Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle .45

[Min]

I was at the pawn shop today and they had this gun for sale, so I asked to look at it.

The gun was practically new. It came with four factory 10-rd magazines, and the price tag said $599.

I tried the trigger and was suprised how nice it was. The DA trigger was long, but not too heavy, and the SA was really impressive - very crisp and light with short travel, it rivaled the Sig P220. I don't know if the previous owner had trigger work done on this gun or not, but that's a possibility.

The slide-to-frame action was slick - it was like riding on greased rails. Another example of quality workmanship (or gunsmith tuning).

The gun is heavy to be sure, since it was made with steel frame and steel slide. But this could be a good thing as it would absorb the recoil of the .45, making it one of the more comfortable .45 pistols to shoot.

This particular pistol had an OD finish on the frame which complimented the black slide very well.

Overall, if you're looking for a good combat .45 handgun, I think this Baby Eagle would fit the bill nicely, offering 10-rd capacity (not as much as the XD45 but more than P220 and 1911). I never gave the Eagles much thought, but having handled this one I was impressed with the quality (it was made in Israel).

 

[Auburn1992]

I've got one in 9mm, and yes, those SA triggers are NICE! A little heavy, but the recoil is very mild. $599 is pretty high, especially for a used one. I picked mine up, new, for $480 + tax. I'm pretty sure they make higher capacity magazines as well.

The guy who traded it in must have had it custom painted, as they only offer them in stainless, gold, and matte black as far as I am aware of. Magnum Research is coming out with a new line of them which has a rail system on the bottom of the gun. Looks pretty nice.

My local Sportsman's has em for $520.

 

[ZombieKiller]

http://www.discountgunsales.com/magnum-research-c-147.html

 

[Boba Fett]

Love my 9mm Baby Eagle and I plan to get a 45 at some point.

If you do get one, call Magnum Research and tell them you would like to purchase a Jericho style slide release for your _______ caliber Baby Eagle.

It will cost you about $30, but it is well worth it. Makes the slide release very easy to operate and looks a lot better IMO. It moves the release closer to where your thumb can operate it without strain or changing your hand's position on the gun.

Regular Release:

Jericho Release:

 

[Dorkfish]

Love my Baby Eagle .45ACP. Just wish I hadn't discovered a potentially deadly design flaw after just 120 rounds of use.

I have the model with the safety on the slide. I noticed that the safety/decocker is seriously malfunctioning. Upon field strip I discovered the truth as to why.

Potential Design Flaw: the slide mount safety has a pin that protrudes down into the frame on a lock/release bar for the hammer when the safety is engaged, it retracts when on FIRE. This pin wears quickly on the bar just as the pin itself. It is angle cutting (called blading) the the pin, which is allowing the safety to show it is engaged, but the hammer remains to the rear. A slight tap beyond SAFE and it will drop the hammer, but after a little more wear, that won't even be possible. This has yet to be identified as a genuine flaw and is only a potential flaw at this point as it could be batch/lot or spec related.

Research: took the general function specs to an AutoCAD student today. As I suspected, he showed me that this specific design is a flaw that is impossible to avoid. Our suspicion is that even if it is "fixed" by the importer or manufacturer, the design will continue to create this flaw by shedding the metal until it reaches failure of the safety/decocker. This means that the metal that is being shed has to go somewhere....the only place it is possible to go is right into the fire control group, which is directly below the hammer lock/release bar.

I have addressed the issue with Magnum Research and got the typical brush-off of send it to us and we'll repair it, then send it back. They simply do not want to address the design flaw because they aren't importing them any longer. KBI/Charles Daly are now importing the Jericho. I've also sent them, as well as IWI / IMI, a contact warning of this design flaw, but have yet to receive any response from either.

If you've got one of the slide mounted safety models, please drop me a PM to let me know if you've experienced this problem. If you've not experienced it, please field strip your slide-safety model and check those specific contact points...you'll see what I mean.

 

[Boba Fett]

I have a 9mm Baby Eagle with the slide safety/decocker.

I've put well over 1000 round through it and have had no problems. I looked at the pin and it does not appear to be very worn. The bar has some slight etching, but not anywhere near enough I would be concerned about metal shavings or even think about replacing the part.


Anyone else notice this problem with their Baby Eagles?

 

[Dorkfish]

The .45ACP was an afterthought gun for IWI, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's not isolated to just the .45ACP.

I'm hoping someone else has had or seen this problem so I'm not isolated with my issue.

 

[Boba Fett]

I'm hoping someone else has had or seen this problem so I'm not isolated with my issue.

You may want to start a thread about it outside of this thread so you get more people to read it.

 

[Dorkfish]

Min,

So did you actually pick up the DE .45ACP?

If not and you have yet to shoot one...you NEED to. They are great shooters. I had a CCW instructor toss his 9mm CZ aside to shoot mine. I absolutely love the all steel set up and the rails are so smooth during firing action.

Once I get my little "bug" worked out, I'll see if I can get another 10 yard smiley face on a silhouette to post up.

 

[Charles Daly]

Dorkfish, I would let Magnum fix your gun for you. It sounds like you have an obvious flaw that needs correcting.

And not to offend anyone, but just because a student sees something in a CAD/CAM scenario does not necessarily mean that it is a design flaw. MRI is a responsible firearms company that has been in business for a long time. I know the principals there personally and I doubt very much that they would not want to correct a defect in one of their guns, whether they still import them or not.

IWI's engineers are some of the finest weapon engineers in the world. They do extensive "real world" testing of their products before bringing them to market. Charles Daly also tests all of the guns that we bring to market and we have yet to see the flaw that you describe.

It is entirely possible that you have one that is not to "spec", but since it was not imported by our company I cannot comment beyond that with any authority.

We have yet to deliver any Jericho's. We start shipping in approximately two weeks and will look for what you describe, but as of now, from the production samples we have evaluated, we have every confidence in these guns.

 

[wyocarp]

Everyone that shoots mine loves them. In any of the calibers.

 

[K.L.O.sako]

i had good luck with mine for a while. after about 2000 rounds the stock mag springs gave up and it started jamming about once a mag. bought two new mags and cured the problem. the only reason i sold mine is because i coudn't findany accessories for it:springs, holsters, etc. accurate pistol though, good shooter

 

[Dorkfish]

Could you have ordered the mag springs from MRI?

Charles Daly, would KBI be able to replace mag springs once they start shipping Jerichos?
Always good to have an extra spring or two in the shop-box.

 

[Boba Fett]

I'll admit that accessories are sparse, but not impossible to find. There is a rail mod you can get (before IMI forged the rail into the gun), lots of holsters and grips, and I've seen non-factory barrels, springs, and guide rods at gun shows (again sparse, only two or three dealers, but available).

I had the same issue with one of my mags causing a feed problems, replaced it and feeds fine. My other three mags also feed fine. I should probably replace the spring in the bad mag with something from a similar (EAA Witness or CZ), used, or after market mag.