BIG Autoloaders......

[Bob Wright]

Fellow hereabouts recently boasted about his .44 Mag. AutoMag. I don't recall ever firing an AutoMag, but did get a chance to do some shooting with a .50 AE Desert Eagle. I had read articles about this gun, and like all new guns, I was curious about it.

I'm not sensitive to recoil, and have shot some very hard kicking and impressive shooting handguns, so was prepared for the buck and roar of the .50 caliber Desert Eagle.

The owner gave me a quick rundown on operation, and I picked out my target, raised the pistol, and squeezed.

The recoil was surprisingly mild, but the blast was impressive. When your pants legs sort of flap in the breeze from the concussion, you've touched off something!

Bob Wright

[TXAZ]

When you pull the trigger, "It gets your attention" said the shooter a few stalls down.....

[Creeper]

Hi Bob... I get where you're coming from.

Large handgun caliber semi-autos... Automag, Wildey, Desert Eagle, Coonan et al, don't get a whiff of big bore revolvers for "hammer in your forehead" class recoil. For anyone who shoots big FAs, S&Ws, Rugers and so forth... all the autos are, by comparison, relatively mild.

[barnbwt]

Very cool. I very nearly bought a Mateba Unica 6 last week in 454 Casull or 44 Mag (both equally ridiculous as a DE ), but the seller decided to forego his consignments...cest la vie

That said, I'm doubly anxious for when the next one will pop up . I've heard they're real soft shooters (they weigh 3lbs for goodness sake!)

TCB

[FloridaVeteran]

Bob - I wish I could have taught my wife that. Before she ever went to a range, she listened to a female friend who told her that "recoil" is more terrible than (fill in the blank, except death). Ruined everything. She thinks, no joke, that her .32 Long has too much recoil. I can't get her to reconcile the thought of "recoil" with "that big guy coming at you when I'm not home." So I bought her a .22 Magnum and she is very happy with it. Better than nothing. My daughter and daughter-in-law both are OK shooting 9mm yet my wife won't go near one.

I have resigned myself to try to train my wife how to reload, on command, anything I hand to her under any condition. The "on command" part isn't working worth a crap.

Occasionally I like to watch the TV show, "The Dog Whisperer." Too bad there wasn't one called, "The Gun Whisperer." Guess it's too late for that now.

[FloridaVeteran]

Cheap Tricks - if you want an attention-getter at the indoor range, without spending a fortune on the gun or ammo, try a Ruger .30 Carbine.

[Creeper]

if you want an attention-getter at the indoor range, without spending a fortune on the gun or ammo, try a Ruger .30 Carbine.

Ha ha ha... ain't that the truth. With surplus ammo in particular... recoil is pretty nice, but man, blast and flash... woo hoo!

[chris in va]

...not to mention some of the 308 'pistols' out there.

[Creeper]

If you were around and shooting in the 80s, you may remember this... one of the very first .50BMG pistols.

[44 AMP]

Here's a couple of mine, .45WM Wildey and .44 Mag Desert Eagle
more to follow

[armoredman]

When I fired the 44 Mag Deagle, I was impressed, as the massive pistol soaked up recoil quite well, and the muzzle blast was redirected to the sides. I had no issues, but the poor slobs NEXT to me were nailed with serious shock wave.
I handled an AutoMag once - the grip was too big for my average sized hands to securely grip it, so I probably wouldn't try shooting it. If I dropped it and broke something, I could never repair it...
The big automatics have not just weight, but recoil systems and gas systems, (like the above pictured lovely Wildey), that must greatly assist with recoil - it's the monster magnum REVOLVERS I have no interest in ever trying...
Years ago I saw a bumper sticker in Tucson, "I shot the Casul and survived."

[Japle]

Bob, you’re right about the recoil difference between autos and revolvers. The DW .44 that I used with heavy loads in metallic silhouette competition had much more muzzle rise than my AutoMag does.

Single actions are much worse, but they don’t hurt you like full loads in a Smith .44. I can easily fire loads in a SA wheelgun or my AutoMag that would be very unpleasant in my M-29. The DW with rubber grips was no problem. Maybe it’s my small hands or my low tolerance for death, but I’ll take light-to-moderate loads in the Smith, thank you very much.

[drail]

Most of these guns are gas operated and have almost no recoil. It's more like a shove than a kick. They do generate a pretty cool shock wave though. Don't want to stand next to the muzzle of one.

[barnbwt]

one of the very first .50BMG pistols.

I get the feeling I don't want to see the next frame of video
One or more of several scenarios, none good:
1) Hair/clothes on fire
2) Severe spleen/liver damage
3) Severe facial injury
4) Dragged downrange by muzzle-break thrust like a stuck bowler
5) Filling out police report on missing pistol after it launches clear of the range (either forward or backward)

Someone should link the 460NE Contender video

TCB

[Rob228]

While it doesn't relate directly to big handguns, reading about the poor guys on the lanes to the left and the right of you reminds me of a story.

A few work friends and I were shooting handguns at an indoor range in Oceanside CA (this was probably 7 years ago) and there were some, well I'll say novices shooting next to us with one of the pistol caliber carbines that they had rented. Well, they were kind of loud and obnoxious and were borderline unsafe (not quite violating any rules, but coming pretty darn close), and I might have happened to bring my Winchester 94 TC in .450 Marlin (18" ported barrel). It also might have convinced them to leave.

To bring it back to handguns: .357's out of a 3" SP101 tends to make quite a bit of noise.

