The 50 Action Express (50 AE) is a fucking behemoth of a cartridge designed for one reason and one reason only: to feed the most powerful semi-auto handgun on the planet. It succeeded.
There was only one pistol on the market capable of handling this massive cartridge when it was introduced in the late 1980s: the equally gigantic and already Hollywood-famous 4.5-pound Desert Eagle, developed by Magnum Research. When put together in one package, the 50 AE and DEagle became a famous pairing because it was the most powerful factory semi-auto handgun in the world, and it still is.
The History of the 50 AE
When first introduced, the 50 Action Express was unlike anything shooters had ever seen. This .50-caliber pistol cartridge fires a massive 325-grain bullet at a blistering 1,400 fps from a handgun-length barrel, producing an insane amount of muzzle energy for a pistol — 1,414 foot-pounds, to be exact.
That’s about twice the muzzle energy of the .44 Mag., and four times the energy of the most popular semi-auto chambering, the 9mm. Not only was this cartridge built for handguns, but for semi-auto handguns, making it extremely unique.
According to Cartridges of the World, 16th Edition, Evan Whildin of Action Arms developed the 50 AE in 1988. The big-50 became an iconic handgun caliber almost immediately because of its sheer size and power. People would figure out a practical use for it later.
In 1991, Magnum Research’s Desert Eagle in 50 Action Express was released as the first pistol chambered in the cartridge. (The DEagle had been around in .44 and .357 since 1984.) It immediately grabbed the attention of just about everyone interested in firearms. But what took so long for a gun in 50 AE to hit the scene? The ATF, that’s what.
The .50-caliber cartridge got some folks bristling over at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives back in the day. Federal law said non-sporting firearms couldn’t have a bore larger than 0.5 inch or it’s classified as a destructive device.
The original bullet diameter was dropped from 0.51 inch to an even 0.5, which was just enough to make it legal with the bore’s rifling and why the 50 AE has a slightly tapered case.
When the Desert Eagle hit the market in the late 1980s, it gained immediate popularity in Hollywood. Initially chambered in .357 Magnum, a .44 Magnum option quickly followed. The gun was the perfect platform for the 50 Action Express.
Although Minnesota-based Magnum Research patented the Desert Eagle, it was originally produced by Israel Military Industries (IMI) until 1995. Manufacturing was then shifted to a contract between Magnum Research and Saco Defense in Maine.
In 1998, production moved back to IMI, which later spun off its small-arms production to the company we know today as Israel Weapon Industries (IWI).
However, since 2009, the Desert Eagle in all calibers has been made in-house by Magnum Research in Pillager, Minnesota, although the company was purchased by Kahr Arms in 2010.
All that said, the 50 AE never gained widespread popularity. It was never adopted by the hunting crowd — there were extremely powerful revolvers on the market that took a scope much easier for handgun hunting, and it was too big and heavy of a gun to carry as bear protection. Also, the recoil, even in the massive Desert Eagle, is extremely difficult to control.
Plus, the gun and the ammo have always been and still are expensive — the guns just aren’t that practical to own and the round isn’t practical to shoot.
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The 50 AE On the Range
The 50 AE was born from the desire for an autoloading pistol platform chambered for something more spectacular than the .44 Magnum.
Beginning in the 1960s, gunmakers took stabs at big-bore semi-autos, and most ended in discontinued guns. The short-lived AutoMag, which famously got some screen time in the second-to-last Dirty Harry movie, looked kind of like a giant Colt Woodsman and was chambered for a shortened, rimless version of the .44 Mag, the .44 AMP.
There were also the Wildey autoloader pistols with their rotating bolt design, which also got some screen time in big movies thanks to their unique look and massive size. They were chambered for some interesting cartridges, all meant to emulate the .44 Magnum’s ballistics, such as the .45 Win Mag and the .475 Wildey Mag, of course.
The DEagle changed all that when it came along and was able to shoot actual, rimmed .44 Magnums.
The 50 AE is a chubbier cartridge than the .44. However, it uses a rebated rim that shares the same diameter as the .44 Mag, making for an easy conversion on pistol platforms such as the Desert Eagle.
The 50 AE outshines the .44 Magnum in both velocity and energy, launching a 300-grain projectile at 1,579 fps. Compared to the .44 Mag’s 255-grain bullet, which leaves the muzzle at a mere 1,410 fps, it is easy to see the power of the 50 AE.
However, despite sharing the same .50-caliber bullet, the 50 AE is no match for the .500 S&W. The .500 S&W is much more powerful than the 50 AE. Plain and simple.
When shot out of a revolver, the .500 S&W launches a 500-grain bullet faster than the 50 AE can push a 325-grain bullet. When loaded with a 350 Hornady XTP bullet shooting at 1,900 fps, the .500 S&W can produce an incredible 2,805 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, nearly twice that of the hottest 50 AE loads.
However, the .500 Magnum isn’t available in any autoloading platforms.
The 50 AE may be the most powerful semi-auto pistol cartridge available today, but that title comes at a cost. Even in the heaviest 50 AE pistols, the recoil is pretty wild.
