Has anyone shot or have opinions on the 44 magnum desert eagle?

Vg

It's really big and a bit cumbersome!

I had one a while back and it was a great shooter. Regret selling it.

Had one of the first 44's. What a piece of crap. Jamm-a-matic. Waaaayyyy overpriced for the lack of reliability and lack of quality.

Buy a revolver, and use the second half of the money to buy another revolver.

The DUMBEST gun I ever bought. Never missed it for a day.

Over the years I've fired a variety of them in 357, 44, and 50 AE and I found every one of them a seriously clumsy hunk of iron with miserable ergonomics. To the degree that smaller, lighter pistols with radically superior handling characteristics are available I have no use for IMI's anvil. $0.02

It is big and heavy. Recoil with 44 Mag. loads is very light. It is very sensitive to limp wristing. In my opinion, it's a waste to use one for firing 44 Mag. cartridges.

If you're going to get a Desert Eagle, get one chambered for the BIG one; the 50 AE. Be advised, however, there are much better handguns for self defense and hunting. Only get one if you like big guns and/or the glamor of having a movie gun.

i had 1 of the .50 ae's..... bought it on the cheap, <$700..... it's definitely a handfull.... i kept it about 3 yrs, traded it in on a 1949 yr model 70, 300 H&H.... it served its purpose....would i buy another???...it's a novelty...

I have a pair of them, the first being what is now called a Mark I, in .357mag. I bought it in '86 when they first hit the shelves. I did follow the gun through its inception before it was available and found it quite unigue, and it still is. There have been some changes in the three models through the years but the frame still remains the same and it will interchange with the newest models.

I also have a newer Mark XIX in 50AE with another barrel in .44mag. and STILL find the gun to be unique in every way.

The gun IS big and more than a handful for most but like most firearms you learn to adapt. As someone pointed out it is prone to limpwristing and it won't function properly without using full house loads. I find both of mine a breeze to shoot and since they are gas operated recoil is much less than a revolver. I can swap mine from 50AE to 44mag in less than 5sec. Try that with any other gun.

There are better handguns for hunting but it can be used in that situation if your state allows it. I used my Mark I to take a little buck the first year Ohio allowed handgun hunting which I believe was the first year I also got my gun. I wasn't disappointed either.

What I've found over the years is people either love them or hate them. Apparently there is still a market for them after 23yrs. while some of the other big boys called it quits.
I still love mine and won't part with them. They fit right in with the rest of my big bores

These are both 50's

I had a 44 Mag D.E. and it was the best shooting handgun I had ever shot. Never a jam, and very accurate. My problem was with wearing it in the field, I ended up walking at a cant after a couple hours. Hated to part with it, but not practicle for the field. Fine for the range, but way too heavy for the field.

It sure is not a carry gun but works OK for a primary hunting gun.
My friends have a few and they work just fine and are very accurate. They are fun to shoot. I never seen one fail to function.

A buddy of mine HAD one. It was the jammingist piece of crap I have ever seen. I shoot lots of .44 so there was no "limp wristing" going on. It wouldn't feed any factory or handloads we could find. I will say it was one of the early ones when they were first getting popular. Maybe they got better w/ later models I don't know. If you really want to look stylish though I would suggest the 24k gold tiger stripe version . Maybe get a chrome one and really be the bell of the ball LOL!!!!!

Here is how one did at 50 yd's while testing some 300 gr Hornady bullets.

Nice targeting Bfrshooter and thank you guys.

Now Food for thought:
I like the idea of using the 44 magnum for self preservation if the need ever arises one day, hopefully never. I considered a Ruger Alaskan snub but let’s say I need lots of fire power then a revolver is just too slow to reload. I’m also considering the Pap smear situation: Like the other guy with a less inferior gun it will sought of sound like this:

BOOM – Pap Pap --- BOOM – Pap/smear all over the place.

The truth is, even if I miss I want the assailant(s) to (sh*t) their pants from the sound of a big bore round passing by them.

Maybe the 45 in a 1911 with a sack of clips is the way to go.
Whatta ya say guys?

Sounds like you are planning to walk around DC looking for targets of opportunity!
If I was going to carry, I would pick the .45.

Here's another vote for the 1911. .45 acps are quite "boomy" compared to the little calibers most people carry for self defense. And the .45 makes a big hole......