Hello

I have a question for you experience handgun hunters. Is the 50A&E a viable hunting round for big game such as deer, hogs, moose, and caribou?

Thanks
Mark

Should work just fine for hunting purposes.

There is no problem with cartridge, but I will not trust it in DE pistol.

Jiri

There are better .50 caliber choices. The fact that you can't load them hot leaves me cold when really big game (like moose) is on the menu.

Thanks Guys!

I have played with the 44mag Desert Eagle. Now I have a hankering to see what the 50 A&E will do. I have seen video and reports where the 10" gives a velocity of over 1600fps with a 300gr bullets. That up there with the 454 Casuall. My concern is it is a jacketed bullet and real short which I believe will impede penetration.

Regards
Mark

Short jacketed bullets are not usually conducive to great penetration as they lack in sectional density the longer bullets have.

You would do better to load some cast bullets in your 50 Action Express (AE). Those will give improved penetration and performance from your pistol.

MS Hitman:

I read that you can't shoot cast bullets out of DE pistol. It will clog gas system or so.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by Jiri:
MS Hitman:

I read that you can't shoot cast bullets out of DE pistol. It will clog gas system or so.

Jiri

Absolutely correct Jiri. Hornady has a bullet listed, as well as Speer that should do well.

Since the carridge is a 50 Action Express, it's not a "50 A&E" but rather a 50 AE. And why would one have to load one "hot" anyway; they're hot enough as it is. I also find it hard to believe at a "short jacketed" 300 or 350 grain bullet wouldn't get enough lead into a moose or caribou to kill it.

And why, pray tell, shouldn't a Desert Eagle be trusted? Have ya'll actually shot one?

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
Since the carridge is a 50 Action Express, it's not a "50 A&E" but rather a 50 AE. And why would one have to load one "hot" anyway; they're hot enough as it is. I also find it hard to believe at a "short jacketed" 300 or 350 grain bullet wouldn't get enough lead into a moose or caribou to kill it.

And why, pray tell, shouldn't a Desert Eagle be trusted? Have ya'll actually shot one?

The "A&E" has already been pointed out.

One man's hot is another man's mild. Same reason different people eat queso versus pablum.

Stubby bullets do not penetrate as well as longer ones, regardless what you believe. Just the way things are.

Yes, I have shot Desert Eagle firearms and decided there are more dependable, not to mention easier to carry firearms for my hunting purposes.

Any other questions you would like answered?

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
Since the carridge is a 50 Action Express, it's not a "50 A&E" but rather a 50 AE. And why would one have to load one "hot" anyway; they're hot enough as it is. I also find it hard to believe at a "short jacketed" 300 or 350 grain bullet wouldn't get enough lead into a moose or caribou to kill it.

And why, pray tell, shouldn't a Desert Eagle be trusted? Have ya'll actually shot one?

By hot I mean warmer than the lukewarm factory levels. The fact that you can't run a bullet of any significant weight (no, 325 grains is light for a .50 cal) is a great limiting factor. Then there is that all important crimp issue. Now, without sounding combative, how much big game have you taken with the .50 AE - or any .50 cal for that matter? Lightweight expanding Bullets are a bad recipe for big game - and I'm not talking whitetail. There are a number of much better choices for the handgun hunter in .50 caliber that aren't saddled with the limitations of the AE.

Well, we're not talking Cape Buffalo or Elephant either. It was about Moose and Caribou I believe. If you feel a 325 grain bullet at 1,250+ fps isn't sufficient, OK.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumulkin:
Well, we're not talking Cape Buffalo or Elephant either. It was about Moose and Caribou I believe. If you feel a 325 grain bullet at 1,250+ fps isn't sufficient, OK.

A 325 grain .45 caliber bullet yes, but not a .50 caliber bullet unless you limit your shots to avoid heavy bone.

I have never drawn blood with my 50 AE but I have with several other handguns. Since the apparent issue seems to be lack of penetration because of an inferior sectional density here are some comparisons:

1. I took a bunch of animals with a 460 S&W Magnum shooting 250 gr. Hornady SST/ML bullets which have a SD of 0.175. The largest taken were Zebra, Red Hartebeest and European Fallow Deer. No problems in penetration or lingering deaths were encountered.

2. I took a Kudu with a 444 Marlin handgun shooting a Hornady 265 gr. FTX bullet. The bullet entered one shoulder and went out the other side. SD of that bullet is 0.205.

3. I took a Black Wildebeest with a 357 Herrett with a 158 gr. Hornady hollow point; no problem with penetration was encountered with that bullet which has a SD of 0.171.

A Speer 50 caliber 325 grain hollow point has a SD of 0.186. I'm thinking sectional density isn't really that much of an issue. And you REALLY think 0.071 inches difference in diameter between the calibers 0.429 and 0.500 is going to make that much of a difference? I also doubt heavy bone would put up effective resistence to the momentum of 325 grains moving at 1,250+ fps.

Depends on the bullet. I have seen penetration problems with many of the jacketed bullets mentioned. Look to some monometal solids if theyre not too long. Ive found the desert eagle most useful in 44 mag

I use these 400gr coated hard cast bullets in my .500 S&W, but they are designed for .50 AE. There is also 330gr variant available here. It will kill very well IMHO.

Jiri

Jiri

What make bullets are those? Are they truly safe in the desert eagle ?

Thanks
Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoyaler:
Jiri

What make bullets are those? Are they truly safe in the desert eagle ?

