In this video I plink around with my new Magnum Research Desert Eagle L5 chambered in .357 Magnum. While this gun worked, it was so much fun to shoot. Big power, Desert Eagle looks, but as easy to shoot as a full size 9mm. However, to have an issue occur two times (once while recording this video) I felt the need to update y'all... Hope to get this resolved (for good) soon because I do love this thing. I'll keep y'all posted. Get started with SDI Here: www.sdi.edu
357 deagle is the perfect balance on power and capacity. And, in this climate, 357 mag is easy for handloading. Get the powder tuned for it and you're good to go.
@@eric44ism for the range? Think pleasure of shooting. As far as revolvers go 357 mag sounds great but most wind up shooting 38 special. Practically for carry, neither.
I picked up my first gun from a pawn shop in the late 80s and it was a 357 desert eagle. I still have it and it works great. It was one of the first run models.
In that case, Magnum Research must have Sig Sigmaed the Desert Eagle to death, with crappy MIM parts. I've never known anyone with these problems back in the day, including with .50 AE, but after this video, HELL NO.
@Lee Hunkovic I bought mine about 3 months ago, l5 .50 ae. Only time I have malfunctions is if I'm using light handloads. Factory loads and hot handloads run like a dream.
@@leehunkovic826 I had two mk VIIs. One in 44, one in 50... They were both crap. The 44 was the better of the two, but neither would run an entire box of of ammo thru without some sort of issue. Sold them both in the great Obama inspired buy up of 2012. ETA: The 50AE was bought new in 2002, and the 44 in 2009. Honestly, they've never had a reputation for being super reliable. Even from the begining in '82 or '83.
Damn! I love that thing so much already! Honestly, I think 357 makes so much more sense for the DE. It's plenty powerful, more controllable, you get more rounds per mag, and if it's an L5 apparently the gun itself is lighter as well! I call that an all-around win on all fronts!
Thing is that most of 357 ammo is not made with something like it in mind but revolvers which dont really care about load, they will will vent in the gap and cycle by your trigger press and for lever action carbines....you use the lever. While deagle is gasoperated like an assault rifle.
Great video, folks, take note. I live in Brazil and have 3 weapons, 2 x 9mm handguns, and a Puma 357 Magnum rifle. These help me defend my rural property. Well, I need a semi-automatic rifle, but my government doesn't want to see thieves with holes and doesn't want a man to be a man in defending himself and his family. What will I do? I will build a 357 MAG rifle based on the old AK 47.@@Kacpa2
As a proud owner of 8 eagles and several bfrs 😮 I am really like this company’s big bore firearm’s. I have nothing but praise for how they deal with any issues you have customer service is great 😊
I appreciate you saying that you didn't inform MR that you were using the gun for a review and that was how they conducted business with you with you just being a random dude. 👍
The other caliber it was offered in was the 41 magnum. I actually have the booklet mine came with when I bought mine 27 years ago and it has all of the options for that time.
@@hunterphille1280 Very few people bought the .41 Magnum version. Very few people bought the .41 Magnum, period. I doubt that it it was 2% of the total sales just because .41 Mag is a solution looking for a problem.
@@tenchraven I agree man. For practicality, I'd go 44mag in a wheel gun, and 10mm for the other. To be honest, I'd just like to have an Eagle in 41 for nostalgia for my uncle man
Bought mine in 1987 or 1988, came with a 6in 357mag barrel and a 10in barrel in 41 mag. Original mk1 built buy I'll. When I bought it the salesman had the perfect line "if the size doesn't scare them, you can't hit them with 9 rounds, use it like a club and beat them with it." The original gun weighs 58oz when empty. Not a regular carry gun but so damn fun on the range.
I've had about 12 of them over the last 30 years. Bought a new L5 in 44 last year. Right off the bat I had feed & extraction issues. But that wasn't the worst of it. It felt like being hit with a sand blaster in the face every time I shot it. Due to the muzzle brake. But that's still not the worst of it. After about 400 rounds through it. I noticed the accuracy dropped right off. After closer inspection. I noticed most of the finn's on the muzzle brake were tore off on the right side of the gun. After contacting DE about it. They told me to send it in. Your right about their turn around. I got it back in 4 days. Where upon I tested fired it and immediately sold it. Taking the money and buying a new XlX 44. Conclusion. I think DE needs to do some more revamping on that gun.
I'm sad to see all the negatives on these L5s, I had a lot of hope for them when they launched. Until they get sorted though, I'm with you - I'm sticking to my crusty old MK I, my MK VII's and MK XIX's. I hope you did end up getting your MK XIX in 44 and are enjoying it - that is in my opinion the best model to start off with, and buying a 50AE barrel to swap out.
@@1MoTimeRound. I would probably stay away from one. The guy I sold the L5 to . Called me & said he was still having feeding & extraction issues with it even after 500 more rounds. The muzzle break getting tore up was a major disappointment to. I went with a new Flat Gray XlX 44.
I bought an L5 in .357 and had the same problem with the gas piston breaking. After around a thousand rounds fired over a few months I brought it in from a day at the range to clean it. After I got the gun back together I was showing a friend how you have to put some muscle into pulling the slide back and I pulled too hard because when I released it the piston had broken in half. Not going lie I felt pretty sick. In the meantime I ordered the wrong replacement piston from Kahr Firearms because they didn't actually offer the replacement piston for the L5 on their website, you have to contact them about a repair. So like you I sent the entire pistol back just to be safe and had a really pleasant experience with them from then on to get it replaced and working again. And likewise it was very quick getting it back in the mail with a note that said what they fixed and that it was tested and works. I've shot another 300 rounds through it and haven't had any problems since.
I picked one up in 2005 used for 650$ spent another 200$ for a tune up kit. Didnt look as nice as this one but it was badass and accurate too. Wish i never sold it but came into hard time
You definitely should have your other DE's Mag-na-ported. I had my .44 and .50 dual ported and it made a tremendous difference. The second shot is almost a double-tap. I always wished they had gotten a little more daring in their offerings like a .357 Maximum and a 10mm versions.
