By Bob Shell
Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol Review and Field Test.
Apache Junction, AZ -(AmmoLand.com)- Magnum Research makes a large verity of handguns including the Desert Eagle which is chambered for the 44 mag and 50 A & E.
So an obvious step when you haev a good working design would be to scale it down and chamber it for a smaller round. A good choice for chamberings would include the 40 S & W auto round.
And that is the case with the Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol, now in 40sw
They are offered in 9 mm and 45 auto as well as the 40. There is also semi-compact models which hold a few less rounds. For info regarding these and other Magnum Research products, you can go to www.magnumresearch.com for a complete listing of their items.
Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol in 40SW
Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol has a number of the normal features such as the white dot sights which aids in picking up a target especially in less than ideal light. Sites are adjustable for windage. Other features include an ambidextrous safety which is also a decocker and a rail which allows you to attach various items including a flashlight. It also possesses a loaded round indicator, which is a small hole just to the rear of the bolt. The grip has some checkering which aids in holding it. In addition, the grip is comfortable to me but someone with small hands may have some difficulty with it. The trigger is typical single/double action type.
The single action pull is OK but shooting it double may prove to be difficult to someone with weaker hands. A prospective buyer may want to check that out before purchase.
Like most of these guns, I think, it isn’t pretty, but if it performs like all of the other Magnum Research products that I have tested throughout the last few years, performance will be stellar. Reliability is a lot more important then looks. The instruction manual details on how to disassemble for cleaning and other info. It has a standard one-year warranty that does not cover reloaded ammo. That is standard with most gun manufacturers.
The 40 S&W is a flexible round and factory ammo and components are readily available. I have a 190 gr cast generally meant for the 38-40 but will give us an indication as to what this gun will digest. A 200 grain is heavy for this round so we will have a chance to observe that as well. Though it might not expand at the velocities available.
The 190-gr cast fed ok Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol, and with a little case prep, it should feed perfectly at least in my gun. That gives you a chance to make real economical loads for target practice. A couple of other shooters tried it and for the most part liked it. The grip was too large for one with small hands. Due to its size recoil isn’t an issue and the sights are easy to pick up.
The 60-grain Liberty has very little recoil in spite of its high velocity and can be a good option for someone looking for a good self-defense load. It is very novel ammo and for someone looking for a serious self-defense load I would check them out. For info you can go to https://libertyammunition.com.
This gun is made for home or self-defense, though it would be accurate enough for small game. I would not recommend it for large game, though in a pinch it may do. If you want some FMJ ammo for general use the Winchester ammo I used did as well as expected and for info you can go to www.winchester.com/Pages/Home.aspx. An up and coming ammo maker is Double Tap. They make a lot of high performance ammo in many calibers and definitely should be something to look at. For info you can go to www.doubletapammo.net. I tried a couple loads from them and they both did well.
LOAD BULLET VELOCITY COMMENT
- Liberty 60 gr HP 2110 awesome
- Double Tap 125 gr HP 1308 consistent
- 7 grains Green Dot 135 gr plated 1154 very high es
- Double Tap 135 gr Nosler JHP 1448 nice
- 8.5 grains HS-6 155 gr HP 1194 ok
- Winchester 180 gr FMJ 1023 consistent
- 5 grains 231 190 gr cast 900 feeds
- 6.5 grains HS-6 200 gr HP 880.6 consistent
- Double Tap 200 gr Nosler JHP 1018 also consistent
The 40 S&W is popular with many police departments who want something more potent then the 9 mm but in a caliber that all employees can handle.
Most shooters who tried the Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol liked it and the 40 caliber is easy to get ammo and components for. So I would recommend giving this gun a good look.
| Model | BE94133RL | BE94003RL (Full Size, Polymer Frame) |
BE94133RSL | BE94003RSL (Semi-Compact, Polymer Frame) |
| Caliber | .40 S&W | .40 S&W |
| Barrel Length | 4.43” | 3.85” |
| Height | 5.75” | 5.75” |
| Weight | 28 oz | 25 oz |
| OA Length | 8.375” | 7.825” |
| Slide Width | 1.53” | 1.53” |
| Construction | Polymer frame with high quality carbon steel slide | Polymer frame with high quality carbon steel slide |
| Finish | Black textured polymer frame, black oxide on slide | Black textured polymer frame, black oxide on slide |
| Trigger | Double Action/Single Action (DA/SA) | Double Action/Single Action (DA/SA) |
| Safety | Slide mounted safety and decocker, ambidextrous | Slide mounted safety and decocker, ambidextrous |
| Sights | Combat type, white three dot, fixed | Combat type, white three dot, fixed |
| Magazines | 2 – 13 Round (BE94133RL) | 2 – 10 Round (BE94003RL) | 2 – 13 Round (BE94133RSL) | 2 – 10 Round (BE94003RSL) |
Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol Resources:
- Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol Manual : https://www.magnumresearch.com/PDF/BDE-Manual.pdf
- Baby Desert Eagle III Pistol Videos : https://tiny.cc/7uw28x
About Bob Shell:
A Custom Reloader of Obsolete and Antique Ammo, Bob Shell, writes about the subject of Guns, Ammo, Shooting and Related Subjects. For more information, visit: www.bobshellsblog.blogspot.com.