Beretta 92 or .357 Desert Eagle?

Good grief! You would think that Magnum Research didn't know anything about making guns and had started yesterday!

So, the reality is that the Beretta 92 (there are tons of variants) is an excellent full size 9mm all metal handgun. There are tons out in the used market in really good condition and lots of people have them and shoot them. Me included. You can now get 20 round mags for them (aftermarket) and can probably find one used for about $500. Holster? Sure, tons available. Not the best choice for concealed carry, but for open carry is certainly fine.

Now the Desert Eagle in .357 Magnum is a very different sort of gun. First, they are expensive - cheapest I've seen one in reasonable condition is still in the really high 3 figures to low 4 figure range. Why? It is certainly something of a novelty gun. Not many people have them. Second, they operate very differently than a typical semi auto pistol with a gas recoil system closer to how an AR works than a recoil spring system like the Beretta. That means that as that get fouled, which it will, the gun will have function problems. Keep it clean, and keep the mags clean and the gun will run fine.

.357 magnum is at least 30% more expensive than 9mm under normal circumstances. (I saw Nantchez shooting supply selling range 9mm for $26 a box of 50! Further they were saying a 10 box limit! That's crazy, even now!. It wasn't that long ago 9mm was $7 - $8 a box) So if you are going to shoot often, most of the time 9mm is cheaper - except possibly now.

The Desert Eagle is huge. No getting around it. Really big grip to handle the long .357 cartridges and it won't cycle 38 Special. Holsters? Probably a couple of options, but not concealed.

So, if you are looking for a real range horse and something you might go into competition with, a Beretta 92 is the clear choice or even the updated version the Beretta 9-Two.

However, if you are looking for something that will be unique and get you attention at the range as well as be fun to shoot, then the Desert Eagle is worth looking at if you can afford one and are willing to keep it up.

Thinkingblade

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RE:

Beretta 92 or .357 Desert Eagle?

im having trouble deciding if i should by the Beretta 92 9mm or the .357 Desert Eagle i know the .357 is way stronger but which one would be better all around pros and cons

Beretta 92

The .357 Desert Eagle will not be as reliable.

It depends on what you want. Personally, I own both...With the Desert Eagle, you'll get a higher magazine capacity, the recoil won't be as bad (some of the energy is used to cycle the slide and chamber the next round; with a revolver, you feel it more), but semi-autos will jam once in a while. Sometimes it's the magazine, sometimes it's the ammo, sometimes it's the pistol itself. Usually not a common occurrence. With a Smith & Wesson, or any other revolver, you'll only get typically 6 shots (5 for smaller-frame revolvers); but with a .357 magnum revolver you can also use .38 Special ammunition for practice or if you don't like the recoil of the .357 Magnum round. And my revolver has never jammed. Find a gun range which rents them (or a friend who has one), try them and see which one feels better to you. Another possibility to check out is .40 Smith & Wesson; they're a smaller cartridge but have almost the same power as a .357 Magnum, or a .357 Sig which is a .40 caliber cartridge necked down to .357. They both pack a pretty good punch. Overall, though, if you don't need a lot of rounds in a magazine, the revolver would be a great choice; much cheaper and you can use .38 Special ammo in it as well.

If you really want a .357, stick with a revolver. Otherwise, purchase the Beretta 92. The Desert Eagle is a big, heavy, expensive semi-auto that is highly impractical to carry for self-defense. Even if you needed protection in the woods I would STILL say a high powered revolver. Besides, 9mm ammo is less expensive, carry options are of wide range and better priced, you can carry more rounds, and extra magazines for the Beretta can be found nearly everywhere, even aftermarket makers. The ONLY pros with the Desert is that when you buy the .50 AE, you get 3 guns in one with a barrel and maybe a mag change. Still, unless you are going to shoot long-distances for competition, the 92 is your best bet. Get one stainless if you can.

357 Desert Eagle

I would trust the Beretta with my life that it will go bang each time I pull the trigger, assuming the ammo is good. The Beretta is fun to shoot and pretty accurate. It's got a mild recoil. It's also the easiest pistol I've ever stripped down.

The Desert Eagle would have to prove itself to me to be a reliable gun. It is certainly eye catching and as you said is quite a bit more powerful.

Personally, I'd go with the Beretta. Make sure it fits your hands well. It's got a big grip that can make those of us with small hands have to shift our grip to reach the trigger in DA mode.

Im not sure if you're even 21 because of the question you're asking.

Beretta 9mm is ALOT cheaper to shoot and affordable.

.357 DE is going to cost alot more, and alot more expensive to shoot.

with the economy and ammo prices right now, common sense would tell you to buy the Beretta, as long as you stick with 9mm, it's going to be ALOT cheaper to shoot,etc....

A Desert Eagle is just going to cost alot of money to buy and shoot......yeah it's cooler, but i wouldn't buy a gun strictly based on the GLAMOUR of it......because unless you are wealthy, you WILL be let down because it's going to cost you out the *** to shoot right now.......

Doesn't matter if you got a .357 or .50 AE, they are both expensive, although the .50AE is ALOT more pricey to shoot....

If you are considering .357 or .50AE, DEFINATELY start buying reloading supplies now and reading up on it......

The Beretta 92F is old tech. Newer 9mm's offer the same capacity in a more compact design that allows more efficient concealed carry capability while maintaining shootability. Look to more modern pistols like the XD and Glock for high capacity and compact 9mm's. That being said, the Beretta 92F is a fine gun, albeit a bit larger than it needs to be.

The Desert Eagle is a target gun and a range toy. Cross it off your list if you are looking for a self defense gun.

Beretta if you want a full functioning handgun

Desert Eagle if you want a paper weight or boat anchor