Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
  • News
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Special Weapons
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics & Sights
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Pop Culture
    • Military & Police
    • Training
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
  • News
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Special Weapons
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics & Sights
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Pop Culture
    • Military & Police
    • Training
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun News and Gun Reviews
No Result
View All Result
 
New Year, New FREE GUN FRIDAY! Enter to WIN the Smith & Wesson and Black Hills package.

Mark XIX Desert Eagle .44 Mag Pistol Review

Mike Detty by Mike Detty
January 4, 2015
in Handguns
0
Mark XIX Desert Eagle .44 Mag Pistol Review
93
SHARES
3.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
This Israeli-made Mark XIX Desert Eagle .44 Mag is a classic example of ingenuity combined with brute power and force.

There are very few guns that are as iconic as Magnum Research’s massive Desert Eagle. But in the last few years the Desert Eagle has been tough to find on dealer’s shelves. That’s all about to change. Kahr Arms purchased Magnum Research Inc. (MRI) in summer of 2010 and is doing their best to fill the pipeline and satisfy the demand for the Desert Eagle.

In 1979 Magnum Researcher’s founders, Jim Skildum and John Risdall started the process of transforming paper blueprints into a behemoth autopistol. Pistols were originally manufactured in Israel by Israel Military Industries (IMI) until 1995 when MRI relocated manufacturing to Saco Defense in Maine. In 1998 MRI moved its manufacturing back to IMI, which had been reorganized as Israel Weapons Industries (IWI). In 2009 MRI started manufacturing the Desert Eagle at their Pillager, Minnesota factory, but to help bolster their supply of guns while they were bringing domestic production fully on line, MRI contracted with IWI to again produce guns. My test sample is a version of this Israeli-made gun. It should be noted that while the gun is machined overseas that MRI controls the specifications, patents and all licenses for the Desert Eagle. IWI is simply a contractor to help MRI satisfy the seemingly endless demand for this gun.

mark-xix-desert-eagle-44-mag-bThe slide-mounted ambidextrous safety of the Desert Eagle is swept up to disengage.

Gun Details

If you’ve never picked up the Desert Eagle you’re in for a surprise. It is a monster! Weighing close to 4.5 pounds it is truly a handful. But what makes the Desert Eagle a truly unique gun is its design. The Desert Eagle uses a short-stroke piston not unlike that used in the M1 Carbine. Gas passes through a hole underneath the bore into the gas cylinder where it pushes the piston. This inertia drives the slide back where the bolt unlocks after the pressure subsides and the extraction, ejection and feeding cycle begin. The Desert Eagle uses twin recoil springs to retard the slide’s rearward movement and then push it forward to strip a cartridge from the magazine.

Also unique to the Desert Eagle is its rotating bolt lockup that is reminiscent of the AR-15/M16 family of weapons. The bolt head locks into the barrel extension to provide a solid lockup at the moment of cartridge ignition. Once the bullet has left the barrel and the pressure has dropped, the bolt unlocks to cycle the action. It is a hearty system developed to handle the significant power of the .44 Mag cartridge.

Desert Eagles are renowned for their accuracy and its fixed barrel is partially responsible for their precision. The barrel does not move when the slide reciprocates so it is in the same position shot after shot. Also aiding in accuracy is the polygonal rifling MRI specifies for this pistol. There are a number of benefits to this type of rifling besides improved accuracy—greater barrel life is claimed as well as increased velocity as it is easier for the bullet to get a better gas seal. Polygonal barrels are also easier to clean. Most residue is removed with a patch with little scrubbing needed as there are no sharp edges to gouge the bullet jacket.

desert_eagle_44_mag_014
A fixed serrated ramp front sight sits atop the six-inch polygonal rifled barrel.

One enhancement that makes the Desert Eagle so easy to shoot accurately is its trigger. Although single-action in design it has a decidedly two-stage feel to it. The first-stage is all take-up until you get to a point of increased resistance. This second stage broke crisply at 4 pounds on my test sample. MRI calls their trigger the Adjustable Trigger Mechanism (ATM). The location of the transition between stages may be adjusted to be at any point within the trigger travel, by travel adjustment. The trigger travel adjustment is achieved by inserting a screwdriver through the magazine housing opening to turn the ATM adjustment. This type of trigger for this pistol makes all the sense in the world. There should be a certain amount of take up for the shooter to prep before the hammer falls. While the Desert Eagle can be carried with the hammer cocked and the thumb safety engaged the MRO manual recommends carrying the gun with the chamber empty. I found the easiest way to disengage the thumb safety was with my weak hand thumb as this did not require me to change my shooting grip.

