MAGNUM RESEARCH’s Micro Desert Eagle
The Micro Desert Eagle pistol from Magnum Research chambered in .380 ACP is a true compact personal protection pistol. Weighing in at less than 14 oz., the Micro Eagle is comfortable at home, in a pocket or in a purse. The Micro Eagle features our gas assisted blowback system for ultimate reliability and hammer forged barrels for amazing accuracy. Finely crafted in the U.S., the DAO Micro Eagle pistol is the ultimate in safety and compact personal protection.
Technical Specifications:
Model: Micro Desert Eagle Pistol
Caliber: .380 Auto (9 mm Browning)
Length: 4.52″ / 116 mm
Height: 3.71″ / 95 mm
Width: 0.90″ / 23 mm
Length of the Barrel: 2.22″ / 57 mm
Weight Empty: 14 oz / 400 grams
Magazine Capacity: 6-Rounds
Trigger Mechanism: DAO
Safety: DAO
Sights: Fixed/Non-Adjustable
MSRP $535.00
For more information on this and other Magnum Research products, visit www.magnumresearch.com
November 18th, 2009 at 10:27 am
rambo66, you are dum dum…
November 16th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I have had mine for two months now and it is a great gun. No issues whatsoever on FTE or load. What I like about it is I put it in the wallet holster and it is thin, light, and I carry it all the time. I had hip and shoulder holster for my P220 Sig and SP101 Ruger but they are too big and heavy for everyday. I know those weapons have much more power etc. but I also know that if I can’t defend myself and family from point blank range with a .380 then it is my fault, not the gun. I looked long at the LCP as it was approx 100$ cheaper, but there were more bad things written about it than the DE. I paid $449 and another $25 for an extra clip.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Has to be a matter of choice-&-what works best! Buying the MDE Micro .380 solved my Jamming problems & I’m finally able to protect myself. My H&K 9mm Compact jams every single round…brand new out of the box (500 round & counting) But only for me! MDE is also new. I’m a woman & have proven myself on the range, but need a steel frame, lightwieght & extra small because of my size to conceal. My MDE Micro has NEVER misfired or jammed & for me that’s an absolute miracle. I’ve become a pro at clearing stovepipe jams, live double round jams & can tell you my technique has nothing to do with it…it’s all in my wrists….my tiny little wrists! But I’m still ALLOWED TO ARM and PROTECT MYSELF!! If you don’t want a long trigger pull or something that kicks like a mule - maybe you’re better suited for a pea shooter. I personaly LOVE IT, It’s absolutely perfect!! The Gas-Assisted Blowback system was the answer to my prayers. It’s obviously not everyones. I have small hands & had to handle the bigger pistols..WOW this is great! Kudos to Magnum Research for producing a pistol that a “Lady” can carry.
November 11th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I’ve owned my Micro Eagle since June 2009 and I absolutely love it! Yes, its a little weird with the long trigger pull and still pretty hard to find accessories for it (like a belt holster), but I still love the little thing and use it as my daily consealed carry. It’s easy to hide in a pocket and really fun to shoot. Slide bite can be an issue and the grip is pretty small, but thats expected with pocket guns like this. My old pocket carry was a Beretta Bobcat (22lr) but I wanted something with a little more “umph” and around the same size. So I traded it in for the MDE. It’s not for everyone but I’m very happy with the gun and really recommend it to any experienced pocket pistol enthusiasts.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:43 am
D.Eagle rocks…. but not this D.eagle mini/micro… i prever the one that is the size of the hand and powerful
October 29th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I just bought the Micro Desert Eagle (MDE) about a week ago. I bought it mainly because I was aware of Magnum Research’s (MRI) partnership with IMI/IWI and the Desert Eagle. The problem I had was that my MDE had a bad magazine. I ordered a new one from DEpro.com and another from MRI’s site. This solved my problem. The mag follower got stuck and would not feed properly. I suspect this might not be an uncommon problem with this gun. This gun is very nice and small. The trigger is tough at 8.3 lbs of force required to fire the pistol. If you want a durable pocket .380, this is it. This isn’t a gun for amateurs however. You can hurt yourself if your not careful of how you use it.
October 13th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I just purchased my micro 380 yesterday, as of yet I have not fired it, After reading some of the replys I hope I made the right choice…..