I've only ever fired a desert eagle in 50ae. I've always wondered how the recoil on a full size 357 DE would be. The only 357 i've ever fired from a pistol was a Taurus 605, which I didn't think was bad. Magnum research doesn't seem to sell conversion kit to 357, just to 44 and 50, which I find odd. The kits do exist, but only if you buy the kit that comes with a DE and the 3 barrels together for like $3K
The wheelgun is definitely battle tested! People laugh at the capacity nowadays and I understand completely. It’s still a POWERFUL handgun and you won’t be laughing if it’s pointed in YOUR direction. So yeah…Tried-and-True indeed. 👍🏿👍🏿
I love my Desert Eagles ! I own a 50AE and a .357 Magnum. I have NEVER EVER had a single malfunction with any of them in more than aprox 2000 rds. They are the most accurate handguns I’ve shot. Great video!
"Never ever??" Sorry but I call bullshit. Everybody knows that Desert Eagles are problematic here and there. Even the Israeli-made ones, which in my opinion are much more reliable than the American-made ones.
@@proguninc4080 Eduardo and I must be _very_ special people then because my Deagle hasn't had any problems other than something that was my fault ~ cheap ass ammo. The loader said he measured them to spec but at the range I found out that was a big lie. Typically 240gr .44 magnum would be $28-30. He was selling at 24 and I had to manually cycle them. After they (all 150, I was a fool) were spent the Fiocchi and Magtech brands worked flawlessly. In other words, don't cheap out on the ammo as there's always a catch.
@@DareToBeDeviant Absolutely! Choosing the right ammo is critical for the right function of Desert Eagles. I also Ben using exclusively Magtech 158gr .357 Magnum and my girl has been remarkably good and with zero malfunctions.
@@proguninc4080 Well, I’m sorry you hadn’t been as lucky as some of us. Maybe you should try choosing the right ammunition before demeaning people’s experiences with your “bullshit” trolling comments, kid.
I always remembered the DE from playing Tomb Raider back in the day... All those long nights in middle school, staying up glued to my PS1 controller 🎮😴 Always wanted one. Think I'm partial to the 44mag chambering myself, better than 357 but not as expensive as 50. Cool stuff man, thanks for sharing it.
>old man wheeze< I remembuh when it was .357 Magnum only. And I miss the .41 Magnum. ;) Signed, a guy who wrote Mack Bolan using a .44 Magnum Desert Eagle since 1999.
When the Desert Eagle was first imported into America I bought one in .44 Magnum. Back then the manufacturer stated use any ammo you want except all lead. The reason was lead would get into the gas system and foul it to the point it would require a trip to be "serviced". The exception was a load by Remington that was an all lead 240 grain semi-wadcutter with a gas check. I shot a lot of those through mine and never had any issues regardless of the ammo used. If I were going to buy another I would buy one of the originals, not interested in the current manufacturer of the Desert Eagle.
The Desert Eagle Mk I was available in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The Mk VII added the .41 Magnum, which was always rare, and discontinued for the Mk XIX. The Mk XIX is available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .50 Action Express. At one point, I believe Magnum Research also offered the Mk XIX in .44 Corbon, which is basically a .50 AE case necked down to .429 caliber. My dad and grandpa each bought Mk VIIs in .44 Mag when they came out. My brother bought a Mk XIX .50 AE with his duty pay while on mid-tour leave from his second deployment. So I've been shooting Desert Eagles since I was about 12 years old. The .44 Mag is very manageable in the Desert Eagle. The .50 AE has a bit more recoil, but the big thing is just unique rotation of the recoil impulse, I think due to the rotating bolt. Still a lot of fun. I think the Desert Eagle is probably too much gun for the .357 Magnum. I don't see why you would bother with a pistol the size of the Desert Eagle to get .357 Magnum power when you can get any number of 10mm Autos that match or exceed the ballistics of the .357 Magnum in a much smaller platform and often with much greater capacity. I'm getting a 200 gr XTP out at over 1200 fps from my G20, and 180 gr Gold Dots at around 1300 fps. That is a lot of juice from a pistol that weighs a pound and a half empty and holds 15 rounds in the magazine. I wouldn't bother with a Desert Eagle in anything less than .44 Mag, and even then, I have to say, having seen the fireball the .50 AE produces in broad daylight and blasted apart some pieces of dry larch firewood with 350 gr JSPs, there is a reason the .50 AE is so popular in this pistol. It provides an experience unlike any other. It is the iconic automatic hand cannon. If you're going with the size and weight (and expense) of the Desert Eagle, cowboy up and get the .50 AE!
All I have to say is where is the 10 mm version I've been complaining about this for years I'm never going to stop and I'm going to live for forever😊😊😊🇺🇸🇺🇸
you don't need all that frame for the 10mm.. I had a 10mm 1911 Night Hawk Custom and that was more than enough gun for the full power 10mm.. even Glocks with their light frame goes very well with 10mm.. on the other hands the Desert Eagle, in its very first iteration, came out in .41Mag which was one of the referenco point that Col. Cooper used when designing the 10mm (some very hot load in 10mm gets in the same ballpark of the 41Mag but they are not really pleasant to shoot)
Unless you're downloading the .41 magnum to extremely soft levels, the difference between .41 and 10mm is huge, even a full house .357 has slightly more power than a full house 10mm.
^Right, the 41 mag actually came out with two loadings. One was relatively soft, sort of like a “41 special,” and was intended for police. The other was full-powered and was intended for hunting. 10mm is much closer to the softer shooting police load.
While on the subject of guns running too hot and ammunition that tends to be hotter than others, Fiocchi ammo is almost always the hottest loaded factory stuff. Most European made ammo tends be that way compared to American stuff.
WOW. Thanks for confirming that this is a movie and video game pistol with no viable combat use. If it can't handle .357 Magnum, then I shudder to think what will happen with .44 Mag and .50 AE.
I own a DE .357 Mark XIX in satin nickel. I had some cycling issues with it the first and only time out, but I admittedly was using cheap Geco ammo. I gave the L5 a hard look as well, but glad now that I didn’t.
