The Desert Eagle is a semi-automatic handgun co-developed by Magnum Research and Israel Military Industries. Unlike most handguns, the Desert Eagle uses gas-operated recoil action, allowing the weapon to be chambered for powerful rounds, and by extension, compete with most magnum-chambered revolvers on the market. While the original IMI prototype used the .357/44 Bain & Davis cartridge, the production models are chambered in either .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .440 Cor-bon, or .50 Action Express.