Feed Problems on Desert Eagle

[precision_shooter]

I have Desert Eagle in .357 mag. Lately, it has been having feed problems. Won't feed next round into chamber completely. Take out mag and round that is half way in chamber and what do I find, Unburned powder. This is with PMC 158gr JSP's. So I'm wondering, is it the PMC ammo all together? Will it help if I find heavier bullets? Should I just switch to a different brand of ammo?

BTW - gas tube is clean and clear.

 

[metoe]

158gr is ok for a DE. How old is your gun(how many rounds). are you using ProMags? It could be the spring in the mag or the ammo its not strong. try speer ammo 158gr work for me.

here is a link for more info on your DE

http://p088.ezboard.com/The-Desert-Eagle/bthedeserteagle

 

[precision_shooter]

Not sure how many rounds, bought it used but in excellent condition. Springs in mags seem to be plenty strong but not sure about the brand. Only markings on mags is 1-85 stamped on the side. I have 6 mags and gun has same result with rounds fired from each mag.

 

[FS2K]

My friend had a .357 Desert Eagle, and it was a notorious jammimg machine. He had to use only "Hot" rounds to make it function somewhat reliably. I can ask him what he did to and used in that gun to make it work if you like. Let me know.


It sounds like the ammo you are using is not powerful enough to push the slide all the way back when fired. She's "Short Stroking". A more powerful round will punch the slide all the way back so it can pull the next round out of the magazine.

He got rid of the gun after all that by the way.

 

[precision_shooter]

That would be great if you could find out what he had to do to get it to be a little more reliable. I'm not ready to give up on it yet.

 

[Silentarmy]

I have found with my DE .50 that it does not like to feed my Ranier Ballistics 325 GR Sabertooth HP's. Golddot in HP or flat point is not an issue. I found that if I use my weak hand to push in the mag slightly, It will help a little. Factory mags here!

 

[User Name]

I have a .50 and a 44 and have had friends that have owned them too. I've found that most jamming problems were caused by "limp wristing". It takes a firm grip with a locked wrist to shoot these weapons due to the way the action works...alot of folks say that they jam alot...and alot of those same people don't even own one. I've only "stove piped" a couple of times and every time it was because I got lax in my grip. Other than that I've never had any problems.
As far as loads go, I shoot speer gold dots in my .50 and regular winchester in my .44.
The original posters problem sounded to me (or at least gave me the impression) that he's having problems with a weak mag spring.
But I could have just miss understood what was being described.
Hope some of my ramblings help.

 

[Gewehr98]

I have a similar Desert Eagle in .357...

I got it for $400.00 from a friend who couldn't get it to function reliably.

Problem was, he was using factory ammo not rated by Magnum Research to cycle the big gas gun.

The gun's been wonderfully reliable since I bought it, and I shoot nothing lighter than 158gr ammo, although all of it is via my handloads.

The Desert Eagle Pistol was intended to be a .44 Magnum autoloader, and is scaled accordingly. The gas system needs a large gas volume per round to move that big slide back and forth, as well as lock and unlock the M16-style bolt. To have the same sized gun work well with .357 Magnum loads, those loads have to do yeoman's duty - hence the list of approved factory ammo on Magnum Research's website and elsewhere:

http://zvis.com/dep/depmrra.shtml#357MGN

Short-stroking of the action would cause me to suspect weak ammo as a potential cause, and while the PMC 158gr SJHP round is listed, who knows what they've done with their loads since Magnum Research's ammo list came out?

 

[44 AMP]

Another thing to check...

Magazines on Desert Eagles tend to work best if they "float". Unlike the other poster, my experience (with 2 different .357s and a .44) is that they will malfunction if there is pressure on the bottom of the magazine. Not every time, but sometimes. This may not be typical for all guns, but it has been for mine.

Your pistol is not short stroking. If it were, the bolt would not push the next round out of the magazine. What is happening is your gun is hanging up with the next round partially chambered, right?

How many rounds fired before this happens? Happens with all magazines? Happens consistantly? You say there is unburned powder in the chamber, a little? or a lot? Do you start out with a clean chamber?

One thing that may be happening is the soft lead of the JSP is not sliding along the chamber, possibly from the powder fouling, or possibly because the magazine is presenting the round at a bad angle.

Simplest and easiest thing to do is (after through cleaning) change ammo.

158gr is the correct weight bullet, and what the factory regulates the sights for. 125s can be made that will function in the gun, but they have to be pretty hot, and they will not shoot to point of aim. If you handload, and you have adjustable sights fine. Otherwise don't bother.

Try another brand of ammo, and/or another style of bullet. Magnum Research recommends only certain ammo and loads. My experience is the guns will work with other brands/loads, but there is no telling until you try them out. Each gun is an individual, and my guns have all been older (what is today called the Mk I).

Good luck, and please keep us posted.

 

[Gewehr98]

44 AMP reminded me of something else...

He's right. Some aftermarket Desert Eagle magazines do not "float". That can be a problem, right there in and of itself. It's not too difficult to see the difference between a floating mag and non-floating copy.

(I noticed it with the factory original and aftermarket mags in my own collection)