New Desert Eagle quality issues
- Thread starter TheJuggernaut
- Start date
- Location
- North Vancouver
There's been a lot of talk on the net about Desert Eagles with FTE's and FTF's.
90% of the problem is limpwristing... Period. Big strong guys think they aren't limpwristing but they are. It's not how strong you are but how you hold the gun and how you allow the recoil to disperse.
9% of the problem is not enough oil. These guns need lots of oil to run properly.
The other 1% of the problem is weak springs. You need to change them because they get worn out quickly.
I've shot several hundred rounds through my .50AE and had two failures to go into battery. The cause was the gun was too dirty and not enough oil.
I've had friends shoot my gun and they get hit with the case right in the forehead - they limpwristed it. The gun didn't jam but it was close. Then the next shot it got a FTE. After a couple of shots they get tired and limpwrist it even worse. hehehe
Oh, there was a friend of mine that had a .357 version. The slide did not move AT ALL after firing. You had to manually rack the slide each time. The cause this time was the gas system. The guy who owned it before him used lead bullets and the lead completely plugged the hole in the barrel and no gas was being returned to activate the slide. This could be a cause to FTE's on other guns - a partially blocked gas system.
It is possible to fix this yourself but it requires taking apart the barrel and cleaning out the very little tube that the gas travels through. Much easier to send the barrel to Magnum Research and have them do it.
90% of the problem is limpwristing... Period. Big strong guys think they aren't limpwristing but they are. It's not how strong you are but how you hold the gun and how you allow the recoil to disperse.
9% of the problem is not enough oil. These guns need lots of oil to run properly.
The other 1% of the problem is weak springs. You need to change them because they get worn out quickly.
I've shot several hundred rounds through my .50AE and had two failures to go into battery. The cause was the gun was too dirty and not enough oil.
I've had friends shoot my gun and they get hit with the case right in the forehead - they limpwristed it. The gun didn't jam but it was close. Then the next shot it got a FTE. After a couple of shots they get tired and limpwrist it even worse. hehehe
Oh, there was a friend of mine that had a .357 version. The slide did not move AT ALL after firing. You had to manually rack the slide each time. The cause this time was the gas system. The guy who owned it before him used lead bullets and the lead completely plugged the hole in the barrel and no gas was being returned to activate the slide. This could be a cause to FTE's on other guns - a partially blocked gas system.
It is possible to fix this yourself but it requires taking apart the barrel and cleaning out the very little tube that the gas travels through. Much easier to send the barrel to Magnum Research and have them do it.
Just curious, why would the cartridges eject to the right? This gun ejects them vertically, why would they go to the right? I would think flying over the head is what should be expected. Granted I had a few moments of lapsed concentration, and had one off my forehead (which my friend called the rite of passage of DE ownership) but generally they all went over my head.
(this was my first time shooting period, I got much better handling it in later outings - I think I had the large guy syndrome you describe, where I'm not used to inanimate objects presenting a problem and this gun would let me know when I'd disrespect it, which I think is a large part of why I want it
)
[youtube]T1cQxte2Ols[/youtube]
(this was my first time shooting period, I got much better handling it in later outings - I think I had the large guy syndrome you describe, where I'm not used to inanimate objects presenting a problem and this gun would let me know when I'd disrespect it, which I think is a large part of why I want it
)[youtube]T1cQxte2Ols[/youtube]
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Being a new owner I agree 100% on holing it properly. My first time shooting mine about 3 weeks ago I was getting so upset with the gun because of failures. But luckily one of the RO's was a Desert Eagle owner(or fan) and was extremely knowledgeable on how to properly hold the gun and maintaining it. Long story short after a little talk, my problems got a little better. Last Thurs I went back after a good oiling and and a little practice holding it and I shot 40 rounds with not one failure.
