Post by AKService on Oct 9, 2004 1:23:28 GMT -5
As with my other post, I will begin with the pros and cons of this firearm.
Pros
1) Simple to dissasemble
2) Extremely ergonomic (Feels VERY comfortable in hand)
3) Comes in many popular calibers
4) Battle proven design (Known as Jericho in Israel, and is currently the standard pistol of police and many IDF members)
5) System of operation is blowback and is reliable (similar in operation to browning's 1911 system)
6) Decocking mechanism
7) Comes in many sizes and frame types (polymer and steel)
8) Good price
9) Accurate with polygonal rifling and full length guide rod
10) DA and SA
Cons
1) Shape and position of mechanisms makes cleaning hard
2) Placement of mechanisms a bit odd
3) Steel frames on the heavier side
4) Not much to grab onto when manipulating slide
5) Red thumb from magazine loading
Simple blowback operation with single action and double action trigger, the Baby Eagle is a fine pistol IMHO with all the features and basic options any pistol owner would want.
The sights are white dot and adjustable for windage (via tapping device) and can be replaced by tritium or adjustable sights from a 3rd party vendor. They are high and make the pistol very "pointable" The only problem I can find with the sights is the height can possibly become a hang up on clothing or a holster.
Internally there are many mechanisms that can be seen from simply opening the chamber and peeking inside. This can pose a problem if you are cleaning the pistol, as buildup of grime can be found in very odd places after firing. The barrel utilizes the excellent polygonal rifling (which is hard to manufacture from what I hear) which can be found in its big brother and many H&K pistols. This cuts down on cleaning time and fowling while adding barrel life and accuracy to the factor. The firearm also contains a full length guide rod in which the slide spring is seated around.
Firing her one notices that on the higher calibers muzzle flip is signifigant.... that isn't to say it is bad, it is just noticable. This is more prevalant in the polymer framed models, and for these reasons I wouldn't neccesarily consider it a con, but as in all firearms this can cause stove piping. The controls are all close and serrated to allow easy access of them. The magazine release is a bit stiffer than you may be used to, and the magazines themselves are hard to load until they are broken in. I suggest that if you do indeed own a Baby Eagle to keep the magazine loaded when not in use to "loosen" the spring a bit until you find reloading comfortable.
The double action on the pistol is smooth but a bit heavy and long. The single action firing is a two stage pull and is crisp and average while probably around 4 or so pounds. The double action will take away your accuracty lightly, but I don't think it was intended to be. The single action allows you to wring out its accuracy and I was able to shoot popcans into the air consistantly at 25 yards.
She shoots well with either hollow points or standard ball ammunition, and eats all types of ammunition that I put through her. Once in a while she will burp and I will get a stove pipe every 100 rounds or so.
When you hold it in your hand you will notice that she is very comfortable and adds to the pointability of the firearm. Even though the magazine utilizes a staggered feed, they kept the width of the grip down to keep this baby comfortable. The ergonomics of this pistol are probably one of the finest points of this firearm.
The finish is acceptable and much on par with the Desert Eagle in that in the "black oxide" finish she wears normally and hides scratches well. It almost looks like a parkerized finish and holds oils well. The chrome versions (which are somewhat rare, and are special order) are excellent. If you can handle having a shiny "piece" then they will suit you well. The inscribing isn't on par with the Desert Eagle, but are acceptible and readable... it also seems they put a bit too much to read on this pistol. "WARNING: READ MANUAL BEFORE OPERATING" is a little too politically correct for me and clutters the otherwise nice finish. She can be dressed up with wooden grips (which you can get from the company) or fingered rubber grips if you don't like the original plastic ones (BTW this only applies to the steel framed pistols).
The grips themselves are interesting... The original plastic ones seem to be nothing more than a "cover" (much like the Desert Eagle ones) for the frame. They are a bit smooth, and the "texture" that they have leaves a lot to be desired. They just are not aggresive enough for me, but they are comfortable. The grooves below the trigger and on the backstrap are nothing more than vertical lines, and serve no real purpose other than to stabalize your firearm from horizontal movement while in your hand.
With everything mentioned above, you may ask why this pistol is so engaging to me. This is the EXACT pistol that goes by the name Jericho in Israel and is used by the Israeli Military Defense personal as well as by their police. Needless to say it is a battle proven pistol that serves its purpose well. Earlier models have the safety located on the frame, while later and current models all have the safety decocking device located on the slide. The pistol (especially the chrome or other finishes) is a very sexy little pistol and just asks to be held. On top of all of that, I have not known a single person whom sold their Baby Eagle whom didn't regret selling it. I will never sell mine (Chrome .45 semi-compact frame STEEL).
She breaks down like many other pistols in that you have to line up the slide with the frame then remove the slide stop to remove the slide and barrel. This is done easily and without tools and she breaks down into 5 parts (slide, barrel, spring, frame and slide catch).
My final thoughts on this pistol is that if you ever have the opportunity, or you still need a good carry and or house pistol this one will fit the bill. For the price you can't really beat it out for the quality manufacturing. BTW the polymer models have a accesory rail and are a good economic choice for those whom carry. This will go down as one of my favorite pistols that I currently own, and would be one of the last I would sale. Would I trust my life to her? Maybe... I would have her worked on a bit to make her a bit more reliable, but afterwords certainly! She is definately a fine blend between fine looks, servicability, money and ergonomics.
