Local PD Volunteer - Indoor Range - First Time

[Tough Guy Levi]

Howdy:

Friend of mine is a volunteer for a local PD and along with 11 other volunteers and 5 chaplains are scheduled to learn how to use a firearm on Monday during their initial training session. Since my friend was very nervous about her first time shooting session, I volunteered to reduce her nervousness by giving her a few pointers prior to her introduction traiing.

All were told to bring their own weapons if they owned any and were infomred about California weapon laws relating to "hauling" weapons (locked containers/lock/ammo separate) in automobiles etc. My friend inherited an AMT .380 Auto (double action only)Back-UP sans sights (channel for sighting purposes)and was planning on shooting it on Monday.

After initial instruction and use of my Ruger Single Six .22, it was time to "step up to the plate"! Let me tell you that the AMT trigger pull (DA only) is one of the worst I've experienced and it along with no sights truly mandate this weapon as up close and personal!!

My friend had never fired a handgun, did OK with my Ruger SS but the AMT was something else! Several rounds failed to go bang and I attributed the lack of bang due to "old" ammo and the trigger mechanism. After several magazines, I was getting lucky to be in center mass but it was a challange to say the least!! The trigger pull and reach were not conducive for "target" shooting!!

Finally we had enough of the AMT and I retrieved my Kahr PM 9mm (VA# 59XX) that fit her hands to the T as it does mine since we both have small hands. Sights are PT-IWI (Las Vegas) night sights and after a bit of instruction, I wouldn't want to be the bad guy facing my friend with a Kahr in her hands! Recoil was not a factor!! My friend fell in "love" with me oops my Kahr and if it weren't for a time constraint would have spent over an hour shooting the heck out of my Kahr. I now have 8,500+ rounds digested by my Kahr and as usual, my Kahr was 100% reliable.

My friend shot my Ruger Single Six, her AMT .380 back-up sans sights plus my Kahr PM 9. I feel if my friend wants to replace her AMT, it will be a Kahr PM 9. She didn't have a problem racking the slide but did have a problem loading the magazines. More instruction on how to do load the magazines will negate this problem

If you are still sitting on a fence thinking about purchasing a Kahr, try it and you just may fall in LOVE with it!

Tough Guy Levi
NRA Pistol/Personal Defense Instructor

[Pima Pants]

Interesting. I have a PM9 AND an AMT backup .380 (original from the '80's). The AMT has been flawless with a variety of ammo. It's not a target pistol by any means, but represents the epitome of 1980's stainless steel mouse gun construction.

I Krazy-glued a section of shotgun sight "light pipe" along the channel on top of the slide and it helps alot.

[Tough Guy Levi]

Howdy Pima Pants:

Now why didn't I think of the "put a front sight (ie partial shotgun sight) in the channel" fix? If my friend keeps this 80s AMT serial number DA 15XX, I'll remember your suggestion. Is your DA trigger pull terrible or is it this only weapon? I have small hands as does my friend and if I try to pull the trigger with the proper trigger finger pad (beneath nail), I can not pull the trigger enough to make the AMT go bang WHEN I HOLD THE WEAPON PROPERLY IN THE WEB OF MY HAND!!

No, the AMT is not a "target" weapon by any means and was the melt-down dream back-up weapon in those days!! Weapon manufactured in Irwindale, CA (near Los Angeles) and is heavy compared to my Kahr PM 9 etc.


Tough Guy Levi

[Pima Pants]

I bought the AMT Backup used at Cabela's about a year ago. The trigger pull is fairly heavy with lots of "stacking" near the end of the pull but it's very smooth from beginning to end. I've certainly used guns with worse trigger pulls. This particular gun appears to have been stored in somebody's sock drawer over the years. It's in very nice shape but was probably shot enough to slick things up.

I absolutely love my PM9. So much, in fact that I'm thinking about buying an MK9. I believe the MK9 is the same gun as the PM9 just with a steel frame and the ability to change to wood grips. It's been a long time since I was so excited about a gun. I should have checked the Kahrs out years ago. I have several holsters for my PM9 and I'm looking around (maybe) for night sights.

It sounds like your friend's AMT needs some cleaning or lubrication. They are a bear to take apart. I clean mine without taking it apart using a bore snake then just hose it with cleaner and use compressed air to dry it.

Ken

[FreeMe]

Levi - if you had asked me about lettling a new shooter start on an AMT DAO, I would have advised against it! I have one also, and it is sort of an alternate-backup which I rarely use. The little AMT has a general reputation for lacking reliability, but I got a good one (used - from a friend who let me try it first). I can actually shoot decent groups with it at 10 yards or less - and yes, the trigger is a little heavy, but smooth.

But here's the deal on the AMT DAO...
It's a straight blowback design. So it kicks more than a .380 has a right to (these days, anyway). I was at the range a while back, when another fellow showed up with a Keltec P3AT (.380). He was kind enough to let me shoot it - which was great timing, since I had just been shooting the AMT. Even though the P3AT is much smaller and lighter than my AMT, the Keltec was much more comfortable to shoot, and at least as accurate - if not more. Having the Browning recoil system does make a world of difference.

I spent a whopping $100 on my AMT DAO, and I feel like I got good deal. But I wouldn't have given it a moment's consideration for purchase if the P3AT (or the MK9) had been available at the time. At any rate - the little AMT is certainly not a good gun for a beginner to learn on.