[Sevens]

This whole thread is enjoyable...but please-- more on the .50 BMG pistol and the roots of that picture. There's gotta be some "good" stories worth sharing.

[Deja vu]

I love automags like the Coonan/Desert Eagle. Very fun guns!

[.50]

I have a small collection of Big 'Uns.

MRI .50 AE
MRI .44 Mag
Wildey .475 WildeyMag
Wildey .45 WildeyMag
LAR Grizzly .45 WinMag
Auto Mag .44 AMP
AMT AutoMag V .50 AE
AMT AutoMag IV 10mm iAi Mag
AMT AutoMag IV .45 WinMag
AMT AutoMag III .30 Carbine
AMT AutoMag III 9mm WinMag
AMT AutoMag II .22 WMR
Coonan .357 Mag
Mateba .454 Casull

Are there others I could acquire, new or discontinued?

(This is my first post. Be gentle.)

[Sevens]

Yeah, the .357 AMP auto Mag seems to be missing from your list as well as the .357 & .41 Magnum Desert Eagles. Also, the LAR Grizzly had a small gaggle of caliber conversions that you still need.

Welcome to TFL.

[.50]

Thanks for the welcome and the info reminder, Sevens.
(I don't have a quote feature to click).

I had forgetten about the other LAR Grizzly calibers.
.50 AE
10mm Auto
.44 Mag
.357 Mag
9mm WinMag
(.45 ACP)

+ .41 Mag and .357 Desert Eagles & .357 AMP Auto Mag. Now I'm remembering the Wildey .45 WinMag and a couple of other calibers, as well. And a .460 Rowland conversion for my Springfield XDM.

My "round out" list. Many thanks.

[Sevens]

Hey, I saw a Coonan on your list. Do you have the new Coonan Classic, or the older Model B, or the even older Model A? I have a new Classic and I am very much in love with my pistol.

In any case, if you are an extreme "completist" (I just invented a word there) then I double dog dare you to investigate finding one of the old and scarce Coonan Cadet Models. Same .357 Magnum chambering, just with a shorter length grip and associated shorter magazine. The guns are difficult to find, the magazines are astronomically expensive.

Rumor is that Coonan has a new Cadet on the "to-do" list, but they are a small operation with a LOT of orders and they've been quite busy.

Also, while I've got you here, please tell me a bit about your AutoMag III, .30 Carbine. I've long been enamored of that one and have considered finding one. Shoot it much? Does it run well? Accurate? Does it chew-up & wreck the brass, or simply launch it in to the next county?

[aarondhgraham]

The recoil was surprisingly mild,

That was my experience with the Desert eagle as well,,,
The .44 Mag had nowhere the recoil of a S&W 629.

That's about all the good I can say about that big old gun,,,
My experience is that a shooter will love them,,,
Or not think very much about them at all.

Although the friend who owned it,,,
Used it for Javelina in northern California.

Quite successfully I might add.

Aarond

.

[mach1.3]

The muzzle blast alone will fry your attacker. Knockdown power on both ends. A .50BMG pistol is insane what's next a 20mm cannon round pistol?

[.50]

Hey, I saw a Coonan on your list. Do you have the new Coonan Classic, or the older Model B, or the even older Model A?

It's the new Classic. I just got it 2 months ago and have only put a few clips through it. I had just put off buying one for years, and I walked into a local hole-in-the-wall dealer/gunsmith who had ordered 5 nearly a year ago, and they had all just come in. I need to get a B and an A, now that you've reminded me.

I have a new Classic and I am very much in love with my pistol.

I love mine so far. Tight, smooth, and accurate, etc.

In any case, if you are an extreme "completist" (I just invented a word there)

LOL. It must be a word, because I've been one for over 20 years and called it just that. I'm a hopeless completist. And my major passion is Superbikes, so you can image I'm bike-broke AND gun-broke; but my garages and gun safes are packed.

then I double dog dare you to investigate finding one of the old and scarce Coonan Cadet Models. Same .357 Magnum chambering, just with a shorter length grip and associated shorter magazine. The guns are difficult to find, the magazines are astronomically expensive.

I hereby take that dare, though I wasn't previously aware such an animal existed. Thank you again.

Rumor is that Coonan has a new Cadet on the "to-do" list, but they are a small operation with a LOT of orders and they've been quite busy.

Yeah, my dealer waited 10 months for his 5. I may have to buy a couple more of them while they're readily available. And I hope they do a new Cadet.

Also, while I've got you here, please tell me a bit about your AutoMag III, .30 Carbine. I've long been enamored of that one and have considered finding one.

One of my favorites. I wanted one for over a decade and never bothered to find one. I was at a gun show two years ago and there it was in 9-condition.

Shoot it much?

Never enough.

Does it run well?

Perfectly, so far.

Accurate?

Yes. 6-inch groups at 30 yards from an average marksman (me).

Does it chew-up & wreck the brass, or simply launch it in to the next county?

Not many chews. It spits 'em pretty hard. Lotsa muzzle flash and noise. It's very nasty in a very unique way. I have the .30C Ruger wheelgun, and I've always loved the cartridge. I have a private range in my garage basement; but when I'm at a public range, other shooters always stop and express their WhiskeyTangoFoxtrots when I start burning rounds. Few seem to ever have heard of one or even know .30C handguns exist. (And I need to find a Taurus Raging Thirty, come to think of it.)

Highly recommended, but the AMT guns certainly aren't Wilson quality.

[Bob Wright]

mach 1.3 :what's next a 20mm cannon round pistol?

I had a 35mm Canon. Shot a groundhog with it.

Bob Wright