September 24th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I bought a MICRO DESERT EAGLE for my wife for self defense. The first time she fired it, she used two hands and got a nasty slide bite on her thumb. The cut needed only three stitches, but the ER visit cost $ 1,300. Add that to the $600+ we paid for the gun and it’s gotten to be quite expensive. I’ve noticed they are now putting a warning sticker on the grip, but this gun did not have that warning sticker. I don’t hold Magnum Research responsible for her injury since this was really her own fault. However, I do believe there is a flaw in the design of the magazine. It releases way to easily and my wife has a tendency of accidentally touching the magazine release button when she picks up the gun and the magazine falls out. While that’s pretty bad, the worst part is that the bottom of the magazine has a cheap plastic cap on the end that holds the bullets in. She dropped the gun from three feet onto our kitchen floor and it landed on the plastic end of the magazine. The plastic broke and the bullets went everywhere. The plastic cap has a grove in it where it slides onto the metal magazine. This grove is where the weakness is. I suspect it would have eventually broken with normal usage. See the picture at http://pages.suddenlink.net/21stcenturycomputers/MDE1.jpg. It’s too bad Magnum Research didn’t do a little research on the problems with the magazine. I’m really disappointed they used cheap plastic on such a critical part. This part is under the stress of the spring compression and it should have been made out metal. I hope they redesign the magazine. If they do, it will be a great little gun. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I tried the LCP and my trigger finger kept hitting my thumb before firing. Additionally, a blast of hot air kept slapping me in the face from each round. Anyone notice these problems with the microDE? I had one failure to feed (Remington HP) out of 4 clips.
The LM4 Semmerling qualifies as a pocket pistol. It shoots the 45 acp. Its @ 0.7 in longer than the micro, 10 oz heavier, and a lot more $$$$$. American Derringer is making them now.
August 29th, 2009 at 1:21 am
I just put $160.00 down on one of these MDE.I hope I didnt mess up.I dont personally know anyone that owns one. I hope mine is a good one.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Bought a Kel Tec P-3AT and actually had to use it in a self defense situation. Had it loaded with Speer Gold Dot. It worked great and cost half the price of the micro desert eagle.
August 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
MDEgleowner, I’m about to take this website off my favs. Please let me know when you’re ready to get rid of ur MDE. Tnewguy@ymail.com
August 20th, 2009 at 8:51 am
well i bought mine a month ago. i used blazer ammo cause thats all i could find. it mis fed on every third shot of the 20. now it sits locked in my car. hope it works when i need it. cant find any .380 ammo so i have no idea what kind of gun it is. you also cant be mags for the gun. i have been waiting 2 months and now they are saying mid september.
I had a different experience with my Glock 27.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Got a used Micro Desert Eagle. Thought it was nice until the magazine started falling out. I can insert the magazines and it locks but if I grab the bottom of the magazine and jiggle it, it falls out. I “fixed” this with a piece of duct tape on the back side of the magazine. Hey it worked. Haven’t shot it yet but I’m sure it will be a jammer and I’ll end up tossing it.
August 16th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Have you tried Corbon powerball or hornady Critical Defense. I never had a single malfunction with those. As for the range. I shot independence ammo. If you haven’t, just givem a try.
Good luck!!!
August 12th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Hi Formermdeglowner… Hope all is well. If you read my posts, carefully, you’d find the MDE I have was not as good/reliable as yours was and may be classified as a jammo-matic. Thus, you would not really want to go through all of the ordeals I have been through.
I have tried many brands and types of .380 ammo, all having the same results. If I had not, I would not have posted to this thread. So, for safety reasons, my particular gun has to be shelved.
July 28th, 2009 at 3:08 am
Also, for Rambo. What the hell does owning a MDEagle have to do with being an X-Ranger? Does that make you a .380 expert? Seriously? Please break it down for me. I’m a paper pusher. Mine worked flawless!! What does that mean?
July 28th, 2009 at 12:29 am
I had one of thses babies. I only shot about 100 rnds and never had any issues with it. Never jammed. Never failed to feed. Accuracy wasn’t great but that could have been user error, lol. Anyway, I had financial issues & had to sell it. Needless to say I am kicking myself in the ass now.
Also,this goes out to “MDEglOwnr” that posted on May 27 2009 @ 7:06 PM, since I still can’t afford to get another one. if you chalked it up as a loss. Just send it over my way. I’ll take it off your hands.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:26 am
I had one of thses babies. I only shot about 100 rnds and never had any issues with it. Never jammed. Never failed to feed. Accuracy wasn’t great but that could have been user error, lol. Anyway, I had financial issues & had to sell it. Needless to say I am kicking myself in the ass now.
