Anyone Else Hunt With a Desert Eagle?

17 October 2004, 05:06

Sean VHA #60013

Does anyone else here hunt with a Desert Eagle Pistol? I have sold them to customers for years, but had never really given them serious consideration for my hunting purposes until this year.

Well, several months ago I finally broke down and purchased one, and I liked it so much that I now have two: A DE Mark I in 357mag with 3 barrels, a 6",10" w/muzzle brake, and a magnaported 14" w/4x Leupold scope. I also have a 41mag slide and two barrels, a 6" and a 10", and I have another DE, a Mark XIX in 44mag with a 6" barrel.

All of them wear a rear Millett adjustable target sight and a front Millett sight, and since the pics were taken, I have fitted them with the Hogue finger groove grips that MRI sells for them. A BIG improvement over the stock grip.

I have found these pistols to be exceptionally accurate and extremely reliable [no jams or failures to feed, though you must use full power ammunition in them].

I also do NOT find them to be unwieldy or inordinately heavy to handle. To me, they are like owning semi-auto Contenders

The only drawbacks to me are: they are NOT cheap, and you cannot use cast bullets in them.

Beyond that, I personally find that they are very versatile, as I can do almost any sort of 125 yard varmint control with my 14" 357 w/4x Leupold scope and 158grn hp's, I can do whitetail deer damage control work with any of my barrels, and I can load up the 44mag Mark XIX with 300grn XTP's and take anything on the east coast.

I also plan on getting a 10" 50AE barrel and a few mags for the Mark XIX, in order to be equipped to take any game in North America.

Does anyone else here hunt with the Desert Eagle?

20 October 2004, 13:29

mcb

Quote:

Quote:

They are scarcely pistols in my mitts as I cannot carry one in a condition of readiness in a belt holster and fire it at arms length with one hand.

But when is the last time anyone carried a big-bore hunting handgun in a condition of readiness in a belt holster and fired it at arms length with one hand?

Sean, Howdy! Since you ask I did so just last week, Wednesday, I think. I was practicing for the fast approaching whitetail season with my S&W 629 Mtn Gun - which meets my definition of a "pistol" - from 25 to 7 yards; from Weaver, jackass sitting, and kneeling; two handed and one handed, single action and double action. I won't drop the hammer one handed if a more solid rest presents itself, or shoot double action if enough time is available, but I like to have the choice if I need to. Yes, where we hunt the deer come in very, very close. Between 25 and 50 yards I need two hands, as solid a rest as I can muster, and a cocked hammer. I hunt with handguns too. I hope to split my doe tags between the Mtn Gun and a 10 inch 357 magnum Contender wearing a 2x glass. To amplify my point, if you can reach all the controls and still apply a consistent grip on your Desert Eagles you are a better man than me and I wish you well. Good hunting! McB

17 October 2004, 20:37

sharps54

I have a buddy with a number of D.E.'s and he is very happy with them. One is chambered in the wildcat .357/44 B&D (a .357 barrel fitted to a .44 bolt which required a bit of work). If you ever come across a 14" .41 MK7 barrel my friend will buy it.
Jason

18 October 2004, 05:57

Me_Plat

There isn't much one can say about the Desert Eagle except they do come in worthwhile calibers.

18 October 2004, 16:13

Swede44mag

I have wanted a 44mag Desert Eagle for years, but after shooting one how do you lighten the trigger pull? I think a 44 Desert Eagle would be an excellent choice for Deer hunting.

18 October 2004, 17:26

mcb

Sean, you are a better man than me. My limited exposure to the early 357 and 44 magnum versions back in the mid to late 80's led me to the conclusion that they are heavy, unwieldy, clumsy, and ergonomically miserable handguns*. (*They are scarcely pistols in my mitts as I cannot carry one in a condition of readiness in a belt holster and fire it at arms length with one hand.) If a shooter has hands large to reach both the trigger and the thumb safety while maintaining a proper grip, can provide the necessary effort to rack the slide safely, and can overcome the nasty trigger and coarse sights I suppose it begins to be interesting when chambered for the 50 AE. Otherwise it's highest best use is as a 50 caliber movie prop that the Governator approves of (or as the pair worn by Demi Moore in a double IWB SOB rig; gnk, gnk, gnk). If they work for you, more power to you and I hope you post photos of your results. Me I'm hunting with a S&W Mtn Gun next month. Otherwise I have no strong feelings, but hey, thanks for asking. McB

18 October 2004, 21:51

derf

I used to carry an early model while prospecting. Once I got used to leaning to the left a lot, it wasn't to bad.
I also experamented with a scope and found the DE44 to be very accurate. The only other problem that I found was that as a reloader I didn't like the way that old MK1 beat up the brass. I could only get 3 or 4 loadings. It was a whole lot of fun though when I used it at night for PP shooting. MAN, what a flame! Kinda upset the competition though!

derf

19 October 2004, 11:03

Sean VHA #60013

Quote:

Sean, you are a better man than me. My limited exposure to the early 357 and 44 magnum versions back in the mid to late 80's led me to the conclusion that they are heavy, unwieldy, clumsy, and ergonomically miserable handguns*. (*They are scarcely pistols in my mitts as I cannot carry one in a condition of readiness in a belt holster and fire it at arms length with one hand.) McB

McB, Howdy! Well, it is not a combat handgun for me at all, so you are right in that sense. But when is the last time anyone carried a big-bore hunting handgun in a condition of readiness in a belt holster and fired it at arms length with one hand? One can do it, but your not going to hit a lot of game that way

I only think the pistol has any merit as a hunting handgun, and since I primarily use single shot Contenders and Encores, the DE is really not unwiedly at all by comparison, and with the finger groove Hogue grip, they do not impress me at all as clumsy or "ergonomically miserable." I rather enjoy them both