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Why not record the muzzle velocity or do a gel block to test penetration? The shooting range is just for accuracy tests of the shooter which doesn't say much about the gun🤦🏽
A few years back l worked at a gun store/shooting range. We bought one of these used and needing repair. After the required work was done it was to be tested, lucky me. Grabbing 10rds of carbine and headed out to the range on a rather busy day, my job was to fire 5rds slowly and then 5rds rapid fire. Some of the customers noticed the rather long slide as l went to the end of the row, asking what it was. When hearing 30 carbine a couple jaws dropped. I explained l was testing it and if all went well it would be in the used pistol case the next day. It all went well. First 5 were cool. Second 5 were a Fkin BLAST. The gun left the store the next day at $1200.
I have owned one for 40 years or so and at about 400 rounds it developed light primer strikes. It seems that the hammer spring sits in a well drilled into the frame. But the hole was drilled too large in diameter. That allowed the spring to kink. I got another spring and it too kinked. So I sent it back. They installed a larger spring that filled the well properly. I have 500 more rounds through it and it is still going strong! Early on I bought two spare magazines for it. These mags are very nicely done and high quality. I paid $300 for it new. In my state Javelina (Peccary) are hand gun only. This is a killer on them as it shoots really flat. Note: Numerich (GPC) has parts for it.
If you think it potentially could affect performance, you could have a machinist insert a sleeve in the spring well & restore the gun back to a correctly tensioned spring of the original diameter. Plenty of old school machinists that resleeve engine cylinders still around
AMT's are like trophy wives, they're pretty pricey to acquire and they're really meant to just look good and it comes to Performance they're both a disappointment.
I have owned this pistol from the day it came out bought it brand new and never had an issue with it, my gun dealer belonged to a club and I took this to a pistol shoot there when asked what caliber I was shooting for the competition , I said .30 carbine the guy looked at me and said ( You know this is a pistol shoot ? ) And I pulled it out and put it on the table and said ( This is a pistol ) when I went out to compete and opened up with it my gunsmith said all heads turned to see what was shooting, after the match a fellow shooter came over to me and said ( I think these are yours ) as he pulled my spent shells from his breast pocket and handed them to me. This pistol is great to shoot, recoil is super manageable, ammo feed is great, I know that some folks had issue because the lower and slide were machined to tight this was resolve with lapping compound. I also have its bigger brother the Automag 4 chambered in 45 Win mag it's also great to shoot, other than having to collect my brass and reload because of a discontinued cartridge it has never given me any issue at all. I would love to get their 10 mm Javelina or their 45 caliber Hardballer. It was nice to see someone review this with a positive outlook and enjoy it.
@@70centurian Actually, performance was poor since it used a FMJ round, a friend used it on 🦌 Deer in Germany and the Deer just ran away, later, he used the M-1 carbine with soft point bullets on Deer 🦌 here in the U.S.A. and it was a different outcome as the Deer dropped right there. Bullets make all the difference.
I've got one of those .380 backups and it is by far one of the worst firearms I have ever fired, awful ergonomics, gritty heavy trigger pull, safteys are a pain the thing weighs as much as a brick and on top of all that can't manage to chamber a round or cycle.
I bought one brand new when it first came out. The original barrel was cast in order to save money, and it split open near the chamber. I sent it back and AMT replaced it with a forged barrel. No problem since. And yes, it is a flame thrower and the BOOOOMMMMMM is quite different than most other handguns. The target will dissapear behind a watermelon sized flame flash. The recoil is a strong push up, no shock. It's a hoot to shoot. Expect it to turn heads at the indoor range.
They also made a lefty version of the 1911. The model was called a " Portsider." It was a mirror copy of a standard 1911. They also made a standard seven inch long slide version.
If you handload the .30 cal carbine round it is as inexpensive as any other round, the price of .30 caliber carbine reflects the demand and low production rates, example: .380acp is more expensive than 9mm parabellum.
My favorite AMT is the Skipper in S&W .40. A seven round single stack magazine in a pistol very little larger than a Walther PPK, but with a lot more punch.
Damn Jason.... That thing looks like something that the Joker in Batman would carry around Gotham City!!! Does it have the pole that pops out that says BANG..! But as usual you make the video happen, I tell'ah. 😎
It was pretty cool seeing the ring of fire from the muzzle. But really thought seeing the spark of the bullet hitting the backstop was just as cool too
As owner of a Hardballler tricked out to look like 47's, I support your goal. But they don't make one in 9mm, which is what 47's "Silverballers" were chambered in.
@@congerthomas1812 exactly I don't get all the hate on here iv owned mine since 1990 put literally 700 rounds through it , have taken down countless turkeys, several deer , and a huge amount of water filled gallon jugs lolololol freakin love this hog leg!!!
I have mine from the first year out. I love this gun.never had a problem with it,and used to shoot it a lot.also used to reload for it. This automag 3 and the blk hawk are great and fun guns.
Always wanted to run across an AMT ,30 I have a Hardballer it is probably my favorite semi auto. Ruger also makes the Blackhawk in .30 carbine. What impressed me is the .30 w/110gr delivers more energy than a .357mag w/110gr
I found myself an old AMT Baby AutoMag in .22lr at a pawnshop for $600. I liked its appearance so much i ended up purchasing it not knowing how rare it was because of how many were made.
so when i was 19 and just getting in to shooting my father who had one of theas guns thought it would be funny to lode it up and have me shoot it thinking i would balk at such a big grip and a 30 car a rifle round and not shoot it little did he or i know i would fall in love with shooting it and not want to give it back to him. to this day i still want it and think of it fondly
I had an stainless AMT .45 and it didn't work right. I had to replace a lot of parts and finally got it to work okay. I ended up selling it when I needed money. I don't miss it.