I first fell in love with the .44 magnum and 357 Magnum back in the late 90s and they came out with the .440 corbon and then the 50ae, had every one of them..... none were reliable
I've learned the hard way about trying to use semi auto pistols chambered in rounds that are meant for rifles/revolvers - unfortunately, they generally just don't work. They usually have suggested ammos and even those are likely to cause problems. There are people out there that get lucky and end up having zero issues but I think those are the minority. At least you can pretty much always use pistol calibers in carbines/rifles with no probs though!
In 2002 I bought a Desert Eagle in .50AE... In 2009 I bought one in .44 ( both mk VII) Neat as they were, both of them were turds. I probably couldn't get 25 rounds out of either without a jam. Sold them both in 2012... Made really good money on them, even after explaining that neither of them ran perfect. Swore I'd never own another. ...and then they came out with the L5 somewhere around 2015 or 2016, and for some reason, I want one in 357. Even after watching this video, reading more than a few bad reviews, and having two deagle burns under my belt already, I'm just drawn to this gun. And it sucks, because they're about twice as expensive as they were when I bought my first one!
Call of Duty... never thought I'd feel old saying this, but Commando, Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man, Last Action Hero, Metal Gear Solid, The Matrix, come on!
that piston flaw is a direct result of the machining process... it has a sharp corner there (it should be radiused) and the quality of the alloy is not what it was on the older DEs
Glad to hear they lightened it. Sorry to see the piston design is apparently no good. Hopefully it is just poor heat treating or made of the wrong metal. Had a little trigger time with a first gen 44 mag back in 94 and 95, thanks to a then coworker. Luckily it ran reliably with Blazer ammo. Hopefully they get it sorted out. I might like to have one when i move to a free state (not on Kalifornia's "safety roster" due to not having a mag disconnect safety and a loaded chamber indicator). The BFR is kind of interesting too, and i guess they make 6" ones now. Those i can get here because of the single action exemption.
Always kinda wanted a DEagle, then they introduced the Color Case Hardened version and fell in love! Just debating what to chamber it in..... (when I can eventually get one). I’m debating between 357 & 50AE... this video may have helped with my decision
@@johnnydough8924 I’m broke and it’ll be a while before I get a fancy DEagle… that being said, I did get a S&W 629 (44 mag) for Christmas/my birthday, so I’m probably actually going to go with 44 mag, to consolidate the ammo I need
I met a guy, a friend of an old friend, who said he had a Desert Eagle in gold. I said, no way, man. He insisted so I asked him to prove it and he did. Only time Ive held one and it was a .357 one as well. I didnt believe him because we live in Norway where these things are very rare and this neighborhood friend of a friend supposedly has one and he did! Im still jealous! :P
Im watching your channel from UK with envy, I love shooting and firearms but unfortunately even law abiding people like myself are frowned upon for this. I’m planning a holiday to the US in near future and look forward to indulging in my passion in freedom for a couple of weeks. Texas seems like a shooting Disney land to me😆👍👍
This might be the perfect pistol. Between this and a kimber polymer 2. Perfect combination of speed and power. God knows I love .50AE but I feel like you could actually carry this model. Just need to iron out the clear issues I keep hearing about.
I owned the original in 357 (only available round at time) It was a fun pistol but would always give me trouble after putting four mags through it. Being gas operated it was just to finicky on ammo.
I’ve been looking for a 357 semi for ages… the Coonen (1911 style) is by far the top of the line but impossible to find, lighter and much sexier. But hell this DE is pretty damn sexy!!
I have an old Mark VII from like 1985..it really loves the Blazers..ans Winchester Super X. I found that it also likes to be a little dirty. Too much cleaning and she acts up. I was surprised to hear it didnt like the Blazer. Obviosly a much new design. I love it!
I also have found..that it you shoot too much..it heats way the hell up and will jam. And if you arent careful..you can give yourself a hell of a burn holstering it. Got the scar to prove it..lol
That really sux that it keeps breaking.....i was looking to buy one of those myself....i wonder if it's just something with the L5 because I've never heard of that happening with another eagle.....
sorry I don't have time to watch the whole video atm, but I love how even with the gun cleared, you don't want to point it directly at the camera, it really promotes good gun safety under any circumstances. it's like big cat carers that don't want to be filmed touching the cats because even if it is a professional handling a big cat that is used to confinement, it can still be dangerous and showing someone doing it desensitises people about the actual dangers. you don't play with a cat that can rip you apart, and you don't point a gun at a direction it isn't safe. just a little something that made me like this video
Great video! Thank you! Nearly every video I watch on this pistol says the same thing...the Desert Eagle is a novelty gun...has too many reliability issues. Keep up the good work!
Yeah I bought mine a little over 10 years ago and has jamming problems. I'm hoping that maybe there were parts of the gun I wasn't cleaning properly that are causing it to jam up so much. Luckily, I've got a bunch of ammo because of it jamming all the time I got frustrated and just saved the ammo
@@imyoursuperbeast8220 Since it has the rotating lug and the .357 being a long, heavy round I think it will always have feeding issues. The 44 mag is optimal to me since it is short and fat
I had a 1st Gen 357 DE and shot hot reloads as long as the bullets were semi jacket it ran great. I wonder what caused the piston to fail? It should have worked fine.
@@johnklatt3522 I don't remember much it was made in Israel. It was stolen at the gun shop never got it back. The store replaced it with one that was worn out . I never bought a new one.
Damn, that sucks hate to see that. I have 3 desert eagles including a 357 magnum, it's the steel frame version with a muzzle break and I've had no problems with it cycling. However, this caliber is the easiest of the 4 that is finicky on what it will cycle. I shoot the same exact ammo you shot in your video, plus Federal hydroshok. I have heard of the gas piston failing before, but usually it's the 44 magnum version.
Great review! Though I’m really not into anything but 50AE non-IMB D.E.s (hey that’s the whole point!) but thought I’d share my experience with a snapped gas piston rod. I once purchased a new barrel and had issues right off the bat with jamming etc. Within 15 rds the piston broke. I ordered a new one and noticed it was slightly sticking when I dry ran it through the cylinder. What it turned out to be was a very small machining burr in the piston cylinder! That was easy to file out. Anyway, probably not your 357 issue since Kahr had the gun to check out but just sharing for anyone else. Again, great review.
