Desert eagle

My dad has one. They are a cool range toy at best. Ammo is expensive and they jam like crazy. They are not worth the money.

IMO, Desert Eagle is at its best when viewed as a novel way to shoot .357 from a pistol. Shooting .44 and especially .50 just becomes costly and uncomfortable for range fun, and it's a worse option for .44/.50 hunting compared to a revolver.

It's .50AE, Action Express.

I own one, reload for it too. Even then it costs the same to feed as match grade ammo for my Garand though a company recently started producing cheaper ammo in .50AE ($1.20/rd vs $1.75+/rd). They are not as jam prone as some would say, they are absolutely unforgiving if you don't handle them like the magnum pistol they are. You simply can't shoot these guns like a regular full-size handgun in lesser cartridges (9mm, .45, 10mm, etc), you really have to focus on the recoil moving through your dominant hand and arm being rigid and using your back and shoulder muscles absorb the force as much as possible. Once you get used to it (the muzzle blast is really worse than the recoil) then you can shoot some tight groups since the barrel itself doesn't move and they are very accurate guns. Just have to remember these things are zeroed for 100 yards, aim low and don't flinch

I would not shoot one if offered. I am actually afraid of it.

I shot one in 50 AE when I was a kid. Like before high school kid. You'll be fine

I wouldn't suggest he buys it unless he gets it very cheap and can flip it to turn a profit.

Like everyone else said, it's bulky, heavy, has a huge grip, the ammo is expensive, it isn't all that reliable, and it beats the shite out of you.

I have to laugh when I watch a movie and a guy is shooting a Desert Eagle in each hand with no problems whatsoever. That thing would go flying out of your hand even if you're Deadpool.

Agent Smith laughs at you

It's not supposed to be practical at all guys. Theirs no reason in listing its downsides. There are way too many downsides. But it's fun to say you have one and that's half the purpose for having a gun anyway

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but from what y'all are saying it's just a novelty at best.

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And if he wants it for that purpose and is willing to deal with the expensive ammo, no problem at all. Just giving full transparency on what to expect...

Fun and novelty is why I bought mine. The recoil is really not that bad, there are others far worse. The fireball is probably what frightens off most DE newbs. Definitely need exercise a little more range etiquette when at an indoor range though, you can knock the paper targets off the cardboard hanger very easily. Yours and sometimes those next to you.