Fighting Baby Desert Eagle Provides New Look in .45s
by R.K. Campbell
Contributing Editor
When we look into the best combat pistols, the 1911 is often at the forefront. I feel more comfortable with the 1911 .45 auto than with any other handgun. But after 40 years of living with the 1911, it is obvious that the single-action cocked and locked handgun is not for everyone. Even dedicated 1911 fans sometimes keep a double-action pistol handy for those times when they are not in practice or for those dour Mondays when they have a cold.

Those who cannot control the recoil of the .45, for various physical and mental reasons, are well served with the Browning High Power. Those who cannot tolerate the necessity of carrying the pistol cocked and locked may need to look toward a double-action pistol. This is no slight; quite a few intelligent individuals simply do not like cocked and locked carry.

They may be interested in being well armed, but are not hobby shooters sufficiently interested in mastering the pistol. That doesn’t mean they will not go to the range each and every week and practice hard. They are simply not as interested in the tools as we are. Some of these folks become fine shots. Some begin with the 1911 and drift toward something else; others begin with a double-action pistol, recognize the limitations, and move to the 1911.

I have worked with most of the quality semi-autos on the market, and found things I like in most. I am a blue steel and walnut man and appreciate the somatic relationship in steel. But I am not blind to change. I still prefer my pistols to be steel, but will tolerate rubber grips.

While some handguns have much to recommend, others are a definite step back in effectiveness compared to the single-action pistols. Others have a safety problem I am not willing to work around. But there are a number of designs that I have real respect for. The double-action handgun I find most suited to my preferences is the CZ 75 pistol. This handgun incorporates some of the features of the Browning High Power, but in most regards is a fresh and original design.

The CZ is so good Jeff Cooper considered it an embarrassment the pistol was manufactured in a Communist country. (Or at least he said so to embarrass a then stagnant American industry.) At the time, Gun Valley was in much the same position Detroit had once been. There was little competition and what there was, most Americans weren’t interested in.

The CZ 75 swept the world and was soon adopted by the Russian Spetnaz, among others. This is the Russian equivalent of our own Special Forces. The CZ usually features a smooth double-action trigger. The slide runs inside rails in the frame, in SIG P 210 style, which can result in excellent to startling accuracy.

As an example, I have fired a 4-inch 50-yard group from a braced kneeling position with an original CZ 75 type and Black Hills 124-grain JHP 9mm ammunition. This is outstanding accuracy for any pistol. In time, the CZ has been cloned by several companies, most notably Tanfoglio of Italy. The quality of these clones varies but the best ones are very good indeed.
Baby Desert Eagle

Among the best CZ 75 variants of all is the Baby Desert Eagle from Magnum Research Inc. (7110 University Ave. NE, Dept. GWK, Minneapolis, MN 55432; phone: 800-772-6168; on-line: www.magnumresearch.com). This is the same pistol marketed as the Jericho or the UZI pistol. The Baby Desert Eagle moniker is used because Magnum Research is the sole source for the powerful Desert Eagle magnum autoloader. Hence, the term Baby Desert Eagle for the CZ-type service pistols. Most of us simply call the pistols Baby Eagles and I will do so for the remainder of this report.

The pistol is delivered to Magnum Research from Israel. The pistol may be fitted and finished from Tanfoglio parts, but it really doesn’t matter. Here is a burly, rugged and reliable handgun that will satisfy any serious handgunner. The Jericho as it is still known in Israel has served with numerous Israeli units including the Israeli Special Forces. The Israelis accept no junk; this is a first class fighting handgun with genuine combat experience not enjoyed by most of the current crop of double-action pistols.

When the CZ was first introduced, the pistol featured a frame-mounted safety. This allowed the pistol to be carried cocked and locked, hammer to the rear, safety on. As a result the CZ 75 was among the first selective double-action pistols. The original Beretta 92 also featured a frame-mounted safety, and the current Taurus pistols retain a variation of this system.

As a single-action fan, I appreciate this mechanism. After the initial double-action shot, you do not have to decock the pistol if movement is indicated. Place the pistol on safe and continue tactical movement, taking the safety off if you desire to fire. What this does is produce a pistol that while double-action bridges a gap allows the pistol to be used as a single-action pistol by those who prefer a short trigger press.

Slide-Mounted Safety
However, like many stop gaps this is not the perfect situation. When decocking the pistol you must manually lower the hammer by pressing the trigger and holding the hammer with the thumb or non-firing hand. When using a single-action handgun, properly carried cocked and locked, you will not need to lower the hammer in the general course of carry. The double-action is another matter.

To be carried hammer down at ready on a loaded chamber, the hammer must be lowered. The selective double-action pistol with a slide-mounted safety demands the hammer be lowered manually. After some thought, the Israelis decided that a slide-mounted decocker would be the superior system. The manual of arms for the slide-mounted safety is as follows:

The pistol is loaded and the slide dropped on a loaded magazine;

The decocker is pressed downward and the hammer falls safely to rest.