Just FYI before the Eagle I was shooting .45 all the time and 10mm some of the time... I am pretty good usually with handling recoil and I did not feel the 50 was kicking that hard but I guess it was 100% on how I was holding it.
It has a rotating bolt, it rotates in to lock the bolt, and when it ejects the bolt rotates out. If you let the recoil push back against a firm grip and wrist not letting it control you but the other way around they will spit out to the right a good distance and are a ##### to find for reloading if at a outdoor range LOL.
Also looks as if you are using a straight on stance, I shoot with my left foot forward slightly turned using my right eye as dominant and lean into it a bit elbows bent but locked using my shoulders to take the recoil. (not sure if that's correct or not, but works for me)
If you watch the end of the barrel in the video when it gets away from you it twists to the right causing the casing to go right towards your face, you can really see it in your one hand attempt, it will all get better with practice. I'm no pro, but grew up with guns and was shooting 357's and .45's when I was 9-10 years old and long guns before I was in school, joys of growing up on a farm.
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Yeah, like I said I'm not used to having work very hard outside of the gym to manhandle inanimate objects, that added to me holding a gun for the first time on this day and I'm sure there's a pile of bad form going on there. I should get my next outing with him on video again to see where the shells go, I think I'm reasonable at it now, or getting better at least.
Incidentally, this gun has, I think, a double digit serial number. And it almost never messes up and has had no work done to it. It was out of battery twice there but that's with his hand-loads. With the retail ammo, I've fired about 25 rounds without a single issue.
Incidentally, this gun has, I think, a double digit serial number. And it almost never messes up and has had no work done to it. It was out of battery twice there but that's with his hand-loads. With the retail ammo, I've fired about 25 rounds without a single issue.
Definitely, that's what finally pushed me over the laziness edge to go get my license. I have working testicles so I've always loved guns but once I started going shooting with my friend and found out how much there is to learn, I realized that this could be another terrific hobby - where not only do I find the general idea intensely awesome but there are many, if not endless ways to challenge myself.
Can't wait to start learning with my own gear!
I had a black .44 that would only cycle +P+ because the previous owner used lead cast rounds a fouled the gas tube.
I now have a chrome .50AE without any problems.
There are several reasons a Desert Eagle will FTF or FTE, or eject onto your skull
*The gas tube is like that in a rifle and will foul with lead particles if you don't use jacketed ammo.
*Limp wristing
*Cupping the mag from the bottom
*Not enough oil
I've already posted this picture in another thread so forgive me, but since I haven't seen one here in brushed chrome.....
I now have a chrome .50AE without any problems.
There are several reasons a Desert Eagle will FTF or FTE, or eject onto your skull
*The gas tube is like that in a rifle and will foul with lead particles if you don't use jacketed ammo.
*Limp wristing
*Cupping the mag from the bottom
*Not enough oil
I've already posted this picture in another thread so forgive me, but since I haven't seen one here in brushed chrome.....
From what I found those issues were 90% mag related. The first two generations of mags had issues with the follower and spring. Once that was replaced you are good to go. All the mags (made in the last six-seven years or so) have the updated followers and springs. These kits are avaliable from MR directly to retrofit the older mags as well.
You will also need to find a good high power round to cycle it reliably (if reloading it) : using light reloads will just not cycle it.
My DE in .44 has been good to go. I used it in two action shoots at the club as well as regular target shooting. It does take some time to learn to hold it properly and shoot it well but it gets some attention at the shoots!! It's taken a little bit of a back seat as of late.. since the arrival of my .460 now
Get the DE. You won't be sorry.
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That's a beauty, if they didn't make them in Ti Gold, that's what I'd get too.
Boomer686 said:
Yep, this thread has gone a long way to supporting that, and talking to my friend with the gun, he agrees that all of the issues are related to the specific requirements this gun has which you guys have covered well. This is in addition to the fact that it went from US to Israeli back to US made, and each time the switch was made, people blamed their issues on said switch.
