weak loads in desert eagle .44

JTF#

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just letting you guys know. i have been doing some reloading and i found that the hornady 180g bullets will not work in the desert eagle even at there max powder loading. they will eject but its not enough to cycle the next round. i might try a different powder but 180s are a fail for now.

Just an FYI
 
The DE 44 mag have a hard time with lighter than 200 gr, you need, even with 240 gr loads full trottle load to cycle proprely, my DE like AE 240/.... Wolf 240 FMJ are reloaded hot, WWB 240 and Leverevolution 225 gr are all perfect in it, but Fiocchi are not hot enough and produce FTF... Use 240 gr with 110 full load, you will have the best for your DE... JP.
 
The DE is a gas operated pistol instead of a delayed blowback. Likely the lightweight bullet isn't staying in the barrel long enough to allow the pressure to stay high enough for long enough. If you're loading to max power then it's high enough, just not long enough to achieve a full stroke of the slide.

The slide return spring could be swapped to a lighter one and likely that would allow the light bullets to function correctly. But if you want to switch back to heavy bullets you'd also need to swap springs again or risk the slide battering the frame.
 
Hmmmm.....that's odd. Mine has no issue cycling Rem 180gr factory. One would think that factory is not at the top end, power wise.

What powder are you using? Too slow maybe?

(E) :cool:
 
One would think that factory is not at the top end, power wise.

yes sure sure. winchester white box and american eagle (with 240 grs at 1180 and 1230 ft/sec reps.) are pretty average frankly yet seem to be considered full power. Can't quite figure out how these would work and not a hotly loaded 180 gr but the DEs in 44 can be finicky.
 
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yes sure sure. winchester white box and american eagle (with 240 grs at 1180 and 1230 ft/sec reps.) are pretty average frankly yet seem to be considered full power. Can't quite figure out how these would work and not a hotly loaded 180 gr but the DEs in 44 can be finicky.

The Wolf 240 gr FMJ are reloaded really hot and quite accurate, my Golden DE just crave on them... JP.
 
that wolf ammo is fantastic. the store here used to stock it up till last year for $35 for 50 but i haven't seen them since.

Gdawg how did you get the hornady 225 lever to work in your gun?
 
that wolf ammo is fantastic. the store here used to stock it up till last year for $35 for 50 but i haven't seen them since.

Gdawg how did you get the hornady 225 lever to work in your gun?

Nothing, it just works. It is fairly powerful stuff so that no doubt helps.

I decided to try it after reading this. I knew the DE was finicky and this was the only jacketed stuff around at the time.

http://tacticalgunreview.com/desert-eagle-44-mag/
 
I tried them in my gun but they wouldn't fit in the magazine.

Yes it is a tight fit in the mag. Maybe there is some batch variation in terms of overall length. If the cartridges were any longer they wouldn't fit in my mags either, but so far, not an issue.

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