but has very little muzzle flip,and 357 and 44 magnum are pussy cats,my wife shoots them well.
I let people at the range shoot mine all the time and havent had one person who didnt like the way it shoots,and never had a failure of any kind.

[kidcoltoutlaw]

the .44 mag is for hot loads i would say the same for the 357.it comes with a list of ammo that is ok.for ex. you can not shoot siver tips in the .44 they are to weak.

[hksw]

In case you wonder.

Mk VII .44 mag w/ 14" bbl, Leupold M8 4X
Mk VII .50 AE (identical to the Mk XIX)

[DE44mag]

I don't know about the 357, but I have one of the Desert Eagle 44mags which I bought in 1987. Not only is it a hoot to shoot, but I have about 15000 rounds of reloads through it and have NEVER had a malfunction, no not one! This pistol has taken all manner of game, from wild pigs and deer, to coyotes and wild dogs. I carry it in a shoulder holster for hunting, and in an SAS tactical thigh holster from Southwind Santions when backpacking. Th DEP is fun, accurate and well built!

I know that some of you won't believe the # of rounds that I claim to have through this peice, but I have been keeping track of the times that each box is reloaded and when and how much brass that I have replaced.:what: :neener:

[HSMITH]

A DE 357 is one of the most accurate handguns I have ever seen. With a 10X scope on it several of us were able to shoot groups of 1.5" or LESS at 100 yards. Recoil was nil, and it cylced fine. I have yet to see a DE that jams come to think of it. I would buy one in a second if I had the money to spare for a toy gun.

[10-Ring]

How is accessory availability? holsters, mag pouches, magazines?

[firestar]

2 shots, jam, 2 shots, jam. Nuff said about reliability.

[hksw]

Mag Research has plenty of accessories.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/

Cheap mags can be had from CDNN (http://www.cdnninvestments.com/magnumresearch.html).

[Gewehr98]

As I mentioned above, the big gas gun likes stout, heavy-bullet loads. Were you running 125gr fodder? :confused:

Limp-wristing can be a problem when there's that heavy a recoil spring, too.


No jams at all from mine, and it's an old brick of a DE.

[Peter Gun]

I owned a mark VII .357 Deagle. I bought it used and it was quite dirty. It was much more reliable after cleaning! I can confirm that it does not like loads under 158gr, even full power 125gr Federal. However I never had a failure after I cleaned it w/ larger bullets. It really loved the 180gr Winchester Supreme loads. I can also confirm it was the most accurate .357 I've ever shot. It is very easy to empty a clip into a single hole very quickly. My favorite use for it was cutting down small trees in a one mag burst! Great fun. However, when the rent came due it was the least useful of my guns at the time. I cant justify getting another as it is just too big a grip for me to shoot for any length of time as I have short fingers. Have fun with it!

[coonan357]

the paperwork with my buddys says 180 grs minimum for rounds , but If I cook up some hot loads like 16+ gr of 2400 or blue dots ( wich exceed saami spec's) it will cycle with lighter bullets ,( I have to make some of these to cycle my coonan with new springs ) . the recoil in his is like shooting a .38 but this gun is way too heavy for me .

[Gewehr98]

Or a full case of WW296, behind a 158gr pill.

I found some decent loads by talking to a friend with a Coonan. He thought they were a bit on the wild side in his pistol, so I borrowed a few rounds for my .357 DE. Worked like a charm. I could've bought the Coonan later, he had it up for sale. Extra magazines weren't terribly cheap, though. :(

[CJ on the Left Coast]

I just got a DE 357 from a friend and it jams every round even with different ammo. the slide does not go back fully to load the next round (158 grain & 180 grain) and it's clean as a whistle?!? any thoughts? He says he has put less than 300 rounds through it...

[predator20]

While you brought up an ancient thread. Is the gun fairly new? When I got mine an older Mark I, the magazine springs were probably never changed out and the same went for the recoil springs. It would jam about every 3 round. You shouldn't have a problem cycling 158 and 180 gr if those two parts aren't worn and the gun is clean. I've shot down to 125 gr through mine and it cycled fine but wouldn't lock the slide back after the last round.

[Full Metal Jacket]

expensive, unreliable novelty toy. don't waste your money.