i hear the 50 AEs can be a bit unreliable, and take a bit on tinkering. does the same go for the 44 mag od the 357? anyone ever had the 357? does it eat any ammo?

seems like if your gettin a eagle you should make it worth it and get the 50 or 44. might as well just get a 45 rather than a semi 357

I prefer .357 over .44 or .50. It is cheaper to shoot and I find the recoil a lot more manageable. Mine has over 5000 rounds through it and it still shoots flawlessly. Excellent accuracy since I found out mine prefers 158 grain FMJ.

Quoted: have not heard anything about the 50ae DE being unreliable. the 357 would be cheaper, ammo wise, and less recoil....

maybe unreliable isnt the right word. but hard on internal parts. maybe im wrong though.

At the local gun range that I go to, they usually replace the gas piston in their rental 44 Mag DE every so often because there is an itty-biity leg on it that breaks off.  The piston back then was about $35 from Magnum Indust. I don't know the number of rounds, my friend didn't say.

Quoted: have not heard anything about the 50ae DE being unreliable. the 357 would be cheaper, ammo wise, and less recoil....

I have.  This was brought up here before.  Some posted a link to some DE webpage.  EVERYONE on that page with a .50AE DE had to send it in for work TWICE in 1000 rounds. The problem they sighted was that the .50 DE is built on the .44/.357 gun with a .50 barrel.  I have no experience with the DE and don't know whether this is actually an accurate criticism.  I will try to find the web page.

zvis.com/dep/dep.shtml

Like I said, I do not own a DE and cannot vouch for the credibility of the info on this web page.  All I know is that this site was referenced on a previous argument on AR15.com reguarding the quality of the .50AE DE's.

Edited again to mention this:

zvis.com/dep/depfaqtmpl.shtml?faq/faq9.dat

This has changed since I last saw this page (about a year ago).  I cannot find any info on that page about people sending guns back to Mag. Research for work, but a swear it was there.

I first bought a DE 357 then upgraded it to a 50AE.  It eats at ya knowing this monster hanggun is capable of much more than a "puny" 357 magnum round.  If you're gonna spend the dough on a Desert Eagle ($800-$1400), then the $1.10 a shot shouldn't bother you too much.  Go big.  That's the Magnum Research way.  Big.  You don't buy a Desert Eagle to conceal.  You buy it either to hunt or target shoot.  I guess if you're eccentric and have the nickname of 'Boomer,' carry it on your hip.

Don't get me wrong, it's probably my favorite handgun, and was also my 'first.' Gun that is.

My experience is that there are THREE things that'll interfere with your shooting regarding the Desert Eagle, of any caliber.

1) Bad ammo
2) Loose grip on the gun
3) Bracing the gun by magazine

Magnum Research recommends certain types of ammo as the slide is heavy and needs a good flame to push it back.  I thought I could get away with some plinking 357 rounds, but they kept jamming.  I switche to MR's recommended ammo, and no problems thereafter.

Also, the torque on the extractor is more powerful than most.  Especially with the .50AE, so a firm grip is necessary to prevent the bolt moving you instead of the spent casing.  You'll know this when the first one bounces off your face.

Also know that you should not hold the gun by the base.  Any pressure on the free-floating magazine will cause it to jam.  This cause a whole mess of problems.  And is, according to Magnum Research (I called) is the most common problem owners complain about.  Simple fix.

It seems finicky but if you follow those 3 rules (again this is just my experience) you'll have a good time, with any caliber.

Another point of note, some people like the gun and some don't.  The fact is that the Desert Eagle is a big powerful semi-auto handcannon.  It's made for blowing out big rounds.  It takes some finesse.  The gun has it's limitations, but that's not why we love em so much now is it!  If I want to carry a gun or shoot something hostile, chances are I'd unholster my glock or my 1911.  Unless of course the Desert Eagle .50 Action Express is already in my hands, in which case I'd blast the target into the next grid and mop up the goo later.

You should see what that .50 bullet does to an eggplant.  lol.  But if you're gonna get a Desert Eagle, go for the grizzly.  Go 50AE.  The thing weighs 4.5 lbs empty.  It's made for 325 grain loads.  Use it.  Although in defense of the 357 magnum barrel option, the recoil is similar to that of a 9mm.

Happy shooting

Yeah, you gotta use at least average-power, if not full-house rounds (i.e. no downloads... they won't cycle).  You cannot use wadcutters.  You cannot use .38 spl or .44 spl (hey, if you think it's obvious, I've stopped someone trying to do this)

Also, no limp-wristing.  If you don't hold the gun firmly, it will short-stroke.

All in all, I like the .44 DE the best... good balance between power and livability.  However, it's a good gun in .357 too.

Had a DE .357 back quite a few years ago when they first appeared and .357 was your only choice... definately use full house 158gr ammo and stay away from Blazer ammo... oops... tore the case head right off, but that was my only jam of any sort with the gun.  Feed it and lube it properly and it'll work.  I'd have kept that big beast but the large voids in the investment cast frame under the grips didn't sit too well with me and Magnum Research had an 'oh well' attitude about it so I swapped it for a Smith Classic Hunter .44... I've still got that Smith...

My DE .357's favorite ammo is 158 grain American Eagle semi-jacketed HP's. It did not like the lighter stuff at all.

I don't suppose they make a .22LR conversion kit for the DE, do they?  Just kidding.

Don't they sell a kit with all 3 barrels, .357, .44, and .50AE?  Might as well spend the extra bucks and get them all.

Yes, there are several kits available from Magnum Research to include different calibers,  barrel lengths, & finishes.
I had a .50 DEP for some time, put maybe 1,000 rounds or so through it - w/ absolutely no functionality problems whatsoever.  Just keep it clean!!  Awesome weapon.

I'm waiting for the .50 BMG conversion.  

My brother and I have shot his 50 AE a bunch and never had any problems with it functioning. We have always used factory and full power reloads using H110. Damn thing gives me a flinch after a while though, I'd just as soon shoot something a bit milder.

With the advent of the 357 Sig, there doesn't seem to be much point to owning a 357 DE.  The Sig isn't quite as powerful as the magnum, but it's close.  I'd go with the 44 Mag.  Cheaper to shoot than 50 and easier on the body.

BTW, is anyone making a 357 Sig 1911 right now?  That would be a fun paper puncher!