Your thoughts on the Desert Eagle .44

[Game_Stalker]

Hey folks. Just curious what your thoughts were in regards to the Desert Eagle in .44 Mag. I was thinking about picking one up next tax season. So, lets hear your views and experiences.

[PeterF.]

I think a lot of people have bought them because they saw them alot in the movies ... and they were in the movies because they were REALLY big and impressive-looking.  Some guys just gotta have the biggest, baddest whatever. The few guys I know who have had them shot them a few times, said, "Gee, this isn't much fun. It's really big and heavy and beats me up pretty good."; then they either sold it or stuck in the safe.

[Dusty Miller]

Its the kind of gun I expect to see in the hand of some guy whose brain is floating in a pool of testosterone!! :-D

[Castaway]

Not flexible at all.  Only full house loads can be shot out of it.  Can't download it to cycle or use 44 Specials.

[Questor]

For a couple of years there were a lot of guys at the range shooting them. Then I saw a lot of used ones for sale. I have seen none since. That tells me a lot about them.

[Game_Stalker]

Wow... okay then. Thanks for saving me some money.

[doncisler]

ditto, i bought one when they were first available. diddn't have one to try first or i PROBABLY would have thought better of it. what a clunky beast to shoot, and i truely do like big bore handguns.
only critter i ever shot with it was a big feral pig (550-lb). wasn't impressed, went out and bought a custom shop 629.

[mr.frosty]

A desert eagle capacity is 6 rounds?
a model 629 is 6 rounds?
629 has fewer operating parts?
 a 629 has different barrel lengths?
sounds like a 44mag in a wheel gun is the choice to me

[Old Griz]

:cb2: I've never fired the .44, but I did get to shoot the .50 at the range one day. My wife and I were practicing, and next to us was a guy teaching his girlfriend and her daughter to shoot. He had about nine guns spread out on three lanes and then pulls out this .50 Desert Eagle. Everything and everybody kinda stopped when he set that thing off. Being right beside him, I really felt the blast! I was just watching in amazement when I saw him make his big mistake. While taking aim, he crossed his left thumb over his right. Before I could say anything (not that he could hear me well with his muffs on), he fired. Oh, it was nasty. That huge chunk of steal beam they call a slide on that monster came back and took a nice piece of meat out of what used to be his thumb. He stood there looking at for a few seconds, wondering how he could be so stupid, and waiting for the numbness to end so the pain could begin. It hurt me to watch it! He turned to me and said, "Think I better go try and find a bandaid. Here . . . you want to shoot it?" And he disappeared into the range master's office dripping blood as he went. Of course, that left me with the Desert Eagle. After feeling (and hearing) the blast, I was amazed at how little recoil there actually was. It must take a heck of a lot of gas and energy to operate that mama. I didn't shoot all that well with it. Think I was too busy concentrating on my thumbs! Sure wouldn't want to carry that sucker unless I had a cement block holstered on the other side to balance things out. Oh, and by the way, the magazine was supposed to hold seven rounds, but he said five was all he ever loaded. The 6th and 7th were so hard that he gave up trying to load them. And you have to shoot jacketed bullets—no lead Keith style stuff at all.

The early .357 and .44 models made in Israel had a smaller frame and were easier to handle, but when they started making them here in the US, they went to a one size fits all frame which is way too large for a .44 mag. Naw, I'll stick to my wheelguns. Easier, cheaper, lighter, and safer on all opposing and unopposing thumbs!  :eek:

[Chuck White]

A desert eagle capacity is 6 rounds?
a model 629 is 6 rounds? sounds like a 44mag in a wheel gun is the choice to me

The Desert Eagle, 44 Mag I had, had a magazine capacity of 8 rounds !

I had it for a few years and liked shooting cast g/c semiwadcutters in it!
Then someone told me to read the book again!  It says don't shoot lead bullets in it!  Don't say why, just says Don't!  Probably has to do with the Polygonal (I think) type rifling in it's barrel! Also, I don't like digging through the grass and leaves for the brass!

Now I own a 7.5 inch, stainless, Ruger, Super Blackhawk!
I can go back to shooting cast again! I'm happy!

Speaking of capacity, I see that S&W is now offering revolvers with 8 round capacity!

[S.B.]

I've shot one, thought the trigger felt mushy?

[stuffit]

Gosh!  I'm almost skeered to post anything positive here.   But I will.  We have one with a 2X scope on it and it shoots pretty good.  But actually it belongs to my better half and she enjoys shooting it too much from my point of view.  Had to get a metal detector to retrieve the brass.  The factory does state not to use cast bullets though I've seen some post on several forums by shooters who do so and apparently have no problems.  The reason stated is that the cast bullets will eventually clog the gas ports.  maybe so....   I like to cast my own bullets and that's another downside for me on the DE and she isn't interested in giving any a try in it.  The recoil is not actually unpleasant though it's noticable.  But I don't get to shoot it much anyway.   I've loaded slightly less than maximum loads in it and it still had  good loading function but it's correct that you don't want to load down very much.  I started loading it with  240 XTPs almost exclusively. but the Ranier 240s seem to do well with none of the problems I used to see posted about them.  They must be making better bullets these days.  I reckon it depends on what your preferences are.  It's fun to shoot.  It's true the trigger takes some getting used to, but accuracy is plenty good for good hunting shot placement at usual woods ranges in this area.   But if you like versatility in your loads and using cast bullets then it's not for you.
 :wink:
stuffit

[Raging480]

I love my S&W revolvers, but I also have a .41 magnum Desert Eagle.  It is fun to shoot, I have hunted with it, successfully.  It is accurate, the recoil is not bad, but the wheelguns are a bit easier to clean.  The grip is made for large hands, that is a big turn off for some people.  It sure does spit the brass!  You gotta look about 10 feet behind and to the right of where you are shooting to find them.
I'm not getting rid of mine, and I'm not swimming in that aforementioned pool of testosterone. :roll:

[S.B.]

A desert eagle capacity is 6 rounds?
a model 629 is 6 rounds?
629 has fewer operating parts?
 a 629 has different barrel lengths?
sounds like a 44mag in a wheel gun is the choice to me

Just checked their website, in .44 magnum, magazine capacity is 8?