AMT Automag III HAMMER STRUT

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   If the price is right, I might just buy one as a hedge against a future failure of a gun I have yet to buy (and may never get an opportunity to own).
Thank you for showing such great initiative to get these made!

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Pantera Mike Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 20 Jan 2018 Status: Offline Points: 1007	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pantera Mike Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Feb 2024 at 11:42pm
	If the price is right, I might just buy one as a hedge against a future failure of a gun I have yet to buy (and may never get an opportunity to own). Thank you for showing such great initiative to get these made!

Mtn_Eagle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 04 Nov 2023 Status: Offline Points: 124	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mtn_Eagle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Mar 2024 at 8:50pm
	Update: They tested my bent strut and were surprised at how soft the metal was. Their plan is to use EDM (rather than milling) to construct the new struts out of stainless steel. They should be much stronger and durable than the OEM struts. The machine has the program and they will probably start making them pretty soon. I offered to test a prototype in my AM III, so I might get a sneak in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

Luvz2Shoot Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Callahan's Auto Mag Joined: 16 Apr 2011 Location: Washington Status: Offline Points: 660	Post Options Post Reply Quote Luvz2Shoot Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 14 Mar 2024 at 9:52pm
	This is good news. Thanks for the update.
	If you were happy and you knew it, would you clap your hands?

TylerS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List 180 Auto Mag Joined: 25 Jun 2023 Location: Dallas Status: Offline Points: 40	Post Options Post Reply Quote TylerS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Mar 2024 at 1:15am
	Interesting, I might want to buy a couple if they are ever available. I have had good luck with my AM3 parts so far, but I know the hammer struts have often been a point a failure.

OneWay Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 06 Feb 2024 Location: North Idaho Status: Offline Points: 53	Post Options Post Reply Quote OneWay Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Mar 2024 at 1:40am
	Mtn_Eagle, Hopefully you will have a chance to wring it out and see if it stands up to a little abuse. Maybe it was designed purposely to be soft - to bend and not hard so as to break the stem off? At least if it bends it may be able to still fire pistol primed hand loads (as mine did) as verses breaking the stem off and being totally out of business?? Looking forward to an evaluation and a cost point...
	The Older I Get The More "Keep It Simple Stupid" Means To Me "DENNY CRANE!"

Yellow Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 15 Aug 2023 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 51	Post Options Post Reply Quote Yellow Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 3:06pm
	I’m sorry for going off topic, but why would you use pistol primers instead of small rifle primers?

OneWay Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 06 Feb 2024 Location: North Idaho Status: Offline Points: 53	Post Options Post Reply Quote OneWay Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Mar 2024 at 4:33pm
	Good question. I got my Automag III used but in like-new condition. From this I concluded everything about it was OK. Especially with military ammunition it commonly would require multiple hammer drops to fire the cartridge. Handloaded rounds seemed to be a bit better but various small rifle primer manufacturers products seemed to make a difference but 'sometimes' having a misfire was unacceptable. I have been a roll-your-own person almost forever and decided to try a small pistol primer as they are easier to initiate. This cured my problem and I found there was ZERO downside from firing a .30 carbine in my Automag with it. No pressure indications on the primer and no gas leakage and no ignition problems. Some may argue against doing this but I have had no problems- If you push the pressure envelope too far you may(?) Since I have found that this hammer strut has a BAD HABIT of being bent, so I investigated and found mine actually was. The misalignment/drag on the spring in its cavity was reducing the primer strike (as you already know). As the struts for the Automag III are virtually nonexistent I decided to set about making my own. I have obtained a piece of 4130 Chromoly steel .080 which is about .007 thicker than the original strut and one of these days planning on making a test piece. Nothing a drill press, hack saw and hand file along with a little patience cannot accomplish.
	The Older I Get The More "Keep It Simple Stupid" Means To Me "DENNY CRANE!"

Mtn_Eagle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 04 Nov 2023 Status: Offline Points: 124	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mtn_Eagle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Mar 2024 at 4:14am
	I also use Federal small pistol primers in my Automag III due to reliability issues and later discovered my hammer strut was bent. I’m anxious to try the new stainless struts with small rifle primers to see if the strut was actually the issue all along. Note, my 30 carbine loads are significantly tamer than the loads I use in my 30 carbine rifle, as I previously posted about in pet loads.

Luc V. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 1433	Post Options Post Reply Quote Luc V. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Mar 2024 at 12:24pm
	I do the exact same thing, and make a special run of reloads for the AMT III with pistol primers. Check the difference of the AMT hammerspring size with one of the M1 carbine and you will understand... Remark: make sure NOT to use the pistolprimerd cartridges in the M1 carbine, or you might risk some "slamfire".

AMT addict Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List International Auto Mag Joined: 05 Jan 2024 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 152	Post Options Post Reply Quote AMT addict Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Mar 2024 at 3:03pm
	I have honestly never torn that deep into my automag III to see if the strut is bent or not. Maybe that is my problem as well. I got mine a few years ago when ammo shelves was setting empty. I had bought a lump some of reloading equipment a couple years before but just had it stored. My FFL that transferred it in for me had some brass and dies so made a deal on them. I made some space and built reloading bench and watched some videos to start learning about reloading. I have never had a problem with it shooting factory ammo. Light primer dents, but always has fired. However I can't say the same for reloads. Some would fire and others would not. I pulled the firing pin to clean and oil, I found that the last loop or 2 of the firing pin spring was rusted of and still in the hole so I got it dug out and ordered a new one. This did not improve anything. I had learned that pistol primers are softer so I made 4 rounds with pistol and tried them. All fired and had a better dent in them. Being very new at reloading, I took them them to local gun shop and asked their advice about my results. He pointed out that the primers had expanded some and asked if I was using rifle data or pistol data. I didn't realize they had different load data. So I worked off of the pistol data, backed the charge down just a bit and loaded up the brass I had.