Ballistics of 30. Carbine from AutoMag III Pistol?

O

OK Computer

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I'm strongly thinking of buying an AutoMag III in 30. Carbine. Mainly because I also have an M1 carbine and would like to shoot the same caliber from both my longun and sidearm. My question is though, what are the ballistics of the 30. Carbine from a pistol such as the AutoMag III? What other caliber/Pistol is it similar to in terms of its "stopping power."

Thanks.
 
If memory serves, you get only about 1200 fps out of a 6" barrel. Factory loads use powders not designed to burn in a short barrel, and you get a lot of energy wasted in flash and boom. Handloading will improve the picture, but a hot 9mm or .357 load would be about as efficient in a pistol.

Jim
 
I have a Ruger Blackhawk with a 7.5" barrel in .30 Carbine. The muzzle flash has to be seen to be believed. :) I imagine it's pretty impressive from the 6" barrel in the Automag, though I've never seen it myself.
 
I have heard that anything made by AMT including the Automag is crappy. I personally would rather get an old G.I. M1 Carbine anyway, but, if you like it...
 
Just last Sun. afternoon I was shooting both an Automag III and an M1 carbine that belong to a buddy. I was shooting his reloads which used a 90 gr. Hornady HP-XTP. Got some failures to feed the HP in the carbine, but they ran perfect in the AMT.
Looking in the Hornady 5th ed. They have loads for both carbine and handgun ( the test guns they list for each are an M1 carbine 17 1/2" barrel, and they use a 10" T/C for the handgun). For handgun loads the max loads generally are .5 to 1 grain lighter than the max carbine loads for each of the powders that they use in both. Do not use the max carbine loads in a handgun.
M.V. listed for max handgun loads are lower due to both reduced load, and shorter barrel. When you are compare the charts, the "same" load when fired out a carbine will be about 300 fps faster than in a handgun. Carbine loads (with the 90 gr. bullet) top out around 2200-2300 fps, handgun loads top out around 1900 (again keep in mind that this is in a 10" T/C).
I'm not going to print the load my buddy used (if I'm reading his chicken scratching on the label right, it is more than a little "warm".) As johnwill "imagines", the muzzle flash is "pretty impressive" :) - easily visible on a cloudy afternoon. I thought the Automag III was a fun companion gun to the M1 carbine.
Looking for an energy level comparison I grabbed a Winchester ammo product guide, and in the section for HANDGUN ammo, they list their .30 carbine Super-X 110gr HSP as having m.v. of 1720fps and m.e. of 783 ft-lbs. Compare this to their .357 mag 158 gr jhp at 1235 fps and 535ft-lbs Their .44 mag 240 gr hsp at 1180 fps has 741 ft-lbs. Make of it what you will.
bergie
 
Remember, AMT is no more...its Galena now. Different company that has better manufacturing of the old AMT designs they bought out. The Wall Street Journal had a great article on them many months ago...I hope they succeed in the firearms business. If you read the article, you would feel the same.

Email them...you should find Galena (formerly AMT) quite responsive.
Their website is http://www.galenaindustries.com/

[This message has been edited by Forseti (edited June 06, 2000).]
 
They bought the rights to the designs and the name AMT. They (correctly) did not also take all the warranty liability for a product they never made, or had control over. I have no problem with that...its sound and correct business.

If you buy one of THEIR guns, they will back it with their "lifetime" warranty.
 
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