Great video of an exotic and intriguing firearm. Good intro and demo and excellent, not drawn-out, firing range report. Thanks and keep them coming. Now for the caveats. Never, EVER dry fire an AMT Automag III pistol. The hammer rests atop a hammer strut which lives inside a powerful hammer spring that powers the hammer strike. The hammer struts are notorious for first bending and then breaking after even just a few dry fires. There are no aftermarket replacements. Go find a good machinist and find an appropriate stainless steel blank and a lot of scratch to pay for it. If the strut cracks and or breaks the hammer strike will be too weak to ignite the primer and the gun will have failures to fire. Also, early versions of the guns had ridges on the barrels that locked into recesses in the slides. These guns used a barrel recoil delay mechanism consisting of a small spring and plunger. If stripping down the gun for cleaning great care is not taken, both the plunger and spring will launch into outer space and the gun will have jams if they are lost. Finally, really early guns were made from stainless steel of the same composition in the slide and frame which, due to heat and friction, would cause galling and result in the guns jamming. A special grease was developed to prevent this IF you can delicately file off the galling. Otherwise, the guns will jam. Later versions' metallurgy of the guns solved this problem. These are the reasons why you hear stories of the unreliability of these firearms. All are preventable. When you deal with those issues, then, these firebreathers are MAGIC.
Ive owned and shot several AMTs. Had the Skipper in 40 Smith. Fired the hardballer in 45. My dad owned the .22 mag. None of them could get through a mag without several failures.
I have a couple of Ruger BH revolvers in 30 carbine. I think all handguns in .30 carbine came about because of all the cheap .30 carbine ammo that was cheap surplus.. those days are gone now. the good news is that that the .30 carbine is a very flat shooting round out of a long barrel handgun It also has the energy of say a .357 Bad news? Not particularly reliable in pistol actions. In revolvers it can also be problematic. .
I’ve acquired an AMT auto mag in 22 mag. It belonged to my dad but hasn’t been fired in years. It was a used gun he picked up over the years. I’ve cleaned and polished it and looks like a quality pistol, but I haven’t shot it yet. But I’ve heard that many of them were jam-a- matics. I’ll find out soon.
I put a AMT .45 acp long slide on consignment back in the 90's...I took a gunsmith friend with me, when the gun came in....The finish was not what I expected...and when I pressed the mag. realease the magazine wouldn't come out... He looked me in the eye and shook his head "no."I have heard again and again about fit problems with the parts...I took my money that day and bought a Springfield .45 trophy Match....and never regretted it. 100% reliable.
I know (or knew) AMT well. While they were in production, the company I worked for did some processing for them. I got to know the people there and we even worked out some trade of work for guns. Yes all stainless steel but maybe not the best stainless steel. The barrels were made from 410 stainless which was capable of being heat treated hard enough to provide sufficient wear resistance. But not the best for ductility. I think I still have a .45 caliber barrel in my junk box that they sent me one time for evaluation that had actually split full length right down the middle. Their guns are not bad, just not well finished. One Time we got 3 of their 22 magnum with 6" barrels. None of them would cycle reliably out of the box. It just took a little tuning and cleaning up a few burs to fix them though. They also were fun to shoot with low recoil and big fireballs. If that one has a good trigger pull it's only because someone has already worked on it.
I had occasion to shoot one of these when they first came out. Having had one of the Ruger SA .30's, I knew what I was in for. Yes, recoil was similar to the Ruger. It was the blast and noise that was nearly unbearable. The long-ish grip with the odd angle were uncomfortable at best. Two mags thru, and I was cured from the idea of buying one. Thanks for the review
I have this exact pistol and I absolutely agree that it is a joy to shoot ! Defiantly one of my favorites to take to the range . I agree that it likes factory ammo , reloads aren't as reliable . My daughter likes to shoot this better than my 1911's . Except for the Anaconda ! Great review , Thanks !
I have shot the hardballer in .45, and I owned an Automag ll in 22WMR for many years, and never had an issue with either. A good friend of mine has owned a hardballer for many years, and the only function issues he has had, is if you limp wrist the thing when you fire it. Give it a firm grip, and it runs all day.
My uncle Bob had one, among many pistols in his collection, and he said that it did have a reputation of misfiring. But he had never noticed that problem with his. I had t pleasure of using it one day at t shooting range and it was a tack driver, I fired it until dusk because I had a 30 carbine with plenty of ammo. And yes, it could be spectacular with the muzzle blast!
I have one of the AMT Automag III .30 Carbine pistols and an Automag II in .22 Magnum. They make a nice pair at the range and really turn heads with their thunderous blast and muzzle flash. My Automag II has a six inch barrel but I recall shooting a four inch barrel back in the day that was as loud as my .357 Magnum. As spotty as their reputation is mine have been trouble free. Fun guns to own and shoot but i wouldn't trust them for anything other than fun on the range. Proper lubrication is the key to reliability for these stainless steel guns.
