Back to The Collection Back to Home

Desert Eagle
Length overall Barrel Length Weight  Caliber Action Type Magazine Capacity




Recoil Semi

    This is a huge, impractical, overblown, and kind of silly gun. Still, I have always been a sucker for the biggest and baddest, and have always admired the systems approach. The Desert Eagle is capable, with the proper options, of firing five different calibers of cartridge, and of taking barrels as long as 14", and a short as 6". The cost of the individual guns hover around $1000 (as of this writing in June of 2005), but vary somewhat according to caliber. In a move some what reminescent of the Dan Wesson Pistol Pack, Desert Eagle offers The Desert Eagle Pistol Mark XIX Component System . This is a cased frameset, with a selection of barrels in different lengths, and in three different calibers. Models from the MkVII on can take interchangeable barrels. As of this writing, the current model is the Mark XIX. The standard barrel length is the 6", and this is how the guns come from the factory. The current models are able to interchange barrels of different calibers, in some cases requiring the changing of the bolt. The very early guns do not allow for easy caliber change, though with proper work I suppose it could be done. Magazines have all been made dimensionally the same in all calibers, so that the user need make no modifications to the frame of the gun when changing calibers.
    These inovative pistols are gas operated, like a semi auto rifle, and are made in Isreal, a nation known for it's ability to produce capable, ground breaking weapons. They are imported and distributed in the United States, by Magnum Research in Minneapolis.
    So, how does this monster handgun shoot? Well not too badly. One of the big advantages of a gun this size, is that it soaks up recoil pretty well. Even with the big 50 cal barrel in place, the gun, though not gentle, is not particularly punishing to the shooters hand. The grips are quite large though, and it is a real reach to get one's hand around them. Once the fingers have made the long journey, the shooter gets a bit of a nostolgiac feeling, like a small child being allowed to shoot dad's big pistol for the first time, and trying to get a proper grip.
    All hyperbole aside, this huge powerful pistol is exceptionally accurate. This is particularly true of the longer barrrels, but even with the 6" tube in place, the gun will shoot into an inch or so, at the pistol range. The 50 was for a time, the world's most powerful handgun cartridge. With the introduction fo the S&W 500 Magnum, this is no longer true. Still, the 50 A&E is no slouch, and is presently the only practical reason to have a  Desert Eagle. Though these pistols were quite the item years ago, introduction of semi auto cartridges such as the 10mm, the 40 S&W, and the 45 Rowlan, for use in standard sized pistols take much of the luster form these oversized guns.
    So why own a Desert Eagle? Well there are no practical reasons, really, particularly considering the cost of the guns; but gun collecting never was a matter of practicality.
Caliber
 Barrel
 Weight
 Velocity
 Energy
 LOA
357 Magnum




41 Magnum




44 Magnum




50 AE (Magnum)




Commercial ammunition by Cor®Bon is now being manufactured with rifle primers. The original ammunition by Cor®Bon used pistol primers. No doubt that both ammunition types are in circulation as well as brass from Starline that has primer pockets for both pistol and rifle primers.

You can identify the primer pocket by examining the head-stamp of both Cor®Bon and Starline brass. Brass manufactured for rifle primers will have the letter "R" following the word Cor®Bon and the Starline symbol on the head-stamp. If it does not, the brass has a pistol primer pocket. DO NOT RELOAD RIFLE PRIMERS IN BRASS DESIGNED FOR USE WITH LARGE PISTOL PRIMERS. The rifle primer pocket in the brass WITH AN "R" HEADSTAMP is deeper than pistol primer pocket. Rifle primers will stand "proud" if loaded in brass designed for large pistol primers. This scenario is unsafe and will significantly increase the possibility of "simultaneous ignition" in a revolver. Such an event could be catastrophic for the firearm and the shooter. Please be aware and take care when reloading this high-pressure revolver cartridge.

Note: Hornady manufactured .500S&W ammunition has and will continue to use large pistol primers in its commercial product. Do Not attempt to use rifle primers with Hornady head-stamped .500S&W brass.

Distinction between the
Mark I, Mark VII and Mark XIX
DESERT EAGLE PISTOLS


The Mark I Desert Eagle Pistols
Barrel, all have a 3/8” dovetail on top.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically smaller in size lower to accommodate the barrels with the 3/8” dovetail.
Frame, with plastic IMI grips, no difference in size.
Trigger, standard.
Appointments, safety levers are teardrop shape; slide catch/release has single serration.
Calibers, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum.