Magnum Research’s integral muzzle brake option tames some of the 50 AE’s hefty recoil. The trade-off for the controllable recoil of a muzzle brake is the exorbitant amount of noise it makes. Shooters need double hearing protection when at the range — even outdoors, especially under a roof.
The Cost of 50 AE Ammo
Ammunition for the 50 AE is hard to find and extremely expensive when you can find it. At $2 to $3 a round, it is well suited for someone who is a capable handloader. Load data can be found online or in reloading manuals.
If you want to shoot a Desert Eagle without burning through tons of cash, the hand cannon is available as a package that includes 50 AE, .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum barrels and magazines. Swapping the caliber is pretty simple and gives you cheaper shooting options at the range.
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What Is the 50 Action Express Good For?
A giant 4 1/2-pound pistol with absurd recoil definitely doesn’t seem like the perfect package…for anything. I can’t be the only one wondering why the hell anyone would want a 50 AE pistol. Aside from showing off for your buddies, this round seems useless to anyone except maybe Arnold in Commando (even that movie gun was a Desert Eagle Mk I in .357).
The 50 AE is just too big and too powerful to be a concealed-carry pistol of any kind. It isn’t legal in many jurisdictions, even if you could conceal it. Over-penetration and hitting an unintended target are real possibilities with this cartridge.
When it comes to personal protection, even in bear country, you’d be much better off choosing from the other options available today.
The 50 AE’s power and energy make it a good candidate for handgun hunting. Newer versions of the Desert Eagle have top rails for mounting optics, so it could be used for hunting, but, as mentioned above, there are better wheelgun options that hold only one or two fewer rounds.
Also, some states restrict the use of autoloading pistols for handgun hunting, so check the regulations before hitting the woods with this brick strapped to your leg.
The 50 AE really shines as a “wow” factor gun. Calling it a range toy might upset some people, but that’s what it is — an extremely well-designed, expensive range toy.
When you take it to any range, especially an indoor one, you will be the star of the show. Other shooters will notice the excessive muzzle blast from other booths, like that scene from RoboCop, and someone will likely ask to shoot your expensive ammo. In all seriousness, they are fun as hell. When shooting a steel plate with a 9mm next to a 50 AE, the difference is comical.
And the gun itself is much easier to handle and cheaper to shoot in .44 Mag, which is why Magnum Research sells conversion kits.
Although carrying the 50 AE screams third-world dictator, especially with that gold tiger stripe finish, it never saw military use.
The 50 AE Desert Eagle is featured in the first Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and has appeared in countless first-person shooting games since. Its popularity in video games absolutely plays a part in the continued success of the pistol.
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50 AE Pistols
Commando, RoboCop, Alien vs. Predator, The Boondock Saints, The Matrix, and Austin Powers in Goldmember are just a few of the movies that include a Desert Eagle. However, while it is definitely the most well-known, the Desert Eagle isn’t the only 50 AE firearm available today.
Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark XIXPrice: $1,708
The Desert Eagle (DE) is by far the most popular pistol chambered in the 50 AE cartridge. Unlike most pistols, the DE uses a gas-operated design similar to many semi-automatic rifles.
The rotating bolt head gives it strength and is reminiscent of an AR-15 bolt head, locking into the barrel extension. It has a seven-round capacity, and you can swap out the barrel to shoot .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum when needed. This pistol has appeared in countless movies, TV shows, and video games. It is still available today.
AMT AutoMag VPrice: $899.99
The AutoMag V might be one of the homeliest pistols I have ever laid eyes on. The frame is abnormally big, due to the length of the 50 AE cartridge. The AutoMag V has a stainless-steel frame and slide, and the magazine holds five rounds.
Arcadia Machine and Tool (AMT) made the AutoMag V between 1993 and 1995. Although the plan was to produce 3,000 pistols in the original run, the company never reached that goal.
For anyone looking to own one of the ugliest pistols ever known to man, the AutoMag V occasionally turns up on the used market.
LAR Grizzly Mark VEstimated Price: $1,000 – $2,000
In the 1990s, LAR Manufacturing attempted to ride the popularity of the 50 AE Desert Eagle with its Grizzly Mark V. The gun is a beastly, beefed-up 1911 designed around the 50 AE cartridge.
The pistols were known for being highly accurate and well-built. However, the recoil was ferocious when chambered in 50 AE, requiring new springs about every 1,000 rounds. These are not easy to find on the used market.
Freedom Arms Model 555Price: $1.599
The only revolver to make the list, the Model 555 is a five-shot single-action made by Freedom Arms. Similar to the company’s Model 83, the Model 555 was designed specifically for the 50 AE cartridge. There is very little information about this pistol, leading me to believe very few of these niche revolvers were built.
Why Everyone Should Own a .50-Caliber Pistol
Because you can, and because, while it may not have a super-practical purpose, a 50 AE handgun is the biggest, most powerful semi-auto pistol you can get.
Owning one is an attention-grabber and strictly an American endeavor. Make a statement at the range with your own 50 AE pistol. You will walk with confidence when appendix carrying one of these bad boys, knowing nothing short of a T-Rex could stand in your way.
In all seriousness, these pistols are a blast to shoot on the range, and if you want one, you should get one.
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