First, the good news. After years of selling less-than-stellar American-made Desert Eagles, Magnum Research is once again selling Israeli-manufactured “IWI Classic Desert Eagles.” The limited run of Israel Military Industries (IMI).44 Magnum and .50 cal semi-automatic pistols follows Kahr’s June 2010 purchase of the Eagle’s U.S. distributor cum licensee. The new/old Eagle signals [we hope] the end of 16 years of American mal-production. “The limited production IWI manufactured Desert Eagle Pistols will utilize the original two-piece barrel design, and original ‘claw type’ safeties,” Kahr/Magnum press release reveals. And that, slash fans, is the bad news . . .
“Visit www.magnumresearch.com or www.kahr.com to learn more about these and other Kahr products”? Uh, no. Kahr needs to stop co-branding the Desert Eagle. In fact, the name Magnum Research ought to take its brand talons off the Eagle as well. For yea verily, the Desert Eagle IS a brand. You know, like the Corvette. [Click here for Jack Baruth’s TTAG review. Of the Eagle.]
Yes, I know: it’s a Chevrolet Corvette and a Magnum Research Desert Eagle. Who cares? Not the average gun buyer. It makes no more sense to sell a ‘Vette with the same bow tie as an Aveo as it does to market a Desert Eagle evoking the name of the manufacturer of the CM9. Don’t even get me started on Magnum Research’s “line extensions.”
Too late. What, exactly, is the point of a .380 ACP Micro Desert Eagle? Especially compared to . . .
Gas-operated, rotating bolt semiautomatic pistols constructed from a high quality carbon steel barrel, frame and slide. Both have a 6” barrel length and 10.75” overall length with 6.25” height and 1.25” slide width. These pistols have a trigger reach of 2.75” and approximately a 4lb. trigger pull with fixed combat type sights and an 8.5” sight radius. The .50 AE model, the DE50W, has a .495” bore diameter, polygonal rifling with 1:19 right hand twist and 7 round magazine capacity. The .44 Magnum model, the DE44W, has a .492” bore diameter, polygonal rifling with 1:18 right hand twist and 8 round magazine capacity. Barrels between the .44 Magnum and .50AE are interchangeable.
I like the original Desert Eagle. A lot. So are we in Classic Coke vs. Coke territory here? Yes. Yes, we are. But never mind because “Mark XIX Desert Eagle Pistols and parts produced in the USA and Israel are completely interchangeable on either gun.” That I’d like to see. Or . . . not.