New .44 AutoMag production

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plinky

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I guess my attention was elsewhere in January because I missed this announcement:



Somebody mentioned a price of around 3 Grand. I doubt I'd be in at that point but compared to the BRNO Field Pistol, that's an outright bargain. Sounds like the reliability/durability may be improved as well.

A local gunshop had one with two barrels years ago for $1500. The grip was a little off-putting to me but then again, big magnum autoloaders have that tendency.
 
they are going to price themselves out of existance. I always wanted one but was never willing to pay 2k$ for it. $1500 perhaps, for $1000 I would do it right now. not for $3000.
 
Don't quote me on the price. I watched several videos and if the rep mentioned price, I missed it. $3000 was the only reference I saw in the comments. Hopefully that was a WA guess.

The upper backstrap seemed too squared off on the original I handled. Not as bad as a Wildey, though. Both caught me right on the thumb knuckle. The Desert Eagle is big but at least it's a benign shape.

It'll be nice to see AutoMags out there if only to look at though.
 
Watched the video again... that one with the tacticool rail on it might have some merit, that would make a pretty sweet hunting rig.
 
Don't know why I didn't search it before. The maker has a pretty decent site. They appear to appreciate the value of keeping us up to date.

About that price though:

"How much will the new Auto Mag cost?

Our current goal is to keep the price approximate to the current market price of used original Auto Mags. However, our driving force is to create the best Auto Mag ever, without a focus on costs. Once we’ve reached that goal we will shift our attention to pricing. At this time it would be premature to list a price, as we are still in the design and prototyping stage. Update September 21, 2016- It appears the price will be $3,499 and a complete replacement upper will be $1,595."


So, if you couldn't afford one before...ya still can't. That's me. Still beats the stuffing out of the $8000 BRNO Field Pistol though.

http://www.automag.com/faqs-about-the-new-auto-mag/
 
More than I'd spend on a gun, but very nice. When I was a kid, I thought that the Automag was the coolest thing ever. As a kid whose most powerful weapon was a Red Ryder with a missing forend, such a hand cannon seemed exotic and mysterious.
 
The original AMT AutoMag had a very short, very tortured history that was eerily reminiscent of the M-16. The money boys would'nt listen to the designers (who all quit) and then dumped the gun into flawed production that went belly up (unlike the US Gov't) in only 18 months -- losing $1,000 on every $225 gun.

Now the CPI has jumped by a factor of 6¼ since 1971, so that $225 money-loser would go for $1,400 today -- or more than double the $3,500 quoted today if the AMT guys wanted to stay in actual-cost business.

It's a niche gun... OK for niche owners I'd guess.
 
Price seems high considering that once setup for production, which I guess would be a higher setup cost than before, it should be easier/cheaper/faster to produce than back in the day.

Drop the price to not more than $2000US and as long as it comes in the commonly found .44 Mag not .44 AMP then I'd buy one :)
 
More than I'd spend on a gun, but very nice. When I was a kid, I thought that the Automag was the coolest thing ever. As a kid whose most powerful weapon was a Red Ryder with a missing forend, such a hand cannon seemed exotic and mysterious.

I know what you mean. The old "grails" still give me that feeling. They interest me more than the veritable explosion of latest and greatest tech.
 
Price seems high considering that once setup for production, which I guess would be a higher setup cost than before, it should be easier/cheaper/faster to produce than back in the day.

Drop the price to not more than $2000US and as long as it comes in the commonly found .44 Mag not .44 AMP then I'd buy one :)

I agree, $2000 would be priced to sell. They may actually want to keep the pistol somewhat exclusive though. And maybe the production cost is really pretty high. Desert Eagles approach $2000 and the AutoMag should be more desirable IMO.
 
I agree, $2000 would be priced to sell. They may actually want to keep the pistol somewhat exclusive though. And maybe the production cost is really pretty high. Desert Eagles approach $2000 and the AutoMag should be more desirable IMO.

Its true that flooding the market with them at a cheap price would do away with some of the desirability of them as well as possibly alienate the owners of earlier models but if they want to stay in business they'll need to find a price that sells and I wouldn't consider $2k to be all that cheap.

$3k+ is too much IMHO especially when you consider the types of people that would buy a niche market handgun and what else they could buy for $3k.

I think the Coonan is a better model to base the price on than the Desert Eagle considering the new Coonan's have gone through a similar process of new manufacture.

Coonan classic version price's range from around $1500 to $1800
 
I've owned two or three originals... Glad to have sent them on down the road!

I won't be buying a new one either...

I have a set of dies to make automag brass from 308's, if anyone needs a set...

DM
 
I am perplexed who they think will be buying these silly things, but then again they are still making desert eagles.
 
I bought a new .44AMP with the standard 6 ½” barrel in 1974. I added an 8 ½” .44 barrel and a mirror-polished 8 ½” .357AMP barrel. After considerable correspondence with Lee Jurras and Kent Lomont, I got them working 100% and used them in early handgun metallic silhouette matches. I stupidly sold them and have regretted it ever since.

A few years ago, I discovered a TDE / El Monte .44 and bought it, in the original box with two mags and most of a box of that crappy Mexican ammo that was so underpowered that it never worked the action. Apparently, the original owner had fired 9 rounds, all of which jammed, and put the gun away in disgust.

The pistol was full of burrs and rough spots. Pulling the bolt back was almost impossible, and I’m not weak. I polished out the bad stuff and worked up a couple of loads (180 and 240 gr JHPs) that are super accurate and never jam. Oddly, both loads shoot to the same POI at 50 yds.

The big problem with the AutoMag is parts. There aren’t any. If something breaks, the gun’s done. I have one spare bolt rotation pin and that’s all, so I’m pretty cautious about shooting it much. I’ve used it on one hog, but when I want to shoot a big .44 mag, I grab my Desert Eagle.

If this new company can supply parts and maybe barrel extensions, I’ll be on board, but I don’t need another frame.
 
they are going to price themselves out of existance. I always wanted one but was never willing to pay 2k$ for it. $1500 perhaps, for $1000 I would do it right now. not for $3000.

Boutique shops that make 1911s at those prices (and more!) have two-year waiting lists. And in the end, it's still a 1911.
 
yeah a really freaking nice 1911. they are not all created equal you know. and not only that, nighthawk, wilson, lesbaer ECT have a well proven track record. people know they are getting the best of the best. with these, not so much.
 
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