Thanks
Mark

These:

Coated Bullets

I think with the length of those there would be very little room for powder but you could probably make it work. The coating allegedly decreases leading but I'm not sure I'd try them in a Desert Eagle. You go first and tell us how you did.

Coloradoyaler:

These bullets are made in Europe, Slovakia. I don't think they sell them in USA :-(

I don't have any personal experience using it in .50 AE, but people here in Czech Republic reload it with good results.

Jiri

Thanks All!

I appreciate all your opinions! I don't know why I called it 50A&E instead of 50AE.

I think I'll stick with this for awhile:



This is the 44 Desert Eagle I had before. It shot the 300gr Hornady pretty well. Accuracy could not compete with my revolvers. The prairie dog was shot @ 40yds.

I have taken many large wild boar with my desert eagle .50 AE both with standard and 10 inch barrel. I used 400 grain barnes buster bullets. I also used 350 grain solid brass bullets. A shot to the thick shield pad on the shoulder went clean through broke the shoulder and came out the other side. I never had an issue with the .50AE performance. With that being said I never hunted with factory ammo.

I wold not hesitate to use it on large game like water buffalo or bison.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...591018191#6591018191

Check out my hunt report with the desert eagle. It may change some minds about the guns performance

quote:

Originally posted by steel:
I have taken many large wild boar with my desert eagle .50 AE both with standard and 10 inch barrel. I used 400 grain barnes buster bullets. I also used 350 grain solid brass bullets. A shot to the thick shield pad on the shoulder went clean through broke the shoulder and came out the other side. I never had an issue with the .50AE performance. With that being said I never hunted with factory ammo.

How fast are you able to push the Busters?

quote:

Originally posted by steel:
I wold not hesitate to use it on large game like water buffalo or bison.

Going from this:



Up to this is a pretty big step.



That said, I would love to see how the .50 AE loaded as such would do on a really big bovine. What are your plans with it?

I have not had a chance to measure the velocity on the barnes busters. I know this is subjective but when I witnessed my SW .500 and .50AE on large boars they both pass through almost all the time, with similar wound channels.the .500 seems to be a little more dramatic at impact but not as much as you would think. I also took a bison and water buffalo with the SW .500 and feel the .50AE would be up for the challenge. My next bison I may try the .50AE and report back.

Thanks Steel!

I just bought a Desert Eagle 50AE. I am now looking to get the 10" barrel. I am in the process of putting sights on the 6" barrel.

http://fordsguns.com/desert-eagle-sights/4837489

I am anxious to know what velocity you are getting with the 400gr!

I plan on hunting moose next fall with mine.

Thanks
Mark

I need a new chrono so I can test some loads. I have like a year left in school, so not a whole lot of time as of late to play. Once I'm done I'll be able to shoot and hunt more, and report back. Once I finish I think I earned a double rifle in .500 NE to play with, plus more time perfecting the big bore handguns I love.

Nice water buffalo whitworth. Where was your shot placement and what round did you use on it?

Steel

What kind of accuracy are you getting with your 50AE and at what range? I just ordered some Barnes buster 400gr. I will be loading and testing them soon. I am also loading the 350gr Horn xtp.

Thanks

Congrats ColoradoYale on the .50AE, I used 27 grains of little gun with the 400 grain barnes buster. Again don't know the velocity but it did well when shoot into a block of wet newspaper.

With the scope, 10 inch barrel and a good rest I was hitting gallon milk jugs out to like 70 yards. I'm sure with more practice I could extend that to 100 yards. With iron sites I was hitting a foot long gong out to around 40 yards. Again I'm not the best shooter and don't have a lot of time to practice.

Steel

I see by the pic of your gun you have the Booth adjustable sights. Do they have enough adjustment to sight them in dead on at the different ranges?

Thanks!

I also really like cutting edge bullets. They make a lot of really nice solid copper and brass bullets. They make a 400 grain one that I loaded for the SW .500 that worked great. I was going to try them in the .50AE but didn't get around to it. But they worked great in many of my other guns.

The sights work well. I have only sighted them in at 25 to 50 yards but it works well at that range.

I bought a Nikon 2x8 with the bdc reticle for my 500S&W BFR. I will probably try a Ultra dot on the 10" DE barrel when I get it. Whitworth swears by them.



Thanks

Cutting edge bullets also makes a brass 375 grain .500 which may work better than the 400 grain in the .50AE due to the increased length of the brass bullets.

Thanks!

I'll take a look.

Mark

Here in my country, I can use whatever bullet material (whole bullet or just parts, i.e. core) if hardness is up to 200 HB. Above it is "bullet with enhanced penetration" and it is prohibited.

Lehigh brass bullets are about 130 HB what I know.

But be careful in USA, what I know brass bullet loaded in handguns could be judged as "armor piercing" and prohibited too. It is the reason that handgun bullets are made of copper and it is also clearly visible on Lehigh website. No handgun bullet made of brass.

I shoot Lehigh in my .500 S&W. I don't believe they will fit in .50 AE. I will measure it on weekend.

Jiri

quote:

Originally posted by steel:
Nice water buffalo whitworth. Where was your shot placement and what round did you use on it?

Thanks! I used a .45 Colt loaded with Garrett 405 grain +P loads. All high shoulder (was trying to break him down). Three shots -- one exited and two nearly made it all the way out (they were actually poking through the skin on the offside).