The Magnum Research Desert Eagle 44 Mag Wasn't What I Expected

The Desert Eagle is one of the most widely used firearms in movies; while watching Deadpool & Wolverine, I pointed out to my wife that Deadpool was using Desert Eagles, and this wasn’t the first time I’d done this during a movie. Having never fired one until recently, I wondered why they were so popular in movies but not so much in the home or self-defense realm. I had my suspicions. It’s a giant, intimidating handgun, perfect for use in cinema. However, that doesn’t translate well into concealed carrying or home defense, so I had to test it out.

Magnum Research was happy to send me a DE 44 Magnum (the most well-known model is the 50 AE) to test and see what the big deal is with this big gun. I’m used to shooting 9mm and 45 ACP, so the 44 Mag was new. My grandpa has some 357 Magnums, and I’ve never been a fan of shooting them. I always thought they had too much recoil, and I couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with them.

To prepare myself while waiting for the Magnum Research Desert Eagle to arrive, I spoke with a buddy at church who had some experience with the 44 Magnum. He said, “It’s a man’s gun; be prepared for some serious recoil.”

A few days later, I received a call from my local gun shop to come pick up my new firearm. Since Desert Eagles are more prevalent in the movies than in the wild, I was the talk of the shop, and apparently, every gun shop employee had drooled over this pistol.

Initial Thoughts on the Desert Eagle

I couldn’t blame them as he opened the box to show me a beautiful black behemoth of a firearm. I’m a small guy, standing only 5’6” and with small hands, but this pistol makes my hands look tiny.

As I reached to pick it up, the gun shop employee warned me about the weight. At over 4 pounds, it was just as heavy as the .22 LR rifle I was also picking up. I wasn’t sure how I would be able to hold it up and aim for any length of time, so I would definitely have to start working out again!

I was eager to get home and start shooting it at the range I built on the backside of my property. So I ordered some ammo from Ammo.com, and when it arrived, I headed straight for my shooting range.

I set up paper and self-healing targets and properly positioned my steel shooting tree. I loaded the magazine as calmly as possible with some jacketed hollow points (I couldn’t find any full metal jackets), put on my hearing and eye protection, and stepped to the shooting line.

Taking aim, bracing myself, and as smoothly as I could with adrenaline surging through me, I squeezed the trigger, expecting to get thwapped upside the face and receive a broken nose from this chunk of metal.

To my shock, I hit the target, and the recoil was minimal. I hadn’t thought about the weight of the gun helping to absorb the recoil until I’d fired it, then it made sense.

After I finished shooting the mag, grinning like a raccoon who had just found a trash bag at a campsite, I called my brother to tell him about my shooting experience with the Desert Eagle.

Magnum Research Desert Eagle 44 Mag Specs

These specs were taken directly from the Operating Instructions manual. You can choose from several models, and the specs will vary depending on the exact model you purchase.

• Length: 10.75”
• Height: 6.25”
• Width: 1.25”
• Trigger Reach: 2.75”
• Sight Radius: 8.5”
• Empty Weight: 4 lbs, 7 oz
• Magazine Capacity: 8 Rounds
• Gas Operated
• Combat Sights
• Comes With Manuals, 1 Magazine, Gun Case, Lock, and 5 in 1 Cleaning Tool

Getting A Second Opinion

When I showed my dad the gigantic pistol, he wasn’t overly enthused about firing it, but my brother was just as eager as I was, so while on the phone with him, he let me know when he’d be back from his deployment and have some time to shoot.

As we headed to the range, I relayed my initial testing to him to let him know what to expect. He must not have believed me because he had the same reaction I had after my first shot: a look of disbelief in the amount of recoil. He claimed the recoil was less snappy than his buddy's 9mm Springfield Armory Hellcat.

This makes sense, considering the pistols' tremendous size and weight difference.

We encountered a few jams while shooting, which I thought was abnormal, so I checked the Operating Instructions to see that we were shooting it incorrectly, causing the jams.

Since we were both used to shooting 9mm or 45 ACP, we needed to adjust our grip and lock our elbows, which allowed the gun to cycle better and quickly fixed our jamming problems.

Both he, a left-handed shooter, and I, a right-handed shooter, were able to shoot consistent groups despite having minimal experience with the pistol.

We agreed the Desert Eagle 44 Mag is incredibly fun to shoot!

Desert Eagle Pros

While testing the Desert Eagle, I wanted to ensure I remained as neutral as possible despite my excitement. Here are all the benefits I thought of while testing the Magnum Research Desert Eagle 44 Magnum:

• Iconic Firearm
• Multiple Cartridge Options
• Lower Recoil Than Expected
• Fun To Shoot
• Well Designed & Well Built
• Easy To Field Strip & Clean
• Fully Customizable
• Multiple Models Available

Desert Eagle Cons

Even though this is an excellent firearm, there are several reasons why I didn’t own one sooner, and they might keep you from purchasing one.

• Expensive To Purchase & Shoot
• Slight Firearm Manipulation Learning Curve
• Unable To Conceal Carry
• Less Than Ideal For Home Defense

Parting Shots

Whether you’re a movie lover, like my wife, or drool over firearms, as I do, you can appreciate the Magnum Research Desert Eagle 44 Magnum.

Despite initially being a little leary, I’ve found that I enjoy shooting this firearm as much as any of my other guns. I’m not quite confident enough with it to take it deer hunting, but that could be a possibility in the future since the 44 Mag has plenty of power to harvest deer ethically.

For now, it rests locked in my gun safe, waiting for the next trip to the shooting range, which will be sooner rather than later!