I was looking at the L5 in 44 mag, but considering you had two catastrophic failures, one with recommended ammo, it looks like I'll be passing up on this model. Thanks for the info.
Dang! I’d want to return the whole thing! Not sure how much it cost but you could probably grab a cool lever action that works. They should incorporate into COD a jam factor. The D.E. Would become the least used pistol in the game. More realistic. Also, how can I infect a man with several 556 or 762 rounds and still end up dying at that same man’s hands. Need need serious help and at the very least be out of the fight. He should have to wait for help. Great vid man!!!
I have no idea how the gas piston broke twice. I bought a 44 Mag Desert Eagle in 1992. Right now, almost 30 years later, after thousands of rounds it still has all the factory parts in it except for the recoil springs. I did need to change them about 10 years ago, they do eventually get tired and the gun will start having FTF, where the slide just does not close on a round because of not enough spring tension. The only issue with the gun has been that it is extremely reliable with the recommended ammo, but only for about 75-100 rounds. The gun gets extremely dirty and will start malfunctioning somewhere between 75-100 rounds. You clean it, oil it and it will be good for another 75-100 rounds.
.50 AE was late 80's but kinda made a splash in 1990, to 1991. Was a big deal because under US law at the time it was considered a Destructive Device. Personally I'd like to see them try and make a .454 Casull model but I doubt it could withstand that kind of pressure.
@@Predalien195 Actually, no. Because despite it's namesake the .50AE has a bore that is .494" from the shelf of the polygonal rifling to the opposite shelf. The earlier prototype ammo with .510" bullets and .500 lands were never actually sold commercially.
@@dwightlooi Yes, it was designed in 1988 but made its way into the US in the early 90's. 1990 to 1991 to be exact. Was all over magazines like Shotgun News and etc. And YES it was subject to US laws regarding destructive devices which is why it made a controversial splash. The bore diameter was originally .510 with conventional rifling which is why they made the switch to polygonal rifling and was reduced from the .510 diameter to the.500 diameter to avoid this on production models in the US. So no "Actually" anything.
In this video I plink around with my new Magnum Research Desert Eagle L5 chambered in .357 Magnum. While this gun worked, it was so much fun to shoot. Big power, Desert Eagle looks, but as easy to shoot as a full size 9mm. However, to have an issue occur two times (once while recording this video) I felt the need to update y'all... Hope to get this resolved (for good) soon because I do love this thing. I'll keep y'all posted.
Get started with SDI Here: www.sdi.edu
Look forward to hearing about the fix
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If your handgun requires a rifle extractor you know it’s awesome
For sure don't put a .22 sized piston in it next time.
I love and hate your pfp
Lol *minds blown by every AR pistol*
🤣😂🤣😂
No one put a rifle extractor in it, since this extractor has never been in a rifle.
Yea bro you could totally take out a bunch of innocent people with that and they laying down after... no coming back... so awesome tough guy
357 deagle is the perfect balance on power and capacity. And, in this climate, 357 mag is easy for handloading. Get the powder tuned for it and you're good to go.
Good luck getting those primers
Not sure whether to get the 357 or 44 desert eagles. Any advice?
@@eric44ism for the range? Think pleasure of shooting. As far as revolvers go 357 mag sounds great but most wind up shooting 38 special. Practically for carry, neither.
@@eric44ism coming from personal experience, i'd get the .44 Magnum Desert Eagle. the recoil isn't too bad, and it's actually pleasant to shoot
You can get a way slimmer, lighter gun with the same power. 10mm is your friend. Don't be scared.
I picked up my first gun from a pawn shop in the late 80s and it was a 357 desert eagle. I still have it and it works great. It was one of the first run models.
Did you ever have the problems he was having?
@@m4rvinmartian never.
In that case, Magnum Research must have Sig Sigmaed the Desert Eagle to death, with crappy MIM parts. I've never known anyone with these problems back in the day, including with .50 AE, but after this video, HELL NO.
@Lee Hunkovic I bought mine about 3 months ago, l5 .50 ae. Only time I have malfunctions is if I'm using light handloads. Factory loads and hot handloads run like a dream.
@@leehunkovic826 I had two mk VIIs. One in 44, one in 50... They were both crap. The 44 was the better of the two, but neither would run an entire box of of ammo thru without some sort of issue. Sold them both in the great Obama inspired buy up of 2012.
ETA: The 50AE was bought new in 2002, and the 44 in 2009. Honestly, they've never had a reputation for being super reliable. Even from the begining in '82 or '83.
Damn! I love that thing so much already!
Honestly, I think 357 makes so much more sense for the DE.
It's plenty powerful, more controllable, you get more rounds per mag, and if it's an L5 apparently the gun itself is lighter as well!
I call that an all-around win on all fronts!
I mean you get ONE round than the full size DEagle in 44 Mag 🧐
I understand the limitations of an auto loader, but it not being able to use all 357 rounds is still disappointing.
Yea especially since it’s $1600+
3500 dollars canadian
@@Don.keybals Aren't the libs banning handguns sales anyway?
Thing is that most of 357 ammo is not made with something like it in mind but revolvers which dont really care about load, they will will vent in the gap and cycle by your trigger press and for lever action carbines....you use the lever. While deagle is gasoperated like an assault rifle.
Great video, folks, take note. I live in Brazil and have 3 weapons, 2 x 9mm handguns, and a Puma 357 Magnum rifle. These help me defend my rural property. Well, I need a semi-automatic rifle, but my government doesn't want to see thieves with holes and doesn't want a man to be a man in defending himself and his family. What will I do? I will build a 357 MAG rifle based on the old AK 47.@@Kacpa2
As a proud owner of 8 eagles and several bfrs 😮 I am really like this company’s big bore firearm’s. I have nothing but praise for how they deal with any issues you have customer service is great 😊
I appreciate you saying that you didn't inform MR that you were using the gun for a review and that was how they conducted business with you with you just being a random dude. 👍
The other caliber it was offered in was the 41 magnum. I actually have the booklet mine came with when I bought mine 27 years ago and it has all of the options for that time.
