# Desert Eagle



## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

Ok, so I talked to this ex-military guy who just got out of Iraq...

He told me the best way to go was a Desert Eagle. I thought those guns were just for fun and novelty? Nobody actually uses them in real world situations do they?

Seemed kinda silly.

I didn't think he was a very well rounded source of information when he didn't know what a Mk23 was... doesn't everyone in the Military know the Mk23? It's like THE spec op gun.


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## -gunut- (May 8, 2006)

Yeah I would say the desert eagle is mainly a novelty gun, though many do hunt with them. Any way he said the baby eagle? Damn fine guns!


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

-gunut- said:


> Yeah I would say the desert eagle is mainly a novelty gun, though many do hunt with them. Any way he said the baby eagle? Damn fine guns!


Ya, he said if I couldn't handle the 50 I should get the baby... ya, like I'm going to use a full 50 for carry and self defense.


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## -gunut- (May 8, 2006)

PenguinRunway said:


> Ya, he said if I couldn't handle the 50 I should get the baby... ya, like I'm going to use a full 50 for carry and self defense.


That is funny. I could not imagine lugging that thing around haha


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

I have a Sig P245:










My next purchase will likely be the Baby Eagle .45. The reason is that it is very reliable and easier to conceal than the Sig. The reason? The slide on the Baby Eagle rides on the inside of the frame. This makes for a slimmer design. The .45 is an all steel unit so it weighs more than the Sig but for about $300 less than the Sig, it's a fantastic CCW pistol. I've also been impressed with my other Magnum Research pistol:










And have no reservations about buying another one from MRI.

dladd


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

I could see the baby... but not the full


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

Agreed. The Desert Eagle .50 weighs over 5 lbs loaded. Like I said though, the Baby isn't light in the .45 variation because it's all steel. The .40 and the 9mm are considerably lighter because they are plastic. I'm just a fan of the .45 and will take the weight penalty to get the calibur that I want.

dl


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

dladd said:


> I'm just a fan of the .45 and will take the weight penalty to get the calibur that I want.


There are lots of 45s without the weight.

Might I suggest the XD45 for a 45 carry.


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

I've got the Sig P245 which is the perfect CCW .45 for me. There are only two things better about the Baby Eagle as far as I'm concerned. 1. It's slimmer because of the slide rails being on the inside of the frame making the entire gun slimmer, and 2. the price. Sigs are expensive, worth it I think, but expensive all the same. The Baby Eagle can be had for under $500. 

As for the XD45, that's on my list as well. I'm going to go witht he XD45 Tactical.

dl


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

Is the baby eagle gas operated like the DE?


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

No.


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## Revolver (Aug 26, 2006)

The "Baby Eagle" as it is marketed now is what was once called the "Jericho". They seem to be an excellent pistol. I don't understand why they're trying to market off of the "Desert Eagle" name so much. I think the old name carried more prestige. Certainly more than "Baby Eagle".

Is the "Baby Eagle" Capable of C&L carry?


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## Revolver (Aug 26, 2006)

Dladd, how reliable has your Desert Eagle been with the .44 Magnum upper and what generation is it? I want to get one of those someday since there's something attractive about a gas-operated, SA .44 Magnum pistol.


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

Revolver,

I've got about 500 rounds of .44 through this pistol. It is a Mark XIX. In the beginning, it seemed very tight and did have some feed issues. This pistol demands a 500 round break-in period before it really shines. I had two issues that the break-in period didn't fix:

1. The recoil springs were weak. This is normal for a DE pistol if it's been on the shelf for an extended period of time. They just weaken. I contacted MRI and they sent me a spring kit under warranty. No problems.

2. The mags for the .44 hold eight rounds. The factory followers in the magazines have too steep of an angle. This was causing the foot on the bolt to miss the last round causing it not to chamber. Once again, MRI sent me new followers but they were exactly the same and caused the same problem. Since I now had two sets of followers, I lightly sanded one set to flatten the angle a little. Problem solved.

