Author Topic: AMT hardballer (Read 4965 times)

GRIMJIM · « **on:** March 17, 2008, 10:33:26 AM »

I picked up an amt really cheap and I want to use it as a platform for my first try at customizing a 1911. My question is which series is this action? I see parts for Colt 70 or 80 series and don't know which I need. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Jim

Mikey · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2008, 12:50:40 AM »

Grimjim - you may or may not have problems with that concept. The AMT pistols, including the Hardballers, are made of stainless. In the earlier productions there were concerns about galling between parts. I do not know if the AMT action would make a good platform for a custom pistol.

Some Hardballers were in the 'good to great' category, but some went from 'not so hot to crap'. Some suffered galling to the point where the actions failed to function.

Here's the problem - either you match the stainless closely enough (for hardness) or the mismatch may cause parts failure and functional failure.

I might think that the Harballer may be better used as trading fodder for a all blue steel 1911 and use the blue steel pistol as your custom basis.

I'm sure hoping that someone else comes up with a better route for you to go or tells me that I'm fulla stuff on this one but I think the AMT line may give you problems as a basis for a custom piece. JMTCW. Mikey.

Mikey · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2008, 01:00:48 AM »

JIm - sorry, I didn't answer your question. The AMTs didn't have 'series' guns like the Colts. There were no 'pre-70, Series 70 or Series 80' AMTs, there was only one production series. I believe they patterned their pistols on Colt's pre-70 series (O Frame???) 1911s. I believe a pre Series 70 and possibly Series 70 parts should interchange with the AMT parts - maybe not.

I also think any parts would have to be fitted to the frame - I don't believe you can just interchange a Colt slide with the AMT slide - the Colt slide would have to be fitted.

This could turn out to be one cool project - at least I hope it does. Good luck. Mikey.

tn_junk · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2008, 01:42:35 AM »

I was lucky and had one of the "great" hardballers. Stupid and got rid of it.
Find somebody that wants it. There are folk out there that love them.

alan

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2008, 12:42:23 PM »

Thanks for the replies guys. The barrel is shot out of this gun that's why I got it for next to nothing so I was looking at putting a compensated barrel on it and though why not try my hand at souping it up. I did a lot of work on my 10-22 and really had a good time doing it. I know this is a lot more involved but I would like to give it a try.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2008, 01:25:27 AM »

ive shot good ones and bad ones. Seems its about 5050. If i found a good one at the give away prices i sometimes see on them id probably grab one myself. believe me there are worse 1911s on the market.

WILDCATT · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2008, 07:26:09 AM »

I have a hard baller and works great.also a mixed AMT.gov frame and AMT long slide.thats my target gun never failed.I load 45 acp with 200 gr SWC and 3.6 gr of 700X.standard parts.I use gov spec parts.
extractor,cheap mags. COLT 45s I have seen are poor.the best were Norinco and the Rock Island. they were the best made.you can interchange parts.worst was a Gold Cup,shot fine after cleaning the chips out and touching it up.

ECV Slick · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2008, 06:54:37 PM »

Quote from: GRIMJIM on March 18, 2008, 12:42:23 PM

I know this is a lot more involved but I would like to give it a try.

I think that you should "go for it". AMT's (when they came out) were said to have "galling" problems.

I can tell you that I purchased an AMT 7-inch "longslide" Hardballer and proceeded to add a Gold-cup hammer & sear, custom fit barrel bushing, frame-cut beavertail grip safety, Bianchi "lightning" finger notch grips (all they had back then), and a Pachmyer "semi-arched" mainspring housing.

I had a LOT of fun with the project and the mediocre quality of the original gun became superb. I wound up selling it (to buy yet another gun) and forever regretted doing so. I wish I’d taken some photos – but that was back in the mid 1980’s when I built it.

The best piece of advice that I picked up was to use a “grease” call RIG +P to lubricate the gun. I NEVER had any problems with galling when using the RIG.

I miss that gun SO MUCH, that I'm currently building a Springfield Armory Longslide (6-inch) into a .45 Super configuration... Longslide ROCK and the additional sight radius really helps.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2008, 11:32:55 AM »

My wife would be happy to tell you I already went for it. Mostly wilson combat parts, barrel, magazine, compensator bushing, extractor, beavertail safety, hammer, spring kit, trigger and weigand scope mount and a aimshot holographic sight. I'm just waiting for the beavertail installation jig and I can get started fitting all the parts. This is my first 45 and I am really looking forward to tinkering with it. I have already learned one important lesson: drop-in is a relative term.

ECV Slick · « **Reply #9 on:** April 06, 2008, 08:54:36 PM »

Quote from: GRIMJIM on April 02, 2008, 11:32:55 AM

I have already learned one important lesson: drop-in is a relative term.

Cool! Welcome to the WECSOG world!

Bob_VT · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2008, 12:36:52 AM »

I had one about 20 years ago. Series 70 parts worked.

I polished the feed ramp
I changed and worked on the sear...
New tight bushing....
LBT Lapped the barrel.....
New spring set......
Peened and lapped the rails....
Corrected the ejector angle...

The pistol was very accurate when I got done BUT it was wearing like crazy. The amount of wear with a few thousand rounds versus a Colt series 70 with over 40,000 rounds was the same. When I discovered this I sold the AMT and went with a Colt.

I don't regret the work..... it was fun.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #11 on:** April 15, 2008, 10:54:03 AM »

So far I've got the frame stripped and I fit the beavertail safety. Looking good so far. The match barrel did not fit the compensator/bushing so I took some emery cloth and rolled it into a tube and twisted it inside the bushing checking often until it fit, it goes through now but is a little snug. I have to file down the lug on the barrel to get it to fit in the boltface, that's my next project.

