AMT .22 Mag Semi Auto Pistol

[SRE]

Client called me said he was having ejectino issues with his AMT .22 Mag Pistol. I said typical with a blowback .22mag. Never had one in my shop. Anyone else have any experience working on them or stories of ejection failure. He also said case heads were rupturing. Getting it in the shop later today. Trying to get a head start. Thanks guys!!!

SRE

 

[Tidewater_Kid]

Seems they were reintroduced in 2006. Might try this:
[PDF]AMT Automag II - StevesPages.com
stevespages.com/pdf/amt_automag-ii.pdf
If your AMT pistol is in need of service or adiustment, foUow the instructions in this ... Your AMT Semiautomatic .22 magnum rimfire AUTOMAG II is designed to ...

 

[Grizz12]

I had one 20 or so years ago and it was a jam-o-matic I sold or traded it, dont remember which, but now I wish I kept it

Tidewater, can you double check your link?

 

[Chuck Dye]

As I recall, that .22 mag has a dimpled chamber to retard ejection. If true, there may be issues with the dimpling. You may even succeed with a thorough chamber cleaning. Let us know what you find, please.

A quick search brings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMA15IB0zkw

The outside diameter of the .22 mag is .240 inches. Cleaning gear for the .243 or .25 should work if you are not satisfied by a .22 brush.

 

[Tidewater_Kid]

Because I'm on my iPad and not my computer, link are bit more fun.

Try:
http://www.stevepages.com/pdf/amt_automag-ii.pdf

TK

 

[Sevens]

Always wanted to shoot one, never had the chance. It seems that I have read countless times that most would always VERY much prefer one brand of ammo and none of the others. Winchester was often suggested.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Only full power CCI or Winchester ammo should be used in the AutoMag II. That's what it was designed for, anyway. (With initial development being done only with Winchester ammo.)
Anything else is likely to cause problems. No Dynapoints or other wimpy loads. No "short barrel" or "personal defense" stuff. No "Hyper Velocity" loads.

Just good old, standard stuff. 40-50 gr bullets and ~1,800-1,900 fps muzzle velocities.


High Standard eliminated the chamber dimples when they produced the pistol. So, not all versions have that "ejection delay aid".

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

FrankenMauser, I had heard they did not use the dimples after manufacture started. If one has enough weight in the slide, and enough recoil spring tension, one can make a pistol to easily handle a .22 magnum, without mechanical delay, since they do it now, up to at least 9mm regularly.

If I recall, a blowback, .22 mag, semi-auto is available now. It's an import, I think. I thought about buying one myself, but I just can't get used to liking plastic on a gun.

 

[FrankenMauser]

The Kel-Tec PMR-30 is what you're thinking of ... I think.
30 rounds of .22 WMR. Semi-auto. Hybrid operation - retarded blow-back and short recoil, or delayed blow-back (depending upon power level of ammunition used).

Many people view it as a modern take on the Grendel P30, which was designed by the founder of Kel-Tec, but went out of production in 1994. The P30 was straight blow-back.

 

[Jim Watson]

As I recall, the Automag .22 WMR had holes over the chamber and at the chamber mouth, with a sleeve over the breech end of the barrel. The intent was to float the long, skinny, thin .22 WMR case out of the chamber on a gas bleed, similar to the fluted chamber in a H&K.
The gimmick was not to retard blowback but to keep straight blowback from ripping off caseheads.

 

[NoSecondBest]

When they were first announced back in the 80s I got on a waiting list to get one as soon as they came out. I'd been shooting one of AMTs Ruger copied .22lr semi's and had fantastic luck using that gun in silhouette matches. The AMT 22lr never misfired and was extremely accurate. When I got the AMT 22mag, it had about a twelve pound trigger, shot 6" groups off sand bags at twenty-five yards, and jammed every other shot. Sent it back once and it came back the same as it left. I got rid of it a week later. I've never missed it at all. Total junk/garbage. I pity anyone who owns one. I knew a few other silhouette shooters who bought them (for plinking and hunting, not for silhouette use) and they had the same results. If they made a good one I never heard about it.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

FrankenMauser,

Yes, that's the one. I may still look at buying it, but plastic makes me cringe.

