# Has anyone ever fired (or owned) a Desert Eagle? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2001, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002 "2001-08-13T05:46:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Outrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@Outrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Outrider)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/21 "2001-08-13T19:57:28Z")
I’ve had very positive experiences with the .50 Desert Eagle. I’ve killed far too many people with it to count. … … … Oh, I guess Counterstrike probably doesn’t count, huh? Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/22 "2001-08-13T20:29:17Z")
Sorry for not capitalizing Vaquero warmgun. I didn’t mean to use it as a perjorative, I just prefer my '51 navies and Walker. If you want a macho gun try a Walker. You can get one for a little over $300 and it isn’t subject to the GCA. It may not be as poweful as a DE but just as imposing. The bastard is almost sixteen inches long and weighs four and a half pounds empty. Actually it was the most powerful production handgun in the world until the .357 magnum came out in the thirties. I normally load mine with forty grains of FFg black powder but the cylinder will hold sixty. I only use sixty in 12 gauge shotgun shells! At close ranges even if you don’t hit your enemy the muzzle blast will still leave his corpse burnt beyond recognition. [http://www.uberti.com/products/bpWalker.html](http://www.uberti.com/products/bpWalker.html) My favorite line from _The Three Amigos:_ You don’t want to die with a little sissy gun, you want a _man’s_ gun. Jefe, giving his walker to Ned Nederlender to duel the German. Don’t the newest DE pistols have fully interchangable barrels? you could have a .50 for special occasions but shoot .44 most of the time. I thought the .50 AE used the same rim diameter as .44 magnum for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/23 "2001-08-13T21:26:02Z")
I have had a 9mm Baby Eagle for about 7 years now. Well, it’s not really mine anymore cuz the wife stole it from me. I can have it back when I find her one of the Babies that came with the white teflon finish. \ With exception of the new Walthers, no other 9mm I’ve fired even comes close to it as far as accuracy or handling. The wife has very small hands and had trouble shooting a Beretta with two hands, but she can rapid fire this with one. I love the entire DE line, and when I get $1200 to drop on a new gun I will get a .41 mag. The .50 though is just way too much gun to have fun shooting. And if you are looking for pure power, get the .440 DE. It outpowers the .50 by a pretty fair margin. If cost isn’t an issue, go with Padeye’s suggestion. Get a new frame, and a .50 barrel along with a .44 or even the .357. The .357 DE’s are nothing but 100% pleasure to fire. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/24 "2001-08-13T21:51:57Z")
I have a Desert Eagle .50, but it’s got “REPLICA” written on the side of it. 😃 I couldn’t resist. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/25 "2001-08-13T22:09:45Z")
**KneadToKnow** I’m calling Bullet Tooth Tony and his friend. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/26 "2001-08-13T22:16:47Z")
This is really more of an IMHO thing. Let me (heh) shoot it over there for you. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/27 "2001-08-13T23:17:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handandahalf \* > \*\* > The .50’s were still a pain, though. > > What exactly do you intend to do with this weapon \*\* Drill for oil, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/28 "2001-08-13T23:42:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Turbo Dog \* > \*\*I have had a 9mm Baby Eagle for about 7 years now. Well, it’s not really mine anymore cuz the wife stole it from me. I can have it back when I find her one of the Babies that came with the white teflon finish. \ With exception of the new Walthers, no other 9mm I’ve fired even comes close to it as far as accuracy or handling. The wife has very small hands and had trouble shooting a Beretta with two hands, but she can rapid fire this with one. > > I love the entire DE line, and when I get $1200 to drop on a new gun I will get a .41 mag. The .50 though is just way too much gun to have fun shooting. And if you are looking for pure power, get the .440 DE. It outpowers the .50 by a pretty fair margin. If cost isn’t an issue, go with Padeye’s suggestion. Get a new frame, and a .50 barrel along with a .44 or even the .357. > > The .357 DE’s are nothing but 100% pleasure to fire. \*\* I’m sure you know that there is absolutely no connection between the Desert and Baby Eagle, other than the fact that they’re both from Israeli Military Industries. In fact, the name is a marketing gimmick - in Israel, the Baby Eagle is known as the Jericho. While the DE is a revolutionary (if impracticle) design, the smaller gun is merely a high-quality CZ knockoff (much like the design of another IMI weapon, the Galil, was copied - and improved upon - from the AK-47). ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/29 "2001-08-14T00:06:44Z")
Yes, I know. The same gun is also made by Tanfoglio of Italy and called a P90, and the compact P90 is called simply the Baby Tanfoglio. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/30 "2001-08-14T00:19:38Z")
T90 that is… ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/31 "2001-08-14T23:17:48Z")
TD and Alessan, I’ve got two of the EAA Witness versions of the Tanfoglio, a stainless 9mm about ten years old and a new .45 ACP. The Witness is different from the baby eagle and P-90 as it has the safety on the frame like the original CZ-75 . No hammer drop and it can be carried in condition 1 as a 1911. I rarely shoot 9mm anymore but the .45 carrycomp is sweet. The frame and slide are the same width as the 9mm but is stretched longitudinally at the grip to allow for longer .45 ACP and 10mm cartidges. It’s a lot to grip but not as bad as the Beretta 92. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/32 "2001-08-14T23:54:38Z")
Padeye, I haven’t fired one of those, but I have heard some very good things about them. How would you compare yours to a Colt? I’m kicking around the idea of another .45 if I ever get free of the blackpowder bug I’ve been bitten with, and I’ve always partial to 1911’s, but the options are still open. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/33 "2001-08-14T23:59:39Z")
Padeye, I haven’t fired one of those, but I have heard some very good things about them. How would you compare yours to a Colt? I’m kicking around the idea of another .45 if I ever get free of the blackpowder bug I’ve been bitten with, and I’ve always partial to 1911’s, but the options are still open. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/34 "2001-08-15T00:06:12Z")
Sorry for the double post. Computer went bat shit on me here. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002/35 "2001-08-15T05:07:29Z")
T.D. I think it’s an excellent choice and the price can’t be beat. No double action is going to have a trigger as crisp as a good 1911 (mine has a videki trigger, EGW disconnector and sear) but it’s excellent for a double action semi auto. Angles are cut right, no hammer camming in single action and a fairly crisp single action. For double action you might want to get a reduced power spring for the hammer. Fit and finish is outstanding. Tanfoglio has a repuptation for using unusually tough steel for slides and frames. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-fired-or-owned-a-desert-eagle/76002.md?page=1)