The AMT Backup is a striker-fired pistol, so there is no hammer, and in that way, it’s one of the few metal frame striker-fired guns. Additionally, a grip safety sits on the back of the gun that’s very 1911 like. Where the magazine release would normally be is a manual safety that slides up and down. It’s also simpler and makes the gun cheaper to produce. The magazine release is a heel-style design that was more popular in Europe at the time. It’s minute of bad guy accurate and won’t ever be mistaken for a marksman’s pistol. Line that up with your target and hope you hit. If you’ve never seen one, a trench is exactly what it sounds like. First, AMT trimmed off traditional sights and left you with a trench sight. The gun was designed for deep carry, and therefore it features some interesting features. It’s a fair bit heavier than the polymer models on the market as well and comes out at 18 ounces. The gun is a quarter-inch thicker than the LCP and not much different in size. It’s small but a little thick compared to its polymer descendants.

The AMT Backup is a teeny tiny gun with a short 2.5-inch barrel, an overall length of 5 inches, and a height of 4.1 inches. These days the AMT Backup would certainly be aimed at the concealed carry market. In 1978 very few states had shall-issue concealed carry, and the small gun market was aimed more at police officers than the everyday Joe.

It’s a hefty little gun, but a little heft isn’t so bad for a direct blowback handgun.Īs the name implies, the AMT Backup was designed as a Backup piece and at the time was aimed at police officers. While it’s perfectly sized for pocket carry, the AMT Backup is still made entirely from metal. The AMT Backup is certainly a product of its time. These guns didn’t become popular until the early 2000s. These days pocket pistols are a dime a dozen, and guns like the Glock 42, the Ruger LCP, the S&W Bodyguard, and a dozen more I could list. What’s fascinating about the AMT Backup is the fact that it’s the first pocket-pistol-worthy. The AMT Backup is a fascinating little pistol first designed in 1978. Alongside all these 1911 clones saw the AMT Backup. This includes a number of 1911s, including the famed AMT Long Slide, AMT Accelerator, and my favorite, the Javelina. 380 from the late 1970s.Īrcadia Machine and Tool, aka AMT, produced a number of innovative firearms in their short lifespan. But you might not know about the awesome AMT Backup.

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