@brianedgett2134 : Yup, and it only came with a 7" bbl. I had the privilege to shoot one and at night. If you missed your target on the first shot, your antagonist would be blinded by the flash, giving you ample time to set up your second shot!
Such a powerhouse round for a pistol. It remembered those police range scene from RoboCop. (I know there was just beretta92f, but it represented like kinda machinegun-power weaporn)
I have a single action revolver chambered in 30 carbine, as well as a M1 carbine. Hornady makes some nice self defense hollow point ammo, in 30 carbine.
@thetexasgunvault ya, it's a Uberti, Single Action Army pistol. I like to "fan" single action revolvers, like Clint did in his Spaghetti westerns. You gotta wear a glove, so u don't tear your hand up.
I have one in 22 mag. I bought it because I like unique stuff and at the time I bought it in the late 80s I believe it was the only 1911 like pistol chambered in 22 mag. It is ammo finicky, But works well for why I bought it. Have not shot it in a while. This motivates me to get it out and shoot it.
Bought mine in 1992 and never had a problem. Bought it to go with my M1 carbine. Have several pistol rifle combinations. The first thing I did was take it to a gunsmith and had it slicked up because it felt a little rough action. Knocked over plates at 25 yards. I live in Texas contact me if you want to shoot one slicked up with good ammo.
My dad had one of these, and I absolutely loved shooting it, but it was extremely finicky about the ammo it liked. His Blackhawk in .30 Carbine, in contrast, ran on any brand or handload that fit in the chamber. I hated when he sold it, but I do understand why he did.
If you want to try an AMT with a trigger at the other extreme, test their 45 Backup. DAO and I believe it was officially listed as 20 Lbs. Mine felt heavier.
I had a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine with a 7.5" barrel. I don't remember it as having excessive flash and it had a very light recoil, far less than my .357 Blackhawk even shooting 38 special. It was fun to shoot very inexpensive to shoot and very accurate.
I have one and pinging steel torsos at 100 yards is a no-brainer. You just need decent ammo and large hands. And oil the slide, the round can cause heat and binding when shooting a lot.
Wish i wouldnt have gotten rid of my pair of auto mag 2's I had the baby and the midsize. That basketball sized flash when you touched off a round got peoples attention. The grips took a bit of getting used to. They were made of all stainless and i had to use grease to lube the sliding parts. Otherwise i used 5 wt engine oil. Were ammo sensitive. Only 40 gr winchesters as i recall
AMT got the reputation of spotty reliability with an issue called galling that they worked out over time but a few of their originals had this issue. Stainless steels of the same type can seize up and lock due to oxidation and effectively paperweight one of these stainless pistols.
I think back in the day, many bought this for metallic silhouette competitions or hunting hogs. Reloading with Speer soft points and pistol appropriate powders reduced the flamethrower effect.
In the late 1970s early 1980s I had an AMT long slide Hardballer. An early stainless 1911 with 6" barrel, It was unreliable with any ammo other than Mil Spec ball. Way cool range toy.
Dunno what happened to my original comment, but here it goes again: An M1911 that's chambered in .30 Carbine is both, the most boomer handgun ever and the coolest combo of rifle cartridge-in-handgun-frame ever.
AMT was a decent quality manufacturer. Their pocket 380 Back Up was inexpensive and popular with law enforcement. I would say AMT suffered from lack of refinement of their design quality due to money issues. That led to their reputation being damaged.
I’ve had one of these for close to 40 years. I bought it because I liked hot handguns and 30 carbine ammo was very cheap. (Can’t say that today.) My trigger is still light and crisp. It runs very well, but is starting to show its age. I’m down to one reliable magazine and can’t locate a source for parts. Had many years of fun with it. I’d love to get the mags working well again. I continue to check new possible sources. Fingers crossed.
I could see .30 Carbine making a comeback in pistols. The only-available 110gr loads could be tweaked-up with heavier bullets... Rifle-pressure brass, faster pistol powder...
@@flightlesschicken7769 yeah because it doesn’t fit in the magnum category for a rifle but it does fit in the same category as a magnum pistol or revolver cartridge and it was originally designed for the military in a handgun and then the carbine come out afterwards
@@scottscheuerman8714 I have never heard that. I do believe I heard they briefly considered the idea of a pistol and a M1 Thompson in the cartridge, but the idea behind it was mainly for a small, light rifle, if I am not mistaken
Always great to see "unique" firearms! I'm curious how it compares to modern firearms ballistically though. Can you get some chrono data and compare it to 30 Super Carry?
I had a Long Slide Hardboller .45 APC. It was reliable and the long slide made it much easier to load Hottter loads with out battering the slide or the hand. l liked to better than my GI 1911A1 in that it was smoother and had less recoil.
I have a very poor opinion of the ATF, but out of respect for comment guidelines, I’m going to refrain from using derogatory language concerning this agency. You do good work, keep it up.
I was at the range when I was in my 20's and a guy had one, throwing 6 foot flames out the muzzle, he asked me if I wanted to shoot it, of course the answer is always yes " whatever it is " ..he told me he was a handloader and he liked them spicy, one of the most fun guns I have been blessed to be able to shoot, large coffee can on the berm at 50 yards, every shot made it dance, and it was a very grey day so yes that muzzle flash made it even more fun,.. YEE HAW
I had a 380 AMT Backup. A lot of them were rated as unreliable. Mine was 100% with no problems what so ever. The only thing wrong with it was that because it was very small and was a blow back 380 it kicked like a mule.
