IMI Baby Eagle 40 cal.-lead bullts

[broomhandle]

Hi all,

I managed to stop buying Russian Nagant 's for a while. What a SICKNESS!

I am Gunaholic... That is a fact I can now accept.:roll:

I bought a semi-compact IMI Baby Eagle in 40 cal. it has standard rifling. Will this pistol shoot lead bullets well?

I know the Browning Hi-Power has a problem beause it has shallow rifling.
From what I have found out . The pistol parts are made in Italy by Tarfango(spelling) & finished in Israel. Can you post your best loads for this pistol.

Any one know where I can get nice wood grips for this pistol. It is close to a CZ but the grip screws are in a different location.

Thanks
broomhandle

[9.3X62AL]

Broomer--

No "hands on" with the IMI pistol, but some with the 40 S&W. The 40 has the attributes of the 9mm Para......high pressure, designed for j-words, and often a ridiculously fast twist rate. I treat the 9mm and 40 S&W like they are rifles--fairly hard alloys, relatively soft lubes, and don't try to set new velocity standards with cast boolits. I like 180 grainers at standard velocities, 900-950 FPS.

One other quirk the 40 S&W shares with the 9mm is that seating depth can GREATLY influence pressures. START LOW with powder weights and work up slowly, if you aren't using tested data with known boolits and an established seating depth/OAL for the combination.

Accurate Arms shows a number of loads with their powders and lead boolits, giving overall lengths too--the data is otherwise a little scarce, favoring the red-coated pretenders. I'm going to do a re-start with the 40 S&W later this year after getting one of the CZ-75B variants in this caliber.

[JRR]

The ultimate work up on the 40 S&W was done at the very beginning by Ken Waters in "Handloader Magazine", July-Aug. 1991. With a 175 SWC lead bullet and a good assortment of jacketed his conclusions are still valid today.

On the fast side of the powder reccomendations he lists AA5 and Unique as being very good. Moving slower, and probably the best all around powder is Herco, followed by AA7. 800X powder also showed good accuracy with all bullet types.

Last weekend, I set up the chronometer.

Gun used. CZ75B SA. Stock, except for tuned trigger.

180 gr bearcreek moly coated cast lead bullets. RNFP shape.

OAL = 1.135 inches

5.4 gr. Unique = 929 fps average. Near max.

5.5 gr. Herco = 885 fps average. Well below max.

7.8 gr. AA7 = 900 fps average. Below max.

All very accurate and easy shooting. No leading.

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replys!
I have some Unique on hand.

Be well,
broomhandle

[454PB]

I own a Desert Eagle, is the Baby Eagle gas operated like the big brother?

[Mk42gunner]

I belive ALL CZ-75 clones are made by Tangfolio in Itlaly, some are finished in other countries. I used to have an EAA Witness in 40, IIRC it had a 3.25" barrel and a single chamber comp on it. It shot 155 and 175 grain SWC's very well, pay attention to overall length. I don't remember the exact loads used, but I know that I used Green Dot a lot.

Robert

[broomhandle]

Hi 454,

No, it is a standard 1911/ Browning style recoil operated pistol.

Be safe,
broom