AMT Backup .380

[HandyAndy]

Have a buddy that offered me his for $250 but I have heard a few not so good things. Anyone have any input. I'm only considering it for situations when I would need a concealed BUG or was not able to carry my full size.

43; For those with knowledge, it is 20+ yrs old, so I believe that would make it a "Backup I" not a "Backup II" Round count is estimated at less than 400, it has had very little use, mostly sits in the box.

Thanks for all of your input

 

[Lucas156]

Too heavy for a bug gun and not very reliable. Money much better spent on lcp or p3at

 

[np241or]

I have two, one sa and other da,friend of mine has one also. I know when they came out you either got a good one or a crappy one, they are pretty heavy and are a pain to disassemble to clean, my dads was kept in his car for years with no cleaning and when i got it took it to the range and ran 100 rnds thru it no problem.they do like fmj better than hp but i would rather use fmj for better penitration thru clothes,there are better 380s out there but i really like mine as a backup to my 40.My dad and I bought ours in 1993 if i remember right payed 200 each .

 

[alc1985]

I had both the I and II and they were reliable with ball ammo and silver tips.
They were a little heavy compared to the new polymer guns.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

I have one of those that I bought new in '93(?). I would not pay $250 for that gun, I believe I paid in the neighborhood of $180 for mine BRAND NEW. Remember that gun is out of print and no parts are available besides recoil and magazine springs from Wolff springs. It's a twenty year old gun that wasn't received very well in it's time. It isn't worth more than it was new.

Let me tell you all about mine. I bought it new. I sent it back to the factory twice in the first year and a half because it never fed a whole magazine without a problem. AMT worked on it and returned it, free..... twice. After that, I let a guy at Albros polish the feed ramp. After all of that drama it seems to feed HARDBALL fairly well. Forget about hollow points, (just like the manual tells you to!) and don't try Glasers either, they feed but won't reliably cycle. Now I have it on good advise that all of the remaining malfunctions are my fault.... Limp wristing (it is SO SNAPPY, and I have nerve damage that is a factor too) and Don't forget holding it too high and cutting grooves into the web of your hand, slowing the slide enough that it doesnt feed the next round (It's so tiny and I have big fat hams for hands). Another thing is the springs are made of rubber and weaken or take a set. I broke the grip safety spring twice and the disconnector spring once. I replaced the recoil spring once and had to stretch out the hammer spring because it was getting light primer strikes. It's a good thing that on a whim I bought two whole factory spring sets when I bought the gun. Wolff has mag and recoil springs, but get them NOW while you still can.

Now it looks like I am giving a negative review...... That's not true at all, I LOVE that little gun. It's so petite and pretty. I have kept mine through thick and thin, carried it until every corner is round and the finish is soft and velvety. I carried it ALWAYS. I had many nicer guns to pack but I always reverted back to the little backup. I only gave it up in the last two years because arthritis has progressed to the point that I can no longer negotiate the tiny little switches. I am carrying my Ruger sp-101 now. I still put the backup into my offhand pocket occasionally just to feel it on my person again, knowing that I couldn't even draw it in a pinch, let alone shoot it under stressful circumstances. I don't look on it negatively at all..... I am just telling the tale trurhfully

edit- Did I mention that the trigger is grittier than a mile of country road, with about 35 pounds of trigger pull?

 

[24Carat]

I'v had mine longer than any other weapon. Never an issue with operation.

 

[Erich]

I managed a gun store between college and law school in the late '80s, when these were still available from AMT. We eventually stopped carrying these because problems with function were so frequent. When they worked, they imparted a sharper recoil impulse than one would have expected from such a heavy gun firing such a relatively anemic cartridge. Takedown is a PITA, relative to other designs.

FWIW, I really wanted to like these, as they seemed so neat on paper. After seeing the problems with the line, I never did buy one, even when I could have gotten one at wholesale. I would recommend one of the modern locked-breech polymer-framed .380s before one of these Back Ups.

 

[PGRChaplain]

I have one I bought new in the early 80's. It didn't function well so I used some fine files and a hard Ark. Stone so it eats all types of ammo now. I've seen some on Gunbroker ect and $250-$300 is the going price.

 

[nra4ever]

I bought mine new in 1993 for $221 still have the receipt.

It is a pain to clean but not that bad. It always had trouble with some hollow points but never with ball.

I remember showing the gun to my brother n law after drinking all day and shot a hole in the floor board of my 1977 delta 88. Learned a very good lesson that day. Empty guns are always the guns that cause trouble...

The gun is ridiculously heavy. I would never carry it again. I would take an old 357 mag snub nose revolver over it any day. Much less weight and more firepower. You can pick up a used 357 for the $250 or a used keltec.

Now if the gun was given to you then great but I would not spend any amount of money on one today. There are much better options out there for your money.

 

[Chapparal]

Key is shooting ball ammo, do not try and shoot hollow-points or pointed nose ammo. Keep it clean, maybe polish the ramp a little bit.

For what they are they are better than the Lorcin, Raven, (and I believe better than KelTec but I'll be flamed for saying that), and that ilk. Yes a Ruger is a better tool but more expensive.

I prefer a revolver, simpler and less likely to misfire. BUT the AMT is easy to conceal...

 

[Dino81]

I have one as a hand me down from a elderly family member. I've ran a few mags thru it, not a single problem. Would I buy one tho? No

 

[HandyAndy]

Thanks everyone for your input! I'm going to try and get it out to the range and see what I think of it!