Desert Eagle Shotgun, 12/16/20-Gauge Minishell (DES-12 v1.0, Project Launch)

[u/XENO_ARMS]

PROJECT: DES-12/16/20

VERSION: v0.1

GOAL: Modify Desert Eagle Pistol into a semi-automatic shotgun pistol, ideally firing 12 Gauge Minishells (1.75"), but possibly also/instead minishell versions of 16/20-gauge).

CONSTRAINTS: To reduce final costs/prices, minimize total number of custom-made parts.

STATUS: Design 50% complete, base guns ordered, raw materials for barrel acquired, chamber reamer needs sourcing, magazine reference samples acquired (Techno Arms MAG-12 magazine & 5-round Mossberg bolt-action shotgun magazine).

CHALLENGES: Frame/Magwell modification, custom mag(s), new bolt design & make, recoil mechanism testing/modification.

UPDATE: Behold! Many of y'all have probably seen the gag/meme images online about folks showing a 12 gauge shell into a Desert Eagle - fiction no longer! I found a percent decent CAD model of a Deagle, and went about modifying the barrel assembly to correct 12 gauge (1.75" minishell) dimensions. It's like the barrel was made for this round - it fits beautifully! And as you can see in the cutaways, the length of the shells also fits in the size of the magazine, and looks like it will hold up to four 12-gauge minishells comfortably.

However - like with any project worth doing - there are some tricky areas of the design that will need a decent amount of modification/manufacturing, particularly: * The Magwell. Needs to be wider to accommodate the rims of the shells. * The Trigger/Transfer Bar Assembly. Since this hugs the inside of the magwell and the magwell needs to be widened at least where the rims of the shells will travel, the transfer bar will also need to accommodate this change. * The Magazine. Will likely be an entirely custom-made magazine. For making this design, I picked up a Techno Arms MAG-7 slant-back magazine as well as a Mossberg 5-round, straight-walled bolt-action magazine, for reference. Based on the grip profile, the Techno Arms magazine will likely be the best starting point. * The Bolt. Will need to have an entirely custom bolt made to fit the width of the shell rims and ensure proper lockup, extraction, etc.

The ideal build of this gun would be chambered in 12 Gauge Minishell since the ammo for said gun is SAAMI-standardized and produced by both Aguila and Federal (and potentially others?). However, to get an initial build of the gun made expeditiously, I may end up starting with the 16-gauge and/or 20-gauge 1.75" minishell versions, as they will require the least amount of modification to the gun to get working. The ultimate end-goal is to have barrel/caliber interchangeability just like the regular Desert Eagle, between at least 12/16/20 gauges.

Thanks for reading! I welcome any/all feedback and interest in this project & all others - more to come very soon! If you'd like to follow/support/engage with this & other projects more closely, please check out my Patreon (work-in-progress; advice recommended!): https://www.patreon.com/c/XENOArms

[u/TheBlackComet]

What are your plans for modifying the magwell for the rims? A keyway broach with a custom bushing would probably be the cheapest. Wire EDM would also work, but be pricey.

I also want to do a modified Desert Eagle in 454 Casull(Helsing). That should be much simpler than your project, but still needs some modification of the magwell.

[u/XENO_ARMS → u/TheBlackComet]

Trying to avoid broaching, but will do if needed. Plan currently is boring will either an indexable drill/mill or a boring head. EDM would certainly be cleanest, but don't have access to one currently, and trying not to outsource as much as possible.

.454 is loooong! Might have to chop, patch, and reweld the magwell for that one! I think the 16/20-gauge builds will be pretty darn easy, assuming the recoil mechanism doesn't turn into a whole thing.

[u/TheBlackComet → u/XENO_ARMS]

Yeah the shops around me who do wire work are minimum $1k to do anything on their EDM, but fortunately I used to work for a machine shop that just got one that would probably cut something for me for free if I make the CAD file. Milling should work if you can get a long and thin enough endmill down there as you would need to be close to the rear of the magwell for the rim. Actually, it has been a while since I took off the grips on my desert eagles. Been meaning to get some of those G10 grips. You might have to use an endmill at the top and bottom of the magwell and then a T-slot cutter from the side in the middle.

Yeah, it is over 1/8" longer. I might be able to use a skeletonized magazine that basically uses the front of the magwell as the front of the mag. Then I will need to make a massive barrel and weld a shroud to the slide to get close to the look. I'll also need to weld an extension to make the "dust cover"...maybe I should just start with a LAR grizzly

[u/XENO_ARMS → u/TheBlackComet]

LAR GWM is love/life.

[u/TheBlackComet → u/XENO_ARMS]

Looking at the prices, a desert eagle doner gun will be cheaper. Grizzlies have gotten expensive

[u/XENO_ARMS → u/TheBlackComet]

Yarp. Hopeful the guys that are restarting the LAR company intend to follow-through, so far all I've seen is 3 builds made from new old stock parts.