Magnum Research Desert Eagle

The Desert Eagle is the most prominent product from the house of Magnum Research, a Israel Military Industries subsidiary that concentrates almost exclusively on the design and manufacture of powerful luxury handguns. One of its most popular products is the Desert Eagle, a single action semiautomatic pistol that works on direct impingement gas-operated technology. The principle behind this technology is that the conventional gas cylinder, piston, and operating rod used in other gas-operated firearms are dispensed with. Instead, pressurized gas operates the handgun's action directly, reducing the number of needed parts. While this kind of system often results in breech malfunction, frequent maintenance precludes the possibility.

It is basically a sport shooting handgun and finds most of its use in target shooting and hunting. While it is certainly a specialized piece of work, it is not suitable for personal protection or military/law enforcement use because it is far too heavy for comfortable portability. Also, it has a blinding muzzle flash, a distinctively loud report and a tendency to 'stovepipe'. This means that spent cartridge casings, instead of being ejected, can get jammed in the ejection port. This does not make it a suitable companion for any kind of emergency situation. Despite this, the Magnum Research Desert Eagle has a cult following in its own right, and a reputation as the ultimate 'hand cannon'. This is a romanticized picture of the handgun and media depictions should not be considered as accurate representations of its utility in anything other than sporting or hunting situations.

Depending on which of the three versions on is referring to (Mark I, Mark VII or Mark XIX.) the Magnum Research Desert Eagle chambers .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .440 Cor-bon and .50 Action Express rounds. It measures 260 mm in length, with the barrel measuring 152mm. In an unloaded condition, the .357 Magnum Mark I/VII versions weigh 47.8 ounces with aluminium frames and 58.3 ounces with steel frames. The Mark XIX .50 AE weighs 70 ounces. The Desert Eagle has a detachable magazine that has differing capacities according to the version in question. The .357's magazine holds nine rounds, the .41's and .44's hold eight and the .440's and .50's hold seven. The Mark I and Mark VII have since been taken off the market but are still available for those who know where to look. Those who do look tend to be rather wealthy, since the Desert Eagle does not come cheap.

Probably one of the biggest advantages that the Magnum Research Desert Eagle offers is the fact that it can be adapted to shoot different ammunition. All that is required is to switch the magazine, barrel and, bolt assembly. This requires no in-depth experience and can be quickly done by a beginner with some practice and the right parts. A pistol scope can be attached to the barrels, which have universal holding provisions for this addition.

One cannot talk of the Magnum Research Desert Eagle without mentioning the Baby Desert Eagle - also known as the Jericho 941. This handgun may look like the Desert eagle, but that is where the similarity stops. The Jericho 941 is a double action handgun that used the CZ-75 pistol as a blueprint. While it chambered the same rounds that the Desert Eagle did, it featured the short recoil technology common to other handguns of its day. The magazine and extractor systems were functionally very different from the Desert Eagle. It had a shallower slide which caused considerable problems to shooters who were not used to the heavy pull. Along with it came a new kind of ammunition that was designed specifically for it - the .41 Action Express, or .41 AE for short. It still exists on the market and is not a bad handgun per se. However, its name should not bring to mind any comparison with the Desert Eagle, since this title was given purely to cash in on the glitz and glamour associated with the legendary Magnum Research handgun.