Back about 1979 I bought an AMT Hardballer (.45 ACP) second handed. Serial number under 200. Dang thing would not run. Tried various oils then greases. Quickly had a hammer failure. Sent it back to factory. Took six months for a simple parts replacement. Did not run better when it came back. Somewhere along the way I got stupid and had a good pistolsmith replace the rear sight with a S&W K revolver sight.

The stainless frame and slide would gall against one another. Fix for that back then was to hardchrome the frame rails; I did not want to throw good money after bad.

I understand the later production of Hardballer may have fixed the metallurgy issue. Still I would not own another one. Too many good .45's out there.

I owned an earlier AMT single action .380 that did work and shot well. Could not leave it cocked and locked as their mainsprings springs were no good and would quickly take a set. Just could not trust it. Too many good, dependable .380's out there today, like the Ruger LCP II.