AMT .44 Automag American Pistol

AMT .44 Automag is American .44 AMP Single Action Autoloader Pistol. The Automag was designed in the late 1960s to provide performance similar to the .44 Magnum round in an autoloader pistol (prior to t hat, t he .44 Magnum was available only in revolvers). For a variety of technical reasons, the .44 Magnum revolver cartridge proved un≠suitable for use in an auto loading pistol. The Automag’s designer, Harry Sanford, instead developed a whole new cartridge called the .44 AMP essentially a .30 caliber rifle cartridge case cut down in length and used to fire a new .44 caliber bullet. This cartridge gave ballistic performance that was nearly identical to the earlier .44 Magnum.

Tofire this massive cartridge, the Automag required an unconventional action. Instead of the more common recoil-driven mechanism, the Automag employs a gas-powered semiautomatic action with a rotating bolt. In this respect, it functions more like an assault rifle than a pistol. The resulting mechanism is much more complex and expensive than a typical pistol design, but this is necessitated by the tremendous fi ring pressures of the big Magnum cartridge. This type of system has since been copied in later highpowered pistols, such as the IMI Desert Eagle.

Unfortunately, the exotic ammunition proved to be the Automag’s undoing. Due to lack of demand, no U.S. manufacturer ever mass-produced the .44 AMP rounds (though they were made in Mexico for a time). This meant that Automag owners had to handload their own ammunition, a time-consuming and expensive process. The added trouble simply wasn’t worth it to most shooters, and the Automag was soon withdrawn. 

The Automag Pistol has been revived from time to time and is currently in production once again in limited numbers after a long hiatus. It has never found widespread popularity, however. As a result, .44 Automags are rare and highly prized collector’s items. This fact drives their cost up considerably.

The Automag is a large and bulky single-action pistol. It is constructed from stainless steel. There is no slide; instead, its gas-powered action is housed in a tubular receiver. Its unusual shape gives it a sleek, fl ashy look that enhances its reputation. Production quality is top-notch due to the relatively small numbers made. The Automag is a very accurate design, though its high-powered cartridge causes a powerful kick when fi red.