For those interested: the FTF in Juggernaut's video (I am the ugly one in the vid) are caused by Hdy 350 gr XTPs loaded a bit short in thick-webbed IMI cases. The long bullet, when seated a smidge too deep hit the web and caused a small bulge in the case, making feeding a little sticky. Mea culpa.
The same OAL runs fine in Hdy, Starline, and Speer brass, and I have never had an issue with factory ammo that wasn't directly attributable to a lack of oil or old springs (Mine seems to like the springs replaced more often than some).
<grin> I seem to recall an earlier DE thread where I mentioned that this gun is a great tool for getting people into the sport: case and point...
The same OAL runs fine in Hdy, Starline, and Speer brass, and I have never had an issue with factory ammo that wasn't directly attributable to a lack of oil or old springs (Mine seems to like the springs replaced more often than some).
<grin> I seem to recall an earlier DE thread where I mentioned that this gun is a great tool for getting people into the sport: case and point...
I was just at the same stage as you (looking to buy) last month and all I could find in a search was about how everyone who owns these guns are wanna be gangsters, every time you shoot it it blows up and a bunch of other unjustified crap. Once you actually start talking to the people that own them and actually have a clue about them you soon learn that the hate is from people who just jumped on the "Its in lots of movies so that must mean anyone who wants one is a poser" band wagon when that has nothing to do with the reason me and probably 90% of the people buy them.
Like I said in another post I made on this topic. Dont let people convince you that you have to buy the $60 ammo. Hornady ammo is the the $30/Box of 20 price range in several stores and works great in my 50ae.
Hey thanks for chiming in, Obig-one Kenobi!
Well the thing is that I freely admit that I want one because it's intensely cool, and a non-trivial part of that is that I have seen it in some pretty awesome movies. It's part of the reason why I'm getting the gold one. It's like writing out a sign saying:
THIS IS A TOTALLY USELESS AND EVEN MORE TOTALLY AWESOME GUN!
then taking a bright neon yellow marker and highliting it
Thanks for the heads up on the ammo! I didn't know you could get it that cheap and I'm not ready to load my own yet, maybe some day.
Well the thing is that I freely admit that I want one because it's intensely cool, and a non-trivial part of that is that I have seen it in some pretty awesome movies. It's part of the reason why I'm getting the gold one. It's like writing out a sign saying:
THIS IS A TOTALLY USELESS AND EVEN MORE TOTALLY AWESOME GUN!
then taking a bright neon yellow marker and highliting it
Thanks for the heads up on the ammo! I didn't know you could get it that cheap and I'm not ready to load my own yet, maybe some day.
I actually had no idea what I saw but then there was Snatch...
Years ago in University, I actually walked into the gun range by UWaterloo, and asked them about the Deagle. The guy pretty much laughed at me. That was the last time it occurred to me that I could actually own the Unicorn until, totally jokingly, I asked Harwood if he had one... I almost fainted when he said yes.
He has a long history with firearms, namely what many purists would refer to as "legitimate" (eg hunting), so I figured that everyone like that thinks these are a joke. Turns out it's only those too insecure to embrace the idea that it's OK to like something for no other reason than that it's awesome. [seems like such a trivial concept...]
In California, we only have a choice between the black or the brushed chrome. None of the other finishes are available for sale, unless someone frome another state moves here and sells it privately.
But yes, at least the brushed chrome is attractive.
Wish I could have a Ti gold myself. Guess the proverbial "gun" is always "golder" applies here
In California, we only have a choice between the black or the brushed chrome. None of the other finishes are available for sale, unless someone frome another state moves here and sells it privately.
But yes, at least the brushed chrome is attractive.
Wish I could have a Ti gold myself. Guess the proverbial "gun" is always "golder" applies here
I was going to roll my eyes but then remembered some of the gun laws in Ontario...
Do they even bother explaining why? Or is it just one of those "it's a gun law, don't seek logic" things?