Do you have an original 41 magnum? I've been looking for one for a long time!
@@hunterphille1280 No I bought the 357 back then...I think it was the Mark VII. I have never seen the 41 magnum in person. Good luck in your search.
@@danielohara2974 one of my uncles bought one when they came out, in Nickel, and I fell in love with it.
@@hunterphille1280 Very few people bought the .41 Magnum version. Very few people bought the .41 Magnum, period. I doubt that it it was 2% of the total sales just because .41 Mag is a solution looking for a problem.
@@tenchraven I agree man. For practicality, I'd go 44mag in a wheel gun, and 10mm for the other. To be honest, I'd just like to have an Eagle in 41 for nostalgia for my uncle man
Bought mine in 1987 or 1988, came with a 6in 357mag barrel and a 10in barrel in 41 mag. Original mk1 built buy I'll. When I bought it the salesman had the perfect line "if the size doesn't scare them, you can't hit them with 9 rounds, use it like a club and beat them with it." The original gun weighs 58oz when empty. Not a regular carry gun but so damn fun on the range.
I've had about 12 of them over the last 30 years. Bought a new L5 in 44 last year. Right off the bat I had feed & extraction issues. But that wasn't the worst of it. It felt like being hit with a sand blaster in the face every time I shot it. Due to the muzzle brake. But that's still not the worst of it. After about 400 rounds through it. I noticed the accuracy dropped right off. After closer inspection. I noticed most of the finn's on the muzzle brake were tore off on the right side of the gun. After contacting DE about it. They told me to send it in. Your right about their turn around. I got it back in 4 days. Where upon I tested fired it and immediately sold it. Taking the money and buying a new XlX 44. Conclusion. I think DE needs to do some more revamping on that gun.
I'm sad to see all the negatives on these L5s, I had a lot of hope for them when they launched. Until they get sorted though, I'm with you - I'm sticking to my crusty old MK I, my MK VII's and MK XIX's. I hope you did end up getting your MK XIX in 44 and are enjoying it - that is in my opinion the best model to start off with, and buying a 50AE barrel to swap out.
Thanks for this post. I was thinking about the L5 in 44. Sounds like I should look into other options.
@@1MoTimeRound. I would probably stay away from one. The guy I sold the L5 to . Called me & said he was still having feeding & extraction issues with it even after 500 more rounds. The muzzle break getting tore up was a major disappointment to. I went with a new Flat Gray XlX 44.
I bought an L5 in .357 and had the same problem with the gas piston breaking. After around a thousand rounds fired over a few months I brought it in from a day at the range to clean it. After I got the gun back together I was showing a friend how you have to put some muscle into pulling the slide back and I pulled too hard because when I released it the piston had broken in half. Not going lie I felt pretty sick.
In the meantime I ordered the wrong replacement piston from Kahr Firearms because they didn't actually offer the replacement piston for the L5 on their website, you have to contact them about a repair. So like you I sent the entire pistol back just to be safe and had a really pleasant experience with them from then on to get it replaced and working again. And likewise it was very quick getting it back in the mail with a note that said what they fixed and that it was tested and works. I've shot another 300 rounds through it and haven't had any problems since.
Only the OGs remember when the video was still called 357 dealge 😔✊
OG's. 🤔
.... What's that, like, 14 of it is?
What is a “dealge?”
@@lelandgaunt9985 the name of the video was misspelt when uploaded, and was called 357 dealge
original gayz ?
it depends on the barrel
its 357 deagle if its use 357 magnum
and its 44 deagle if it uses 44 magnum
and it can also be a 50 deagle as it uses 50 cal
I must add this to my .357 collection-
I picked one up in 2005 used for 650$ spent another 200$ for a tune up kit. Didnt look as nice as this one but it was badass and accurate too. Wish i never sold it but came into hard time
You definitely should have your other DE's Mag-na-ported. I had my .44 and .50 dual ported and it made a tremendous difference. The second shot is almost a double-tap. I always wished they had gotten a little more daring in their offerings like a .357 Maximum and a 10mm versions.
Daring??? 10mm versus 44 mag, 50 ae?? What is so fucking daring about 10mm?????
I've only ever fired a desert eagle in 50ae. I've always wondered how the recoil on a full size 357 DE would be. The only 357 i've ever fired from a pistol was a Taurus 605, which I didn't think was bad. Magnum research doesn't seem to sell conversion kit to 357, just to 44 and 50, which I find odd. The kits do exist, but only if you buy the kit that comes with a DE and the 3 barrels together for like $3K
We have the same story!
I have a Beretta 9mm and a Sig .40. Really love the .357 and very attracted to this one. But, guess I'll just stick to the tried-and-true wheel gun.
The wheelgun is definitely battle tested! People laugh at the capacity nowadays and I understand completely. It’s still a POWERFUL handgun and you won’t be laughing if it’s pointed in YOUR direction. So yeah…Tried-and-True indeed. 👍🏿👍🏿
The problem with the .357 desert eagles is that .357 is a reasonably sized round and no one buys a deagle to be reasonable.
I love my Desert Eagles ! I own a 50AE and a .357 Magnum. I have NEVER EVER had a single malfunction with any of them in more than aprox 2000 rds. They are the most accurate handguns I’ve shot. Great video!
"Never ever??" Sorry but I call bullshit. Everybody knows that Desert Eagles are problematic here and there. Even the Israeli-made ones, which in my opinion are much more reliable than the American-made ones.
@@proguninc4080 Eduardo and I must be _very_ special people then because my Deagle hasn't had any problems other than something that was my fault ~ cheap ass ammo. The loader said he measured them to spec but at the range I found out that was a big lie. Typically 240gr .44 magnum would be $28-30. He was selling at 24 and I had to manually cycle them. After they (all 150, I was a fool) were spent the Fiocchi and Magtech brands worked flawlessly. In other words, don't cheap out on the ammo as there's always a catch.
