Does anyone own a AMT Backup ?
- Thread starter Al205
- Start date
slick slidestop
New member
I've never had or shot the weapon you refer to in 22 cal, But my buddy had an AMT .380 Backup that was without a doubt the most worthless piece of crap I have ever shot...and believe me I have shot a lot of crap. Hell I've shot 22 magnum derringers that were more accurate than that gun !!!
It didn't take him long to wise up and get rid of it.
It didn't take him long to wise up and get rid of it.
He put a ton of money in this POS 380. Trigger job, porting...became expensive POS!!!I bought a .380 Backup in '78 (one of the early S/A only versions). When I first got it, I fired a box of ammo through it, loaded it up, and stuck it in the night stand drawer. There it sat untouched for 20 years. Back in '99 when I became a firearm enthusiast (Y2K helped), I took the little .380 to the range. It jammed every 2nd or 3rd shot. I was ready to retire it to the dark abyss of my gun safe, when I realized that it had NEVER been properly cleaned or lubed! 
I gave it a thorough cleaning, and a healthily dose of CLP. Went back to the range, and this time it functioned flawlessly. I've put around 300 rounds through it since, without even a hiccup. Most consider them junk, but I must of got one of the few that actually work.
One other thing, I recently bought a Kel-Tec P-32. I was shocked to find out that my old AMT .380 was actually slightly smaller.
I gave it a thorough cleaning, and a healthily dose of CLP. Went back to the range, and this time it functioned flawlessly. I've put around 300 rounds through it since, without even a hiccup. Most consider them junk, but I must of got one of the few that actually work.
One other thing, I recently bought a Kel-Tec P-32. I was shocked to find out that my old AMT .380 was actually slightly smaller.
Bottom Gun
New member
Al205,
Have you tried different brands of .22's in it?
Some .22 autos are very ammo specific.
My TPH, for example, absolutely refuses to work with Federal ammo. It works flawlessly with most other brands.
I'd pick up as many different brands of .22 as I could find and run them all through the gun. Chances are that it might function OK with another brand of ammo.
Have you tried different brands of .22's in it?
Some .22 autos are very ammo specific.
My TPH, for example, absolutely refuses to work with Federal ammo. It works flawlessly with most other brands.
I'd pick up as many different brands of .22 as I could find and run them all through the gun. Chances are that it might function OK with another brand of ammo.
OMC .380
I've had the same experience as Gusgus. I have an OMC, which predates the company's sale and name change to AMT. The OMC and first production runs of AMT were supposedly pretty reliable. Quality in the later AMT's took a steep nose dive. My OMC has never jammed on me, and even with its rudimentary sights, I can hit a B27 target reliably at 25 yards under non-stress conditions. The only problem now is that there's no product support. I'm looking at upgrading to a NAA Guardian .380 in another half year, when the bugs have been ironed out, but 'till then, the OMC rarely leaves my side.
I've had the same experience as Gusgus. I have an OMC, which predates the company's sale and name change to AMT. The OMC and first production runs of AMT were supposedly pretty reliable. Quality in the later AMT's took a steep nose dive. My OMC has never jammed on me, and even with its rudimentary sights, I can hit a B27 target reliably at 25 yards under non-stress conditions. The only problem now is that there's no product support. I'm looking at upgrading to a NAA Guardian .380 in another half year, when the bugs have been ironed out, but 'till then, the OMC rarely leaves my side.
I bought one of the early 380 Backup DAOs back in 1992 (S/N 2xxx) manufactured in Irwindale, CA. That's after they left El Monte, CA and long before their tooling and name was aquired by Galena Industries.
Back 10 years ago, the selection of small caliber semi-automatic (.380) carry guns was quite limited - the AMT was the obvious choice. The 380 Backup DAO was a very popular gun in its day.
I have NEVER had a FTF or any other problem with the gun. I do keep it clean and slightly lubed. It has been completely reliable.
I have a friend who uses his for daily carry. It is also an older 380 Backup DAO from Irwindale. He shoots a box of ammo through it 2-3 times a year at the range. He has NOT cleaned or lubed it at all in about 8 years, it never jams ... it is a filthy feed-o-matic!
Quite possibly some AMTs work fine and others don't and it may be dependant on the model or place/time of manufacturer? For what I've seen, the 380 Backup DAOs from Irwindale are great weapons!
Back 10 years ago, the selection of small caliber semi-automatic (.380) carry guns was quite limited - the AMT was the obvious choice. The 380 Backup DAO was a very popular gun in its day.
I have NEVER had a FTF or any other problem with the gun. I do keep it clean and slightly lubed. It has been completely reliable.
I have a friend who uses his for daily carry. It is also an older 380 Backup DAO from Irwindale. He shoots a box of ammo through it 2-3 times a year at the range. He has NOT cleaned or lubed it at all in about 8 years, it never jams ... it is a filthy feed-o-matic!
Quite possibly some AMTs work fine and others don't and it may be dependant on the model or place/time of manufacturer? For what I've seen, the 380 Backup DAOs from Irwindale are great weapons!
I had a bad one I bought about 4 years ago. It was a DAO .380 ACP AMT backup. The first few magazines went fine but then I started getting more and more misfires. By 50 rounds it probably misfired 1/3 of the time. I took it back to Franklin's in Bogart GA, where I bought it, and traded it at no loss for a glock. Their pistolsmith looked it over, decided it was a POS, so they took it back. I still have the glock and don't think I will ever get rid of it.
This was before AMT was taken over by Galena. Maybe things have changed.
This was before AMT was taken over by Galena. Maybe things have changed.