AMT returns courtesy of High Standard

[MillCreek]

Over on the Firing Line, I just read an interesting post that High Standard bought the AMT tooling from Galena after they folded. On the High Standard web site, the AMT page is under construction, but the price list shows that they will be offering the AutoMag and the DAO Backups again. Even though the designs are well over twenty years old, it will be interesting to see if the pistols are well-received in today's marketplace. If High Standard exercises good quality control, and they get some good writeups, they may well come back. I wonder if an alloy-frame DAO Backup could be in the cards. With the advances in metallurgy since the early 1980's, could this be a possibility?

 

[stans]

If High Standard exercises good quality control,

That has been the problem in the past, maybe it is a tooling issue with this line of pistols.

and they get some good writeups

That is usually not a problem since gunwriters get paid to write and magazines make money off advertising, so almost all guns get good reviews.

 

[swingcatt]

I've emailed them twice now, once when this news first broke and once a few weeks agot, to see if they would be interested in making a .17 HMR replacement barrel for the AutoMag II. So far I haven't heard a peep from them...makes me wonder just how serious they are about their new line...


SC

 

[SouthpawShootr]

I'd like to see the Backup DAO pistols made again. But only if they initiate and maintain good QC and customer service. I like my .45 Backup. It was so small that I could take it anywhere. It is reliable, but so many are problem guns. A little bit of design tweeking and maybe a concerted effort to lighten the trigger pull and this pistol would be an outstanding gun. I used to have an Automag II. While it was accurate and reasonably reliable with ammo it liked, it really amounted to nothing more than a neat noisemaker and flame thrower to me, so I traded it. Sometimes I still wish I'd kept it.

I've emailed them twice now, once when this news first broke and once a few weeks agot, to see if they would be interested in making a .17 HMR replacement barrel for the AutoMag II. So far I haven't heard a peep from them...makes me wonder just how serious they are about their new line...

It's very unlikely they'd try innovating the line very much before they make sure they're on solid production ground, but there really is no excuse for ignoring e-mail querries. Most times just sending an e-mail back saying "thanks for the suggestion, we'll look into it" would be enough to satisfy most people. Ignoring them can cost customers.

 

[Standing Wolf]

If High Standard exercises good quality control...

Yeah, and if it rains nickels tonight, I'll be rich tomorrow.

Truth to tell, the Texas High Standard Operation has never been able to produce fully functional High Standards with any consistency, still less exotic guns. Any firearm manufacturer that jobs out the lion's share of its production is never going to offer high quality products.

 

[Shalako]

I wonder if they will revive the old POS Hardballer? I almost bought one of those when I was younger and dumber...

 

[hksw]

I almost bought one of those when I was younger and dumber...

When I was younger and dumber, I not only bought one of those but also the Javalina. The two most regretted pruchases I had made.

 

[Black Snowman]

I was able to bring my friends Automag II back from the grave thanks to High Standard. They're already offering replacement parts through Brownell's.

His problem was an engineering defciency that I spotted and corrected in the space of a few hours, primarily with a piece of sand paper and rod to wrap it around but it still wouldn't have mattered a tinkers cuss if I couldn't have gotten a new hammer spring for it. The design and execution had damaged the origional beyond continued service.

It's a shooter again and a fun and accurate gun. Not familar with the current High Standard products but it's nice to have a source of AMT parts again.

 

[wardog]

When I was younger and dumber, I not only bought one of those but also the Javalina. The two most regretted pruchases I had made.

I always reeaaalllyyy wanted a Javelina, but after hearing about them on here and elsewhere I'm glad I never ponied up the dough.

I did have a .380 back up which I really liked. (It was the single action model) Mine actually worked great except that it ejected brass straight back at your forhead if you used a weaver type stance. At the time I think it was the most size efficient .380 out there.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

Hey Black Snowman - Thanks for the heads-up on the AMT parts at Brownells. I was there a few months ago and didn't see anything, and I've been watching out for some grip screws for my Backup 45ACP for a few years (one worked its way loose and got lost). Well, the last two times I've taken the gun out, it has been putting dents in the primers, but some of them weren't igniting until I hit it a second time (three different brands of ammo). Took the gun apart last night after taking it to the range (that firing pin stop, ie - roll pin, was a PITA to remove), and I happened to notice that the rear of the firing pin is starting to mushroom, so.......I just ordered $55 worth of spare parts (firing pin, firing pin stop pin, several springs, AND a couple of grip screws). I usually carry this gun when I do carry, so I'm glad to finally be able to get some spare parts for it.

Never had a probelm with this gun until two weeks ago when I took it to the range. I bought it new in 1995, or so.

 

[stans]

I wonder if they will revive the old POS Hardballer? I almost bought one of those when I was younger and dumber...

Same here, ended up with a Colt Delta Elite stainless, much better choice! All of the Hardballer's I ever saw were on the rough side.

 

[Southern Raider]

...to see if they would be interested in making a .17 HMR replacement barrel for the AutoMag II.

You know, that wouldn't be too hard to do by relining the barrel...Anybody have an AutoMag II to sell?

 

[syr74]

I must just be lucky, as I had a Hardballer and likely put over 1000 rounds through it and had fewer failures to feed than any other 1911 I have ever owned. (I have had a Springfield and a Colt as well) As a matter of fact, I can only actually remember one instance of the above happening with this gun although I am virtually certain there were more that have simply faded form memory.

I never had any problems with the gun really. (to be fair the Colt and the Springfield were both excellent as well). I also still have a DAO AMT Back Up in .380 that has been an excellent firearm too. The only problem I have is with breakdown....just ridiculous on the Back Up.

 

[stans]

You were fortunate. AMT/IAI/Galena as well as Auto Ordnance did turn out some nice 1911's, unfortunately they turned out an inordinate number of really bad pistols as well. Basically, if you happened to get a good one, hang on to it.

 

[Monkeyleg]

A friend of mine has a Hardballer with a trigger that's like glass, and shoots better than any of my Kimbers (in his hands, not mine).

He also has a Llama and a Charles Daly, and shoots nice tight clusters at 25 yards with those and the AMT.

'Course, he can drill holes in the black with just about any gun you put in his hands.

 

[Zach S]

I wonder if they will revive the old POS Hardballer? I almost bought one of those when I was younger and dumber...

I did buy one when I was younger and dumber. While mine wasnt very accurate, it was extremely reliable. Its so loose now that if I look at it, it rattles. It was a great pistol for the $200 I paid for it. Smooth trigger too, heavy, but smooth.

Today its pretty much parted out (the guide rod is in my 4" Kimber, the MSH in my Colt, grip bushings and MSH pin in my Para, spring plug in my Polymer). I've actually been thinking about having it accu-railed and taking it on as my first build, but I've been thinking about that for the past year and a half or more, and having it railed is more than the gun is worth, and more than I paid for it anyway. I may put a .22 upper on it and see how that works out first though.

Anyway, I'd like to see the .45 backups again (along with a Kahr MK45 - but thats another thread).

 

[concerned citizen]

I would like to see them come back, I had a DAO 380 that o loved for a pocket gun, after a few years the hammer spring weaken'd and the only fix my smith could do was to cut the hammer spring, could not locate springs anywhere..

I did not have it done and ended up trading it...