Tell me about the AMT .380 DAO

Had one, years ago. My recollection is a really snappy shooter (it's straight blowback), and I'm not sure it is still in production. How many magazines come with it? Don't recall reliability. Better choices came along (P3AT), and mine was gone.
Moon

Pocket carried one every day from ‘94 until the Kel-Tec P32 became available at bargain prices. Very reliable and much better in the recoil department than the SAO version. Best of the AMTs in my limited (5 different ones) experience.

I liked the safety of the heavy trigger, too. And I never had a magazine pop free in my pocket with that heel release. Why that isn’t a pocket pistol standard, I don’t know.

commygun said:

. And I never had a magazine pop free in my pocket with that heel release. Why that isn’t a pocket pistol standard, I don’t know.

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Maybe because you measure your mag change times in minutes rather than seconds? lol...

Yeah I know it isn't really all that bad but still a very noticeable handicap compared to conventional.

I carried one for a few years... it certainly did the job. Sort of.

Yes, it's a hefty steel pistol, with a horribly heavy and long trigger (Hey, I can say that... I carry a Kahr.) with impossible sights. I never found the heel mag release to be a detractor... in fact, once I got used to it, it worked quite well. It kicks like a mule... as was mentioned, it's a blowback.

The 'sort of' part... Yes, I train with my carry pieces, so I was shooting it quite a bit. I cracked the slide at the ejection port. I sent it back to AMT, and they replaced the slide... but once i got it back, it quickly found it's way to the next gun show as trade fodder.

Because AMT is out of business, you are at the mercy of the used gun part market if you need something like magazines... or a new slide. There is an AMT .45ACP DAO at my LGS right now... I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole.

I think a buddy of mine has one, carried it way back in the day, but retired it a long time ago. I was interested in one many moons ago, but when I tried the trigger, I changed my mind.

The 380 was the most shootable of all the AMT Backups and as such was just the most practical to own and carry.

I had a 40 cal version that was very unpleasant to shoot. I also shot a 9mm and 45 ACP version and all I can say is I dont recommend any of them.

armoredman said:

I was interested in one many moons ago, but when I tried the trigger, I changed my mind.

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Jeff Cooper had a phrase describing most DA/SA autos... Crunchenticker. That's what I think of when I think of the AMT DAO trigger. It felt like you were pulling the entire weight of the pistol down a gravel road with your trigger finger. Again, it works... but it is not something I would desire.

Buddy of mine had the 380 version trigger pull nothing short of a tranquilized gorilla could manage,he had to deburr the pistol after the slide open a nasty cut on his thumb joint.

"kryptonite to today's Tactical Teds"

AMT 380 - L 5'' - H 4.1'' - W 1.0 - 18 oz - 6 round capacity of 380
Kahr PM9 - L 5.4'' - H 4'' - W .9 - 16 oz - 7 round capacity of 9mm
I'd rather have a Kahr PM9 in pocket than a AMT 380 but that is me.

You should buy it just to show you are not a "Tactical Ted"

CDW4ME said:

I'd rather have a Kahr PM9 in pocket than a AMT 380 but that is me.

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I have both a CM9 and a PM9... and 3 CW9's...

.455_Hunter said:

Does the PM9 have a heel mag release and true DAO trigger? Inquiring minds want to know.

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No, it has a standard mag release. I'm actually replacing the mag release springs on my Kahrs right now... I think sweat and fatigue are making them weak, but I shoot my Kahrs a lot. I have never had an issue with the mags releasing in the holster; I do not pocket carry any pistol.

It is as DAO as the AMT is. The one difference is... the Kahr, like most striker-fired pistols, has to reset the trigger, the AMT is hammer fired, so you can keep pulling the trigger all day, for whatever good that will do you.

FWIW, CDW4ME is right... I'd rather have a M-series or W-series Kahr in 9mm, than any .380, for the same size. After I sold off the AMT, I got a Colt Government .380... great pistol, but for the same size and less weight, I can carry the full-size Kahr CW9 with 8 rounds of 9 Mike Mike.

I think the AMT DAO 380 is an interesting part of 20th century handgun history. It was a precursor to more successful guns that came later. The Seecamp 25 and 32, for example, were in more practical calibers for really small blowback pistols, and had a higher standard of manufacture. (From what I've read, anyway. I've never owned an AMT or a Seecamp.) But using the 1911 locking barrel and steel-reinforced plastic frames were the real game-changers that made this category of pistol more practical and more affordable.

But I don't think the AMT DAO 380 is really a very good choice for a carry piece any more. It's been left behind by the state of the art, and AMT's reputation for quality was often pretty iffy. Get it if you just plain like it, of course, and carry it if it checks out all right, but there are better guns on the market for that purpose now, IMO.

PS - The Grendel 380, which I think was made by the people who later became Kel-Tec, was a big step down the road to the modern kind of pocket 380. But even though I had one for a while, I cannot remember if it was blowback or locked breech. Anybody know?

PPS - I think the people who made the Grendel had to liquidate the Grendel company and reform as Kel-Tec because they gave lifetime warranties on the Grendel. That turned out bad, and the only way to get out from under was to dissolve the company. But that may just be a colorful story I was told.

.455_Hunter said:

I value positive magazine retention far above a slightly quicker reload time.

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A good point. Only have a couple European autos with heel release, but they do offer an easy magazine change, and a mag drop just won't happen. The concept has been pretty much hooted off the domestic market, along with the lever release.
Moon

halfmoonclip said:

A good point. Only have a couple European autos with heel release, but they do offer an easy magazine change, and a mag drop just won't happen.

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The HK P7 was another with the heel mag release... again, not a detractor, IMHO. You DO have to learn how to change mags... you can't just ram a new mag in, you have to shoehorn it in past the release. Not hard if you practice... I know I did, because the mags only held 5 or 6 rounds.

I’m guess I’ll be a card carrying “Tactical Ted,” before I carry a heel magazine release pistol. There’s good reasons why they went the way of the dodo.

I will say, what I have heard about the AMT 380 is that it is hard hitting in the hand. I’ve not ever shot one but that has been a common experience for others. It seems the responses here mimic what I’ve heard.

Like others it seems to me the Kahr offerings would be a much better gun with similar features other than the mag release location.

BreechFace said:

I will say, what I have heard about the AMT 380 is that it is hard hitting in the hand. I’ve not ever shot one but that has been a common experience for others. It seems the responses here mimic what I’ve heard.

Like others it seems to me the Kahr offerings would be a much better gun with similar features other than the mag release location.

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Any straight blowback pistol will crack your hand more than a locked-breech design. Besides my locked-breech Colt .380, my brother has a Walther PPK/s in .380, which is blowback. I hate shooting that thing. They are very similar in size and weight, but boy howdy, that PPK/s pops your hand!

I've had one since the late 90's. I don't think it's had 200 rounds put through it. It worked fine with hydrashoks and ball ammo.

Not as bad to shoot as you'd guess but heavy for its size and has been replaced by other solutions.

Monac said:

PS - The Grendel 380, which I think was made by the people who later became Kel-Tec, was a big step down the road to the modern kind of pocket 380. But even though I had one for a while, I cannot remember if it was blowback or locked breech. Anybody know?

PPS - I think the people who made the Grendel had to liquidate the Grendel company and reform as Kel-Tec because they gave lifetime warranties on the Grendel. That turned out bad, and the only way to get out from under was to dissolve the company. But that may just be a colorful story I was told.

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The Grendel P12 (and the magazine-less P-10) were straight blow-back.

The P-12 is fairly reliable, It has never failed to chamber and fire, and for such a light, plastic pistol not that unpleasant to shoot. But, I would not consider it very durable. Nor is it accurate, it is the only pistol I have that you have to use Kentucky windage to keep the group on a "Punchy-Pete" at 25 yards, and with the sights, both front and back machined directly on the slide, there's no easy fix for that. But, at that price point, you would be foolish to expect much better.

There is also a minor safety issue with these (and probably the Kel-Tecs that use the same hammer design), If you place a round directly in the chamber with no magazine, and drop the slide, it will fire the chambered round. It needs the drag of pushing a cartridge from the magazine to kill the inertia of the hammer which is riding the back of the slide.

lysanderxiii said:

There is also a minor safety issue with these (and probably the Kel-Tecs that use the same hammer design), If you place a round directly in the chamber with no magazine, and drop the slide, it will fire the chambered round.

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Hmmm. I thought the Kel-Tec left the hammer in its semi cocked state. Even the BodyGuard, with its double action/double strike capability, doesn't let the hammer follow the slide all the way home.
No disrespect, but I think you should double check on this assertion.
Moon

It takes some tools and 3 hands to field strip it. It's heavy it's chunky the trigger pull will give you a workout. It's only got a 5 round capacity and the recoil is a bit snappy. They are no longer manufactured so there is no company support... You could do a lot better. But if it's just a curio why not.

Having said all that, in addition to the one I had i had to go and try out the 45 acp version. Recoil was ridiculously sharp and the trigger pull was even worse.

I had an AMT that was a horrible jam-o-matic. And they were jams that were impossible to clear in a hurry. I wouldn't buy another unless I could shoot it first.

JERRY said:

Having said all that, in addition to the one I had i had to go and try out the 45 acp version. Recoil was ridiculously sharp and the trigger pull was even worse.

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That reminds me of the old joke about why a man was hitting himself in the head with a hammer: "Because it feels so good when I stop!"