What's the issue with the Desert Eagle?

[spiroxlii]

Well, yeah, we do sometimes get deep into talking about utility and practicality...

But I don't pretend that every gun in my collection is there to help me perform a specific task. Many of them are just there because I like them for one reason or another. Even the ones that ARE practical see plenty of use during informal plinking sessions.

Ask me here on THR why I have a 10/22, and I'll tell you that it's a rugged, reliable rifle that fires a cheap cartridge with enough accuracy to take small game, but secretly (don't tell anybody!) I probably put thousands of rounds through it to make a tin can dance for every one round I use on a rabbit or squirrel.

 

[PirateRadio]

Someone once told me that the Desert Eagle was, at one point, the standard issue side arm for the Israeli army. Any truth to this?

(My guess is no)

 

[rbernie]

Someone once told me that the Desert Eagle was, at one point, the standard issue side arm for the Israeli army.

It's not true. Maybe they were were thinkin' of the Baby Eagle/Jerico?

My beef with the Desert Eagle is that the grip frame is unnecessarily large. I have relatively long fingers, and it's too big even for me to hold comfortably. I could deal with its overall mass if I could at least hold it better.

Look inside the magwell of a Desert Eagle and then look at a more modern pistol. Look at how much space IMI wasted. We should get the M&P semiauto designers and IMI to make a new variant with an optimized grip frame.

 

[stevereno1]

I've shot the desert eagle in .44 mag, and I found the recoil to be much less than the recoil in a .44 mag revolver. That slide takes a lot of energy to cycle!

 

[weisse52]

"I have never held one", "I have never shot one", "It is too heavy" , "It is too expensive", "Its no good for", "Gamers and Movie people".

And, be honest with yourself, past all the self defense hoopla, and the armchair commando'ing that we all do, one of the biggest reasons we own guns is that they're fun to shoot at pieces of paper.

The Desert eagle is certainly that.

It is fun to shoot, relax.

 

[Deer Hunter]

CPShooter,

It's never a waste of money if it makes you happy.

 

[jeepmor]

They are missing a bet by not offering accessory Wheels and Trail-Legs for them.

Actually, the Israelis made a pseudo rifle stock for glocks that they slung over their shoulder and ccw'd under their jacket on their trigger hand side. A handle was attached to the accessory rail for the second hand position. They stated hit ratios went up when held like a rifle. This was somewhere surfing on the web at an Israeli tactical component supplier.

Something like this. http://www.redstararms.com/index.htm?877.htm&1

Anyhoo, something like that would make this Desert Eagle behemoth quite a bit more fun to shoot.

 

[ashtxsniper]

If it takes 4 shots from a 500 S&W to stop a black bear someone needs to go back to the range and practice. Shot placement is key no matter what caliber is used. I have seen many reports of black bears being stopped with 40 S&W's, .22's, 357 mags, 10mm's.

 

[skinewmexico]

I thought they had reliability problems, but I've never shot one, or seen it shot, so I'm probably full of it. I did hold a gigantic gold plated one with pearl grips at the gun store. I was almost overcome by the urge to rob a liquor store, and slap some of my women around.

 

[cmidkiff]

DE 50ae's have a high 'bling' factor, and way cool name recognition among video gamers and action movie fans... all of which seems to make many serious shooters turn up their nose at the thing. I don't really understand why, these same shooters will readily acknowledge that a Glock is a fine firearm... despite the gangsta rep they are have. Oh well.

I've fired 2 different examples of the Desert Eagle, both in .50ae. With my relatively small hands, they were less than ergonomic, but not that bad to hold. Recoil was quite manageable. Both triggers were pretty good. The grips couldn't be much smaller and still contain the .50ae cartridges. That's one of the advantages of a revolver... the grips are designed to fit the hand, not the ammo. Imagine a .500 s&w mag autoloader... with an OAL of 2.3"... you'd have to have the hands of a pro basketball player! Desert Eagle pistols are accurate, built like a tank, and an interesting conversation piece. Not really my thing, but to each their own

OTOH, I do want a Smith Xframe. I get a kick out of big bore DA revolvers. Sooner or later, I'll have to add one to my collection.

Too much gun? Compare the .50ae to the .500 or .460, and it seems positively mild

 

[steelyblue]

This thread inspired me to go handle a Desert Eagle for myself at the gunshop. It seems to be a good gun for Shrek! I don't see any practical application for the gun. It was not designed for human use as far as I can tell. My 45's will do me fine.

BTW, Whatever floats your boat. You have the right to spend your money on whatever you want. Isn't America great!!!!!

 

[Schmidlin]

Ive shot a desert eagle, in fact its in my dresser now. Its basically a gun for hunting thats what it was bought it for. An Alaska trip. It has just as much kick as a 9mm amazingly accurate and great penetration. I will take that over any rifle when against a charging bear.

Yes its been overly used in the movies, but what gun worth its salt has not been overly used. I would never carry the damn thing for CCW, cause i would end up just throwing it at the person rather then shot it.

Home defense would make my ears bleed when firing it down the hallway. Let alone trying to wash my walls of bad guy after i do get him.

 

[makarovnik]

The Desert Eagle is a fine weapon. Just try to accept it.

 

[spiroxlii]

Ive shot a desert eagle...

What did it ever do to you?

in fact its in my dresser now.

Did you have it stuffed?

 

[Shieldbreaker]

The Desert Eagle is a very accurate piece. I dont like the finish on this one, but I've never seen a setup like this......






.....but I've never seen one like this either. Had to have them.

 

[NG VI]

i gotta confess if i made way more money and had already gotten a few other things on my list, i'd be getting a black chrome .44 or .50, just for the hell of it. but my hands probably aren't big enough for it... damn!

 

[biscuitninja]

Home defense? Unless you have big game animals coming to visit you, then its a bit overkill. For big game hunting, well i'm sure it would be a fine and somewhat lighter weapon than a rifle. You take the good with the bad though, any pistol is going to be not as accurate as a rifle... sorry.


I can't be critical of it though, I own a Barrett Model 99. I mainly use it for competition use and if I were going hunting, I'd switch to the 10 magazine version (model 95).

I just think alot of gun owners are practical and owning something as impractical (very much a niche pistol) as a gold, tiger-stripped, bling-tastic, 4 lb pistol is not exactly practical. Anyways to each their own. I would get one just for fun... unfortunatley i'm a engineer and function over form first. Good luck
-bix