You may now carry the Baby Eagle either safety on or safety off. For most of us, carrying the pistol ready to go and safety off is acceptable. If you choose to make use of the safety then you must practice manipulating this safety. A strong thumbs up attitude similar to that used with the Colt 1911 is practiced, with the emphasis on a straight up thumb motion.

It can work well but perhaps this is a pistol that is acceptable in off safe carry. The long double-action trigger is a safety feature if not a manual safety. A positive firing pin block blocks the firing pin until the trigger is pressed completely to the rear. Overall, while safety is between the ears of every shooter the pistol has good safety features.

Safety features carried too far result in a handgun hard to use well. I think that a good many of the current crop of double-action-only handguns are a triumph of the technical over the tactical. Training time is desired by trainers and despised by the bean counters. The double-action first-shot handgun is a good choice for personal defense that requires acclimation, but every handgun does. A good double-action pistol can give you a fighting chance.

The Baby Eagle features a double-action compression of about 12 pounds, very smooth. The compression is free of grit and hard spots. The single-action compression averages 4 to 4&Mac249; pounds, with the modest backlash typical of CZ-type handguns. I have tested several and while all were uniformly smooth, one had a little roughness that quickly disappeared with firing. When you encounter a rough action or even malfunctions, cycling the piece and a modest break in period often works everything out. The Baby Eagles required no break in period, coming out of the box shooting.

The major contribution of the Baby Eagle to the CZ genre is the modification of the CZ to a big bore cartridge. This has been attempted before, more or less successfully, but a number are oversized pistols unsuited to personal defense due to their bulk and difficulty in quickly presenting the pistol from leather.

Some time ago, the 9mm Jericho was adopted to the .41 Action Express, a cartridge featuring a rebated rim that allowed the .41 to be used in a pistol with a 9mm breech face. Today, the Baby Eagle is offered in both .40 and .45 calibers as well as the original 9mm Luger caliber. The pistols are very nearly the same size in weight in all calibers and all are manageable, with moderate recoil even in .45 ACP caliber. The pistols are finished in a subdued matte blue that should give long service.

I tested a number of pistols but concentrated upon the .40-caliber full-size pistol and the mid-size .45. The mid-size pistol features a 3.7-inch barrel, while the smallest compact features not only a short slide but a shortened grip frame. I found the mid-size pistol the most attractive. When carrying the pistols, the .40 version is a little heavier and is well balanced, but just long enough that it may pinch your leg in the appendix position and the buttocks in the inside the trousers hip position.

The mid-size pistol has many good features and for personal concealment is my choice. The lighter compact pistols are OK, but the shorter grip must be a compromise in control. Still, those with small hands will probably find the compact Baby Eagle a good choice. The smaller pistols are about in the Glock 23 class.

The Baby Eagle in .45 ACP proved to be a surprisingly easy pistol to use well. The weight is in the handle, and the grip frame, with its luxurious S-shaped curve, fits most hands well. Trigger reach is not a stretch for my average hands, and single-action fire is downright comfortable. The balance is in the grip. The slide doesn’t recoil as sharply as a SIG or Glock. It proved remarkably easy to keep the pistol on target in rapid fire.

The shorter slide and resulting short sight radius of the .45 gives us a pistol that comes on target quickly at moderate range. I find I can draw the pistol and make a center hit more quickly than with any other double-action pistol I have used. This included the Witness, the SIG and even the H&K.

The CZ-type layout is just that, well thought out and executed. The grip frame features a well defined “beavertail” grip strap that not only funnels the hand to the grip, it gives good control. CZ fans will note that the Baby Eagle also features a heavier forward frame section or dust cover that gives the pistol some resemblance to the Desert Eagle.

The pistols supplied for testing use 10-round magazines, but standard capacity variants will be available soon. I don’t feel limited by a .45 with a 10-round magazine capacity. The Baby Eagle holds 11 rounds with a cartridge in the chamber. Yet, the grip is not overly large for most hands. The grip spreads recoil about the palm, making the Baby Eagle a comfortable pistol to shoot. It is not light, but comparable to other .45-caliber pistols. It is lighter than the Government Model 1911. I find the weight if not comfortable, comforting.

The barrel construction of the Baby Eagle, coupled with the CZ’s trademark slide design, adds up to an accurate handgun. I have tested a number of loadings in either pistol, and none has failed to feed, chamber, fire and eject. Accuracy has ranged from 2- to 4-inch groups at 25 yards, well within the good to adequate range. I think that the full-length slide pistol would be an excellent home defender, with good handling and producing maximum velocity in a given loading.

The Baby Eagle pistols differ from other CZ variants in that they use polygonal rifled barrels. Polygonal rifling results in less deformation of the bullet and also seals the bore better in firing, resulting in an advantage in velocity over other handguns with conventional rifling. A caution is that lead bullets should not be used.