 

[SRE]

Ok so I have two in my shop right now. A 4.5" and a 6". They both have dimpled chambers. Thorough cleaning and removing some burrs left by machining from the factory ( I'm assuming) both seem to run pretty much fine. Using CCi 30g V-Max Varmint I had only one hang-up and that was in the 6" gun and was due to a bad primer on the cartridge itself.

I think keeping them clean when running them is the key with the 2 guns in my shop ay least. Having those dimples free and clear seems to do a lot referring to reliability. Guns in general seem to be really well made and both have fine triggers.

Client has one in 30 Carbine as well. That will be in the shop next. Just for a good cleaning. No reported malfunctioning issues with it.

Thx for all your feedback guys. I'll keep you posted on results on these two .22 Mags. Running 50 rounds thru each again in the next couple days.

 

[Donguidoii]

AMT Automag II Firing Pin Replacement

I was unable to find detailed instructions on how to replace the firing pin and safety in an Automag II. I was unable to locate video or photos of the process.This post will provide some lessons learned on the process. I will not go through the take down, as there are some good You Tube videos on that process, I'll start with removal of the rear sight.

Part I- Firing Pin

1. Using a small punch, remove the sight retaining pin and then use a flat tip screw driver to remove the sight. There are two small springs on the underside of the sight, so take care not to lose them.
2. The firing pin retaining pin comes out very easy from the inside of the slide to the outside of the slide- it is a loose pin which rides in the firing pin cutout. The firing pin and spring then slide out the back of the slide.
3. Reassembly is the reverse process.Take care to properly align the slot in the new firing pin (don't forget to install the new firing pin spring) so the pin will drop cleanly into the firing pin retaining hole at the top of the slide. After replacing the screw on the top of the sight, align the hole at the forward end of the sight and replace the sight retaining pin.
NOTE: Elevation on the sight will need to be re-sighted

 

[Donguidoii]

AMT Automag II Safety Replacement

As with the firing pin replacement, I was unable to locate video or photos of the safety replacement on the Automag II. There are a number of references which advise against taking apart the safety, but my safety was not working properly- so I had to go there I'll put the warnings first, because it is almost certain you will be faced with the same challenges.

WARNING: The detent (small ball bearing) is very small. If (when) you lose control of it, it will be very difficult to find. I recommend using some grease to inhibit the movement of the detent during reassembly.
WARNING: The detent springs I received from Brownells were much longer than the original spring. It is unlikely these long springs can be compressed and also press the detent into the hole to receive the safety. Additionally, the added pressure of the longer spring may place too much pressure on the detent, making the safety difficult to operate.
WARNING: If the detent spring protrudes out of the hole, it is very difficult to remove the safety without damaging the spring. I recommend trimming long springs so they do not protrude out of the detent spring/detent hole.

1. Using a flat tip screwdriver if necessary between the slide frame and the safety, pry out the safety away from the frame. It may be possible to remove the safety by hand if the safety is rotated half way between safe and fire. Using care to retain the detent, pull out the safety.
2. Remove the safety detent spring and inspect both the spring and detent if they are going to be reused.
3. Before attempting to reinstall the new safety, check the fit without the spring and detent. If necessary, buff and polish the new safety so it moves freely. The tolerance on the safety is very tight, so it will be easy to feel any burrs.
4. Reassembly requires the spring and detent to be pressed into the hole. The safety hole is too small for a finger. I was successful using a hex key from the inside of the slide to press the spring and detent down far enough to slide in the safety. NOTE: The safety has a very narrow shoulder about half way between safe and fire which should be used to ride the detent along as the safety is pushed fully into the safety hole. If the safety is not aligned this way, the detent will pop out of the hole and the process will need to be repeated until the detent remains fully seated.
5. Test the safety. If the detent is properly installed, the detent will fall into one of the round cutouts on the safety- which provides a light lock on safe or fire. If there is no "click" as the ball falls into the cutout on the safety, the detent is not properly engaging.

DONGUIDOII

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

Before you pull the safety all the way out, and release the detent ball, wrap a rag around the slide, covering it, then pull the safety out. The ball will be trapped in the rag.

 

[Tidewater_Kid]

Just to fix my two poor attempts at posting links:

http://www.stevespages.com/pdf/amt_automag-ii.pdf


TK

 

[mete]

Brought this question up at the diner .I hadn't remembered anything about a 22 mag pistol.
This morning one of the guys sat down next to me and put down an AMT in 22 Mag !! All stainless , nicely made .He said it was accurate but loud !! So they do exist !