|
|
09-30-2020, 08:49 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 3,449
Liked 11,367 Times in 1,323 Posts
|
|
AMT Lightning
|
The Following 24 Users Like Post:
|
1911haulic, 4barrel, 625-7, browningcollector, DeathGrip, Delta Rose, desi2358, dr. mordo, Fishslayer, fishwishin, Golddollar, gwpercle, jbtrucker, jringo8769, klind45, kmyers, LoadedRound, lscocoa, Moo Moo, OLDSTER, rjm6120, Sandman4delta, SJK2, Truckin |
09-30-2020, 09:11 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Seattle
Posts: 3,421
Likes: 995
Liked 3,595 Times in 1,521 Posts
|
|
The AMT Lightning is a Ruger Mark II clone. Almost every part is interchangeable.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
09-30-2020, 10:49 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,552
Likes: 4
Liked 8,885 Times in 4,121 Posts
|
|
I've never actually seen one of these and don't know if they're good guns or not, but they were advertised for sale by J&G Rifle Ranch in SHOTGUN NEWS for years. That's been about thirty or so years ago, I think.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
10-01-2020, 07:54 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,712
Likes: 19,273
Liked 11,732 Times in 5,350 Posts
|
|
Not sure how AMT got away with copying so closely the Ruger MK II, or if they actually did get away with it.
__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
10-01-2020, 08:10 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 3,439
Likes: 37
Liked 5,413 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stansdds
Not sure how AMT got away with copying so closely the Ruger MK II, or if they actually did get away with it.
|
I'm not sure there is a single element of the design that's covered by a patent, but if there is, a patent is only good for 17 years. And there is no patent on the overall design -- it's just another of many semiauto .22 handguns. Once protection of any patented elements has expired anyone can use the design as long as they don't call the gun a "Ruger Mark II". That's how so many "get away" with making clone 1911's -- as long as they don't call it a "Colt", there's no problem.
__________________
Pisgah
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
10-02-2020, 08:05 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,712
Likes: 19,273
Liked 11,732 Times in 5,350 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pisgah
I'm not sure there is a single element of the design that's covered by a patent, but if there is, a patent is only good for 17 years. And there is no patent on the overall design -- it's just another of many semiauto .22 handguns. Once protection of any patented elements has expired anyone can use the design as long as they don't call the gun a "Ruger Mark II". That's how so many "get away" with making clone 1911's -- as long as they don't call it a "Colt", there's no problem.
|
Excellent point, I had forgotten how long ago it was that Ruger introduced their 22LR pistol.
__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
10-02-2020, 10:50 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,761
Likes: 1,224
Liked 5,801 Times in 2,354 Posts
|
|
On another board someone said Ruger filed suit alleging patent infringement, causing AMT's demise, someone else said Harry Sanford's design genius was not matched by business acumen.
|
10-03-2020, 06:18 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Liked 104 Times in 33 Posts
|
|
An issue with AMT guns was function. A good friend bought a new-in-box Lightning. It refused to feed or cycle. He bought Ruger magazines. Same issues. He sold it.
Another friend bought a .45 Hardballer. It had numerous functioning issues.
Please keep us posted once you shoot yours. My feeling was that Harry Sanford was a great designer, but AMT was poor in delivering quality products.
|
10-03-2020, 09:07 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 8,712
Likes: 19,273
Liked 11,732 Times in 5,350 Posts
|
|
I think the downfall of AMT was quality control, specifically, lack thereof. Some of their firearms were really good, but enough of them were poor to give the company a poor reputation.
__________________
VCDL, GOA, NRA
|
10-03-2020, 09:42 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 3,575
Likes: 2,235
Liked 3,476 Times in 1,475 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stansdds
I think the downfall of AMT was quality control, specifically, lack thereof. Some of their firearms were really good, but enough of them were poor to give the company a poor reputation.
|
I remember a trip to a gun shop, with a buddy, decades ago. The owner was a good friend of my buddy. The owner was all excited about an AMT Hardballer he had just got in because stainless 1911's were not being made by many major manufacturers. My buddy asked him to field strip the pistol. Inside were a bunch of metal shavings and chips. Right there and then, I decided to put AMT on my never buy list. Hope the OP's experience is good with his purchases.
|
10-03-2020, 09:51 AM
|
|
SWCA Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: The kidney of Dixie.