Also,this goes out to “MDEglOwnr” that posted on May 27 2009 @ 7:06 PM, if you chalked it up as a loss. Just send it over my way. I’ll take it off your hands.
July 27th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Own one, love it, thats it. Get one, shoot it, you’ll love it too.
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:35 am
IMI Mini Eagle, just got mine, Its small? grips are smallest, its “fat” in the hand but it would have to be to cover the .380. Good pocket weapon,but a little heavy compaired to the KelTec. No jams, no misfeeds, ran like a clock, but the web of your hand will take a beating after 150 rds. The twin chamber ports are intersting after dark. It’s built like a brick and should last for years. Wish the grip was maybe 2 rounds longer. Love the twin springs on pins, nice touch. My small Yaqui slide holster carriers it nicely. I ran everything thru it, W&W white box, Magtech, euro brass, etc, not a problem. Its not cheap but it looks good. It now sits beside the J frame along with the car keys, its only an issue of what I want to drop into the pocket while going out the door. The Take Down is interesting, but once you figure it out, its makes prefect sense. Hold everything in a 6″ circle at 15 ft. off hand, very long & heavy trigger pull, but once you know its there, no problem. I’m a fan..
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 am
as you can see my feedback about my MDE was a great gun as I was an ex Army Ranger… I never shot it that much. Now that I have put two boxes of excellent shells through it, it jams like a motherfucker. When you see back when I first bought it and when I was very exited about it, I had just shot 6 shells through it. 2 boxes of shells later, it jams like a motherfucker. Take it for what its worth by an ex Army Ranger!!!!!!!
June 14th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Have this gun for 500+ rounds, my preference for boot/back pocket pistol
I typically carry 45 officer model, but just to big sometimes and my ppk is too.
Have tried lcp/na and was not happy with quality.
My favorite was a amt backup that finally broke after dropping for the bukoo time - cant get parts now.
So mde is good replacement for me and 500 well spent
May 27th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Sorry to disappoint, for those who cannot or refuse to believe, but my MDE is a jammo-matic. I have retired the gun and chalked it up as a loss ($-wise). As with anything mechanical, statistically speaking, there are going to be a certain amount of defects, no matter the manufacturer or who they may be affiliated with i.e.(IWI). I have also read many other blogs/posts aside from this one and it appears as if there is a trend with the MDE’s being problematic in similar and far worse failure modes. Whatever the reason, I cannot be forgiving with this being a backup gun. Does it function flawlessly every time? 1 or 0? Yes or no? No excuses! I have seen people making excuses for the gun stating problems with ammo. That kind of reasoning will put the MDE in the same class as the LCP. LCP cannot feed JHP rounds well i.e.(Fiocci) as they get stuck in the mag!!! Never had a problem with my Guardian .380 or my Sig P232 (different class of gun altogether but will still eat any and all .380 ammo).
May 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Was on the verge of buying one today. Held it in my right hand and pulled the slide back with my left. The slide took a bite out of my skin between thumb & forefinger. Warning label says be careful of grip. Wonder who has time to check grip in a self-defense situation.
May 20th, 2009 at 11:21 am
I bought one of these Micro Desert Eagles 2 months ago. I have put nearly a thousand rounds through it and i have yet to have any misfires or jams. Ive read a lot of posts saying these guns break, I find that hard to believe. I sold my LCP to get this gun and ill never go back. the accuracy is unmatched when it comes to these “mouse” guns. shoot your guns and learn how they fire you cant go wrong…
May 14th, 2009 at 10:17 am
My first micro blew the slide apart after 24 rounds, needless to say i was highly dissapointed. I returned it to where purchased and was imedeatley handed another brand new one. although i was impressed with the service i was very nervous to fire this one, it has turned out to be a extremely nice pistol with no problems. Now with over 600 rounds through it its my favorite back up pistol. Feeds great and the accuracy is outstanding for a pocket rocket. have owned keltec and lcp, lcp is total junk, keltec is at least dependable, micro kicks but!!! also have naa pug 22 mag great gun as well !!!
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
No Vica, get training, then get a revolver or a Glock. Then get more training. Try Baby Glock aka G26
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:43 pm
I’m thinking of buying this gun which will be my first time owning a gun. Do you think this is an ok gun for a female?
