The Desert Eagle is a gun with a certain reputation for sheer size and brawn, largely thanks to Hollywood. It’s been featured in everything from Resident Evil to RoboCop. Not only is the Desert Eagle highly recognizable, but it’s also a classic in its own right (as well as being the brunt of many jokes). It’s made in a variety of calibers and sizes, and although it might come as a surprise, it’s a useful gun. Two of its calibers—50 AE and 429 DE—are especially useful for both hunting and range time. We’re going to tell you why you need one and which one you should get your gun-loving hands on.
Desert Eagle 50 AE
If a truly large diameter bullet is your thing, the 50 AE (Action Express) is one to check out. Evan Whildin designed the 50 AE in 1988, and it didn’t take long for it to become synonymous with the Desert Eagle. Yes, there are other guns chambered in it, but not many, and none so famous. The 50 AE has a bullet diameter of 0.500 inches, making it as big as you can get in a non-sporting handgun. It uses large pistol primers and has a maximum pressure of 36,000 psi. Bullets are usually 300 grain, which you can easily compare to the far more diminutive 147 grain 9mm.
When the 50 AE was first created, not a lot of guns could handle it. That’s a lot of force and stress on a firearm. Despite the somewhat pervasive belief that the Desert Eagle is all about the 50 AE, the truth is that it preceded the cartridge by nearly a decade. Early models were chambered in 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum. It wasn’t until the Mark VII—which was first produced in Israel Military Industries in 1991—that the now-classic Desert Eagle in 50 AE hit the market. Today, Magnum Research makes it in the good old USA!
Desert Eagle 429 DE
Although the Desert Eagle is available in a variety of calibers, only one is truly unique to the platform. Jim Tertin designed the 429 DE (Desert Eagle) for Magnum Research in 2018. That’s right, this cartridge was made specifically to optimize the Desert Eagle handgun—and it does. The 429 DE is a little smaller and more streamlined, with a bullet diameter of 0.429 inches. It also delivers greater velocity thanks to a maximum psi of 46,000. Loads for this cartridge generally have either 210 grain or 240 grain bullets.
The goal behind 429 DE was to create a faster, more accurate round that remained above-average for overall power. Then there’s the bonus of it being specific to the Desert Eagle, meaning you can only get it if you get the one gun chambered for it. That’s a win-win for Magnum Research, and the real-world performance of the 429 DE does not disappoint.
Round With the Best Ballistics
If you chronograph Hornady 50 AE 300 grain XTP, you’ll discover a muzzle velocity of about 1400 feet per second (that’s through a 6.0-inch barrel). According to the manufacturer, those rounds produce a muzzle energy of 1449 foot-pounds. Using Magnum Research’s own 429 DE 210 grain JHP, the average muzzle velocity out of 10 shots fired through a 6.0-inch barrel is 1766 feet per second. Going back to the gun maker—who just happens to also be the ammo maker in this case—muzzle energy for that round is about 1428 foot-pounds. What we get out of this is that the 429 DE is a bit faster than the 50 DE, but the expected energy matches.
Where you see greater variances is in the drift and drop rate of the two. Because the 50 AE is heavier, it drops more quickly than the 429 DE. Granted, you’re not likely to take long shots with a Desert Eagle, but sometimes that little bit matters.
Self-Defense
When you’re considering a handgun for self-defense purposes, you want one that’s reliable, accurate, and comfortable to carry and shoot. Both the 50 AE and 429 DE create significant felt recoil and don’t precisely fit most shooters’ definition of comfort. That said, let’s consider which gun you should grab if the two calibers are sitting side by side on a table.
The first concern you might have is the risk of over-penetration. It’s a rather common misconception that only some bullets can over-penetrate—in reality, all bullets can over-penetrate in the right circumstances. However, it’s more likely for a larger, faster round to blow through barriers that a smaller, more sluggish bullet might get stuck in. Although the 50 AE is heavier than the 429 DE, it doesn’t move as fast. Which bullet is most likely to penetrate something you’d rather it didn’t is going to be a matter of chance and a variety of factors outside your control. Both are big enough and quick enough to manage it.
For reliable cycling, my experience is that the 50 AE is more consistently reliable. The 429 DE doesn’t suffer many failures, but it’s had one here and there. That means a point goes to the 50 AE for self-defense use.
Accuracy
On to accuracy. Recoil and muzzle rise directly impact accuracy. The 50 AE creates more recoil than the 429 DE, although the difference is negligible. If we’re being precise, then yes, the 50 AE recoils harder and is therefore likely to negatively impact accuracy. But if we’re being realistic, the two cartridges are a close match. Both of them have enough muzzle flip to cause some issues with follow-up shots, and in most cases, the difference between the two isn’t noticeable enough to matter. I’ve found both chamberings to be relatively accurate, although not precise. Repeatability comes into play here, and it’s a challenge to get tight groups.
If I were to choose, I’d say the 50 AE is my choice for self-defense. This is due largely to its reliable performance and the fact that you can’t risk a gun failing at the worst possible moment.
Hunting
This one’s harder for me because I do enjoy big bores (of course, both of these are technically big bores). Let’s consider this one from the standpoint of hunting for meat rather than taking out predators or varmints. Due to the increased velocity of the 429 DE combined with its lighter bullet, it maintains a flatter trajectory than the 50 AE. In addition, the smaller diameter bullet creates a smaller—but no less effective—wound cavity. As a result, the 429 DE will save you a bit of meat while also giving you an edge for accuracy, something that’s important when you’re hunting. This is especially true if you’re taking a longer shot or if the animal is moving. I’d go for the 429 DE over the 50 AE for something like whitetail deer.
Hog hunting—or any type of pest—is another story. The 50 AE is fantastic for this, and once you master the muzzle rise, you can get those follow-up shots going pretty quickly. Throw a red dot on it and things get even better. For sheer wound cavity size, the 50 AE wins. Fractions of an inch can make a difference.
READ MORE HERE: Comprehensive Guide to Handgun Types
50 AE or 429 DE
Both the 50 AE and 429 DE have a lot to offer. They’re fun to shoot and are designed to be heavy enough to mitigate felt recoil as much as possible. It’s easier to find 50 AE ammo, and there are more Desert Eagles made in that chambering, too. 429 DE is a little more unique, so you might be scrambling to find ammo for range days or hunts. It’s hard to deny the cachet of the true classic, and that’s why the 50 AE will always be the winner.
Check out the Magnum Research Desert Eagle lineup here.
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