I recently picked up a Mark VII in .50 AE to round out my set.
1989 Mark I - .357 Magnum
1993 Mark VII - .44 Magnum
1994 Mark VII - .50 AE
The .50 Mark VII was renamed ‘Mark XIX’ the following year. It is essentially the same gun except the Mark VII’s caliber is marked on the slide instead of the barrel.
Here is my build of Jill’s Samurai Edge pistol.
This started as a Beretta 92 Brigadier (‘before’ photos at the end). Middlebranch Machine modified the slide. Collectors Design Werks made the grips and rear sight.
Other modifications were the stainless barrel, stainless guide rod, trigger return coil spring conversion, 92D hammer spring, and a 14lbs recoil spring. It’s a wonderful shooter at the range. It was fine in factory trim but I felt it should be a bit nicer than my other 92’s given the custom nature of Kendo’s guns.
I still need a better sight tool to fine adjust the rear sight windage. I zeroed it with a laser boresighter as close as I could manage using a brass drift which is rather imprecise.
Brought this home recently. In the box with all the original paperwork. This one was built in January, 1994. It's a Mark VII - evidenced by the caliber being marked on the slide rather than the barrel. This configuration was renamed 'Mark XIX' the following year.
I never intended to get a .50 but the deal was too good to pass on one in such nice condition.
I started on this project back in 2002. Delayed and forgotten for many years, I pulled it back out during the COVID lockdowns intending to finally finish it. I finished assembling the grenade launcher assembly at that time. I used a shell-ejecting airsoft shotgun to keep things simple (from a legal standpoint). The base gun is an airsoft M1A1 Thompson.
The parts were pieced together over the years. A Monsters in Motion kit provided the resin shrouds. Many of the smaller parts like the shroud reinforcement bands and plates, grenade launcher front block, magazine bases, barrel vent, barrel support, barrel and stock are SD Studios parts. The ammo counter was made by Hyperdyne Systems and is tied to the trigger switch.
Here are some hard-to-find ones in my collection. The M1911 cartridge is included for scale reference. These are my first two Mars cartridges - now I'll need to hunt down the others.
I picked up my first Desert Eagle in April - a .44 Mark VII. Last week I picked up this .357 Mark I. The mags need new springs desperately, they won't even lock the slide open when cycling by hand. My .44 mags will lock it open without issue - at least it's not a broken part. I have springs on the way from Kahr already.
According to Magnum Research, the Mark I was made in May 1989 and the Mark VII was made in August 1993. I took a few phtos of the parts side by side to show the size difference in the .357 and .44 parts.
Had my first opportunity to put some rounds through my .44 Mark VII. I replaced the springs with the Magnum Research kit just to be prudent, no idea when they might have been changed last and MR gave the manufacture date as 1993.
That said - it ran great on PMC 180gr and Magtech 240gr. A bit better with the PMC ammo - and gave more impressive muzzle flashes like the image above. This wasn't my first experience with a Desert Eagle, but the ones in the past had all been .50 AE Mark XIX's. I'd say this one is a keeper.