I purchased the installation jig with the wilson beavertail and that made it pretty easy. I installed the jig on the frame and scribed a line with an awl, got it close on a bench grinder and filed it down, again checking very often until it fit. I had the thumb safety reinstalled and it was still a little tight but it was rubbing on the side and a swipe of the file fixed that.

My one set back so far was one of the grip screws was stuck in the post and it came out of the frame, then when I tried to get the screw out I stripped the post. I was going to replace the screws anyway and the posts were pretty cheap so it's not too big of a deal.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2008, 02:34:17 PM »

Just realized I messed up in one of my posts. This is actually my fourth 45, but my first 45 project.

I ran into a problem yesterday, the beaver tail safety does not meet up with the trigger rail whether it's depressed or not. I wrote a note to Wilson to see if they could help. If anyone reading this has a suggestion I would appreciate any help I can get at this time.

On a happier note I got the frame drilled and tapped for the weigland mount

http://www.jackweigand.com/sm3.html

so that's ready to go. I also have the hammer strut installed on the new hammer. Really all I have left to do is fit the barrel, radius and tune the new extractor, Polish the frame and put it back together.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2008, 07:40:45 AM »

an AMT with a shot out barrel??? i put 125,000 rds of cast bullets through my colt .45acp and the barrel was still good. I can't imagine an AMT lasting long enough to shoot out a barrel. Of that could be a very good commentary on the quality of AMT barrels. GrimJim, what are you going to use this "racegun" for?

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2008, 02:11:18 PM »

I'm just playing with it. I built up a 10-22 and really enjoyed it so I wanted to try something a little more involved. I don't know if it's totally shot out but the rifling is pretty unevenly worn toward the muzzle. Who knows what they previous owner was doing to it.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2008, 05:26:37 PM »

uneven wear?!? YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #16 on:** May 16, 2008, 03:09:28 PM »

I finished fitting the barrel and bushing and grip safety. Drillid and tapped the frame for the weigland scope mount. Everything fits, checked function with some snap caps. I just have to finish the frame and slide and put it together. I'm going to paint them black as well as the thumb safety and the slide release. The scope and mount are black. I polished the compensator, mag release, back of the extractor, slide stop and grip safety. I also ground the mainspring housing smooth and polished it. It looked pretty cool when I had it together to check the functioning and safeties. I'll post some pics when it's done.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #17 on:** May 16, 2008, 08:56:29 PM »

one of our club members tried the wilson bushing/compensator. was VERY disappointed. most shooters want more grip not less on the mainspring. or did you polish it just for looks?

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2008, 04:02:52 AM »

Just for looks. Yeah I know most people wouldn't have done it but I don't shoot in any kind of competitions and I figured with the grip safety and the magwell polished it would look good to run that line all the way up the back of the grip.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #19 on:** May 17, 2008, 04:36:38 PM »

when do we get to see pictures?

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2008, 04:12:59 AM »

I still have to finish the slide and frame so it will be a little while yet. I'll post them when it's done.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #21 on:** May 27, 2008, 10:40:31 AM »

Okay here she is. Please be kind and take into consideration I have no gunsmithing experience or metal working tools. Everything was done with a drill press, handfiles and a dremel.

It went from this:

To this:

I am unhappy with the paint I used for the frame and slide. It's too thick and made everything too tight, but with a little cycling and some gun oil it loosened up quite a bit. I might strip it one of these days. I messed up the slide, I wanted to put some angled slots in it to match the scope mount and messed up and ended up with the large ovals instead.

I wanted something a little more involved than the 10-22 I did and this certainly was it.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #22 on:** May 27, 2008, 11:02:27 AM »

nice first effort/ can we have some closeups of the beavertail,slide cuts and comp?

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #23 on:** May 27, 2008, 12:50:49 PM »

beavertail

slide cut and comp bushing (not as good as a regular comp I know)

SharonAnne · « **Reply #24 on:** May 27, 2008, 02:45:03 PM »

VERY nice fit on the beavertail. no 'first time' qualifier needed. nice work.

RE: the comp. not interested in the comp. I was looking for fit. I cannot see bushing fit but the slide cut is certainly nice and clean. I would put a slight bevel on it to remove the sharp edge and give it a nice custom look. again, very well done.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #25 on:** August 21, 2008, 07:05:15 AM »

I know it's been awhile but I finally got a chance to take it to the range. Not good.

I checked function with snap caps and no problems feeding or extracting. The slide is very difficult to pull back, mostly because the sight blocks most of it and the serrations aren't the greatest.

I put one shell in the magazine, cocked the gun and fired. No problem. Repeated several times with no problems.

The problem was when I tried several rounds in the magazine. After firing the first round it would load the next round but the trigger would not pull back. I would cock the gun and it would fire fine but the same thing.

I'm thinking the recoill spring is too heavy (I forget what it is right now).

Any other suggestions from people with more experience?

SharonAnne · « **Reply #26 on:** August 21, 2008, 05:26:20 PM »

if the round chambered then the recoil spring is not the problem. sounds like the disconnector is not resetting

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #27 on:** August 22, 2008, 03:58:14 PM »

What do yo think could cause that? I thought maybe the spring was just weak enough to allow the new round to chamber but too strong to go all the way back so the disconnector resets, but I really have no clue.

SharonAnne · « **Reply #28 on:** August 22, 2008, 11:09:47 PM »

how much pressure do you have on the disconnecter?

SharonAnne · « **Reply #29 on:** August 27, 2008, 05:59:36 AM »

go to Brownells web site. Look in the "Bench Talk" section for the article "2 1/2 lb trigger job. Check the leaf spring as described. I am thinking that you have too little or no pressure on your disconnector.