Owned this one since 2012 and quite frankly I am not sure it's going anywhere. The best shooter in a Commander I've ever shot. If it makes me look good, then you will be pro's, well we'll see. $1100.00
Details are as follows,
1911
BY BOB CAMPBELL PUBLISHED ON MARCH 9, 2015 IN FIREARMS
Author holding a black and wood gripped 1911 made by Magnum Research against a silhouette target.
When addressing the number of 1911 handguns on the market, many of us continue to be surprised at the introduction of new models. The price point is important in this lucrative market, but so is quality. A good product at a fair price will sell. A mid-priced handgun with much merit is the subject of this review, the Magnum Research Desert Eagle 1911 Commander is affordable range for a good quality carry gun.
According to the gun’s manufacturer, Bul Transmark, the Desert Eagle 1911 is manufactured to strict standards and nothing that I have seen counters that statement.
After evaluating this Commander-sized 1911, I find the pistol reliable, workmanlike and well suited for personal defense. The pistol maintains the good attributes of the 1911 handgun. These include a straight-to-the-rear, single-action trigger compression, low bore axis that allows little leverage for muzzle flip, grip that fits most hands well, a combination of a slide-lock safety and grip safety, and unequaled speed to an accurate first shot.
Specifications and Features
The pistol is a steel-frame Commander type, which means that the slide and barrel are 4.25 inches long, or 0.75-inches shorter than the Government Model. Thankfully, the model I reviewed has no forward cocking serrations. The pistol uses a full-length guide rod. Debated by some, the full-length guide rod is desirable for reliability and accuracy potential and keeps the pistol from going out of battery if you bump the slide on a barricade.
The cocking serrations are well done. The fit of the extractor is good. There was no movement or clocking of the extractor during the firing test.
The two halves of the feed ramp show the requisite 1/32-inch gap necessary for reliable feeding. The hammer is skeletonized. The flat mainspring housing is well checkered.
The ejection port is lowered or scalloped for enhanced clearing of the spent case, or clearing a cartridge during administrative handling. The barrel is well fitted. When you press on the barrel hood, there is minimal spring back. The well-fitted barrel bushing requires a bushing wrench for removal. This is fine on a personal handgun rather than on an issue handgun.
By the way, the Magnum Research website tells us that the 4.33-inch C version features bushingless lockup. This isn’t true of my model. A pistol shorter than 4.25 inches generally needs bushingless lockup due to the barrel tilt, but this pistol uses the proven barrel bushing design.
Sights
The sights are excellent. The front sight is a low-riding post dovetailed in place. This is an improved arrangement over the GI pistol’s staked-in post. The well-designed rear sight has a spiral pattern on the rear I have not seen elsewhere. Very well done! The sights offer an excellent sight picture.
Safeties
The slide lock safety is positive in indent, unlike other 1911s I have tested a that exhibited a mushy fit in the safety—an acceptable trait in a defensive handgun. The memory-groove, upswept Beavertail grip safety properly releases its hold on the trigger about half way into compression. This safety is stainless steel and one of the pistols outstanding features.
Trigger
Trigger compression receives high marks. The trigger breaks at a clean 4.5 pounds with no creep and rapid reset. This is an ideal trigger for all around use.
Grip
The nicely checkered grip panels offer excellent all-around abrasion. When firing the handgun adhesion is good. The proven double-diamond pattern is not only attractive, but it also adds strength in the screw and bushing portion. Referred to as a Series 70 design, the pistol does not have a firing pin block.
Performance
I wished to proof the pistol with loads the reader may also use, so I selected a number of practice loads for initial evaluation, as well as an eclectic choice of popular defense loads.
I loaded the supplied Mec-Gar 8-round magazines with padded base, as well as a number of Mec-Gar 7-round magazines and the Chip McCormick Power Mag—both proven feed devices.
I began with the Winchester USA 230-grain ball load. This is one of my favorite rounds—clean burning, accurate and reliable. While most of us prefer a modern JHP for defense use, the old ball loads are plenty effective— leaving a big hole in a long wound channel and a sizeable exit wound.