Now this pistol is dead on reliable and VERY accurate. From 100 yards, it's just as accurate as you are meaning that it's going to put the bullet exactly where you aim it.

Now some will say that a $1,200 pistol shouldn't have any initial problems but I view it like a $30,000 car. It may have a squeek or rattle when it's new. You take it back to the dealership and they fix it at no charge. MRI has been very helpful and has sent me the parts that I needed with no questions asked except for the serial number. I highly recommend this pistol and would buy another one if I had the need.

To the point of this thread, it's not a self or home defense or CCW weapon though. In the .44 or .50 configuration, you are likely to shoot through your attacker and through a wall or two. Especially if you live in an apartment or something like that. It's ideal for taking out to the range or hunting (I'm planning to hunt boar with mine.). It's a hoot to shoot and really gets the juices flowing not to mention all of the looks and comments I get. It makes going to the range that much more fun for me. Most people know of or have seen one of these pistols but have never seen one in person.

Hope this helps.

dladd


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

I don't know... if I'm going to spend 1200, I'm going to get a carbine and shoot boar with that.

If I miss with carbine....

Will a .40 Hallow stop a boar charging?


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## Revolver (Aug 26, 2006)

PenguinRunway said:


> I don't know... if I'm going to spend 1200, I'm going to get a carbine and shoot boar with that.
> 
> If I miss with carbine....
> 
> Will a .40 Hallow stop a boar charging?


I wouldn't try it. Hollow points aren't ideal for such game anyway.


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

Revolver said:


> I wouldn't try it. Hollow points aren't ideal for such game anyway.


What rounds are? (in .40 S&W)


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

I'm not knocking a .40 S&W round. I think that it's a good personal defense round. But when it comes to a boar charging at me, I'll take a .44 mag minimum in a pistol round. Those are very tough animals. I talked to someone on another board who killed a boar with his DE50. He said that the he shot it in the temple and the round was only just under the skin and the animal died from blunt force trauma. A .40 S&W is just going to piss him off.

And yes, $1,200 will buy you a carbine. And yes, you can boar hunt with it. I spent my $1,200 on a DE and will be boar hunting with it. I'm not using the DE instead of a carbine because I'm starving and need to kill a pig. I'm hunting with it for the sport of it.

You don't buy a DE for any practical purpose. You buy one because you've always wanted one. Are there more practical choices out there for any given situation or purpose. Sure. But if you've always wanted a DE, there's no other pistol out there that is a satisfying substitute.

dladd


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

dladd said:


> You don't buy a DE for any practical purpose.


Exactly, that's my point. This is my first pistol. One day, when I have extra money, I'd LOVE to have a DE.



dladd said:


> IHe said that the he shot it in the temple and the round was only just under the skin and the animal died from blunt force trauma. A .40 S&W is just going to piss him off.


Well if I miss with my bolt action, the 40 is all I'm going to have. What's the best round for this situation?

Maybe an EFMJ so it'll retain most it's mass and ensure penitration?


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

Here's my opinion and it's just that MY OPINION. You are trying to adapt a pistol that you are buying for one purpose to fit into another situation. I think that maybe you should look at all of the situations first and then choose the pistol. From reading this thread from beginning to end, it sounds like this pistol's main purpose is going to be self defense with a secondary role of being a backup weapon in a hunting situation. That being the case, I'm not entirely sure that I wouldn't go with another calibur. For instance, a .357 mag may be a better choice although I don't know of a semi-auto in this other than a Desert Eagle. You could definately do this in a revolver.

As to your question, I looked out at Gun n Ammo's site at ballistics charts and I would choose a round with max energy if I was going to try to stop a wild charging boar.

Good luck.

dladd


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## PenguinRunway (Apr 3, 2007)

You have a point, I am trying to adopt a situation for a pistol not intended for stopping a wild boar.

However, I AM getting a HK USPc in either a 40 or 45.

The boar is not my main concern and won't base my purchase on that.

HOWEVER, since I have this gun, I might as well make it as affective as possible.

What bullet in the 40 would be MOST affective against a boar?


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