@@DareToBeDeviant.... Sure you haven't.
@@DareToBeDeviant Absolutely! Choosing the right ammo is critical for the right function of Desert Eagles. I also Ben using exclusively Magtech 158gr .357 Magnum and my girl has been remarkably good and with zero malfunctions.
@@proguninc4080 Well, I’m sorry you hadn’t been as lucky as some of us. Maybe you should try choosing the right ammunition before demeaning people’s experiences with your “bullshit” trolling comments, kid.
I always remembered the DE from playing Tomb Raider back in the day... All those long nights in middle school, staying up glued to my PS1 controller 🎮😴 Always wanted one. Think I'm partial to the 44mag chambering myself, better than 357 but not as expensive as 50. Cool stuff man, thanks for sharing it.
I love shooting the 50AE but I too have a full size in 357Mag due to current prices, availability and it's a better plinking round
Now this is the ONLY reason I would ever think of owning a Desert Eagle--- it comes in .357.
>old man wheeze< I remembuh when it was .357 Magnum only. And I miss the .41 Magnum. ;)
Signed, a guy who wrote Mack Bolan using a .44 Magnum Desert Eagle since 1999.
Don’t wanna sound weird but your subscription list is really based, Krinkels Welyn and Lukan are all great
@@dexaphobia8085 thanks, bro.
When the Desert Eagle was first imported into America I bought one in .44 Magnum. Back then the manufacturer stated use any ammo you want except all lead. The reason was lead would get into the gas system and foul it to the point it would require a trip to be "serviced". The exception was a load by Remington that was an all lead 240 grain semi-wadcutter with a gas check. I shot a lot of those through mine and never had any issues regardless of the ammo used.
If I were going to buy another I would buy one of the originals, not interested in the current manufacturer of the Desert Eagle.
Thank you, I’ll take your advice. Like the original humvee vs h2-h3
This is my favourite handgun round.
Always would be.
Super soft shooting with even the heaviest .357 loads. The one I have will shoot .38spl +P+ loads all day long. Mine was made in the early 1990's.
That federal jacketed soft point is some serious hot stuff. I have a couple boxes for my 357. They are spicy.
What’s the point of 357 if I can’t use full house loads?
The Desert Eagle Mk I was available in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The Mk VII added the .41 Magnum, which was always rare, and discontinued for the Mk XIX. The Mk XIX is available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .50 Action Express. At one point, I believe Magnum Research also offered the Mk XIX in .44 Corbon, which is basically a .50 AE case necked down to .429 caliber. My dad and grandpa each bought Mk VIIs in .44 Mag when they came out. My brother bought a Mk XIX .50 AE with his duty pay while on mid-tour leave from his second deployment. So I've been shooting Desert Eagles since I was about 12 years old. The .44 Mag is very manageable in the Desert Eagle. The .50 AE has a bit more recoil, but the big thing is just unique rotation of the recoil impulse, I think due to the rotating bolt. Still a lot of fun. I think the Desert Eagle is probably too much gun for the .357 Magnum. I don't see why you would bother with a pistol the size of the Desert Eagle to get .357 Magnum power when you can get any number of 10mm Autos that match or exceed the ballistics of the .357 Magnum in a much smaller platform and often with much greater capacity. I'm getting a 200 gr XTP out at over 1200 fps from my G20, and 180 gr Gold Dots at around 1300 fps. That is a lot of juice from a pistol that weighs a pound and a half empty and holds 15 rounds in the magazine. I wouldn't bother with a Desert Eagle in anything less than .44 Mag, and even then, I have to say, having seen the fireball the .50 AE produces in broad daylight and blasted apart some pieces of dry larch firewood with 350 gr JSPs, there is a reason the .50 AE is so popular in this pistol. It provides an experience unlike any other. It is the iconic automatic hand cannon. If you're going with the size and weight (and expense) of the Desert Eagle, cowboy up and get the .50 AE!
After reading this you are absolutely correct I'm trading mine off for something different thank you for the feedback
All I have to say is where is the 10 mm version I've been complaining about this for years I'm never going to stop and I'm going to live for forever😊😊😊🇺🇸🇺🇸
you don't need all that frame for the 10mm.. I had a 10mm 1911 Night Hawk Custom and that was more than enough gun for the full power 10mm.. even Glocks with their light frame goes very well with 10mm.. on the other hands the Desert Eagle, in its very first iteration, came out in .41Mag which was one of the referenco point that Col. Cooper used when designing the 10mm (some very hot load in 10mm gets in the same ballpark of the 41Mag but they are not really pleasant to shoot)
Unless you're downloading the .41 magnum to extremely soft levels, the difference between .41 and 10mm is huge, even a full house .357 has slightly more power than a full house 10mm.
^Right, the 41 mag actually came out with two loadings. One was relatively soft, sort of like a “41 special,” and was intended for police. The other was full-powered and was intended for hunting. 10mm is much closer to the softer shooting police load.
While on the subject of guns running too hot and ammunition that tends to be hotter than others, Fiocchi ammo is almost always the hottest loaded factory stuff. Most European made ammo tends be that way compared to American stuff.
Great video, good info. Thank you for sharing your experience with the broken piston.
WOW. Thanks for confirming that this is a movie and video game pistol with no viable combat use. If it can't handle .357 Magnum, then I shudder to think what will happen with .44 Mag and .50 AE.
It’s significantly better in 50 AE. I’ve shot my two 50AE desert eagles plenty and have combined well over 1k rounds. Never an issue.
I own a DE .357 Mark XIX in satin nickel. I had some cycling issues with it the first and only time out, but I admittedly was using cheap Geco ammo. I gave the L5 a hard look as well, but glad now that I didn’t.
Thank You for your honest and unbiased opinion… Still a very cool option, Maybe S&W or Taurus will make one
I first fell in love with the .44 magnum and 357 Magnum back in the late 90s and they came out with the .440 corbon and then the 50ae, had every one of them..... none were reliable
Both my .50s have been problem free. And I shoot the hell out of them
@@TexasPlinking Had my .50AE since '96 with no "reliability" problems.