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Why not record the muzzle velocity or do a gel block to test penetration? The shooting range is just for accuracy tests of the shooter which doesn't say much about the gun🤦🏽
A few years back l worked at a gun store/shooting range. We bought one of these used and needing repair. After the required work was done it was to be tested, lucky me. Grabbing 10rds of carbine and headed out to the range on a rather busy day, my job was to fire 5rds slowly and then 5rds rapid fire. Some of the customers noticed the rather long slide as l went to the end of the row, asking what it was. When hearing 30 carbine a couple jaws dropped. I explained l was testing it and if all went well it would be in the used pistol case the next day. It all went well. First 5 were cool. Second 5 were a Fkin BLAST. The gun left the store the next day at $1200.
Wow! I can see why.
It looks like a younger brother to the RoboCop gun😂 those couple nostalgia points really make things move off the shelf
I was looking at the 40 corbon then 50 but I like revolvers more.
I have owned one for 40 years or so and at about 400 rounds it developed light primer strikes. It seems that the hammer spring sits in a well drilled into the frame. But the hole was drilled too large in diameter. That allowed the spring to kink. I got another spring and it too kinked. So I sent it back. They installed a larger spring that filled the well properly. I have 500 more rounds through it and it is still going strong! Early on I bought two spare magazines for it. These mags are very nicely done and high quality. I paid $300 for it new. In my state Javelina (Peccary) are hand gun only. This is a killer on them as it shoots really flat. Note: Numerich (GPC) has parts for it.
Great information. Thank you so much for your comment!
Interesting.
If you think it potentially could affect performance, you could have a machinist insert a sleeve in the spring well & restore the gun back to a correctly tensioned spring of the original diameter. Plenty of old school machinists that resleeve engine cylinders still around
@@dansemacabre6515 AMT did the work. Apparently quite a few needed it.
I have one as well. Same issue. Gave it to my gunsmith friend.. pretty much did same thing. He also. Ported it.
AMT's are like trophy wives, they're pretty pricey to acquire and they're really meant to just look good and it comes to Performance they're both a disappointment.
That is a great analogy!
And is she reliable when your life depends on her?.....Or does she just let you die.... and keep your money?
@@thomaspavelko9412 VERY true! Lol
😂😂😂
😂
The only Automag worth owning. It works, it's cheap to run and that muzzle flash is life changing.
Very true!
I have owned this pistol from the day it came out bought it brand new and never had an issue with it, my gun dealer belonged to a club and I took this to a pistol shoot there when asked what caliber I was shooting for the competition , I said .30 carbine the guy looked at me and said ( You know this is a pistol shoot ? ) And I pulled it out and put it on the table and said ( This is a pistol ) when I went out to compete and opened up with it my gunsmith said all heads turned to see what was shooting, after the match a fellow shooter came over to me and said ( I think these are yours ) as he pulled my spent shells from his breast pocket and handed them to me. This pistol is great to shoot, recoil is super manageable, ammo feed is great, I know that some folks had issue because the lower and slide were machined to tight this was resolve with lapping compound. I also have its bigger brother the Automag 4 chambered in 45 Win mag it's also great to shoot, other than having to collect my brass and reload because of a discontinued cartridge it has never given me any issue at all. I would love to get their 10 mm Javelina or their 45 caliber Hardballer. It was nice to see someone review this with a positive outlook and enjoy it.
Great story. I have videos coming out in the next few weeks on the Automag IV and V.
A 30 carbine cartridge has almost the same muzzle energy (946 ft-lbs), as a 44 magnum, depending on bullet weight and powder load.
I think you are right.
Except for the fact that it only gets that energy out of an 18" barrel
@@Brian-rj5rl Came to say the same thing. Also, energy drops off faster with the 30 carbine downrange.
It's not a bad round, just know its limits.
@@Brian-rj5rl Correct. Its a JUNK round. Ask a WWII or Korean VET.
@@70centurian
Actually, performance was poor since it used a FMJ round, a friend used it on 🦌 Deer in Germany and the Deer just ran away, later, he used the M-1 carbine with soft point bullets on Deer 🦌 here in the U.S.A. and it was a different outcome as the Deer dropped right there.
Bullets make all the difference.
I still have my amt 1911 .45 hardballer. Good shooter. Very good looking.
That is awesome! I want one of those!
Mine runs flawlessly with Fiocchi ammo. A gas to shoot, even the girls love it! All of my friends want to buy it!
That is awesome!
The little Backup .380's are what got AMT the Ring of Fire targeting.
Very interesting. Good information.
I've got one of those .380 backups and it is by far one of the worst firearms I have ever fired, awful ergonomics, gritty heavy trigger pull, safteys are a pain the thing weighs as much as a brick and on top of all that can't manage to chamber a round or cycle.
I believe the AMT'S are more like Highpower's than 1911's. Love my AMT in 22 magnum.
Maybe that is the case.
In this case 'high power' is not a marketing name tho
@doombringer3498 Who ever designed the the magnum models for AMT obviously was inspired by the Highpower design.
@@terryatherton2881 yep that's pretty obvious
Always wanted the att 22 magnum since I saw it in a magazine magazine 50+ years later still don't have one.
I remember COONAN made the first 30 caliber carbine-pistol ... back in the 1980's and it fired perfectly!!!
I did not know that.
