  the desert eagle is a large-framed gas-operated semi-automatic pistol designed by magnum research, inc. (mri) in the united states. over the past 25 years, mri has been responsible for the design and development of the desert eagle pistol. the design was refined and the actual pistols were manufactured by israel military industries until 1995, when mri shifted the manufacturing contract to saco defense in saco, maine. in 1998, mri moved manufacturing back to imi, which later reorganized under the name israel weapon industries. both saco and imi/iwi were strictly contractors: all of the intellectual property, including patents, copyrights and trademarks, are the property of magnum research. since 2009, the desert eagle pistol has been produced in the united states at mriâs pillager, mn facility. kahr arms acquired magnum research in the middle of 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/01/ralph/gun-review-magnum-research-iwi-desert-eagle-mark-xix-50ae/|accessdate=2013-01-28|title=gun review: magnum research iwi desert eagle mark xi
.357_Magnum_firearms .44_Magnum_firearms .50_caliber_handguns Israeli_brands Semi-auto_magnum_pistols Semi-automatic_pistols_of_Israel