Magnum Research Baby Eagle .45 question

[MacTech]

My current .45 is a Glock 21, I do like it, but the grip is just a hair too wide for comfort for me, it points well and is accurate, but the grip just seems too chunky

I've compared a bunch of different .45's to it;

CZ97; trigger reach is too far in DA, but fine in SA
SA XD45; overall a great gun, better grip angle, but the trigger is too mushy and imprecise
1911; too bloody expensive, and only 7-8 round capacity, but otherwise, I love this chassis
Magnum Research Baby Eagle .45; I know this is basically a CZ/Tanfoglio Witness clone, it feels nice in hand, points well, trigger feel in SA and DA is nice, and it fits my hand properly, the biggest question is, though, is the barrel thick enough to handle the .45

I really liked the BA .45, but when I looked at the muzzle of the barrel, the walls of the barrel just seemed overly thin, is this something to be concerned about, or am I making an issue out of a non-issue?

does the BA have a conventionally rifled barrel or polygonal?

basically, I want a .45 that fits my hand, holds at least 10 rounds, and is capable of shooting lead/reloads

I *could* get a grip reduction done on the G21, and install a LWD barrel to allow me to shoot lead/reloads, I know, but then i'd have spent almost half what I purchased the gun for

Not to mention, the gun store had a G21 that had a grip reduction performed on it, I tried it, and the difference was minimal, as was the SF framed version I tried, certainly not worth spending $120+ for a grip reduction....

then again, the only time I have a grip issue with the G21 is shooting one-handed, when held in the standard Two Hand Crush grip in a Weaver stance, there's *no* grip issues, in fact, it's quite comfortable, and points dead on target, in fact, it's *more* comfortable in a THC grip than a thinner gripped pistol

I see my options as the following;
1; keep the G21 and use it in a THC/Weaver grip/stance, problem solved
2; keep the G21, save up my money, and buy a 1911 to keep it company (most likely)
3; trade it in and get the Baby Eagle .45 (I'd need to put down some cash to do this, as I'd only get $340ish for the G21 in trade, for that amount of trade in value, I'm better off keeping it)

the used BE .45 is selling for $450 at my gunshop, for an extra $50-150, I could get a decent used 1911....

 

[D-Man]

I'm not sure what you mean about the thin barrel walls.....are you talking about the width of the slide walls? The way these guns are the slide is thinner than the frame since it rides inside of them, and should not be a concern.

Early Baby Eagles had the polygonal rifling, but then they had switched back to conventional rifling (at least when I owned my BE 9MM a couple of years ago). I do not know if they had switched back, but you should be able to verify this yourself looking at the gun.

And just to throw in one other gun to look at - check out the S&W M&P 45's. With the grip inserts you should be able to get one to fit your hand.

 

[MacTech]

No, I mean the actual walls of the barrel itself, they seem thin, thinner than my G21's barrel at least...

the BA's barrel looks like a thin walled tube, the G21 looks like a thick walled tube, that's basically what I'm getting at

 

[MachIVshooter]

the biggest question is, though, is the barrel thick enough to handle the .45

As much as you can feed it, including +P. Baby Eagles are tanks.

does the BA have a conventionally rifled barrel or polygonal?

Unless it was made during the brief period IWI was using cut rifled barrels, it is polygonal. Easy to tell looking through the bore, though.

basically, I want a .45 that fits my hand, holds at least 10 rounds, and is capable of shooting lead/reloads

Then you're all set.

 

[SeanSw]

Shouldn't there be a disclaimer about shooting lead reloads with a polygonal barrel?

 

[usp9]

Shouldn't there be a disclaimer about shooting lead reloads with a polygonal barrel?

Not all manufacturers think lead in a polygonal barrel is a problem.