Posts: 10,509
Likes: 49
Liked 13,408 Times in 3,290 Posts
|
|
How do 1,251 companies get away with making exact clones of 1911s, AR 15s and Single Action Army revolvers? Patents expire. The only things protected are trade names and company logos.
__________________
No life story has happy end.
|
10-03-2020, 11:54 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,761
Likes: 1,224
Liked 5,801 Times in 2,354 Posts
|
|
Bought my AMT Hardballer in 1978, shot too low with the rear sight at maximum, sent the slide back, got it or a replacement back, fine ever since.
Again, various stories, no one has seen any real documentation or an account by someone in the know.
|
10-03-2020, 01:13 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: lockhart, texas
Posts: 143
Likes: 12
Liked 253 Times in 79 Posts
|
|
I think in the original story, in Guns & Ammo magazine, by Jeff Cooper, it was stated that Harry Sanford came up with the idea for a .44 mag autoloader, but that he got Max Gera to design and build the first one. So, where does Sanford come in on the "designing" part?
|
11-14-2020, 05:45 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 3,449
Liked 11,367 Times in 1,323 Posts
|
|
|
The Following 6 Users Like Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 06:29 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: HOUSTON, TEXAS
Posts: 10,123
Likes: 7,091
Liked 14,252 Times in 5,366 Posts
|
|
AMT = Alternative Minimum Tax
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 06:50 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Okoboji, IA
Posts: 6,042
Likes: 21,470
Liked 19,560 Times in 4,687 Posts
|
|
AMT also cloned the Ruger 10/22, called it Small Game Hunter. Had one for years, shot great. Stainless, heavy barrel. It may have been the cause of the lawsuit from Ruger.
__________________
_______________
Super Snooper
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 07:12 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boise, Idaho, 83706
Posts: 344
Likes: 427
Liked 528 Times in 201 Posts
|
|
Good looking pistol. I would have bought it if the price was right. Be curious to see how it shoots.
__________________
Regards,
Tom
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 07:25 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 3,439
Likes: 37
Liked 5,413 Times in 1,756 Posts
|
|
I owned two Lightnings back when they were being made and sold. Both were extremely accurate pistols, and one ran like a finely-tuned sewing machine. The other never got off three shots in a row without jamming, even after 2 trips back to the factory and numerous new magazines. Consistent QC definitely an issue.
__________________
Pisgah
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 07:26 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 3,449
Liked 11,367 Times in 1,323 Posts
|
|
I’ll report when I have a chance to shoot it
It was $ 420.-
|
11-14-2020, 11:02 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Northwest Alabama, USA
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 365
Liked 1,904 Times in 680 Posts
|
|
Never had a Lightning, but had two Hardballers. Bought one when they first came out; never got it to function reliably, traded it off. Traded into another one that functioned perfectly, my brother-in-law still has it.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-14-2020, 11:48 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: South West Florida
Posts: 4,639
Likes: 5,881
Liked 11,891 Times in 2,965 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLASSIC12
I’ll report when I have a chance to shoot it
It was $ 420.-
|
I saw one at a Port Charlotte gun show a few months back. Beautifully made gun from what I was able to observe. I had never seen one either and did a little internet searching while I walked around the show. Had the money in my pocket and considered it, but ultimately didn’t get it. If I recall, the asking price was $550.
__________________
USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-15-2020, 08:58 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 2,444
Likes: 4,172
Liked 2,327 Times in 1,194 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stansdds
Not sure how AMT got away with copying so closely the Ruger MK II, or if they actually did get away with it.
|
AMT copied the Ruger 10-22, in stainless, also.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
11-18-2020, 02:09 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 3,449
Liked 11,367 Times in 1,323 Posts
|
|
I took it to the 25 m indoor range yesterday. It shot a bit high for my liking, so I aimed slightly below 6 o’clock
Then I rested it on a bag for fine tuning the sights
Just a couple clicks were enough to produce good results
Then some more offhand shooting
I am super happy with this pistol. I shot 110 rounds of high velocity ammo (Eley force), not a single hiccup, gun was totally reliable including the last 30 rounds at very high pace. It’s heavy but well balanced, very stable, and the trigger is very good.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|