Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

AMT Hardballer

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Type
  
Semi-automatic pistol

Produced
  
1977–2002

Place of origin
  
United States

AMT Hardballer

Manufacturer
  
Arcadia Machine & Tool, Galena Industries

Variants
  
Accelerator, Commando, Government, Javelina, Longslide, Skipper

Weight
  
38 oz (1,077 g)46.06 oz (1,306 g) (Longslide)

The AMT Hardballer is a series of pistols that are a clone of the .45 ACP Colt M1911 made by Arcadia Machine & Tool (AMT) from 1977 to 2002. The Hardballer was the first entirely stainless steel 1911 pattern pistol. Other features included adjustable rear sights and a lengthened grip safety.

Contents

Overview

The Hardballer derives its name from round-nose hardball G.I. ammunition (solid 230 grain Full Metal Jacketed bullets). This is the round the pistol was designed to shoot.

The Hardballer series of pistols all share a brushed stainless steel finish and a wide target style trigger with adjustable trigger stop. The later Galena-made pistols have an elongated "beavertail" grip safety and a beveled magazine well.

Variants

  • AMT Hardballer: was an all stainless steel version of the Colt Gold Cup, fitted with Micro rear sights.
  • AMT Combat Government: was developed as a sports pistol but in 1978 AMT marketed the Combat Government, an M1911 clone with fixed sights for police departments. Since 1985, this model has been called the Government with the term "Combat" omitted.
  • AMT Longslide: A version with an extended 7 in (178 mm) barrel, introduced in 1980. It has the same qualities as the Hardballer but with slide and barrel lengthened by 2 in (51 mm).
  • AMT Skipper: A compact version of the Hardballer introduced in 1980. It features a 4 in (102 mm) barrel. In 1984, the Skipper disappeared from AMT's range.
  • AMT Commando: Originally offered by AMT then improved and reintroduced in 2000 (this date in question) under the Galena Industries brand. The original AMT Commando was a 5 in (127 mm) barreled version and did not have a loaded chamber indicator nor beavertail grip safety. The improved Commando is a compact model of the 5 in (127 mm) Government with a 4 in (102 mm) barrel but retaining the frame of the Government model. It is chambered in .40 S&W and has an 8-round magazine capacity.
  • AMT Accelerator: Basically a Galena-made Longslide chambered for the powerful .400 Corbon cartridge featuring a 7 in (178 mm) barrel and an elongated beavertail.
  • AMT Javelina: A longslide variant chambered in the 10mm Auto caliber with an 8-round capacity magazine.

    • The Longslide version was the pistol used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1984 film, The Terminator.

    In the Hitman video game series, dual custom AMT Hardballers (called 'Silverballers' in Hitman: Contracts, Hitman: Blood Money , Hitman: Absolution and Hitman (2016 video game) ) are 47's signature weapons.

    In the movie The Phantom, Billy Zane portrays a mysterious hero who is armed with two matching AMT hardballer longslide .45s in this 1996 cult classic.

    In the video game Resident Evil 4, the AMT Longslide makes a appearance, named the Killer 7. It is the second "Magnum" type pistol obtainable in the game.

    In Lee Child's Jack Reacher book Bad Luck and Trouble, AMT Hardballers are the weapons used by two drug dealers in an ill-advised attempt to recoup $900 stolen from them by Reacher.

    In the anime Black Lagoon, Mr. Chang wields dual custom AMT Hardballer Longslides.

    References

    AMT Hardballer Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA