AMT hardballer. Buy or not

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Redneckrepairs

New member
Over the years i have owned 3 of them . One ( a longslide ) worked fairly well in the sense that it would feed hardball and silvertips . The other two not so well , not only on feeding but on galling and overall fit and finish ( little things like improperly drilled frames so the thumbsafety would work out , sights flying off ect.. ) . I have seen a couple that the owners were happy with though .
 
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blackamos

New member
We are off to the range today and he is bringing it along. I will bring 500 rounds of ammo, grease, 5 shooting star mags, and $350. If I can get through the 500 rounds with out big problems I will give him the $350. I showed him this tread and he wants to know if it is a "good one" also.
 
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Semi-jacketed

New member
If you have a "good one" it will run very nicely. The first 1911 I purchased (others were given as a gift) was an AMT as they were the first stainless ones and I had to have it. It was a complete piece of dung. Firing pin stop fell out about half the time when firing. Of course, that was the half of the time it didn't FTE and require dropping the mag and other manipulations to return.

My brother purchased one a couple of decades later out of pure nostalgia in one of AMT/Gelena's incarnations. It shot very well in every respect. Then the company went under for good.
 
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Sevens

New member
I would be interested in your range report.

I'd like to know where yours was made (on the right side of the frame) and I'd like specifics on the ammo you put through it. Also, First 3 digits of the serial number would help, too.

Good luck!
 
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Stevie-Ray

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!
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:D Yeah, I've been one of their naysayers. The detractors always have the loudest voices and all that. But you have to understand I didn't have a Hardballer. The Government models were probably their worst as far as 1911s go. The Longslides (like that beautiful specimen OJ posted) were probably their best, as I heard of only a few of those that were touted as "junk" by their owners. Here's a listing of pretty much the AMT 1911s as they were in the time I owned mine (Source: everybody I knew that owned one, and many FFLs/gun shop proprietors):
Govt. Model..............Junk
Hardballer.................Better
Hardballer Longslide....Even Better
But nothing in the "good" category, ala Colt or SA. At the time I got my AMT, SAs were only $250, but of course they offered nothing in stainless. I will say that the stainless Colt Mark IV that replaced my AMT was not as accurate as the AMT when the AMT would run. UZI, (Israel Military Industries) provided the only ammo that would make it through a magazine, though it never made it through 2. AMT made it better. I never tried to let them make it perfect. My Colt, though not quite as accurate, was perfect with all ammo I tried from day one. There was the difference between $320 and $459, though I will also say the AMT was crammed with desireable features, stock.

Actually I take what I said back, I would pay $100 for one. Because now that I'm retired, I'd make that sucker work!;)
 
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