The Mark VII Desert Eagle Pistols
Barrel, all have a 3/8” dovetail on top.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically smaller in size lower to accommodate the barrels with the 3/8” dovetail.
Frame, with plastic IMI grips, no difference in size.
Trigger, adjustable trigger
Appointments, safety levers are hook-shaped; slide catch/release lever has three steps for ease of operation.
Calibers, .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum and .44 Magnum.


The Mark XIX Desert Eagle Pistols
Barrel, all have a 7/8” Weaver style dovetail on top, as well as two cross-slots.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically larger in size higher to accommodate the barrels with the 7/8” dovetail.
Frame, with plastic IMI grips, no difference in size.
Trigger, adjustable trigger.
Appointments, safety levers are hook-shaped, slide catch/release lever has three steps for ease of operation.
Calibers, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .50AE.


All Desert Eagle pistols are manufactured in Israel for Magnum Research, Inc. by IMI.

Questions on Desert Eagle pistol spare parts, accessories or conversions please call Magnum Research’s Customer Service Department at 1-763-574-1868, Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 CST.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MARK VII .357 AND MARK XIX .357

The Mark VII Desert Eagle .357 Pistol
Barrel, the six, ten and fourteen-inch all have a 3/8” dovetail on top.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically smaller in size lower to accommodate the barrels with the 3/8” dovetail.
Frame Assembly, same as Mark XIX configuration, with two-stage trigger, and plastic grips.
Appointments, same as Mark XIX configuration, safety levers are hook shaped; slide release lever has three steps for ease of operation.

The Mark VII Desert Eagle .357 Magnum pistols are convertible to XIX.  The conversion kit (part #CONV…..) consists of a complete slide assembly, barrel, gas piston, recoil spring assembly, magazine and grips.  Is a costly conversion.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .357 Pistol
Barrel, the six and ten inch all have a 7/8” dovetail on top with cross-slots for scopes.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically larger in size higher to accommodate the barrels with the 7/8” dovetail.
Frame Assembly, same as Mark VII configuration, two-stage trigger, same plastic grips.
Appointments, same as Mark VII configuration, safety levers are hook shaped, slide release lever has three steps for ease of operation.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .357 Magnum pistols are convertible to other Mark XIX calibers (.50AE/.440/.44) by simply switching barrel, magazine and bolt assembly.


THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MARK VII .44 AND MARK XIX .44

The Mark VII Desert Eagle .44 Pistol
Barrel, the six, ten and fourteen-inch all have a 3/8” dovetail on top.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically smaller in size lower to accommodate the barrels with the 3/8” dovetail.
Frame Assembly, same as Mark XIX configuration, with two-stage trigger,  and plastic grips.
Appointments, same as Mark XIX configuration, safety levers are hook shaped; slide release lever has three steps for ease of operation.

The Mark VII Desert Eagle .44 Magnum pistols are convertible to XIX.  The conversion kit (part #CONV…..) consists of a complete slide assembly, barrel, gas piston, recoil spring assembly, magazine and grips.  Is a costly conversion.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .44 Pistol
Barrel, the six and ten inch all have a 7/8” dovetail on top with cross-slots for scopes.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically larger in size higher to accommodate the barrels with the 7/8” dovetail.
Frame Assembly, same as Mark VII configuration, two-stage trigger, and plastic grips.
Appointments, same as Mark VII configuration, safety levers are hook shaped, slide release lever has three steps for ease of operation.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .44 Magnum pistols are convertible to other Mark XIX calibers (.50AE/.440) by simply switching barrel and magazine; to go to the .357 you also need to switch the bolt assembly.


THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MARK VII .50AE AND MARK XIX .50AE

The Mark VII Desert Eagle .50AE Pistol
There is no differences, same as Mark XIX.  What happen was when we first produced the .50AE pistols we called them the Mark VII series, but as we changed the .357 and .44 to share the same slide assembly as the .50AE we decided to call this series the Mark XIX.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .50AE Pistol
Barrel, the six and ten-inch all have a 7/8” dovetail on top with cross-slots for scopes.
Slide Assembly, the slide is physically larger to accommodate the barrels with the 7/8” dovetail.
Frame Assembly, two-stage trigger and plastic grips.
Appointments, safety levers are hook shaped; slide release lever has three steps for ease of operation.

The Mark XIX Desert Eagle .50AE Magnum pistols are convertible to other Mark XIX calibers (.440) by simply switching the barrel, to go to the .44 you also need to switch the magazine and to go to the .357 you need to switch the bolt assembly, barrel and magazine.

Questions on Desert Eagle pistol conversions and accessories please call Magnum Research, Inc. Customer Service at 1-800-772-6168, Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 CST.