reliability

[500bfrman]

I am seriously contemplating a de purchase. I have some reservations due to individuals on the web I read that say it is unreliable. Is reliability a big issue? does it have the problems that some say? I understand it is a totally different animal to shoot, and you have to know what you are doing. I just don't want to ge tsomething that is going to jame every other magazine. So i guess what I want to know is if I buy a new de and learn how to shoot it right can I expect it to fire every time?

[Hard Chrome]

Once you learn to shoot correctly they don't jam at all as long as you keep it somewhat clean.

I would say you’re good for about 150rds before you start to start to get intermittent jams.

It's nothing to break down at the range for a quick bore scrub and gas chamber ream.

Two - Three minutes maybe.

It's a Gas gun, so it collects foul quick, though cleans extremely easy.

Shoot factory rounds first, and once you blow about 500-1000 rds you will know why and when it jam may occur.

A good break in too, I noticed my older Eagles will shoot and shoot and seldom jam except when extremely hot and dirty.

[500bfrman]

thanks for the reply. I couldn't see myself going past 150 rounds in one session. and you are saying the more you shoot it the better it will get?

[Hard Chrome]

Yes, My Experience so far has shown the more you shoot them the better they get.

It seems the chamber polishes itself out with successive rounds, cleaning, cooling, they keep getting better.

Once you move on to handloading stay with one powder " Accurate # 9.

I got this tidbit of info from one of the Magnum Research Techs.

[Deerhunter]

I was told the same, stick with Accurate number # 9.

It is an Israely company, powder too, If my research is correct.

[Sean]

Keep em clean and hold em tight, and you won't have any FTF's!

[50AE]

Yeah,
Stick with Accurate.
The gas system was designed around that powder.
I have blown out two bbl's with hot loads and other powders.
Now that I run accurate I have never had a problem.

[brigadier]

I have lots of experience with everything except the .41 Magnum MARK VII and .357 Magnum MARK XIX.

I can tell you from extensive direct personal experience with all the other variations that the reliability of the Desert Eagle goes down as the guns get newer and lager in caliber. After more then 1500 rounds I have either fired or watched others fire, I have never seen a .357 Magnum MARK I jam. .44 Magnum MARK VIIs are very finicky and are best if you choose one load you like and never fire anything else. When it comes to the .50AE, despite what some may tell you, it's not only highly unreliable, but proved it in testing. The reason it's not on the California list is because it failed the reliability test when qualifying. And to put things in to perspective, the Jennings 9 passed that same test! My personal experience with the .50AE backs up those results. And I have rarely ever seen it fired with anything less then excellent shooting posture.

[Hard Chrome]

Where did you hear this?

The 50AE isn't even allowed to be sold in CA because it is a 50 Cal, they have no reason to even test and approve the DE in that Caliber.......

Magnum Research would never donate pistols in 50AE to the commies over in CA. :tsk:
From my own Exp, the 50AE has been the most reliable, I hardly ever have a hang up under 100rds fired in one session.

Yes, you have to clean any DE when you start pushing 75 or so rounds, the gun gums up badly.

The 50AE is a RIMLESS cartridge, which is 'your best friend' when it comes to semi auto functionality and magazine design.

The 357 and 44 are rimmed revolver rounds that were never designed to work in a detachable magazine.

Where did you see the 50AE was proved unreliable in testing?

Please post the link!

[brigadier]

Where did you hear this?

The 50AE isn't even allowed to be sold in CA because it is a 50 Cal, they have no reason to even test and approve the DE in that Caliber.......

Magnum Research would never donate pistols in 50AE to the commies over in CA. :tsk:
From my own Exp, the 50AE has been the most reliable, I hardly ever have a hang up under 100rds fired in one session.

Yes, you have to clean any DE when you start pushing 75 or so rounds, the gun gums up badly.

The 50AE is a RIMLESS cartridge, which is 'your best friend' when it comes to semi auto functionality and magazine design.

The 357 and 44 are rimmed revolver rounds that were never designed to work in a detachable magazine.

Where did you see the 50AE was proved unreliable in testing?

Please post the link!

MRI Submitted all of the different Desert Eagles they make to California's testing labs which partially require the gun to pass a reliability test. Only the .44 Magnum got approved. Both the .357 Magnum and .50AE jammed. Again, the Jennings 9 passed that same test and it's notorious for jamming.

As far as California banning anything in .50 caliber, only the .50BMG is banned. In fact, the ban was so specific to the .50BMG that even a slight variation (like the .510 DCT for instance) is perfectly legal. I live in California and there's a gun store a block away from my house that regularly carries S&W 500s in stock.

You may just be lucky with your Desert Eagle. I have seen the reliability of desert eagles change dramatically over the smallest thing. None the less, I have more then a thousand rounds experience through nearly a dozen .50AE Desert Eagles, and have seen them fired by dozens of other people ranging from first time shooters to highly experienced marksmen. And furthermore, I have seen the other Desert Eagle variations fired by the same people, often at the same setting and have obviously joined in the fun myself. We had more trouble with the .50AEs jamming then all the others combined. I have a friend who has Desert Eagles in all 3 current calibers and he says the same thing. Myself and everyone I know who owns a desert eagle agrees that it's a range toy and not ideal for serious use.

As far as rimless, that is only one factor that can influence reliability. There are many factors that do.

[Hard Chrome]

Your reliability claims with the 50AE is the first that I have ever heard. I own several DE's and my 50AE's are close to 100% if I do my part.
Admittedly, the only DE caliber \ Gun I ever had function issues with were both of my 357's.

