Baby Desert Eagle Now Back in Polymer, Steel Frames
Minnesota-based Magnum Research recently announced that the Baby Desert Eagle is returning to the market in both polymer and steel frame variants.
Like its big brother, the full-sized Desert Eagle, the Israeli-made Baby Eagle has long been an icon in gun culture and has often been hard to find over the years.
"It is well known from appearances in popular movies, television shows, and video games," said Joby Goerges, Director of Manufacturing and Engineering with Magnum Research, about the popularity of the pistol. "This gives the Baby Eagle a huge fan base, and in particular feeds big demand amongst younger shooters."
The current version, designated the Baby Eagle III by Magnum Research, is manufactured in Israel by BUL Transmark in several variants to include both 9mm and .45 ACP steel-framed and 9mm and .40 S&W polymer-framed guns, with each offered in both full and semi-compact sizes. All models include double-stack mags, a double/single-action trigger with a 12-pound/4-pound trigger pull, ambi decocking lever, reversible magazine catch, and accessory rail.
The Baby Eagle is a descendant of the old IMI Jericho pistol, which was first introduced in the late 1980s catering to .41 AE fans and had the option to swap out to a 9mm caliber with a barrel change. While Mossberg, UZI, and others brought the Jericho into the country in small runs, Magnum Research imported the gun as the Baby Eagle from 1991 through 2007 when it was replaced with the updated Baby Eagle II.
The Baby Eagle III ships with two magazines-- and is fully interchangeable with all Baby Eagle II mags-- with an MSRP starting at $646 for polymer-framed models and $691 for steel.