In simple terms, leading has no where to go in a polygonal rifled barrel and may build up to the point that pressure is raised. The use of lead bullets is a non issue in Israel and Europe, and must be in the US if you use a polygonal rifled handgun. For reloading, you may purchase plated bullets such as the West Coat bullet in bulk at prices to rival lead bullets. The Baby Eagle delivers excellent performance with the bullets it was designed for, and polygonal rifling seems to be a real advantage.

Range Test
I am nearing 2,000 rounds in the .45 and 1,000 in the .40 with good results. All who fired the pistols commented on the ease of handling, smoothness, and accuracy of each. I broke the pistols out for a range test for this Gun Week review to qualify my accuracy results with the pistols. The ongoing quest for top accuracy is a good one, but I also wished to ensure that the defensive loads I have chosen for either pistol worked well.

The .40 is a burly pistol that can utilize the powerful 135-grain Cor-Bon JHP without any problems. Slide velocity is abated and recoil manageable, making the pistol a good choice for use with this powerful loading. I found the heavier .40s a bit more accurate, but it all depends upon what you want to accomplish.

In the .45, I was able to qualify accuracy with the new Cor-Bon Performance Match loading as well as the powerful Black Hills +P loading. The Baby Eagle is not a target handgun, but the results obtained with these loads showed excellent accuracy potential.

Overall, I found either handgun more than accurate enough for the task. You pay your money and you take your choice. The .40 operates at higher pressure and delivers a relatively light bullet designed to expand quickly. The .45 works by frontal mass and bullet weight at relatively modest velocity. Either will do the business better than any smallbore.

When carrying the Baby Eagle, I was concerned that I may not be able to find quality leather. The pistol differs enough in design that finding a good fit could have been difficult. Not to worry. Respected maker Don Hume (PO Box 351, Dept. GWK, Miami, OK 74355) offers practically anything in the line molded for the Baby Eagle. I was able to obtain two excellent examples. Either rivals anything from a custom shop, with excellent fit, finish and detail.

The Don Hume thumbreak I most often carry offers real security. The reinforced thumbreak will not fold against your body and trap the release snap, it is too rigid. The thumbreak is positive in operation and lays under the hand perfectly for the draw. This holster is tightly fitted as it must be for speed. A modest break-in resulted in good speed and comfort.

With proper technology you can conceal a full-size fighting handgun, but all holsters are not up to the task. Hume produces an advanced Inside-the-Waistband (IWB) holster that is the result of many years of service and experimentation. The holster features a stabilizing spine that keeps the rig from wandering as you move. A strong, reinforced welt allows the gun to be drawn smoothly, but does not allow the holster to collapse after the pistol is drawn.

You may reholster with the Baby Eagle and the Don Hume IWB with one hand—no mean feat. Concealed carry handguns can dig into tender flesh, but it will not happen with this holster. A tongue is perfectly placed behind the pistol and follows to the end of the beavertail and the hammer. Overall, this is text book illustration of a purpose-designed holster for a formidable handgun. The final touch is dual carrying straps. A concealed carry holster really needs this type of stabilization.

A final example of a good Baby Eagle holster comes from Front Line (6 Platin St., Rishon-Le-Zion, PO 17026, Dept. GWK, 756533 Israel; on-line: www.front-line.co.il), an Israeli-based company with many good designs. Of hybrid construction, the fabric component is sewn into a leather backing that houses the belt loops of this range holster. A brass retention screw that allows good adjustment sets the holster off. I find this high ride holster a good utility design, suitable for use during instruction and range work.

Overall, the Baby Eagle has impressed me. With the proper support gear the pistol looks even better. As for me, I find the Baby Eagle convenient to use and carry, reliable, accurate and powerful, trademarks of a good defense pistol. The .45 has taken its place alongside my trusted 1911s and High Powers. I cannot give a higher compliment.

General Accuracy

.40-Caliber Pistol
Load Velocity 25-yd. group
Cor-Bon 135-grain JHP 1,344 fps 3.5 inches
Cor-Bon 150-grain JHP 1,215 fps* 2.0 inches
Black Hills 165-grain EXP 1,125 fps** 2.25 inches
Black Hills 180-grain JHP 990 fps 2.5 inches
Speer 155-grain Gold Dot 1,160 fps 2.45 inches
Speer 180-grain Gold Dot 999 fps 2.75 inches
*Among the outstanding .40-caliber loads, always accurate.
**This load may offer the best balance of expansion and penetration to be found in the .40-caliber cartridge.

.45 ACP Pistol
Cor-Bon 185-grain JHP 1,146 fps 3.0 inches
Cor-Bon 230-grain Performance Match 832 fps 1.9 inches
Speer 230-grain Gold Dot 857 fps 2.25 inches
Black Hills 230-grain JHP 879 fps 2.5 inches
Black Hills 230-grain JHP +P 920 fps 2.4 inches

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