I got a Ruger Blackhawk Revolver in .30 Carbine in the 80s still have and my son wants it so it is his.
I hear those are really nice.
@@thetexasgunvault My dad has had one of those pistols, and an m1 carbine as well since forever. They are now mine. Cool guns
Those bullets were sparking like crazy when hitting the backstop. Never seen bullet impacts spark like that before.
It was very surprising to see when I was editing the footage.
I remember AMT Hardballer, cal .45ACP, SS that came out in 1976 for MSRP $650.00 I brought Colt Gold Cup blue for $326.00
Wow! I didn't know about the price differences.
@@thetexasgunvault AMT Hardballer is to competed directly against Colt Gold Cup and it was on Gun and Ammo magazine.
If you still have the gold cup in good shape, it’s a treasure.
Was the price jump an upsell on the fact it was stainless?
I bought one brand new when it first came out. The original barrel was cast in order to save money, and it split open near the chamber. I sent it back and AMT replaced it with a forged barrel. No problem since. And yes, it is a flame thrower and the BOOOOMMMMMM is quite different than most other handguns. The target will dissapear behind a watermelon sized flame flash. The recoil is a strong push up, no shock. It's a hoot to shoot. Expect it to turn heads at the indoor range.
Wow! I am glad they fixed it for you and I am glad to hear it has been running great.
They also made a lefty version of the 1911. The model was called a " Portsider." It was a mirror copy of a standard 1911. They also made a standard seven inch long slide version.
Very interesting! I didn't know that. Cool information!
They also for a whike made the infamous "Dirty Harrys" 44 Auto mag firing, the .44 magnum revolver cartridge.
@@nealkrueger6097 The original Auto Mag used a rimless .44cal cartridge made from a cut-down .308Win case.
This gun was alright when it first came out, when 30 carbine surplus was cheap & available. This is no longer the case.
I agree.
yeah this is an example of a gun that was VERY MUCH a product of its time
If you handload the .30 cal carbine round it is as inexpensive as any other round, the price of .30 caliber carbine reflects the demand and low production rates, example: .380acp is more expensive than 9mm parabellum.
I have the same Automag 3, but chambered in 9 mm magnum. It is a real flame thrower too, shoots the hornady 147s at 1600 feet per second.
That sounds like a great pistol!
My favorite AMT is the Skipper in S&W .40. A seven round single stack magazine in a pistol very little larger than a Walther PPK, but with a lot more punch.
Damn Jason.... That thing looks like something that the Joker in Batman would carry around Gotham City!!! Does it have the pole that pops out that says BANG..! But as usual you make the video happen, I tell'ah. 😎
It really does have the look! You are right.
@@thetexasgunvault Lol... 😎
@@Thomas-vt7cz maybe they were going after the concealed carry market of 8 ft tall people
@@TheSulross Yeah, Lol... 😎
It was pretty cool seeing the ring of fire from the muzzle. But really thought seeing the spark of the bullet hitting the backstop was just as cool too
I was glad to see it too when the camera caught it in frame.
Long time ago I got to play with a .30 carb lever action and I think that's about the perfect round and gun combo.
I agree. It is a cool round for sure that can be very versatile.
As owner of a Hardballler tricked out to look like 47's, I support your goal. But they don't make one in 9mm, which is what 47's "Silverballers" were chambered in.
Really? I could have sworn they were .45s!
They are chambered in .45 acp in every instance they appear. And by woa he no longer uses them and went with an IAC 1911.
I own this gun, and have found it to be as good as you did! It has never let me down in the 20 some years I have owned it. One of my favorites!
That is wonderful to hear!
have this gun in 22mag and it is a lot of fun it is loud and throws fireballs
I hear those are great pistols!
Had 3 of them, best big pistol i ever had, fits my hand AWESOME. Gallon jugs at 100 yards all day.
That's great to hear!
@@thetexasgunvault loaded 110gr semi jacket
@@congerthomas1812 exactly I don't get all the hate on here iv owned mine since 1990 put literally 700 rounds through it , have taken down countless turkeys, several deer , and a huge amount of water filled gallon jugs lolololol freakin love this hog leg!!!
@@Scott-wl2zh busted a coyote at 100 across the seat and the wife,off the mirror. My nephew laughed,I took his 20$
I have a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in 30 carbine, it's a great shooter, low recoil long range
I hear they shoot nice.
I have mine from the first year out. I love this gun.never had a problem with it,and used to shoot it a lot.also used to reload for it. This automag 3 and the blk hawk are great and fun guns.
That is awesome!
Always wanted to run across an AMT ,30 I have a Hardballer it is probably my favorite semi auto. Ruger also makes the Blackhawk in .30 carbine. What impressed me is the .30 w/110gr delivers more energy than a .357mag w/110gr
I am jealous that you own a Hardballer!
I owned one of the longslide 10 mms, never had a problem with it.
I am glad to hear that!
It might be silly. It might be impractical and expensive. But, I want 2 of them. Now.
LOL! They are cool for sure.
I found myself an old AMT Baby AutoMag in .22lr at a pawnshop for $600.
I liked its appearance so much i ended up purchasing it not knowing how rare it was because of how many were made.
That sounds like a great find!
awesome pistol.. good friend of mine bought one of these back in the late 90's.. And it shoots great.
