From 1977 to 2002, the now-bankrupt Arcadia Machine and Tool (AMT) company of Irwindale, California, manufactured the "Hardballer" - a semi-automatic, all-stainless steel version of the classic Colt M1911 pistol. The sidearm followed the same form and function as the original and went on to include such changes as a larger grip safety, brushed stainless steel finish, wide target-style trigger, and adjustable rear sights. At its core, the weapon remained a short-recoil operated system with locked breech function. The handgun's production was taken over by Galena Industries following the demise of AMT.
Variants in the series included the "Combat Government" / "Government" for the police market (though originally intended for the sport shooting market), the "Longslide" with 7" barrel (and appropriately-lengthened slide), the "Skipper" in compact form with a 4" barrel, the "Commando" with .40 S&W chambering (since improved into a compact form), the "Accelerator" with 7" barrel and chambered for the .400 Corbon cartridge, and the "Javelina", a 10mm Auto model with eight-round capacity magazine. The series has also been seen in the original Colt M1911 .45 ACP chambering.
The original "Hardballer" name was born from the weapon's use of the round-nose Full Metal Jacket (FMJ - otherwise known as"hardball") ammunition. The AMT Hardballer was the first all-stainless steel constructed version of the classic M1911 pistol.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Pistol / Sidearm
Compact design for close-quarters work or general self-defense.
Overall Length
215 mm 8.46 in
Barrel Length
127 mm 5.00 in
Empty Wgt
2.43 lb 1.10 kg
Sights
Iron Front and Rear.
Action
Semi-Automatic; Short-Recoil; Locked Breech
Semi-Automatic
One shot per trigger pull; self-loading or auto-loading action aided by internal mechanism; trigger management (and initial cocking) typically required by the operator; subsequent shots are aided by the unlocked / moved bolt.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources. **Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
164 ft (50 m | 55 yd)
Muzzle Velocity
1,110 ft/sec (338 m/sec)
AMT Hardballer - Original stainless steel M1911 offering; wide target-style trigger unit; adjustable trigger stop; lengthened grip safety; adjustable rear sights.
AMT Combat Government / Government - Model of 1878 for police service; fixed sights; 1985 product name change to just "Government".
AMT Longslide - Model of 1980 based on Hardballer; lengthened 7" barrel and lengthened slide.
AMT Skipper - Model of 1980; compact Hardballer form with 4" barrel length; sold until 1984.
AMT Commando - Original AMT company form with 5" barrel length; revised form by Galena Industries with 5" barrel length; loaded chamber indicator, and beavertail grip safety; chambered for .40 S&W cartridge.
AMT Accelerator - Galena-manufactured model with 7" barrel length, extended beavertail grip safety, and chambered for .400 Corbon cartridge.
AMT Javelina - 10mm Auto chambering with 8-round magazine capacity.
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