AMT hardballer. Buy or not

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blackamos

New member
I have a buddy that bought a hardballer some years back, he is a lefty and wants a stock pistol that has the ambi controls. We went to the range the other day and he brought it along. The AMT was unfired up to then, we shot around 250 through it, it shot well. He offered it to me for $350. I have no need for it, have other 1911's but for $350 I am thinking why not. So what do you think Pass or Buy?
 
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steveno

New member
AMT had some serious quality problems at times. if it worked it will probably continue to work. others never worked and the only solution was a very deep lake. my opinion is that $350 is too much. for another $100 or so you can get a Springfield GI which would be a better basic gun
 
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blackamos

New member
I have 1911's (Kimber, Colt and a new Dan Wesson) but not a SS 1911. I am not a Lefty but he is, that is why he is selling it.
 
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Sevens

New member
I've got a Hardballer, but it's the long slide version.

Some things you should know... just like steveno said, quality was pretty hit & miss. Mine is a very good one, feeds, durable, accurate, no trouble at all. This is not a high dollar handgun and doesn't try to be. I got it for a song and over the 20 years I've had it, it's probably worth 3 times what I paid for it.

But there are countless numbers of folks that got really shoddy and problem riddled handguns from AMT and AMT 1911's specifically.

The price is good for an unfired pistol, which (IMO) you can call that one, since you both were the first ones to put any ammo through it.

But you must know going in before you buy:
  • You might have trouble with it if it wasn't one of the "good" ones, and the only real way to tell if it's one of the good ones is simply by putting it through the ringer.
  • It's not completely and entirely built to 1911 specs. This isn't necessarily a problem until you try to install 1911 custom parts on it. I'd like to be specific, but I can't. It seems that most competent pistol smiths will not work on one because they don't know going in what will & won't work. Springs are compliant, magazine is normal, but when you get in to things like the ejector and grip safety, it gets a little sticky.
  • You'll never get any respect out of 1911 folks, if that matters to you.

Now if you have a hankering for a 1911, I agree with steveno... gather some more cash and buy a SA or RIA or any number of others.

But for $350, and probably because I own a good one and have really put thousands of rounds through one with success, I would probably buy it.

You might be really surprised by this handgun. But you were warned-- there does exist the possibility that it's a problem child.

Now, watch all the haters swoop in on this one! :eek:
 
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SilentHitz

New member
I have a Automag III .30 carbine, and an early Irwindale Hardballer. Both run great. I've heard the bad stuff also, but never experienced any failure at all. If it runs good I would snatch it up for $350...but that's just me.
 
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Brian48

New member
There are two things I'm eternally grateful that I dumped (and at a tremendous loss). My Ex-fiancee and my AMT Hardballer.

Based on my experience, he'd have to pay me $350 to take it off his hands. :barf:
 
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1/2 cocked

New member
Get it. Mine was a good shooting handsome devil. Never had any trouble with the gun. Put many rounds through it. Wish I could find one for 350. I would not hesitate. The mag was not so good.
 
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Piper Cub

Moderator
I'd buy it for $350. They were the first all Stainless Steel 1911's to hit the market. They ran best with FMJ/Ball ammo.
 
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Sarge43

New member
Just saw a longslide version not an hour ago in the gun shop. Had a price tag of $830 on it. I told the guys they really shouldn't smoke that stuff in the morning, it's bad for their health AND their pricing. :D
For $350 I'd probably pick it up just to take out and shoot before reselling it if nothing else.
Good luck!
Sarge
 
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AZAK

New member
Years ago, I was standing next to a gentleman who had no problem with his on the first round, it was the second round that turned that "fine" pistol into a paperweight, as the gun store wanted nothing to do with it upon returning to the store and it was fit for nothing else.

So, I have seen the "miss". That was enough for me.
 
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SIGSHR

New member
I've had mine for 30 years, no problems. If you put 250 rounds through it I think any problems would have revealed themselves.
 
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OJ

New member
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I bought this one some 20 years ago and paid $300 for it then - it was on sale, I think for the reputation AMT had, and frequently deserved. I had a Lightning - .22 they stole from Ruger ( and lost the lawsuit) and it couldn't be fixed to work.

Mine has been great functioning - almost as good as my Colts. My only mods are stocks and normal size thumb safety and slide stop - I didn't like the oversized ones. It eats everything I put through it from hardball to HP.

I would be inclined to agree that, if you put 250 rounds through it and it didn't malfunction, it's probably one of their good ones.

:D
 
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Stevie-Ray

New member
AMT Be very afraid

Bought my AMT Govt. .45 for $320 NIB. Sold it for $250 to the guy that sold me a NIB Colt Mark IV. Of course I unloaded about all the problems with it. He assured me he could get it to run fine. I didn't doubt that, but I had run out of patience. I wouldn't pay $100 for one now. I'd take a chance on one of their Automags for the right price, but their 1911s? NEVER AGAIN!!

Most famous AMT was the:

Fawty five calibah longslide wit laza sighting?...........The Terminator
 
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Sevens

New member
Stevie-Ray! That's the least toxic I've EVER heard you post on this topic! I think you are mellowing a bit as the time goes by, and I like it! :eek: :D

As a matter of fact, this thread has been about as positive as any I've read on this subject. Being that I have one that I really like and have used and trusted for many years, it's always interesting to me to run searches for them on different gun forums. The search terms are easy ("AMT" or "hardballer" always returns what you are looking for) so I've seen the worst rants from the folks whom you'd swear had daughters who had gotten knocked up by AMT 1911's.

Best thing that ever happened to my Hardballer? A Kart NM bushing. It's fits very tight in the slide, and there's zero slop in the bushing to barrel fit. Feels perfect, but I'm no expert. It makes this pistol shoot. I run mine with a WC 18 pound spring. I run nothing but 200 gr LSWC through it. It's a shooter and eats a lot of ammo.

Yeah... $350, I'd do it.
 
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Slamfire

New member
I would pass. In the late 80's I asked experienced pistol shooters about the AMT, and the reply was negative. AMT's had a deserved bad reputation.

Whether or not this AMT is a reliable pistol, the reputation will not go away. You will to to sell the thing at a discount in the future.

It is better to spend a little more and get a M1911 that is fully interchangeable with GI parts, is in production, has a warranty, and has a good reputation.

Now if you could get it for $100.00, I would buy. You would be able to sell the parts for a little more than $100.00, to someone who needs them.
 
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