[Ohen Cepel]

Hope this hasn't been covered before.

What exactly are the differences in models?

Is it worth the price difference?

I can get a lightly used early model .44 for $700. Is that fair?

Thanks,

[hksw]

I take it you mean the Desert Eagle Pistol (DEP).

The Mark Is had relatively flat safeties, non-extended slide release, and (in stock form) non-adjustable trigger. Can't remember if there were any changes to the contour of the takedown lever. These could be replaced with updated parts.

The Mark VIIs had the opposite, extended safeties, extedned slide release, adjustable trigger. IIRC, the 10" and 14" barrels were available after the introduction of the Mk VII. They would also fit the Mk I. The final evolution of the Mk VII was the .50 AE chambered Mk VII.

The Mark XIXs are essentially identical in dimensions with the Mk VII .50 AE. All calibers use the same slide. If you have a Mk VII .50 AE you basically have a Mk XIX. Mk I/VII barrels other than .50 AE will not fit the Mk XIX slide.

$700 sounds like a fair price.

I haven't heavily researched current pricing for DEPs but if you go the Guns America (http://www.gunsamerica.com/fast.cgi?guncat=1390) you can comparison shop for pricing.

[Sunray]

The Desert Eagle is an enormous pistol. You need hands like a monkey to shoot one well.

[glockten]

You need hands like a monkey to shoot one well.

So, you need hairy paws to control a Desert Eagle?

[Ohen Cepel]

Meant Desert Eagle. Thanks for the info!

Were they all made in Isreal?

Do any of the models seems to be of better quality?

Thanks,

[glockten]

I believe all the Mk VIIs were made in Israel. The Mk XIXs were made by Saco (Maine) 1995-98 and by IMI (Israel) from then on.

[Dorian]

I thought the DEagle was made by MRI? Magnum Reasearch Inc....?

[10-Ring]

I have only recently had the opportunity to shoot a Desert Eagle. Man, they're really fun guns to shoot! If you're satisfied w/ the condition of the prospective pistol, $700 seems like a fair price. I understand the XIX models are the ones to get so that in the future if you want, all you need are the barrels & mags to change calibers.

[RepublicanMan]

To my knowledge, Desert Eagles are made by Isreali Military Industries, Magnum Research is merely the company in the United States that imports them and handles the service issues.

[raz-0]

well the mark I's main drawback was that the caliber switch was largely marketing rather than reality.

The mark VII's main problems were that caliber changes although easier, were inconsistant as the .357, 41, and 44 differed form the 50ae in some parts. They also ahd some QA issues.

The mark XIX made the guns much more unified, made the caliber switching a lot more straight forward.

IMI produced them originally, then with the quality issues, productionw as brought here and the mark XIX was part of the refinements to sort out QA.

Once I bought mine, I stopped paying much attention to the details of what was what, and I got a us made one and it is top notch quality. I believe part of the point of the XIX changes were to make it easier to manufacture and run QA on the assembly line by reducing differences between the calibers.

MRI was largelya distributer and the service department in the US. However, with they eventually became involved in design and engineering issues as we4ll as sourcing manufacture within the US. I'll take glockten's word that production went back to israel.

From what I understand, the whole point of the XIX design changes were for improved reliability and function. This bears out as most of the people I see posting about their DEs being unusable junka re talking about earlier versions. Mostly mark VIIs.