AMT questions pls.
A guy here has two AMT .380 Backups for sale and says one is single action and the other is dble action. Whats the difference? Also on this auction it shows a AMT 380 in 9mm, what is that a .380 or 9mm or typo or what? Also how is $175 for each gun? Thanks.
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Well may not be right but what i was told double action is u just have to pull the trigger. Single u have to cock first. 0 -
I know thats true on a revolver but I didn't know that semi-auto did the same? Whats the point of have a semi-auto and having to cock it each round? Give the BG time to shoot? 0 -
AMT is out of business, but they made a lot of the .380 Backups. The single action model is the old model. It is a good gun. They stopped making that model and started making a DAO or "double action only". As you would imagine, the single action requires cocking the hammer to fire it, and the DOA cannot be cocked, but instead requires a full trigger pull to discharge. AMT made the DAO models in .380 (also known as 9mm short), 9mm (also known as 9mm Luger or 9 x 19), .38 super, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .400 Corbon, and .45 ACP. Only the .380 was on the very small frame, the rest of them were on a little larger, but still small, frame.
$175 is a fair price for the .380
Also, you don't have to cock each round in the single action, just the first one. When the slide functions after the first shot, it pre-cocks the hammer for the next shot.
Hope this helps.
Measure twice, cut once.
Empty the clip!0 -
dheffley,lots of good info that really helps, thanks. 0 -
We just sold one in the shop here. The .380 is the same as .9mm Kurtz. It says 9mm Kurtz on the barrel of the .380 so I would make sure the guy knows what caliber he's selling. 0 -
I have 2 AMT's.. .45 dble action (50lb trigger pull). And a 380 SA. The 380 is very fussy with ammo, NO HP's Any one know of a HP that will feed in it?[:)]
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my SA Backup feeds WW Silvertips and any other hollowpoints without a hitch. You may have a defective magazine, or the mag may need to have the feedlips tweaked to release the round earlier. My pistol has fed hp's with both the mags without any alterations.
Mr Heffley- did they really make the DAO version in a .357 SIG chambering? I think that the round was developed after production ceased on the DAO models.0 -
Guys, single and double action refer to trigger function. If the trigger when pulled only releases the hammer or striker, its a single action. If the trigger when pulled can also first cock the hammer or striker before releasing it, it is commonly referred to as a double action, as it can perform 2 functions. If the design requires that the trigger always cock the hammer or striker before releasing, it is a double action only (DAO).
A semi auto will require that the first round be manually placed in the chamber, typically by cycling the action (there are a few exceptions, like the little Beretta tip-up barrel design). When retracting the slide, the hammer or striker is also cocked (in most actions). At that point, the trigger need only release the hammer or striker to fire the pistol. Upon firing, the action cycles, cocks the hammer or striker, and is ready to fire again. Trigger pull is consistent from shot to shot and significantly lighter than DA trigger pull, since the trigger's only task is to release the hammer or striker. In a single action pistol, you can carry "cocked and locked"; that is, the hammer is cocked with a live round in the chamber, and the gun only requires the safety be released before firing. This method of carry is scary to some folks, although with a properly designed pistol and proper technique it is safe, and very easily and quickly ready to fire. Good design will prevent the energy of the hammer or striker from being transferred to the primer unless the trigger is pulled back, using either a hammer block or transfer bar system. There is little point in lowering the hammer on a live round; it is but little safer to carry that way (less safe in some designs), and the hammer would have to be cocked before you can fire. The alternative is to carry the gun hammer down on an empty chamber, which is perfectly safe, but requires the action be cycled before firing. Slower to get into action.
But in a double action, there is typically a method to lower the hammer or uncock the striker, so that the pistol is not cocked. This method of carry is less scary to some folks. Pulling the trigger cocks the hammer or striker, and then releases it. The action cycles upon firing, and the pistol is now in a single action mode; the hammer or striker is cocked, and the trigger need only release the hammer or striker to fire. The downside is that you will have a very different trigger pull on the second shot; the first shot is heavy pull to cock the pistol; on the second and subsequent shots the the pistol is already cocked and the trigger only releases the hammer or striker, therefore you have the lighter trigger pull.
In a double action only (DAO) pistol the striker or hammer is not cocked by the cycling of the action. The trigger must cock the hammer or striker before firing every time. So the trigger pull does not change from shot to shot. Some folks consider this design to be safer; and in some respects a heavier trigger pull is safer.
Some modern pistols are hybrids of a sort; the striker will be partially cocked, that is, the spring is partially compressed when the action cycles so that the trigger does not have to completely compress it, resulting in a lighter trigger pull, and arguably retaining the safety aspects of a double action.
Personally, I use the "old-fashioned" single action pistols. In my opinon a good single action design is as safe as anything else as long as proper technique is employed. I don't like DA trigger pull, or the abrupt change from DA to SA pull from the first shot to the second.
I had one of the old single action AMT .380 Backups. It met my needs for a concealable stainless carry gun. If I recall it was no fun to shoot; even the little .380 produced unpleasant recoil in that little gun with little grip area to spread the energy around. And I frankly don't remember at this point if I considered the design safe to carry cocked and locked, but I seem to recall I carried it with an empty chamber, so perhaps I had some concerns about "cocked and locked" carry with that design. Hopefully someone else here is familiar enough with the design to offer an opinion on that point. If not I will go back to the books and refresh my memory on the design.
redcedars0 -
My 380 came with clear plastic grips.Someone said that was one of the first guns out, Dont know if thats true or not. It had 2 mags, One was with a black plastic finger groove and the other had an aluminum groove. And bought just a plain mag. With all 3 mags I could not get an HP to feed. I did try a lot of different makes of ammo. I keep a HP in the tube and ball in the mag, that seems to work fine. The gun has a grip safty and the thumb safty.... So, I hope it's safe to carry [:D]
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I have one of the old El Monte, CA marked SA guns. I carry it cocked and locked. Reliability is very mag dependant. there is a 6 shot mag after market, that never seems to work in the SA guns. I use Remington HP Ammo with the small ogive without problems. 0 -
Mine functions fine with Silvertips. It is marked "OMC, El Monte, Calif." Anyone know what happened here? 0 -
The 380 I have was made in EL MONTE CA , that all it says. SS # starts with an Axxxx... Anyone know what mag came with the gun? Black finger groove or aluminum groove?
It will hurt you, More than it will hurt me..
Life Member... N R A
American Legion, MECU, MWCA, SMSC, BSC, NASDS
Thanks for all the help!0
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