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The Desert Eagle is a semi-automatic, gas-operated pistol that is manufactured in Israel by IMI (Israeli Military Industries) for Magnum Research, Inc. Magnum Research, based in the USA, developed and patented the original Desert Eagle design, but the refining was done by IMI.
Three different versions of the Desert Eagle were manufactured: the Mark I, Mark VII, and Mark XIX. The Mark I is no longer produced, but was available in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum. The Mark VII is currently available in .44 Magnum, with .357 Magnum and .41 Magnum chamberings no longer being produced. The most recent, the Mark XIX, is available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .50 Action Express.
Switching a Desert Eagle to another chambering requires only that the correct barrel, bolt assembly, and magazine be installed. Thus, a conversion to shoot the other cartridges can be quickly accomplished in the field. The most popular barrel length is 6", although 10" and 14" barrels (which are rarely seen) have been available.
It is fed with a detachable box magazine, just as with any other semi-auto pistol. Because it fires such large cartridges, magazine capacity is limited to a meager nine rounds in .357 Magnum, 8 rounds in .44 Magnum, and 7 rounds in .50 Action Express. Compare this to the full-sized service type pistol, the SIG-Sauer P226 (which is smaller and lighter), when chambered in 9mm Luger it can have normal magazine capacities of up to sixteen rounds.
The Desert Eagle is a sport pistol which has limited practical use other than giving enjoyment on the range, and as a capable hunting weapon. Because of its distinctive appearance and reputation as a hand cannon, it is often used as a personal sidearm by antagonists in movies. It is also a weapon in many computer games.
Some of the technology used and developed in the Desert Eagle has been implemented in a smaller-caliber pistol, the IMI Jericho 941, chambered for 9mm and .41 Cal, although the mechanism itself is based upon the Czech CZ75 pistol, rather than on the mechanism used in the Desert Eagle.
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