Our man Ralph loved him some Desert Eagle. Not the baby Eagle. The fully-fledged Magnum Research IWI Desert Eagle Mark XIX .50AE. A giant amongst handguns, in terms of size, caliber and action (gas operated with AR-15-like rotating bolt and a fixed barrel sporting six-rib polygonal rifling). The Baby Desert Eagle may look like a badly circumcised “Deagle” – more so in its slimmed down third iteration – but it’s still a bog-standard hammer-fired handgun, complete with lands and grooves (which would be an excellent name for singing duo). The BDE III’s initial double-action trigger pull is a staggering 12 pounds, followed by four pounds in single action. Set aside some six bills and you can buy an eaglet later this year with a polymer or steel frame, full size or semi-compact, in 9mm, .40 S&W or .45 ACP calibers. Press release after the jump . . .
Pomona, NY – -(Ammoland.com)- This year, marks the 30th anniversary of Magnum Research, so now was the perfect time to introduce a new and improved look to the Baby Desert Eagle III.
The new series is sleeker and features an upgraded refreshing new design.
The Baby Desert Eagle is known by the industry as having one of the most reliable mechanisms in the world, and this is evident in the new Baby DE III Series as well. It features a precision land and groove match barrel, ambidextrous teardrop-shaped decocking mechanism on the slide, smoother trigger pull, fully interchangeable magazines with all Baby Desert Eagle II models, and a reversible magazine catch for either left- or right-handed shooters. The integral tactical accessory rail makes it ideal for a variety of laser and light accessories.
Magnum Research has also trimmed down the slide and frame making its shape even more like its big brother, the Desert Eagle, and the trimmer design gives it a lighter weight than previous Baby Desert Eagle II models.
The Baby DE III can be purchased in polymer or steel frame, full size or semi-compact, and in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP calibers. The full-size 9mm pistol with the steel frame weighs just 38.0 oz., measures 8” in overall length, with a 4.43” barrel length, and slide width of 1.31”. It measures 5.375” in height. The steel frame and slide are produced from high quality carbon steel with an attractive matte black oxide finish. The Baby DE III can also be purchased in a polymer frame with a black finish.
Other features include a double/single action (DA/SA) trigger with a 12 lb. trigger pull (DA), or 4 lb. for single action. The rifling is right-hand twist 6 lands and grooves, and combat-type, white three dot fixed sights. The Baby DE III ships with two magazines. MSRP for the Baby Desert Eagle III will range from $646 to $691 depending on which model it is.
Magnum Research will formally introduce the Baby Desert Eagle III at the NRA Annual Meeting in Nashville on April 10-12, 2015. Stop by the Kahr Firearms Group booth #2049 and check them out. Magnum Research will start shipping the Baby DE III polymer frame in June and the steel frame will begin shipping in September. For more information about Magnum Research products, visit www.magnumresearch.com.
Striker fired? If that’s the case someone might wanna tell them to take the hammer off the back before they start shipping.
Maybe that’s just a lanyard loop
I am not much of a label who’re so I’ll just buy another Cz, thnx.
Word. I love IWI but I find their handguns wanting.
First thought through my mind was that it sure looks a lot like a CZ 75.
That is because it is an Israeli mod of an Italian (tanfoglio) mod of the CZ 75. What’s nice about this is that the lovely 20 round MecGar mags for the SP-01 work just fine in the Jericho. One thing I will say about the Jericho’s is they’ve generally got a nicer trigger than the CZs out the box. Sounds like the Baby Eagle triggers aren’t as nice though from reading that press release
Had one of the older baby eagles for a few years, loved most of the gun but the biggest turn off was the lack of fitted holsters for the .45 acp and the slide safety was damn near impossible to get too. Was fine for range use, it shot very well and very reliably, but I couldn’t carry it because of the safety and holster issue. Pitty.
I was considering getting a Jericho for the frame safety and in 9 or 40 for more holster options, also Jericho is a MUCH better name than baby eagle (I never called mine baby eagle, it was always the Jericho for me).
Doesnt look like ill get the new baby eagle, not for that price point and not for the name or features. Oh well.
I love the deagle its punishing to shoot. But you have to go .50AE or go home.
I’ll never understand making that thing smaller. If you’re going to shoot a gun that’s going to have that much recoil you might as well have it in a form that an easily handle it. Desert Eagles are not meant to be small.
A point of clarity: these are not smaller versions of desert eagles. They are traditional handguns in traditional calibers. They are eagles in name only.
In the future I would recommend reading the article before posting….
Not that anyone asked me (or hired me) to mention the fact that the “DESERT EAGLE” type, or just about *any* type IMHO looks like week-old roadkill. Develop a logo or an icon, hire somebody to present it in 3D, forge it onto your product and let the icon do the talking — NOT TYPE. It’s on a par with guys that do their own bodywork (not the guys with English bags and slap hammers).
But…. What would bullet toothed Tony say to aggressive young punks?
The slide-mounted safety is a killer for me. I’ll stick with my CZ, thanks.
The Gen III slide mounted decocker is a marvelous upgrade from the gen II and even better than the ones on a Beretta.
I do prefer a frame mounted safety for ergos, but this is a “decocker” it drops the hammer safety for you and its a “safety/Decocker” which if left in the “Down” position disconnects the trigger from functioning.
