Rocked The House

[Speedo66]

I was at an indoor range a few days ago, guy starts shooting a few booths down and he literally rocked the house. It wasn't so much being loud, but a concussion through the air that just reverberated through me. Never felt anything like that even when centerfire rifles were being shot.

When he finished shooting, he was just brooming the empties down range, so I picked up a couple of cases he'd missed. Headstamp was Hornady .50AE, so I guess he was firing a Desert Eagle.

I can only imagine the impact on whatever it hits. Wonder how bad the recoil is, or maybe the pistol is big and heavy enough to absorb it? I don't think we'll have to worry about someone making a pocket pistol for that round. lol

Seemed a shame to throw the empties away, even if he didn't reload I'm sure someone would have been glad to get the pricey cases.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

The .50 Action Express is a fire-breathing monster. From the Desert Eagle, you can see a visible muzzle flash in most lighting conditions, even in broad daylight. I've shot a 24 inch diameter wet larch log we used as a splitting block when chopping firewood in half with 350 gr JSPs. The rounds would rock the log on impact, and eventually start blasting huge chunks out the backside as they exit with all the subtly of a train wreck. Recoil is substantial, but not intimidatingly so. It tends to move the pistol in more of a counter-clockwise circle than straight back, in my experience. It's truly an impressive machine and cartridge, though not very practical. I can't see ever owning a Desert Eagle because I have no use for a five pound handgun, but they are fun so I guess I am glad there are several of them in my family.

 

[BSA1]

The concussion is always worse beside the pistol than standing directly behind it. It is even worse in a indoor range. I have seen the dust and dirt in the rafters of a indoor range filter down to the floor from the concussion of the blast alone.

it is a awesome gun but I am content with my puny 6" 44 Magnum.

 

[Middletown]

Is there a chance the gun was ported? The last time I had that happen to me was a couple years ago a guy next to me at an outdoor range had several guns he was firing in rotation, one was a 44 Mag, probably 4 inch ported barrel. I think it was a Taurus. After the second time he ran a cylinder I just sat down and waited for him to finish. The concussion was pretty severe, I can only imagine what a 50AE would do indoors.

 

[Twiki357]

I wanted one of those 50AE Desert Eagles for years. Then I had a chance to fondle one at a gun show. Forget it. The grip was so big that I couldn’t get a positive grip on it, not to mention the weight.

 

[Drail]

Desert Eagles are gas operated. The recoil is not bad at all. Ever shoot a Garand? But the manufacturer will warn you to use only jacketed rounds. If you use lead the lead can accumulate in places you cannot clean it out of. It is an interesting design but not really very useful IMO.

 

[entropy]

No worse than my Redhawk.

 

[RecoilRob]

Years ago I had a 357 DE and thought it was a LOT louder than the revolvers in same caliber. Put it down to the gas system bleeding out some pressure sideways and back at me but can't say for sure. It just had a different and more concussive report...though pretty much no recoil in that caliber.

 

[Havok7416]

Desert Eagles are gas operated. The recoil is not bad at all. Ever shoot a Garand? But the manufacturer will warn you to use only jacketed rounds. If you use lead the lead can accumulate in places you cannot clean it out of. It is an interesting design but not really very useful IMO.

Just to add to this, plated can also be used if the bullet is tested. It is only for fun I agree.

 

[Rodentman]

Given the size and weight of the DE I didn't think the recoil would be as much as it is, at least to me. I can handle it, but it was surprising. I reload and they take 50% more H110 than the 44 mag so they are substantial. The photo shows the 10" barrel.

And yes they do rock the house indoors. But not as bad as the 460 which causes pieces of the ceiling to fall down and the blast sometimes blows the fuse in the target carrier.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The concussion is always worse beside the pistol than standing directly behind it. It is even worse in a indoor range. I have seen the dust and dirt in the rafters of a indoor range filter down to the floor from the concussion of the blast alone.

Exactly. A lot of DE's are ported as well, which will direct more concussion towards another shooter. My local-ish indoor range allows any handgun cartridge on the floor. I've thought about taking my 5" 460 mag there to shoot. But the max distance is only 30 yards, so there isn't much point, and the rapport would be so obnoxious it would just piss everyone off. I don't really think earplugs would be adequate for other shooters, and I don't expect everyone to double up just because I made a bad decision to shoot a cartridge that is inappropriate for indoor use.

 

[AZAndy]

My indoor range allows rifles under .50, so I share your suffering. ;-)

 

[MrBorland]

A buddy brought out his DE in .44mag for me to try after a range session. It is a beast of a gun. I imagine a .50 cal DE would be quite a handful, and not something I'd want to shoot indoors, even less so to be next to it.

 

[LoneGoose]

I recall reading a "letter to the editors" in a gun magazine last year, where a guy and his family went to an indoor range with a .460 that was given to him as a gift. The story is very entertaining and is well written. As it goes, the first shot set fire to the foam panels on both sides of him. The concussion set his wife on her butt after thrusting her against the back wall. Someone in the story had to go to the hospital with heart problems. I wish I had cut that one out and saved it.

 

[Hanzo581]

I've always wanted a Deagle, but in the past several years seeing rounds like the .454 Casull, .460 and .500 S&W Magnum become more prevalent I've moved on. Though I still wouldn't mind shooting one some day.

 

[entropy]

It would figure with your avatar you'd call it a Deagle.

 

[farm23]

I have a Freedom Arms 454 and it is not bad to shoot. My next BIG bore will be a FA 500 WY Express. I have no need for another Big Bore hand gun but I do like them and I have not used a rifle for big game hunting for 30 + years.

 

[Torian]

I've shot 44 magnum revolvers that had far heavier recoil than the DE .50 AE. It is fun to shoot and more bark than bite. Not the most practical firearm, but I think that's the point...right?

 

[readyeddy]

Desert Eagle is the ultimate fun gun imo. Big bullet, big noise, very little recoil, nice looking and surprisingly accurate. And if you wanted to hunt with it, it would still be lighter than just about any bolt action rifle.

 

[Rodentman]

I agree that it's a fun gun, but I get decent recoil from my handloads. Can't speak to factory ammo as I have never bought any.

 

[Glock Doctor]

Same thing with 45 Super! (I've had dust — probably lead and primer dust — shake off the overhead rafters while I was shooting indoors and come floating down on me.) The thing that annoys me the most at an indoor range, though, is when the shooter on the left side is clearing the partition with his ejected brass cases! I hate getting hit with those things — especially when they're still warm.

 

[readyeddy]

I should clarify that I shoot 44 in my Desert Eagle. Not the big 50AE!

 

[mjsdwash]

they product about 20% more power than very heavy 44mag. Probably 30% more than common 44mag. They shoot twice the bullet weight of 1930's .357 at the same speed. Fun stuff, but hard to justify a handgun that has the ease of carry of a 30-06 carbine. If I had the money lying around though, Id'e be getting one just to knock myself over.

 

[Hardtarget]

Try to imagine a day of "open carry at Wal-mart" !!! Would you need out-rigger wheels?

Mark

 

[C5rider]

Bro-in-law has both a 50AE DE and a 460 S&W. Fun range guns, but not for me to own one. I understand the appeal of "Flash/Bang!", but I'm thinking that I'd rather have a 480 Ruger. Not sure how that settles into the spectrum with the 50AE or 460 S&W.

We were shooting his guns one day at the range and with the first light off of the 460 S&W, the Range Officer came out and yelled, "What IS that!" We all laughed. It is interesting to note how quiet the range gets when he fires a cylinder through either gun. Not sure if it's from the silenced masses or the fact that our (even muffled) ears are trying to recover.