New Desert Eagle .50 owner, some concerns / questions

[jsona]

So the controller of the purse (wife) let me get one of the firearms on my "bucket list." A Desert Eagle in .50AE. It's a Magnum Research version, not the IWI version, if that matters. I suspect I know what may have caused my issues at the range the other day, but want to ask...

1. The magazine takes a LOT of push to get seated (leaving it to "float" as per the manual, about 1/8" space between the plate and base of the grip) but pushing the magazine release made it slip in. After looking at the pistol and some videos of people troubleshooting, it looks like this may be normal...

2. We had a couple fail-to-feeds where the round didn't go into the breech, and one somewhat scary FTF where the round was in the breech, but the slide locked back (buddy kept a solid grip on the slide, dropped the magazine, and I pushed the round out with a cleaning rod).

We called it a day after the second incident...

Details: Ammunition is Magnum Research branded that one of the local gun shops had in-stock (300gr)
Except for once, we were only putting one round in the magazine each time.
Prior to this outing, I field-stripped the pistol per the manual, and wiped it all down with a gun-oil coated cloth (actually Hoppes 9 field wipes) but didn't do a full cleaning.

My suspicion as to the cause of some of our problems is two-fold:
1. I think both of us need to work on our wrist strength. We weren't limp-wristing, but we may have been allowing the barrel to come up more than the gun likes, causing the slide to fail to come back all the way.
2. I think I need to do a full, thorough cleaning and try again.

At the moment, I'm willing to point the finger at myself, and not the firearm, but just checking with others...

Thanks,
Jason

PS Regardless of the problems, this is a FUN firearm to shoot!

[Bawanna]

That ones on my bucket list also. Not sure what the allure is other than I just want one.

We don't hear much talk about these and I'm hoping that changes. I'm sure there are members out there with these that we don't know about.

Your purse controller is to be commended for letting this happen. Your a lucky guy.

[CPTKILLER]

Nice weapon but not for me.

[techiede44]

I've had a 44 for over a year now and love it! Most fun range toy ever!

OK, with regard to magazine insertion...had the same problem when new. If you haven't already, remove the sticker on the side of the magazine and give the outside a good cleaning as well as a very, very light coating of a CLP (FYI -- I use Ballistol for my CLP). Do the same for the magazine well. If it is still tough to insert without pushing the magazine release then just wait until you have a few hundred rounds through it and it should work better.

I didn't see where you mentioned lubing the rails. I found that a light coating of grease (I use Tetra) on the rails -- both on the frame and the slide -- works wonders. Just be sure to rack the slide a few times and wipe off any excess grease before firing. Also, either a very light coat of grease or CLP on the recoil springs.

Never had a FTF with the round loaded. Could be some gunk in the bolt/firing pin channel. Very easy to clean out and make sure that you apply some CLP to the internals and some grease to the bolt assist spring/pin that rides on the outside of the bolt. Keep the firing pin channel clean.

To me the only bad thing about this firearm is that I can only push 50 or so rounds out before I get tired. Then you get to clean the gunk off -- and it WILL be dirty. I would suggest a field strip clean after each range session and a clean of the bolt/firing pin area every few hundred rounds.

FYI -- what helps on the grip (a lot) is to get some Hogue Rubber grips (with finger grooves). Makes it much easier to control the recoil and reduce sideways motion/limp wristing motion which will screw with chambering a round. Also, don't forget to not touch the magazine bottom while shooting or it may not chamber reliably.

Mine has been ultra reliable for me.

Another FYI -- the DE likes hot loads...if you reload yourself you'll be able to tailor a load for your gun and that will also help reliability. It will also drop your cost per round dramatically.

Enjoy! Shooting a few mags always brings a smile to my face.

[jsona]

Techie44: Oh yeah, it is a *FUN* range toy! So, to address your points:
Magazine: No sticker on the side of mine...
Grease on the rails: Didn't do, just a gun oil wipe down before the range visit.
FTF: It wasn't so much a FTF as a "fail to return to battery completely with a round in the chamber" incident. Possibly related to the above issue.

I'm going to do a tear-down and clean tomorrow, then maybe later this week take it back to the range, run a few round through it again and see how it goes...