They've been making this still gun sense the 80's. No excuse for it.
I've learned the hard way about trying to use semi auto pistols chambered in rounds that are meant for rifles/revolvers - unfortunately, they generally just don't work. They usually have suggested ammos and even those are likely to cause problems. There are people out there that get lucky and end up having zero issues but I think those are the minority. At least you can pretty much always use pistol calibers in carbines/rifles with no probs though!
In 2002 I bought a Desert Eagle in .50AE... In 2009 I bought one in .44 ( both mk VII) Neat as they were, both of them were turds. I probably couldn't get 25 rounds out of either without a jam.
Sold them both in 2012... Made really good money on them, even after explaining that neither of them ran perfect. Swore I'd never own another.
...and then they came out with the L5 somewhere around 2015 or 2016, and for some reason, I want one in
357. Even after watching this video, reading more than a few bad reviews, and having two deagle burns under my belt already, I'm just drawn to this gun. And it sucks, because they're about twice as expensive as they were when I bought my first one!
I got a strange feeling that I need one of these after watching this video...
Great video. Unfortunate the piston keeps breaking. Hope they fix it
That is perfect. I want one of this. I wish I have it but I live in Turkey and 1 USD is 8.5 Turkish lira. Thats why it is a pretty dream for me :(
That first scene was sick with the shells coming at the camera. Good job dude man sr.
Call of Duty... never thought I'd feel old saying this, but Commando, Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man, Last Action Hero, Metal Gear Solid, The Matrix, come on!
Duke Nukem, Max Payne, Hitman... The list goes on and on 😎 It's a legendary video game and Hollywood pistol
that piston flaw is a direct result of the machining process... it has a sharp corner there (it should be radiused) and the quality of the alloy is not what it was on the older DEs
Did anyone else watch this man in his airsoft days?
Hey any update on the piston issue & fix? I just purchased this gun and about to start putting rounds through it when I saw this.
Same thing, they fixed it and I had it back within a week. No problems with the third piston but then again I haven’t shot a whole lot with it
Glad to hear they lightened it. Sorry to see the piston design is apparently no good. Hopefully it is just poor heat treating or made of the wrong metal. Had a little trigger time with a first gen 44 mag back in 94 and 95, thanks to a then coworker. Luckily it ran reliably with Blazer ammo. Hopefully they get it sorted out. I might like to have one when i move to a free state (not on Kalifornia's "safety roster" due to not having a mag disconnect safety and a loaded chamber indicator). The BFR is kind of interesting too, and i guess they make 6" ones now. Those i can get here because of the single action exemption.
I know it's more of a novelty item but, if it cant run most ammo reliably, it's not worth purchasing.
Shut up
@@edwardnewgate2870 Right?
💯
Always kinda wanted a DEagle, then they introduced the Color Case Hardened version and fell in love! Just debating what to chamber it in..... (when I can eventually get one). I’m debating between 357 & 50AE... this video may have helped with my decision
verdict?
@@johnnydough8924 I’m broke and it’ll be a while before I get a fancy DEagle… that being said, I did get a S&W 629 (44 mag) for Christmas/my birthday, so I’m probably actually going to go with 44 mag, to consolidate the ammo I need
@@injuredoutdoorsman9011 guess you gotta take the good with the bad 😄
@@johnnydough8924 can’t complain too much with a gift like that!
Nobody mess Anymore.
I met a guy, a friend of an old friend, who said he had a Desert Eagle in gold. I said, no way, man. He insisted so I asked him to prove it and he did. Only time Ive held one and it was a .357 one as well. I didnt believe him because we live in Norway where these things are very rare and this neighborhood friend of a friend supposedly has one and he did! Im still jealous! :P
He had the solid one, though. The one without those cuts in it or picrail.
Im watching your channel from UK with envy, I love shooting and firearms but unfortunately even law abiding people like myself are frowned upon for this.
I’m planning a holiday to the US in near future and look forward to indulging in
my passion in freedom for a couple of weeks.
Texas seems like a shooting Disney land to me😆👍👍
This might be the perfect pistol. Between this and a kimber polymer 2. Perfect combination of speed and power. God knows I love .50AE but I feel like you could actually carry this model. Just need to iron out the clear issues I keep hearing about.
Great video and update. Good to learn from others experiences.
I owned the original in 357 (only available round at time) It was a fun pistol but would always give me trouble after putting four mags through it. Being gas operated it was just to finicky on ammo.
Can confirm magnum research has good service. I usually use Magtech for .44 and MRs own .50 express. I hear Buffalo is nice but kinda pricy atm...
I’ve been looking for a 357 semi for ages… the Coonen (1911 style) is by far the top of the line but impossible to find, lighter and much sexier. But hell this DE is pretty damn sexy!!
Which is why I'm purchasing this. Coonan is much much more than this L5 and I am a .357 guy.
To think something as Robust as a 357 Magnum gets the recoil of an uncompensated 9mm pistol.
My only complaint is round capacity, but DAYUM!!!
The lower recoil is worth the price of admission.
Most beautiful handgun ever NO CONTEST
That way you start your video is just awesome
I have an old Mark VII from like 1985..it really loves the Blazers..ans Winchester Super X. I found that it also likes to be a little dirty. Too much cleaning and she acts up. I was surprised to hear it didnt like the Blazer. Obviosly a much new design. I love it!
I also have found..that it you shoot too much..it heats way the hell up and will jam. And if you arent careful..you can give yourself a hell of a burn holstering it. Got the scar to prove it..lol
I love Texas. The land of true freedom!!! In a "free" Canada, you can't even dream of such a thing. And this year, they banned all guns.
