A bit of an odd issue and I can't imagine what caused it.



I purchased this XIX desert eagle on here for a steal of a price about 4 months ago. I knew the gun was not pristine or close to it and was and am fine with that. It's accurate, demands hotter loads than my other eagles but still reliable, and fun to shoot.

However after my first outing with it I noticed a crack on the slide. I thought it might be a scratch at first, but it is definitely a crack (after shooting some oil will seep through it). I am not sure how a crack formed here, to be honest. My assumption was that overused springs let the gun batter itself to the point of damage. There is no other visible wear and aside from finish damage (finish is not original) the gun otherwise is in good shape.

I replaced the springs, and everything else in the tuneup kit. I shot the gun enough to be satisfied with the reliability, but have sort of shelved it a bit due to fears of durability.

The crack does not appear to be growing. I have probably put a bit under 400 rounds through it since getting it and the crack is the same now as it was when I saw it.

I have emailed magnum research several times with no response. I have tried calling with... also no response, even when I leave a message.

I want to refinish the gun, but I am not going to do it if the slide might break and require replacement. I can just buy a new slide ($200ish at numrich) but if MR says it will not spread, or of I can drill a small hole in the crack to stop the spread, then cool.

Shipping it to MR outside of warranty is pointless as I can get a new slide for about what it would cost for shipping, their minimum billing and return shipping, even with no new parts.

Buying a slide is the smartest thing and probably what I will do. I would be very mad if i were to refinish the gun then have the slide break. However I can't imagine why the slide would crack there, in that manner. It seems like the slide might have been dropped, because that is a bizarre point to fracture from and it doesn't appear to be spreading from additional shooting.

Searching for "cracked desert eagle slide" just returns bunches of airsofters. I have yet to hear about a desert eagle slide actually doing this through normal use.

I agree it seems like an odd place for a crack to form. If it was caused by shooting I would expect he crack to run transverse to the primary stress, not aligned with, as with your crack.

If it was from being dropped, I would expect some other evidence. Is the slide dented anywhere, like from being dropped?

Is the crack aligned with the slide rail cut on the inside of the slide?

Can you source a replacement slide for the cost of shipping? I bought a used stripped slide a few years ago, and then found out all of the small parts cost a few hundred dollars.

For non warranty work MR bills a minimum  $60 plus an hourly fee plus $40 return shipping. Figure $40 to get it there, plus the cost of any additional labor, and you're out $200 before you even buy replacement parts.

Numrich has the slide for a bit over $200. I did not intend to imply that I could get a slide for the cost of shipping. What additional parts would I need that couldn't be stripped out of this slide? I can't imagine any fitting would be needed for this gun but I could be wrong.

But I don't see any other damage or indication why this would spread. It functions like expected and doesn't appear to be inhibited by this or any other damage. I am just tired of this beat up finish, but don't want to have the gun refinished only to need to do it again if the slide were to give way.

Contacted MR today and spoke with their CS and a gunsmith. Nobody can figure out how it happened

I will just buy a new slide, no big deal.

Sorry. I was thinking of my situation where I wanted a spare complete slide. You are correct that you could reuse all of the small parts from your existing slide. This would be a good solution.

One thing to check, make sure you are getting a MK-XIX slide from Numrich. Seems last time I looked at these, it was not clear if the slides were for these, or the older MK-VII slides. Maybe they improved their description since I last looked n

Quick update, I ordered the slide from Numrich. I received an American made XVI slide. All parts interchanged without issue with the exception of the rear sight. I quickly learned that for some bizarre reason the front and rear sight dovetails are different between US and Israeli models, even within the XVI model family. The Israelli rear sight is totally loose in the American rear dovetail (finger pressure alone can seat and move it in the dovetail); whereas the American front sights won't even come close to fitting in the Israeli front dovetail. And I don't mean just a little (I'm not afraid to bust out a file), I mean not even close. Why do it this way? Don't know.

Either way, I got some williams firesights and used the rear. It's a little odd going with a FO rear and blacked out front (still using the Israeli barrel) but it works fine and shoots well. No complaints, and if anyone else ever runs into this issue, mixing Israeli and American Desert Eagle parts, outside of sights, doesn't appear to be a problem at all. The peace of mind afforded by the fixed slide is worth the money. My old slide didn't show any indication of coming to pieces, but I often drag the desert eagle out for newer shooters because of how distinctive it is, and I don't want to take any chances.

XVI?  let's see, that's 10 minus five plus one, 16?  or is that 10 minus five-minus-one, 14?  can never get the roman numerals math straight.

i heard about the Mark VII (seven), and the Mark XIX (19).  figure there's probably a Mark I and maybe Mark II  (there always is in the Marks).  didn't know bout the 14 or 16. hmmm.  I gotta do more googling...

admittedly, i'm new to Desert Eagles.

Roman numerals: (in case you were serious, not being sarcastic)

When the smaller number follows the larger, you add it. So XV is 15. VI is six. XVI is sixteen.

When the smaller precedes the larger, you subtract it from the larger. IV is five minus one, or four.

XIX is ten plus ten minus one or nineteen.

Fortunately we have Arabic numerals and base ten math. Maybe Roman Numerals caused the downfall of the Empire?!

i wasn't being sarcastic, but maybe light-hearted.

anyways, so there is, was a Desert Eagle Mark sixteen? XVI.  honest, serious question.  i can only find info about the Mark 1, Mark VII, and Mark XIX.

i have a current production Mk XIX in 44Mag, and bought the 357IMB (Integral Muzzle Brake) barrel and 357 bolt (and a slew of 357 mags) on the side.  also acquired the 44IMB barrel.  so, perhaps, more than a passing interest.

ETA: not intending to derail the OP post. glad to see the cracked slide saga had a happy ending.

Yeah, it's an XIX. Apparently my autocorrect ever since the new Android update changes XIX to XVI. Among a host of other bizarre changes.

I would expect MR to make this right for $0.

Guess I wont be buying anything they make.

In fairness to them I do not know if it was truly their issue or if somebody broke it through other means (dropped it, smacked it on something, hammered nails with it). I bought it on here and while the seller should have disclosed this issue, I paid an extremely low price for the gun and understood it would need some tlc. This was apparently a gun range rental at one point. I replaced the springs and a couple of magazine guts already but those are wear items on any high use desert eagle.


Even with the new slide I only have about $800 in the thing, and now it runs great; although it does demand heavier loads than my other Desert Eagle in 44.