[jsona]

So, Sunday I took the Eagle back to the range, after giving it a good cleaning and a liberal dosing of lube on the slide rails.

Single round in the magazine? Worked great!
More than one (four, to be precise)? Slide locked open after the first...

So I e-mailed MRI support, and have been told to submit an RMA and they'd take a look at the gun to try to sort it out. Now to get that RMA filed...

[JustinN]

Single Round in the mag means it also locked back after the first shot, right? Is your hand possibly bumping the slide stop lever? It is right there by the hand, with the recoil on the thing you might not necessarily notice it....You could try getting some dummy rounds, or even using live rounds at the range and hand cycle it, make sure to pull it all the way back and let it go, so it has the full force behind it, but that SHOULD show you if it is locking back because of an internal problem, or because of your hand hitting the lever. (it may not cycle correctly hand cycling it, though if you can load the first round, you should be fine).

[jsona]

Yeah, I thought about getting some snap caps for it, but nobody carries .50AE snap caps in-store, so I'll need to order them...

Worst that happens with the RMA is MRI figures out nothing is mechanically wrong with the gun, and I work it from a grip standpoint. Start getting to the gym and doing wrist curls, too...
:-)

[JustinN]

Yeah the RMA won't hurt anything, but if you can figure out something simple like a grip problem, you won't have to be without your new baby!

[Bawanna]

A lot to be said for that. Being without the new baby can be painful. Post partum magnum separation I think they call that.

I gotta get me a 50, bet it kicks like twin mules in a Missouri corn field. Bet I'd love it.

[jsona]

True on the grip, although I'm in the process of closing on a new house and won't be going to a range for a couple weeks at least at this point...

So letting MRI have it for a while won't bother me.

Side note, though. The firearm is going to be getting shipped FedEx. I'm going to have it in the case it came in, in a FedEx box (which will not have anything on it indicating there's a firearm inside.) Will it be required by FedEx for the pistol to be disassembled? At least to the level of a field strip? FedEx didn't indicate this was required on their site, but I figure it can't hurt to ask...

[Bawanna]

True on the grip, although I'm in the process of closing on a new house and won't be going to a range for a couple weeks at least at this point...

So letting MRI have it for a while won't bother me.

Side note, though. The firearm is going to be getting shipped FedEx. I'm going to have it in the case it came in, in a FedEx box (which will not have anything on it indicating there's a firearm inside.) Will it be required by FedEx for the pistol to be disassembled? At least to the level of a field strip? FedEx didn't indicate this was required on their site, but I figure it can't hurt to ask...

Perfect just like you got it. In the case just like you got it.

[JustinN]

I think FedEx wants to know if it's a firearm, and if so they will require it to be shipped overnight delivery(FedEx Express: FedEx will only ship firearms via their Priority Overnight service)...I may or may not have just said "Machined Parts" when asked the contents and shipping a handgun that I didn't want to pay the extra money for Priority overnight delivery. From the fedex website:

Upon presenting the goods for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to Carrier is required to notify Carrier that the shipment contains a firearm. The outside of the package(s) must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package(s) contains a firearm.

So you're packaging is good. Also, if you don't tell them what it is, you can't put insurance and such on it....so it may be easier and safer to just pony up and tell them....and pay for their priority shipping. Also, in my experience they will only accept a gun at the actual FedEx location (can't go to a kinkos, mailboxes etc)

IF they gave you a shipping label then it's not your problem and you can ship it however the label states!

[Bawanna]

True that. We have one mailbox place that won't touch a gun no way no how regardless. We have a second mailbox place that has no problem whatsoever shipping a gun anyway you want.

I would strongly discourage lying to them, that's more than a little white lie and not even momma can save ya on that one.

Now if they don't ask, well that's a pony of a whole different gender.

[jsona]

Thanks all!
Took it up to our local FedEx location (actual FedEx, not a MailBoxes type place) on Friday worked with the guy behind the counter to get it boxed, tagged, and shipped...

Then realized yesterday (when they're closed, of course) that I had forgot to insure it...
I sincerely hope nothing happens to it between now and tomorrow (when it should be delivered)