April 26th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
My new Micro Eagle broke after less than a box of ammo
April 20th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I’m quite happy with my new Micro Eagle. It’s eaten a mix of ammunition with no trouble, 250 rounds with no jams, misfires, or other issues. It has a solid kick and will hurt my hand after an extended time on the range. Nice pocket holster from the Magnum Research web site–works with a number of my other mouseguns as well. While some people may quibble about the .380 round, it seems to me if you place your shots well, it becomes as effective as it needs to be. My Micro Desert Eagle seems to have greater inherent accuracy thanI do. I like my new gun.
April 18th, 2009 at 7:39 am
I have a brand new DE micro. I cannot disassemble for ispection following the manual instruction, starting from linning up the slide and the frame with the guide marking and turning it 180 degrees clockwise, it just not turning … pls illustrate or is there any available video link on field stripping the micro.
I cannot believe some of the comments of misfeeding, misfiring and jams … the micro is suppose to be flawless … can this be operator error, ammo quality or a lemon kind … this comments makes me upset. comments pls.
April 15th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Its being built in the US. In Minnesota, frame up.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Magnum Research is Isreali Weapons Industry (IWI, used to be IMI Isreali military Industry) U.S. Counterpart, contrary to some of the comments below this gun is assembled and made in the USA. Also contrary to below, you will never find a pocket pistol in .45 as the caliber requires parts too large to fit in a pocket. The 5.7 cartridge is ineffective for personal defense, it was designed to penetrate body armor for law enforcement applications, however civilians cannot get the ammo that is capable of doing this. FN is also the main proponent of this cartridge as it designed it for its Five Seven pistol and PS90 assault rifle. 380 is an effective round if you use frangible ammunition which is made by several companies now, blazer safety slugs, magsafe among others. I would like to shoot one of these, however overall it feels better than the LCP which is simply a Kel Tec knock off, and the kel tec is cheap plastic and not very accurate. Kahr makes a nice small 9mm, there is always the ppk/s and the bersa thunder380 copy too, however I have not had much luck with walther accuracy since they started making them in the usa, and the bersa is a little big.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
ZVI, a Czech gun manufacturer, licensed the design for their .380 “Kevin” model to Magnum Research who manufacture it in Minneapolis, MN with minor changes to cosmetics and mechanics.
9mm Para is a very high pressure round, unlike .380. To expect .380 pocket gun design to chamber 9mm Para is expecting too much. Show me a 9mm this small and I’ll buy it if it also looks this hot. I’m buying one tomorrow.
March 14th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Another American alternative is the Kel-Tek P-3AT. It is longer, but shorter in height, and lighter as well. I’ve heard of people having some feed problems with them, but if you send it back with a description of your problem and the type of ammo you prefer, they will make it right. I’ve put over 400 rds through mine, with no feed problems or misfires at all. Some good ammo, some cheap, and a lot of reloads (more reloads than anything). If you need a holster, try http://www.hiddenholsters.net.
March 3rd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Micro looks like a great boot gun!
March 3rd, 2009 at 12:55 am
Wow! Just bought this. UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! I’ve got a NA Guardian .380 that has never been very reliable, which I will now be selling at the next gun show to come through town. hopefully I just had a dud, but good riddance. Always seemed to have a problem with the extractor/double feeding. Was told to keep it really clean and I did, but just doesn’t seem to matter. Weighed down my pocket a ton, too, because of the weight.
What a joy to shoot this micro eagle. I’m no expert like most guys who post on these boards, but I’m so happy with my purchase I felt compelled to post. All these problems that I read about when going to a smaller pocket pistol that I was very concerned about seem now to be overblown. I’m sure many are valid, but they seem to take a back seat given the reliability so far.
One problem that I wasn’t expecting is the tremendous amount of recoil with this 380. I still like my Smith 32 H&R Mag revolver, even though the ammo is going to drive me to the poor farm, because it has no recoil whatsoever (and six shots!). I guess it will just take some getting used to. One other problem, even though I’ve only had it for 3 days, I don’t see much out there in terms of pocket holsters (or any other kind of holster for that matter) that fit this pistol on the internet, and nothing in the few stores I’ve been to locally. Even Magnum Research homepage doesn’t have a holster for it. Due to the shape of the barrel and trigger guard, it’s hard to put this in a holster made for other pistols. NAA Guardian .380 pocket holster is too big, so I’ve just been carrying it in a bellyband the last few days that I bought several years ago for my Walther TPH. Seems to fit very snuggly, but fits nonetheless. If anyone has a suggestion for a pocket holster, I’m listening.