I am glad to hear that. It seems like some really run well.
so when i was 19 and just getting in to shooting my father who had one of theas guns thought it would be funny to lode it up and have me shoot it thinking i would balk at such a big grip and a 30 car a rifle round and not shoot it little did he or i know i would fall in love with shooting it and not want to give it back to him. to this day i still want it and think of it fondly
That is a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing!
I had an stainless AMT .45 and it didn't work right. I had to replace a lot of parts and finally got it to work okay. I ended up selling it when I needed money. I don't miss it.
You are not the only person that has said something similar.
I own one of these beauties, and I after almost ten years of owning it, omly had ome malfunction, and it is my FAVORITE handgun ever
That is awesome and I am glad to hear it.
Great video of an exotic and intriguing firearm. Good intro and demo and excellent, not drawn-out, firing range report. Thanks and keep them coming. Now for the caveats. Never, EVER dry fire an AMT Automag III pistol. The hammer rests atop a hammer strut which lives inside a powerful hammer spring that powers the hammer strike. The hammer struts are notorious for first bending and then breaking after even just a few dry fires. There are no aftermarket replacements. Go find a good machinist and find an appropriate stainless steel blank and a lot of scratch to pay for it. If the strut cracks and or breaks the hammer strike will be too weak to ignite the primer and the gun will have failures to fire. Also, early versions of the guns had ridges on the barrels that locked into recesses in the slides. These guns used a barrel recoil delay mechanism consisting of a small spring and plunger. If stripping down the gun for cleaning great care is not taken, both the plunger and spring will launch into outer space and the gun will have jams if they are lost. Finally, really early guns were made from stainless steel of the same composition in the slide and frame which, due to heat and friction, would cause galling and result in the guns jamming. A special grease was developed to prevent this IF you can delicately file off the galling. Otherwise, the guns will jam. Later versions' metallurgy of the guns solved this problem. These are the reasons why you hear stories of the unreliability of these firearms. All are preventable. When you deal with those issues, then, these firebreathers are MAGIC.
Thank you for the information and the kind words.
15:04 those sparks of it hitting the back wall of the range!
Yeah, I noticed that too.
That looks so great,you know those are gonna always be sought after.
I agree. They are really cool for sure.
Just found your channel and you have some interesting stuff 👍
Awesome, thank you!
Ive owned and shot several AMTs. Had the Skipper in 40 Smith. Fired the hardballer in 45. My dad owned the .22 mag. None of them could get through a mag without several failures.
That is sad to hear. I am sorry.
I have a couple of Ruger BH revolvers in 30 carbine. I think all handguns in .30 carbine came about because of all the cheap .30 carbine ammo that was cheap surplus.. those days are gone now. the good news is that that the .30 carbine is a very flat shooting round out of a long barrel handgun It also has the energy of say a .357 Bad news? Not particularly reliable in pistol actions. In revolvers it can also be problematic. .
All great points, and I think you are right about the ammo.
I’ve acquired an AMT auto mag in 22 mag. It belonged to my dad but hasn’t been fired in years. It was a used gun he picked up over the years. I’ve cleaned and polished it and looks like a quality pistol, but I haven’t shot it yet. But I’ve heard that many of them were jam-a- matics. I’ll find out soon.
I hope it works well for you!
Loved the automag used in robocop movie.
They are cool for that reason alone.
The original Robocop gun was a Beretta 93R.
That fireball and the report it makes are super neat, I kinda want one now lol
They are so much fun!
I put a AMT .45 acp long slide on consignment back in the 90's...I took a gunsmith friend with me, when the gun came in....The finish was not what I expected...and when I pressed the mag. realease the magazine wouldn't come out... He looked me in the eye and shook his head "no."I have heard again and again about fit problems with the parts...I took my money that day and bought a Springfield .45 trophy Match....and never regretted it. 100% reliable.
I am glad you got something you wanted and loved.
@@thetexasgunvault God Bless Texas....and You Too. ⭐✝
Wow! Haven't seen/held an Automag in many, many years!
They are kind of rare these days.
I know (or knew) AMT well. While they were in production, the company I worked for did some processing for them. I got to know the people there and we even worked out some trade of work for guns. Yes all stainless steel but maybe not the best stainless steel. The barrels were made from 410 stainless which was capable of being heat treated hard enough to provide sufficient wear resistance. But not the best for ductility. I think I still have a .45 caliber barrel in my junk box that they sent me one time for evaluation that had actually split full length right down the middle. Their guns are not bad, just not well finished. One Time we got 3 of their 22 magnum with 6" barrels. None of them would cycle reliably out of the box. It just took a little tuning and cleaning up a few burs to fix them though. They also were fun to shoot with low recoil and big fireballs. If that one has a good trigger pull it's only because someone has already worked on it.
Great information! Thank you so much for your comment.
Beautiful pistol. Great review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you!
I had occasion to shoot one of these when they first came out. Having had one of the Ruger SA .30's, I knew what I was in for. Yes, recoil was similar to the Ruger. It was the blast and noise that was nearly unbearable. The long-ish grip with the odd angle were uncomfortable at best. Two mags thru, and I was cured from the idea of buying one.
Thanks for the review
You are very welcome and I am glad you enjoyed the video.
I really really wish I had bought the automag III, I love .30 carbine and after Matt at Demolition ranch shot his I knew I had to have one!
They are really a cool pistol.