I highly recommend this type of feature for ANYONE who carries around small children, especially if you’re doing “off body carry” in a purse or bag like many women do. whether in Beretta, Sig, Walther PPK, Bersa, or the MR Baby Eagle III.
This feature allows the gun to be carried in a “dry trigger” mode that just doesn’t connect with parts to activate the hammer.
But you don’t have to use it this way, you can leave the lever up and run double action with a live trigger like a CZ .
it gives a person an extra safety feature option.
Everyone I have shown this feature too agrees, it is a more child safe set up.
If you are a high speed operator with no kids and thinks is superfluous, here’s a reason to have this feature; Appendix carry. All you hots shots who want to carry appendix with the muzzle in your pants pointing right at either your man parts, OR your femoral artery (about a 5 minute bleed out and die), you REALLY should have a dry trigger decocker because of the reports of “negligent discharge” .
The gen II Baby Eagle had a decocker with horrible ergos, and it was truly awful, required way too much force to manipulate and way hard to reach.
the new Gen III is like a whole different gun, even my 5’4″ small handed wife can use this one, and she loves this gun even over the Walther PPK .380.
The new grips borrowed a trick form the Gen III Browning Hi Power with the scallop to raise, narrow and index the firing hand into ideal position and they are excellent for many hand sizes. the undercut where the trigger guard meets the frame is even higher and better than my CZ SP-01 Shadow, the most winning gun in IPSC.
The quality and finish are even nicer than a CZ.
The MR Eagle just needs some spring upgrade kits to reduce the DA pull a little and a sight upgrade to fiber optic front and black back sight. But out of the box its way better than many double actions.
The new gen III decocker has a very smooth, tactile feel and will click “up” into live trigger mode with minimal force.
So yes i bought one and will get another, So don’t bash it from your keyboard until you’ve held it in your hand.
you’ll be amazed.
Avoid.
For a time, I had some Tanfoglio derivatives in the stable.One of which was the AR-24 I reviewed here.
The Baby Eagle is basically a Tanfoglio Witness, but produced by IWI instead of by Italy.The gun itself isnt bad, but there is minus zero US support for them.No real sight options, few holster options which arent sold in a ‘Universal’ plastic bag, and expensive options for magazines . Break it, and there is no option to fix them without sending the whole shebang back to the importer at buyer’s expense.
If one’s shopping for a 9mm for virturally any practical use theyre better served getting a Glock or derivative thereof.If it MUST be hammer fired, a Beretta 92 or CZ75 are superior. Those guns actually have US support and acessories, which WILL matter if you shoot it often enough.Doesnt matter what ya got, shoot often enough and You Will Break Something.
I would take a Sig as a hammer fired 9mm over a Beretta any day………also there are some pretty good 1911 based 9mm pieces……if you don’t mind a small magazine
Magnum Research as far as I’m concerned has always had pretty decent customer support. They have been able to supply me with parts & information when ever I have called.
As far as IWI goes, now that they are firmly entrenched in Harrisburg, PA , I for see no problems with parts, repairs or customer support. So far they have been awesome with their service for Tavor owners.
The baby eagle line was an imported jericho pistol. I’d rather just get one from IWI since they’re bringing them into the country again.
Their prior Baby Eagle had a pretty deadly pull… My girlfriend was looking at one and the gun shop owner said, “I could sell you this, but before I do, pull that trigger.”
Pass, love their 1911 though.
So, if the Desert Eagle is nicknamed the “Deagle”, can we PLEASE nickname this the “Beagle”? =D
That’s precisely what I call it. 🙂
Why not get the acua Jericho, which IW will be selling directly in the USA?
http://iwi.us/Jericho
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/12/18/iwi-us-announces-return-jericho-941/
I dunno, looks like a decent alternative to the Glock 43.
“…lands and grooves (which would be an excellent name for singing duo).” True dat.
While we’re on the subject, Carp Sushi would be an excellent name for a rock band.
I have a Baby Eagle II semi compact 9mm and dare I say its my favorite handgun. the double action pull on mine is better than the double action pull on my Beretta 96A1 and the single action pull is fantastic. I recommend that the naysayers go try one out before they dismiss it.
I had a Baby Eagle in .45. It was actually my first pistol. It felt great, the trigger was decent and it looked good. The problem? I couldn’t get through a 10 round mag without 1-2 malfunctions no matter what type of ammo I used. I traded it off. I do own three CZs and will be buying another one soon.
Pass.
How about a solid stainless (slide & frame) EAA in 10mm for much less:
http://www.impactguns.com/eaa-witness-10mm-steel-full-size-15-rd-mags-999220-741566107016.aspx
I guess I’ll just never understand marketing; I still think ‘Jericho 941’ is a way better name than ‘Baby Eagle’.
I have an older steel Baby Eagle that’s stamped IWI and Israel. It’s my EDC gun, really accurate, and always 100% dependable. I never liked the polymer versions, or the new ones made to look like the DE (which is a totally different gun, BTW). I took a look at the newer Jerichos from IWI on the link the gentleman posted above – I could probably go for one of those in steel.
Obligatory “You mentioned a Desert Eagle” Scene from “Snatch”
Desert Eagle .50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR5jufwSqm8
I’m getting one. Looks like the perfect storm just arrived in cold steel chambered in .40 S&W.