Pros
1) Simple to dissasemble
2) Extremely ergonomic (Feels VERY comfortable in hand)
3) Comes in many popular calibers
4) Battle proven design (Known as Jericho in Israel, and is currently the standard pistol of police and many IDF members)
5) System of operation is blowback and is reliable (similar in operation to browning's 1911 system)
6) Decocking mechanism
7) Comes in many sizes and frame types (polymer and steel)
8) Good price
9) Accurate with polygonal rifling and full length guide rod
10) DA and SA
Cons
1) Shape and position of mechanisms makes cleaning hard
2) Placement of mechanisms a bit odd
3) Steel frames on the heavier side
4) Not much to grab onto when manipulating slide
5) Red thumb from magazine loading
Simple blowback operation with single action and double action trigger, the Baby Eagle is a fine pistol IMHO with all the features and basic options any pistol owner would want.
The sights are white dot and adjustable for windage (via tapping device) and can be replaced by tritium or adjustable sights from a 3rd party vendor. They are high and make the pistol very "pointable" The only problem I can find with the sights is the height can possibly become a hang up on clothing or a holster.
Internally there are many mechanisms that can be seen from simply opening the chamber and peeking inside. This can pose a problem if you are cleaning the pistol, as buildup of grime can be found in very odd places after firing. The barrel utilizes the excellent polygonal rifling (which is hard to manufacture from what I hear) which can be found in its big brother and many H&K pistols. This cuts down on cleaning time and fowling while adding barrel life and accuracy to the factor. The firearm also contains a full length guide rod in which the slide spring is seated around.
Firing her one notices that on the higher calibers muzzle flip is signifigant.... that isn't to say it is bad, it is just noticable. This is more prevalant in the polymer framed models, and for these reasons I wouldn't neccesarily consider it a con, but as in all firearms this can cause stove piping. The controls are all close and serrated to allow easy access of them. The magazine release is a bit stiffer than you may be used to, and the magazines themselves are hard to load until they are broken in. I suggest that if you do indeed own a Baby Eagle to keep the magazine loaded when not in use to "loosen" the spring a bit until you find reloading comfortable.
The double action on the pistol is smooth but a bit heavy and long. The single action firing is a two stage pull and is crisp and average while probably around 4 or so pounds. The double action will take away your accuracty lightly, but I don't think it was intended to be. The single action allows you to wring out its accuracy and I was able to shoot popcans into the air consistantly at 25 yards.
She shoots well with either hollow points or standard ball ammunition, and eats all types of ammunition that I put through her. Once in a while she will burp and I will get a stove pipe every 100 rounds or so.
When you hold it in your hand you will notice that she is very comfortable and adds to the pointability of the firearm. Even though the magazine utilizes a staggered feed, they kept the width of the grip down to keep this baby comfortable. The ergonomics of this pistol are probably one of the finest points of this firearm.
The finish is acceptable and much on par with the Desert Eagle in that in the "black oxide" finish she wears normally and hides scratches well. It almost looks like a parkerized finish and holds oils well. The chrome versions (which are somewhat rare, and are special order) are excellent. If you can handle having a shiny "piece" then they will suit you well. The inscribing isn't on par with the Desert Eagle, but are acceptible and readable... it also seems they put a bit too much to read on this pistol. "WARNING: READ MANUAL BEFORE OPERATING" is a little too politically correct for me and clutters the otherwise nice finish. She can be dressed up with wooden grips (which you can get from the company) or fingered rubber grips if you don't like the original plastic ones (BTW this only applies to the steel framed pistols).
The grips themselves are interesting... The original plastic ones seem to be nothing more than a "cover" (much like the Desert Eagle ones) for the frame. They are a bit smooth, and the "texture" that they have leaves a lot to be desired. They just are not aggresive enough for me, but they are comfortable. The grooves below the trigger and on the backstrap are nothing more than vertical lines, and serve no real purpose other than to stabalize your firearm from horizontal movement while in your hand.
With everything mentioned above, you may ask why this pistol is so engaging to me. This is the EXACT pistol that goes by the name Jericho in Israel and is used by the Israeli Military Defense personal as well as by their police. Needless to say it is a battle proven pistol that serves its purpose well. Earlier models have the safety located on the frame, while later and current models all have the safety decocking device located on the slide. The pistol (especially the chrome or other finishes) is a very sexy little pistol and just asks to be held. On top of all of that, I have not known a single person whom sold their Baby Eagle whom didn't regret selling it. I will never sell mine (Chrome .45 semi-compact frame STEEL).
She breaks down like many other pistols in that you have to line up the slide with the frame then remove the slide stop to remove the slide and barrel. This is done easily and without tools and she breaks down into 5 parts (slide, barrel, spring, frame and slide catch).
My final thoughts on this pistol is that if you ever have the opportunity, or you still need a good carry and or house pistol this one will fit the bill. For the price you can't really beat it out for the quality manufacturing. BTW the polymer models have a accesory rail and are a good economic choice for those whom carry. This will go down as one of my favorite pistols that I currently own, and would be one of the last I would sale. Would I trust my life to her? Maybe... I would have her worked on a bit to make her a bit more reliable, but afterwords certainly! She is definately a fine blend between fine looks, servicability, money and ergonomics.