Details are as follows,
1911
BY BOB CAMPBELL PUBLISHED ON MARCH 9, 2015 IN FIREARMS
Author holding a black and wood gripped 1911 made by Magnum Research against a silhouette target.
When addressing the number of 1911 handguns on the market, many of us continue to be surprised at the introduction of new models. The price point is important in this lucrative market, but so is quality. A good product at a fair price will sell. A mid-priced handgun with much merit is the subject of this review, the Magnum Research Desert Eagle 1911 Commander is affordable range for a good quality carry gun.
According to the gun’s manufacturer, Bul Transmark, the Desert Eagle 1911 is manufactured to strict standards and nothing that I have seen counters that statement.
After evaluating this Commander-sized 1911, I find the pistol reliable, workmanlike and well suited for personal defense. The pistol maintains the good attributes of the 1911 handgun. These include a straight-to-the-rear, single-action trigger compression, low bore axis that allows little leverage for muzzle flip, grip that fits most hands well, a combination of a slide-lock safety and grip safety, and unequaled speed to an accurate first shot.
Specifications and Features
The pistol is a steel-frame Commander type, which means that the slide and barrel are 4.25 inches long, or 0.75-inches shorter than the Government Model. Thankfully, the model I reviewed has no forward cocking serrations. The pistol uses a full-length guide rod. Debated by some, the full-length guide rod is desirable for reliability and accuracy potential and keeps the pistol from going out of battery if you bump the slide on a barricade.
The cocking serrations are well done. The fit of the extractor is good. There was no movement or clocking of the extractor during the firing test.
The two halves of the feed ramp show the requisite 1/32-inch gap necessary for reliable feeding. The hammer is skeletonized. The flat mainspring housing is well checkered.
The ejection port is lowered or scalloped for enhanced clearing of the spent case, or clearing a cartridge during administrative handling. The barrel is well fitted. When you press on the barrel hood, there is minimal spring back. The well-fitted barrel bushing requires a bushing wrench for removal. This is fine on a personal handgun rather than on an issue handgun.
By the way, the Magnum Research website tells us that the 4.33-inch C version features bushingless lockup. This isn’t true of my model. A pistol shorter than 4.25 inches generally needs bushingless lockup due to the barrel tilt, but this pistol uses the proven barrel bushing design.
Sights
The sights are excellent. The front sight is a low-riding post dovetailed in place. This is an improved arrangement over the GI pistol’s staked-in post. The well-designed rear sight has a spiral pattern on the rear I have not seen elsewhere. Very well done! The sights offer an excellent sight picture.
Safeties
The slide lock safety is positive in indent, unlike other 1911s I have tested a that exhibited a mushy fit in the safety—an acceptable trait in a defensive handgun. The memory-groove, upswept Beavertail grip safety properly releases its hold on the trigger about half way into compression. This safety is stainless steel and one of the pistols outstanding features.
Trigger
Trigger compression receives high marks. The trigger breaks at a clean 4.5 pounds with no creep and rapid reset. This is an ideal trigger for all around use.
Grip
The nicely checkered grip panels offer excellent all-around abrasion. When firing the handgun adhesion is good. The proven double-diamond pattern is not only attractive, but it also adds strength in the screw and bushing portion. Referred to as a Series 70 design, the pistol does not have a firing pin block.
Performance
I wished to proof the pistol with loads the reader may also use, so I selected a number of practice loads for initial evaluation, as well as an eclectic choice of popular defense loads.
I loaded the supplied Mec-Gar 8-round magazines with padded base, as well as a number of Mec-Gar 7-round magazines and the Chip McCormick Power Mag—both proven feed devices.
I began with the Winchester USA 230-grain ball load. This is one of my favorite rounds—clean burning, accurate and reliable. While most of us prefer a modern JHP for defense use, the old ball loads are plenty effective— leaving a big hole in a long wound channel and a sizeable exit wound.