FTE, with both guns. The cases were sticking in the chambers.

I misstated when I stated that no 50 can be sold or transferred in CA.

It was LA CA that I was thinking of. :)

[brigadier]

Your reliability claims with the 50AE is the first that I have ever heard.

I think we can both say the same. The .357 Magnum MARK I is the one I haven't seen any problems with. The .357 MARK XIX.......lets just say they have no business putting a .357 Magnum behind the wheel of such a big slide. LOL.

Nearly all of the issues I've seen and had with the .50AE were result of hang-ups in the feeding (slide not fully closing) and either extraction failure or late extraction, which are common cause of stovepipe jamming. There's even a video on youtube showing a .50AE DE stove pipe jam on me, and you can see in the video that I had a rock solid grip on the gun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q4zv2QGdos

And again, the .50AE Desert Eagle proved in testing to be an unreliable gun. If it was a reliable gun, it would be legal to import and sell in California.

[Get-ToDa-Choppa]

my .50 mk XIX has had no problems whatsoever. the previous owner had shot it 40 times and ive put atleast 300 rounds thru it all different brands, I guess im lucky too. I saw that video, the one in the right hand stovepiped! thats never happened before no matter who's shot it

[50AE]

Maybe if someone could post the CA standard of testing here.

I know the easy bake oven test is in it.

10' or 15' drop onto concrete with a cocked hammer as well.

CA testing was initiated to keep firearms out, not to help bring them in.

Hence the 450 degree oven bake test, to melt al the modern polymer guns.

What does this have to do with consumer protection?

It would be like an auto safety test specifying the color of your paint.

I wouldn't hesitate to think that CA would not have an astronomical high round count before a FTE or FTF exists for S\A handguns just to keep them out.

It's not a question of safety in CA. CA doesn't' want guns in their state. They have put crazy standards in place.

They are hoping that manufacturers will turn their backs and not waste their time to worry about CA Standards. ( As most are doing )

[brigadier]

I use to have it but the HD I saved it on died and I never had a reason to look for it since. I'll see if I can find it again.

In a nutshell, it had to take various abuses without going off (being dropped from certain distances for instance) and then so many thousand rounds of a few different types of ammo without jamming. I could be wrong but I think the manufacturer chooses and provides the different types of ammo that is used in testing.

Anyway, I'll see if I can't find the actual list of standards for you.

I don't remember anything about a 450f oven test but most synthetic frame handguns should pass that. The Glock frame for instance is made out of a secret grade of nylon 7. That's the high-end of the same family of synthetics that the synthetic spatulas you cook with are made of, which can remain submerged in boiling oil for a long time and remain intact or barely damaged, and they are usually made of the lower end. If it is true that California requires that bake test, I am not surprised the Glock and other synthetic frame handguns are on the list.

California is a corrupt state indeed. Even the locals are all fed up. Unfortunately, most of them are still too stupid to make a difference. They complain about the abuse but still vote for people who abuse them and say so in their campaigns.

[seed]

Never heard of the bake test...drop test, yeah but no bake test. Needless to say that it is nothing more than a way to keep legal guns out as someone wrote. As for us being too stupid to do anything about anything -- I wish things were that simple. As it is, it has everything to do with the way the districts are drawn: totally corrupt.

Also, we are doing everything we can. As we speak, lawsuits are in the works to roll back some of the BS, including the list. Check out Calguns.net to read about it. It will take a lot of time as nothing legal happens faster than ultra, ultra slow. But it took a long time to get where we are now and the pendulum has just begun to swing the other direction when it comes to legal gun ownership and all that entails. And by the way, the internet has A LOT to do with it.

[brigadier]

Never heard of the bake test...drop test, yeah but no bake test. Needless to say that it is nothing more than a way to keep legal guns out as someone wrote. As for us being too stupid to do anything about anything -- I wish things were that simple. As it is, it has everything to do with the way the districts are drawn: totally corrupt.

Also, we are doing everything we can. As we speak, lawsuits are in the works to roll back some of the BS, including the list. Check out Calguns.net to read about it. It will take a lot of time as nothing legal happens faster than ultra, ultra slow. But it took a long time to get where we are now and the pendulum has just begun to swing the other direction when it comes to legal gun ownership and all that entails. And by the way, the internet has A LOT to do with it.

There are smart Californians, but most are not. Then again, the stupid seam to outnumber the smart no matter where you go. The anti-gun lobby is hiding in a corner somewhere and will be for quite a while. They stick their nose up now and then, but for the most part, they're keeping quiet. The people may be after them with torches and pitch forks, but they still have the backing of the very politicians that the people with torches and pitch forks are voting for. Arnie was a great example.

[Deerhunter]

Yes Sir!
I was previously a resident of the state of MA.

Per MA standards they had or have this oven test for all new firearms entering their state.

I am not sure of the Fahrenheit degrees or the amount of time spent in the oven.......

MA does have this same test.

I can bet that CA is the same, it may even be worse.

[seed]

Yes Sir!
I was previously a resident of the state of MA.

Per MA standards they had or have this oven test for all new firearms entering their state.

I am not sure of the Fahrenheit degrees or the amount of time spent in the oven.......

MA does have this same test.

I can bet that CA is the same, it may even be worse.

I don't know who is worse, but it sounds like MA is. CA is bad, but there are multiple completely legal loopholes and nothing like a "bake test" (wow!). Add to that that legal help is on the horizon and being the pessimist that I am, I still have a lot of positive vibes for the future...never in my life did I think that I would say that about California and gun laws. Bake Test?!! Unf***ing-believable!