I have this exact pistol and I absolutely agree that it is a joy to shoot ! Defiantly one of my favorites to take to the range . I agree that it likes factory ammo , reloads aren't as reliable . My daughter likes to shoot this better than my 1911's . Except for the Anaconda ! Great review , Thanks !
Thank you so much!
I have shot the hardballer in .45, and I owned an Automag ll in 22WMR for many years, and never had an issue with either. A good friend of mine has owned a hardballer for many years, and the only function issues he has had, is if you limp wrist the thing when you fire it. Give it a firm grip, and it runs all day.
I want a Hardballer so bad. They are so cool.
My uncle Bob had one, among many pistols in his collection, and he said that it did have a reputation of misfiring. But he had never noticed that problem with his. I had t pleasure of using it one day at t shooting range and it was a tack driver, I fired it until dusk because I had a 30 carbine with plenty of ammo. And yes, it could be spectacular with the muzzle blast!
It sounds like you had a lot of fun with it too!
I have one of the AMT Automag III .30 Carbine pistols and an Automag II in .22 Magnum. They make a nice pair at the range and really turn heads with their thunderous blast and muzzle flash. My Automag II has a six inch barrel but I recall shooting a four inch barrel back in the day that was as loud as my .357 Magnum. As spotty as their reputation is mine have been trouble free. Fun guns to own and shoot but i wouldn't trust them for anything other than fun on the range. Proper lubrication is the key to reliability for these stainless steel guns.
It sounds like you have a really nice collection!
I’ve got them both also ! 👍😎
I think Ruger had a wheel gun for that round
About the same time
Same frame as the .44.
Blackhawk. A friend has one, in 30 Carbine.
Yes they did. I would love to review one someday.
At one time it was a Single six type that had another Cylinder for 32 H&R Magnum.
@brianedgett2134 : Yup, and it only came with a 7" bbl. I had the privilege to shoot one and at night. If you missed your target on the first shot, your antagonist would be blinded by the flash, giving you ample time to set up your second shot!
Such a powerhouse round for a pistol. It remembered those police range scene from RoboCop. (I know there was just beretta92f, but it represented like kinda machinegun-power weaporn)
Yes it is.
AMT made a few neat guns. Still enjoying my AMT Lightening pistol after all these years.
Those are cool too!
I have a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine. Fun gun to shoot, but make sure you have double hearing protection because the muzzle blast is unreal.
Yeah, all these 30 carbine handguns are loud!
I have a single action revolver chambered in 30 carbine, as well as a M1 carbine. Hornady makes some nice self defense hollow point ammo, in 30 carbine.
I have heard about those revolvers. They sound cool.
@thetexasgunvault ya, it's a Uberti, Single Action Army pistol. I like to "fan" single action revolvers, like Clint did in his Spaghetti westerns. You gotta wear a glove, so u don't tear your hand up.
I have one in 22 mag. I bought it because I like unique stuff and at the time I bought it in the late 80s I believe it was the only 1911 like pistol chambered in 22 mag. It is ammo finicky, But works well for why I bought it. Have not shot it in a while. This motivates me to get it out and shoot it.
You should get it out and take it back to the range!
@@thetexasgunvaultThanks I will. I have a Kel Tec PMR-30 I need to shoot also and a CMR-30 I need to sight in as I put a red dot on
Bought mine in 1992 and never had a problem. Bought it to go with my M1 carbine. Have several pistol rifle combinations. The first thing I did was take it to a gunsmith and had it slicked up because it felt a little rough action. Knocked over plates at 25 yards. I live in Texas contact me if you want to shoot one slicked up with good ammo.
I would love that. My email is texasgunvault @ gmail . com
I have one and it works perfectly 👏👏👏👍👍👍👍
I am glad to hear that.
My dad had one of these, and I absolutely loved shooting it, but it was extremely finicky about the ammo it liked. His Blackhawk in .30 Carbine, in contrast, ran on any brand or handload that fit in the chamber. I hated when he sold it, but I do understand why he did.
I am sorry he got rid of it, especially because you loved it so much.
I used to have the amt backup 45 in stainless it was a great gun.
I hear they were good little pistols.
If you want to try an AMT with a trigger at the other extreme, test their 45 Backup. DAO and I believe it was officially listed as 20 Lbs. Mine felt heavier.
I hope to get to review one of those someday.
I had a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine with a 7.5" barrel. I don't remember it as having excessive flash and it had a very light recoil, far less than my .357 Blackhawk even shooting 38 special.
It was fun to shoot very inexpensive to shoot and very accurate.
I hear those revolvers are really nice.
WOW. That is wild, I had no idea these even existed. That's weirdly badass and completely impractical haha
Exactly, but it is still really cool!
Had a Hard Baller in 45, it ran everything but hollow points, just as it was designed to do as a target model.
I want a Hardballer so much!
..I remember these at gun shows in South Florida in the 90s
I hear they were popular back then.
I have one and pinging steel torsos at 100 yards is a no-brainer. You just need decent ammo and large hands. And oil the slide, the round can cause heat and binding when shooting a lot.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Wish i wouldnt have gotten rid of my pair of auto mag 2's
I had the baby and the midsize. That basketball sized flash when you touched off a round got peoples attention.
The grips took a bit of getting used to. They were made of all stainless and i had to use grease to lube the sliding parts. Otherwise i used 5 wt engine oil.
Were ammo sensitive. Only 40 gr winchesters as i recall
I am sorry to hear that it was the one that got away.
