The first “colored” handgun I recall came across my desk in the 1990s while I was on the NRA Technical Staff. Springfield sent a 1911 in OD Green and we were all immediately captivated by seeing a gun as familiar as a 1911 with such an unfamiliar appearance. That finish was Cerakote or something like that, but it marked the beginning of a revolution in gun finishes that has been enhanced with new coatings and dip applications so advanced you can have virtually any pattern applied to a gun.
Magnum Research has been using an extensively tested water-transfer finish method that’s known for its durability and toughness for a line of limited edition “Animal Prints” Desert Eagle Mark XIX pistols. This year marks the final series in the Animal Prints, and the finishes completing it are Kryptek Typhon and Zebra–both available in either .50 AE or .44 Mag. “The excitement among our dealers with the Desert Eagle animal prints was confirmation that consumers really do want something a little bit different than what they are used to seeing. The Cheetah, Kryptek Highlander and Snakeskin Desert Eagles sold very rapidly,” Frank Harris, VP of Sales of Marketing at Magnum Research, tells me. “When you take the largest, most powerful handgun in the world and marry it with a unique animal print, the gun buying public really takes notice.” The Desert Eagle .50 AE is a gas-operated, semi-automatic pistol with a 7-round capacity in .50 AE, and 8-round capacity in .44 Magnum. Both guns measure 10.75″ in length with a 6″ barrel. Weight with an empty magazine is approximately 4 lbs. 5.8 oz. in .50 AE, and 4 lbs. 6.6 oz. in the .44 Mag.
The grip is anatomically formed and provides an ideal hand seating angle for two-handed shooting allowing for comfortable, rapid and accurate firing. I’ve shot several Desert Eagles in my career and while they do kick, it really is manageable so long as you respect what you’re about to touch off. That said, the grips are positively huge simply because of the size of the cartridges in the magazine, so if you have small hands there are other big bore handgun options that are better for you. The limited edition Kryptek Typhon and Zebra print Desert Eagles are only available while supplies last. The MSRP on the new patterns is $1,793.
Scott Mayer
www.tacticaltshirts.com
www.john1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
In 2008, Mayer returned to the editorial side of publishing, this time in the digital field, as Editorial Director for Guns & Ammo, Shooting Times, Handguns and Rifleshooter online magazines. After a brief stint in 2011 as the Digital Media Director for an ABC TV affiliate, Mayer returned to the outdoors industry and Safari Club International where he is currently Assistant Publisher and Multi-Media Communications Editor.
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