Shooting Impressions

Shooting the Desert Eagle is quite an experience! In fact, when I was assigned this article I was really not looking forward to shooting the gun. My theory has always been is a .45 does not offer enough power I’m going to go straight to a rifle. That being said, I don’t spend time fishing or trekking around bear country where carrying a rifle could be a real encumbrance and having a Desert Eagle in a shoulder holster might be the only deterrent from having a bruin turn your leg into a tasty drumstick.

So shooting a handgun chambered for a cartridge that generates roughly the same energy as a 5.56mm NATO round or twice the energy of a .45 ACP or three times that of a 9mm has to be unpleasant right? Actually, it’s not that bad. Once you get used to the huge explosion that happens two or so feet from your face you’ll be fine. There is nothing about the Desert Eagle that makes it hurt to shoot. First of all it weighs 4.5 recoil-absorbing pounds. Additionally the gun is gas operated and that spreads the recoil impulse over a longer period as the gun cycles. Just like shotguns, gas operated semi-autos always shoot softer than pumps or break action guns. By design and necessity the grip is overly large with wide front- and backstraps that distribute the recoil over a wider surface area. It took a few magazines of ammunition to get used to the way the gun feels and after that I was able to settle down and start firing some groups for record. I have to say, shooting the Desert Eagle is the most fun that I’ve had with a handgun in recent memory.

The Desert Eagle manual warns shooters that they need a firm grip for the gun to operate properly. Big bore revolver shooters that are used to letting the gun roll in their hands will have to change their shooting styles to more of a locked “Weaver Style” hold. It is imperative that the pistol has a firm grip to recoil against otherwise it will stovepipe.

mark-xix-desert-eagle-44-mag-cMagnum Research ships the Desert Eagle with a 5 in 1 tool. It can be used to ream accumulated fouling from the gas cylinder of the autopistol.

CorBon’s 165-grain JHP was downright pleasant to shoot with the light projectile generating comparatively light recoil. However, it was the only load I tried that did not function 100% in the Desert Eagle. While it extracted and ejected 100% it short stroked and did not feed a new cartridge into the chamber about 30% of the time. I’m sure that if you need your Desert Eagle to function with this load that the springs could be adjusted or replaced. Probably a copious amount of good lubricant would also be helpful but honestly if you need to download your .44 Mag that much maybe you’d be better off with a .45?

Designed for heavily muscled and thick boned game the 180-grain CorBon Hunter had surprisingly light recoil yet churned up 1,122 foot pounds of energy (fpe). The 240-grain Hunter load produces a little more energy but also has a little sharper recoil. Its accuracy was phenomenal and this would be my selection if I were carrying the Desert Eagle into bear country.

Hornady loads some 240-grain XTP bullets specifically for the Magnum Research Desert Eagle. This load shoots well and functioned 100% however at 25 yards most of my groups printed about 4 inches high. It wasn’t just this load though—almost all of my loads printed groups that were high at 25 yards. Thinking that maybe the sights had been regulated for a longer distance I moved my target out to 50 yards. These groups were between 6 and 8 inches high so it became apparent that I need a taller front sight for pinpoint accuracy at between 25 and 50 yards. One pleasant surprise was that I fired a number of 50-yard groups under 3 inches. In fact, most of my 25-yard groups showed better accuracy than some of my custom built 1911’s. I was impressed.

Final Notes

The good news is that there is a rail on top of the barrel to facilitate the mounting of optics. While a scope of some sort may help the shooter realize the Desert Eagle’s wonderful accuracy potential it will add bulk, make it harder to comfortably carry and ruin the racy lines of the gun.

The Desert Eagle is an incredibly versatile platform. Once you’ve purchased a Mark XIX Desert Eagle you can change the barrel length or the caliber in seconds—providing that you have the right components. MRI’s Desert Eagle is available in six different configurations—.357 Mag, .44 Mag or .50 AE, each with a 6-inch barrel (standard configuration) or with a 10-inch barrel. Purchase one Desert Eagle and you have the platform to build the other five guns. Barrels, magazines and in some cases the bolt assembly need to be changed to convert to another caliber.

desert_eagle_44_mag_019
The Mark XIX fieldstrips easily without any special tools. Its robust subassemblies make it unlikely to fail.

I can’t decide what I like best about the Magnum Research IWI-made Desert Eagle. It is one of those guns whose design I marvel at each time I pick it up. Then too it is impeccably machined with each part possessing superior fit and finish. It is wonderfully accurate. But probably what I liked most about the gun was that it was just a ton of fun to shoot! For more information on the Desert Eagle and the rest of the Magnum Research product line, call 508-635-4273 or check out their website at magnumresearch.com.

Didn't find what you were looking for?