"If you were eating a cookie with your left hand." 😂 weapons grade subscribability
That really sux that it keeps breaking.....i was looking to buy one of those myself....i wonder if it's just something with the L5 because I've never heard of that happening with another eagle.....
this is so crazy, it shoots so well
sorry I don't have time to watch the whole video atm, but I love how even with the gun cleared, you don't want to point it directly at the camera, it really promotes good gun safety under any circumstances. it's like big cat carers that don't want to be filmed touching the cats because even if it is a professional handling a big cat that is used to confinement, it can still be dangerous and showing someone doing it desensitises people about the actual dangers. you don't play with a cat that can rip you apart, and you don't point a gun at a direction it isn't safe.
just a little something that made me like this video
Good to know when my life is on the line
Watching from Canada. love the vids man
Thanks for the support!
Love the cookie test! I think I'm going to buy one :-)
Great video! Thank you! Nearly every video I watch on this pistol says the same thing...the Desert Eagle is a novelty gun...has too many reliability issues. Keep up the good work!
Very nice hand gun! .50AE is too big for self-defence,.357 is very great for it and the DE. With very good trigger！
I had a gen 1 in 357 and one in 41 mag. loved both...sadly let both get away from me over the years.
Love My 50AE ;) !! I only use Hornday Ammo in my Desert Eagle
I have fired atleast 10k rounds through my D.E. on call of duty with zero malfunctions.
He got the call of duty aim
Nothing hits like 357 caliber. Magnum research kicks ass I'll take that over a coonan any day.
That looks so fun to shoot even though it's not as powerful as a 50. AE.
That's a bummer. It's a beautiful gun but I think I'll wait till they address theses issues before considering buying. Thank for the review.
thumbs up to good customer service!
I owned the .357 Desert eagle back in the early 90s. It had feeding problems.
Yeah I bought mine a little over 10 years ago and has jamming problems. I'm hoping that maybe there were parts of the gun I wasn't cleaning properly that are causing it to jam up so much. Luckily, I've got a bunch of ammo because of it jamming all the time I got frustrated and just saved the ammo
@@imyoursuperbeast8220 Since it has the rotating lug and the .357 being a long, heavy round I think it will always have feeding issues. The 44 mag is optimal to me since it is short and fat
Out of curiosity, were you using jacketless ammo at the time? I hear Desert Eagles are picky about what you feed them.
Big hat, big gun, two outta three ain't bad!
.50 Action Express
.44 Magnum
.440 Cor-Bon
.429 DE[2]
.41 Magnum
6:03 that look says it all 😅
I had a 1st Gen 357 DE and shot hot reloads as long as the bullets were semi jacket it ran great. I wonder what caused the piston to fail? It should have worked fine.
@@johnklatt3522 I don't remember much it was made in Israel. It was stolen at the gun shop never got it back. The store replaced it with one that was worn out . I never bought a new one.
I have 1 of the first aluminum desert eagle 357s I think the company’s been bought out and different cost saving materials might to be blame
Damn, that sucks hate to see that. I have 3 desert eagles including a 357 magnum, it's the steel frame version with a muzzle break and I've had no problems with it cycling. However, this caliber is the easiest of the 4 that is finicky on what it will cycle. I shoot the same exact ammo you shot in your video, plus Federal hydroshok. I have heard of the gas piston failing before, but usually it's the 44 magnum version.
No not the 44.,never heard of that,not only that 357. blazer ammo is not that hot,should have never broken that gas piston.
Great review! Though I’m really not into anything but 50AE non-IMB D.E.s (hey that’s the whole point!) but thought I’d share my experience with a snapped gas piston rod. I once purchased a new barrel and had issues right off the bat with jamming etc. Within 15 rds the piston broke. I ordered a new one and noticed it was slightly sticking when I dry ran it through the cylinder. What it turned out to be was a very small machining burr in the piston cylinder! That was easy to file out. Anyway, probably not your 357 issue since Kahr had the gun to check out but just sharing for anyone else. Again, great review.
I was looking at the L5 in 44 mag, but considering you had two catastrophic failures, one with recommended ammo, it looks like I'll be passing up on this model. Thanks for the info.
Looks like a good shooter. Sorry to see it break again.
It seems like an engineering issue hopefully they will get in front of it I think shooters like myself will buy this gun if it's fixed.
Dang! I’d want to return the whole thing! Not sure how much it cost but you could probably grab a cool lever action that works. They should incorporate into COD a jam factor. The D.E. Would become the least used pistol in the game. More realistic. Also, how can I infect a man with several 556 or 762 rounds and still end up dying at that same man’s hands. Need need serious help and at the very least be out of the fight. He should have to wait for help. Great vid man!!!
I have no idea how the gas piston broke twice. I bought a 44 Mag Desert Eagle in 1992. Right now, almost 30 years later, after thousands of rounds it still has all the factory parts in it except for the recoil springs. I did need to change them about 10 years ago, they do eventually get tired and the gun will start having FTF, where the slide just does not close on a round because of not enough spring tension. The only issue with the gun has been that it is extremely reliable with the recommended ammo, but only for about 75-100 rounds. The gun gets extremely dirty and will start malfunctioning somewhere between 75-100 rounds. You clean it, oil it and it will be good for another 75-100 rounds.
The 357 deagle in Universal Soldier💗🇺🇸👍
Thanks for the video and info.
Hey that was badass and you are awesome!
I am skeptical about buying after this....
357 mag, 44 mag and also the 41 magnum for a while in the 80s and early 90s. The 50 AE came way way later.
.50 AE was late 80's but kinda made a splash in 1990, to 1991. Was a big deal because under US law at the time it was considered a Destructive Device. Personally I'd like to see them try and make a .454 Casull model but I doubt it could withstand that kind of pressure.
@@Predalien195 Actually, no. Because despite it's namesake the .50AE has a bore that is .494" from the shelf of the polygonal rifling to the opposite shelf. The earlier prototype ammo with .510" bullets and .500 lands were never actually sold commercially.
@@dwightlooi Yes, it was designed in 1988 but made its way into the US in the early 90's. 1990 to 1991 to be exact. Was all over magazines like Shotgun News and etc. And YES it was subject to US laws regarding destructive devices which is why it made a controversial splash.
The bore diameter was originally .510 with conventional rifling which is why they made the switch to polygonal rifling and was reduced from the .510 diameter to the.500 diameter to avoid this on production models in the US.
So no "Actually" anything.