I must be one of the inexperienced people in here because I've wanted one too. And I never figured it was "practical" for anything. I simply wanted it for the novelty!! I think though that I would want to shoot it outside. Even if you could find an indoor range that would let you shoot it, putting holes in paper seems to be a little less bang for my buck than I would care for. But "destroying" things with it would be satisfying enough to justify the occasional box of rounds!

Hey, afterall, how many things in life do you lust after because of their practicality!? Personally, I'd rather spend my paycheck on a motorcycle than groceries!!

They are a conversation piece, nothing more, nothing less...

The only thing that they are good for is punching paper. You can't hunt with them and they are impractical for self defense purposes.


But I have purchased other things for the "cool factor" and I am sure that I will again. If you have the cash, buy one.

I once heard that the Israeli Defense Force uses them to shoot down helicopters. That's about all I can think of that they would be good for......

I've seen 20 round boxes of .50ae ammo at my local dealer for about 21 to about 40 dollars a box.

quote:

You can't hunt with them

Huh?

quote:

Originally posted by shuter:

quote:

You can't hunt with them

Huh?

HE SAID "YOU CAN'T HUNT WITH THEM".

I had the 'opportunity' to shoot the DE .50 some years ago. It was not a pleasant experience for my weenie arms. Fired three rounds and the last round stovepiped. All being said, I bought the DE .357 over twenty years ago - don't know why, just pure impulse. I have to keep the barrel good and clean, otherwise it turns into a jam-o-matic.

Mack Bolan Hunts with a .44 Desert Eagle all the time.....

The nay-sayers are just envious. Assuming you already have dozens of firearms, go for it! The Hogue grips are a must, though.

If this is going to be your one-and-only handgun, then by all means get something more practical.

quote:

Originally posted by American Pit Bull:
You can't hunt with them...

A few animals I sent to the happy hunting grounds in the sky would disagree with that statement...

quote:
Originally posted by shuter:

quote:
You can't hunt with them


Huh?
HE SAID "YOU CAN'T HUNT WITH THEM".


Huh?

They ARE about as expensive to feed as a real Hummer is, so I can see that comparison. I'd love to shoot one, but I see no reason to own one other than fun. I can't afford that much 'fun'.

quote:

Originally posted by shuter:
quote:
Originally posted by shuter:

quote:
You can't hunt with them


Huh?
HE SAID "YOU CAN'T HUNT WITH THEM".


Huh?

What are you hard of hearing??

HE SAID "YOU CAN'T HUNT WITH THEM".
LOL


I blame dirty harry for this fixation on big boom boom handguns. So unless ak brown bear is in your future. I would love a 500 sw But
It's not high on my shortlist.
I would like a 50 bmg for squirrel hunting too.

quote:

The nay-sayers are just envious.

Bullshit.

Not a DE .50. Now, if you're talking about owning a Sig P-210, well, then maybe I'd have some envy.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm all for anyone owning whatever firearm they would like as long as they're safe when they enjoy their second ammendment rights.

...but anyone thinking that a Desert Eagle has any practical value is kidding themselves.

For any application you can think of, I can name a better tool, save one purpose: wowing inexperienced shooters at the range.

quote:

Originally posted by shuter:
quote:
Originally posted by shuter:

quote:
You can't hunt with them


Huh?
HE SAID "YOU CAN'T HUNT WITH THEM".


Huh?

You probably could hunt with one. But I think that there are other choices that are more flexible. DEs can be pretty ammo finicky. Revolvers give you a wider range of bullet wts and power levels - especially if you reload. Revolvers also give you more choices in barrel length and scope mounts. Finally, there's that size thing - handguns are supposed to be "sidearms", are they not? I'd much rather carry a Freedom Arms revolver on my hip.

Little follow up blurb

By chance a guest to our usual Sunday afternoon blastfest brought his Desert Eagle chambered for 50AE. I popped off 3 rounds in fairly quick succession ringing a 12 inch steel plate all 3 times at about 45 yards. The accuracy and control surprised the hell out of everyone including me.

Pros: Recoil isnt too bad at all, suprisingly accurate and controllable, 325grains of GD hollow point moving at 1400 fps! Can be used to anchor boats

Cons: expensive ammo, cartoonishly large firearm, everyone will guess you have a tiny weener

The only Desert Eagle I've ever seen in action couldn't make it through a mag without jamming and it didn't help my opinion that the pistol was being operated by the most mall-ninja looking mofo I've ever seen.

He would tell anybody at the range who even glanced in his direction that his Desert Eagle was .50AE. Than he would make a big show of aiming and shooting and the thing would invariably jam.

I personally think the DE is kind of stupid. If I wanted to shoot a big ass handgun I'd far rather have a big bore revolver. There's nothing that a Desert Eagle can do that a S&W or Ruger can't do better and more reliably IMHO.

But if it's the kind of thing that makes you happy, than more power to you.

Desert Eagle = complete and utter lameness. Only the Baby Eagles are worth the time, and I can think of more than a few better pistols.

If a gun is a tool, then typically a man holds a tool. In the case of a DE, it's a tool holding a gun.

I hunted deer and hogs with my DE .44, but found the .41 mag revolver to be less cumbersome and just as effective.

For the DE, I had a 12" barrel for it and a telescope. You'd have to be pretty close, but the deer are pretty much stupid down here and you can pretty much just knock them in the head with the thing.