THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
One of the most intriguing, photogenic and divisive pistols is the Magnum Research Desert Eagle. These large-sized 4-pound handguns chambered in magnum handgun cartridges constantly appear in movies, TV shows and video games … yet many modern shooters treat them with derision and scorn for some reason.
Most people who trash the “Deagle” do so because they don’t understand the history behind this pistol and the gun shop myths that surround it.
HISTORY
According to a U.S. patent search, the initial Desert Eagle design was a joint venture between Bernard White of Magnum Research and Arnold Steinberg of Riga Arms Institute in 1982. The concept was to develop a semi-automatic pistol that could handle .357 Magnum handgun cartridges.
After coming up with a very basic design, it was submitted to Israel Military Industries (IMI) for refinement and testing after the 1982 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Atlanta, Georgia, where Magnum Research displayed their prototype.
In all actuality, IMI redesigned the pistol. White and Steinberg’s design
