buy a desert eagle: 44 or 50?

[Shipyard]

Always wanted a desert eagle. Still dreaming, but question arises: 44 or 50?

I own a couple 44s. Set up to reload, and do so quite cheaply. I love 44 mag. Favorite revolver cartridge. Plenty of brass bullets and chrono data on hand so I'm already familiar with the territory

But.....

If you're going big... do you go full bore? Yeah, much more expensive to shoot, but I ain't shooting Competition with the beast. But no dies, bullets, daya or brass built up so now I'd have to gear up for a whole new caliber...

So...??? Your opinion. I'll await the usual mix of deep thoughts and general douche baggery

[Rodentman]

Speaking as a true douche bag, I say go big. The .50 AE is great. Taking on another caliber is just a matter of a set of dies, you've got the powder (H110 I presume, 34g with 300g bullet), primers, and you can get brass easily enough. You've gotta have brass, one caliber or another. Change the barrel and mag and you've got 44mag.

I believe the .50 AE is the most powerful semi-auto caliber and it's a real head turner. You can have the modest standard barrel or the 10".

[Dutch]

You know it only takes a few seconds to swap the barrel and magazine between 44 and 50 (unless you'd get an older Mk I or VII .44 first)?

[Holland&Holland]

It is not in me to dissuade one from adding another caliber, but I do love the 44 in the DE. Less felt recoil than a 1911 and accurate to boot. Shippy you know where OGC is if you want to try the 44 some time.

[LarryFlew]

Love mine in 44 although it's been fun to shoot rodents 50 a couple of times. Did the 44 because I have the Ruger carbine and a revolver.

Shippy, what ever happened to the pass around derringer?

[Seismic Sam]

50!! Go big or go home!! Plus brass IS available because it's an uncommon caliber. Drink a bottle of Night Train for breakfast and you'll never know the difference.

[tletourneau]

Love the 50, it's a giggle maker. Every time I bring it out at the range people notice.

Sent from a mobile device.

[LePetomane]

I have not shot the .50 out of that particular gun but the .44 magnum is nice.

[Deputyhiro]

I Have a 50 and about 300 rounds of factory ammo if your interested.

[Pat]

The gun was originally designed in .357 caliber, with an interchangeable barrel of 44 caliber. Only later did the company's marketing decide to move up to 50 caliber. The designer himself has told me that the gun is extremely hard to handle in 50 caliber.

[Pat Cannon]

.50! Because.

[Ron Burgundy]

.50

I've wanted one ever since I saw the movie Snatch.

[Tronster]

Tried a couple shots of .50 through a guy's DE at the range, no thanks I'll pass. Stoopid big, stoopid loud, but stoopid grin inducing.

[aht_six]

The .44 mag is far and away my favorite handgun cartridge. However, if I was to buy a Desert Eagle, it would be a .50 AE.

[Motoman]

The .50 recoil is not bad at all. Certainly no worse than a .44 magnum.