CLICK HERE FOR COMMENTS

RELATED POSTS

The cover of the new Heritage Journal 2023.

Athlon Outdoors & Heritage Firearms Release HERITAGE JOURNAL 2023

The MAC Defense Industries MAC19.

The MAC Defense Industries MAC19 Is a Custom Glock 19 Built to Fight

Beretta Unveils Three New Firearms at SHOT Show 2023.

Beretta Releases Three New Defensive Firearms at SHOT Show 2023

The new Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 pistol packs 22+1.

Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Packs 22+1 Rounds of Firepower!

Load More

TACTICAL-LIFE NIGHT SHOOTER SEASON 2

Discussion about this post

FEATURED POST

The cover of the new Heritage Journal 2023.

Athlon Outdoors & Heritage Firearms Release HERITAGE JOURNAL 2023

Welcome to Heritage country! The American Shooting tradition and heritage runs as far back as the black powder days of...

Read more

TRENDING

U.S. Secret Service adopts Glock G47

FIRST LOOK: Glock Just Very Quietly Unveiled the New Glock 47 Pistol

...

5 new pistols launched at NASGW.

5 New Pistols Launching for 2023

...

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: The Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

...

The upgraded Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical is built for long-range shooting.

FIRST LOOK: Rounds Downrange With the new Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical

...

PICK A CATEGORY

TACTICS & TRAINING SPOTLIGHT

Tactical Reload Semi-Auto Pistol Step 8

5 Strategies For Effectively Completing a Tactical Reload

If you’re reading this publication, you’re most likely familiar with the “speed reload,” sometimes called the “combat reload” or “emergency...

TACTICS & TRAINING SHOWCASE

Fact vs. Fiction 5 Myths Gunfight Survival lead

5 Common Myths on How to Survive a Gunfight

Standing Your Ground Castle Doctrine lead

Understanding Stand Your Ground Laws and Castle Doctrine

long distance shooting tips

Long-Distance Shooting: 5 Must-Know Tips For Spotters & Shooters

IMPACT Experience Events.

IMPACT Experience Events Redefine Your Long-Range Shooting Limits

Enhance your shooting precision skills in a course with Modern Day Sniper.

Sniper Skills: Taking Your Shooting Precision to the Next Level

Once you find a carry gun that works for you, get another for a spare. These “hammerless” S&W J-frame lightweights are M340 M&P with Hogue Bantam grips, top, and a M442 Airweight with Crimson Trace Lasergrips, below.

10 Commandments of Concealed Carry

self-defense myths can be dangerous

Self-Defense Myths that Could Get you Killed

Mossberg 590 Shockwave review for home defense myths

4 Home Defense Myths You Need to Stop Repeating

The Dicken Drill is named for Eli Dicken who saved many lives in the Greenwood Mall

The Elisjsha Dicken Drill

AMMO SPOTLIGHT

Remington Ammunition Issues Recall Notice on 12-Gauge Premier Accutip Ammo.

Remington Ammunition Issues a 12-Gauge Premier AccuTip Ammo Recall

Remington Ammunition has recently discovered an issue related to its 12-Gauge Premier Accutip ammo and issued a recall notice. This...

site logo
Tactical Life Gun Magazine: Gun news, gun reviews and gun magazines for gun enthusiasts, military and law enforcement

Tactical

  • tactical-life.com

Magazines

  • Tactical Life
  • The Complete Book of Reloading
  • Guns of the Old West

Facebook

  • Tactical-Life Facebook
  • Guns of the Old West Facebook

Twitter

  • Tactical-Life Twitter

Self Defense

  • PersonalDefenseWorld.com

Magazines

  • Personal Defense World
  • Combat Handguns

Facebook

  • Personal Defense World Facebook
  • Combat Handguns

Twitter

  • Personal Defense World Twitter

Shooting Lifestyle

  • BallisticMag.com

Magazines

  • BallisticMag.com

Facebook

  • Ballistic Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Ballistic Magazine Twitter

Alpha Lifestyle

  • SkillsetMag.com

Magazines

  • Skillset

Facebook

  • Skillset Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Skillset Magazine Twitter

Instagram

  • Skillset Magazine Instagram
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
© Athlon Outdoors, All Rights Reserved.
You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and awareness of the California Privacy Rights. Pursuant to U.S. Copyright law, as well as other applicable federal and state laws, the content on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, without the prior, express, and written permission of Athlon Outdoors.

Manage your GDPR consents by clicking here. Manage your CCPA consents by clicking here.
No Result
View All Result
  • Guns
    • Rifles
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
  • Knives
  • Gear
    • Holsters
    • Optics & Sights
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Suppressors
  • Videos
  • News
  • Contact Us

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.