I wish they would bring these back. I always wanted an automag v in 50ae
I will release a video on that pistol in a few weeks.
That thing has some amazing muzzle blast, reminds me of the 327 fed in report.
Yes, it kind of does.
AMT got the reputation of spotty reliability with an issue called galling that they worked out over time but a few of their originals had this issue. Stainless steels of the same type can seize up and lock due to oxidation and effectively paperweight one of these stainless pistols.
That is what I heard.
I think back in the day, many bought this for metallic silhouette competitions or hunting hogs. Reloading with Speer soft points and pistol appropriate powders reduced the flamethrower effect.
I could see that as a good use for it.
In the late 1970s early 1980s I had an AMT long slide Hardballer. An early stainless 1911 with 6" barrel, It was unreliable with any ammo other than Mil Spec ball. Way cool range toy.
It was still a cool gun nonetheless.
I had an AMT Backup 380. Real small 380 back in the day
I heard good and bad things about those.
The felt recoil is relatively mild because of the short barrel. Much of the gas is wasted because the bullet has already left the barrel.
You are right.
Dunno what happened to my original comment, but here it goes again:
An M1911 that's chambered in .30 Carbine is both, the most boomer handgun ever and the coolest combo of rifle cartridge-in-handgun-frame ever.
I remember your original comment and replied to it.
@@thetexasgunvault Apparently Big Brother YT didn't approve... I can't find it in my notifications.
AMT was a decent quality manufacturer. Their pocket 380 Back Up was inexpensive and popular with law enforcement.
I would say AMT suffered from lack of refinement of their design quality due to money issues. That led to their reputation being damaged.
That could be true.
I own a 1911, and I likey this video. 👍👍
I am glad you enjoyed it!
need a modern slick coating to help with the galling
Very true.
A buddy of mine owned an AMT Hardballer, and he called it a Jam-a- matic
I hear that many had problems.
I’ve had one of these for close to 40 years. I bought it because I liked hot handguns and 30 carbine ammo was very cheap. (Can’t say that today.)
My trigger is still light and crisp. It runs very well, but is starting to show its age. I’m down to one reliable magazine and can’t locate a source for parts.
Had many years of fun with it. I’d love to get the mags working well again. I continue to check new possible sources. Fingers crossed.
I hope you find one!
I saw where another commenter said that Numrich Gun Parts Corporation had spare parts available. I would check GunMagWarehouse as well.
The mags come apart for cleaning.....
@@JohnSmith-je9jd Good advice. What I really need are new springs. Haven’t found anything compatible yet.
I could see .30 Carbine making a comeback in pistols. The only-available 110gr loads could be tweaked-up with heavier bullets... Rifle-pressure brass, faster pistol powder...
I think you make a good point.
The 30 carbine is what H 110 powder was invented for but it is powder that is popular in magnum handguns
Yeah, 30 carbine already takes a magnum pistol powder
@@flightlesschicken7769 yeah because it doesn’t fit in the magnum category for a rifle but it does fit in the same category as a magnum pistol or revolver cartridge and it was originally designed for the military in a handgun and then the carbine come out afterwards
@@scottscheuerman8714 I have never heard that. I do believe I heard they briefly considered the idea of a pistol and a M1 Thompson in the cartridge, but the idea behind it was mainly for a small, light rifle, if I am not mistaken
Always great to see "unique" firearms! I'm curious how it compares to modern firearms ballistically though. Can you get some chrono data and compare it to 30 Super Carry?
I no longer have this one in for review, and I filmed it before I did ballistic tests. I am sorry.
I had a Long Slide Hardboller .45 APC. It was reliable and the long slide made it much easier to load Hottter loads with out battering the slide or the hand. l liked to better than my GI 1911A1 in that it was smoother and had less recoil.
That is great to hear!
I have a very poor opinion of the ATF, but out of respect for comment guidelines, I’m going to refrain from using derogatory language concerning this agency. You do good work, keep it up.
I appreciate that!
I was at the range when I was in my 20's and a guy had one, throwing 6 foot flames out the muzzle, he asked me if I wanted to shoot it, of course the answer is always yes " whatever it is " ..he told me he was a handloader and he liked them spicy, one of the most fun guns I have been blessed to be able to shoot, large coffee can on the berm at 50 yards, every shot made it dance, and it was a very grey day so yes that muzzle flash made it even more fun,.. YEE HAW
Wow! That sounds like you had a great time!
@@thetexasgunvault yes, it was one of my most fun days at the range
I've had three different AMT .22mag and they all jammed.
I hear many people had issues with them too.
That is a beast wow
Yes it is!
Ruger also made the single action Blackhawk in the 30 carbine and the recoil is mild but the Ruger does seem to be very loud
I heard about those.
Alright- I want one. Good video.
Thank you!
It would be interesting to see a scope put on it and see what kind of accuracy it had at distance.
That would be interesting.
My AMT Javelina has been flawless except the front sight is loose. Shoots as well as my gold cups
I am glad to hear that.
i have an amt in .22 mag
Very cool!
Got to say i am loving the gun! I looked it up. It is almost affordable a lot of gun for price!!
It is a really neat gun.
I had a 380 AMT Backup. A lot of them were rated as unreliable. Mine was 100% with no problems what so ever. The only thing wrong with it was that because it was very small and was a blow back 380 it kicked like a mule.
I am glad to hear it worked well for you.
Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!