March 1st, 2009 at 9:50 am
I have a Baby Eagle that I love, we have a ruger ,and a glock .40 as well, the baby is the only one I shoot. I have small hands and have shoulder and arm operations. I would really like to get the micro, but would be interested in laser sites for both my baby and the micro, they just don’t seem to be available any ideas !
February 9th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I have recently added the Micro Desert Eagle (MDE) to my collection of pocket guns. My experience with the MDE has been less than pleasing. Contrary to what ZipTech said of his MDE, mine is having many feed problems. Tried several different GOOD brands of ammo (both FMJ and JHP rounds where possible), gun still doesn’t feed the second round reliably i.e.(locks up with a partial feed). I call it my one shot wonder. Looks great, but functionality takes precedence over looks… :0) IMHO, of all the pocket guns I have, the North American Arms Guardian .380 is by far a more superior product. It is a bit heavy, but I like a heavier gun (about 5oz heavier than the MDE ~18.72oz vs. 14oz unloaded). The NAA Guardian .380 is also easier to conceal and is ~$90 cheaper than the MDE.
February 8th, 2009 at 8:06 am
I own this pistol. It is made in the USA. It does have a red loaded chamber indicator on the extractor. Which you can easily feel while gripping, even in the dark. Shoots strait. They warn you to be aware of your grip. Feeds well. If you can read and follow directions, easy disassembly. Will soon try various ammo. Quality!!
God Bless
Mikey
February 7th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I have the Ruger LCP and the Micro Desert Eagle. There is no comparison!!!! MICRO DESERT EAGLE beats the Rugher LCP by far!!!!! Ex Army Ranger.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I own one of these and it is awesome! Weight and size are perfect… not to mention that it is unflinchingly accurate. Easily holds a 3 inch group at 15 feet and consistently nails 6 inch plates at 25 yards! A blast to shoot, but will wring your hand a bit. This pocket pistol spits some fire so keep your eyes protected. The field strip is simple and makes for easy cleaning!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
To be ready for sale in California it would have to have a loaded chamber indicator (it does not),and the magazune safety (read: disconnect) - and that it does not have. In addition it would have to undergo extensive testing in one of the California approved testing laboratories.
I doubt very much that it will happen. Ruger will not do it with their much more popular LCP so I dount the MR will.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
http://www.zvi.cz/en/products/9-mm-pistol-kevin.html
Look familiar?
Its not made in USA, its imported.
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:32 pm
[...] at a shooting range. This is one of the worst ideas I’ve seen in a while. Link to a picture: Tactical-Life.com MAGNUM RESEARCH’s Micro Desert Eagle __________________ "Let me guess… This isn’t about the alcohol or tobacco." Last [...]
December 17th, 2008 at 12:22 am
To HSLDOperator:
While I can’t speak towards the effectiveness of the 5.7 for use as a defensive round (as I know nothing about it), your claim that anything less then a .45 will only anger your target is nothing but bull and I’d be willing to bet you won’t let anyone shoot you with it, let alone a .22 or this .380
You’re no “Operator”, you’re nothing but a Troll.
This .380 if shown to be reliable is yet one more option for an every day backup, a small gun for those who choose not to carry a big gun, or an “anytime/anywhere” gun!
December 12th, 2008 at 11:57 am
To an earlier comment, I don’t think the 5.7 cartridge would be nearly powerful enough for this pistol. Anything less than .45 is a waste,and will only anger your target. I will buy one of those when they come out in .45.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
This Micro Desert Eagle sure beats a N American Arms .22 Magnum Minirevolver! I have packed a .38 S&W Airweight off and on for many years but I will take a look at this latest US made pistol.
November 26th, 2008 at 1:52 am
http://www.magnumresearch.com/Micro_Eagle_specs.asp
November 15th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Nice gun. I hope MR decides to make it in 5.7 as well, seems it would be a perfect backup in 5.7.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
hello
do you know when micro desert eagle would available for sale in California?.
thanks
vahan k.demirjian
November 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
This gun is not shown on the Magnum Research web site. It is actually in production?
November 9th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
That’s going to give the other makers a run, including Ruger.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:49 am
I have a Jericho 941 or ” Baby Eagle” .9 mm. I would like to find and but afetrmarket products for it but I cannot find any. If you have some or know of a Company that makes Original or After Market accessories, please let me know.
Thank you,
Regards,
Daniel Hudson
October 10th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
DEAGLE
CLIP
KATANA!