AMT Guns forum

Forum Home Forum Home > Auto Mag Pistol > Message Board
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Auto Mag Prorotypes
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Auto Mag Prorotypes

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
Author
Message
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Auto Mag Prorotypes
    Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:22pm



I do not know if anyone here is interested in the early history of the Auto Mag Pistol but here is some information I was reviewing last weekend.  Nearly all this information comes from Bruce Stark’s book:

        “AUTO MAG,    the Pasadena Days,  1966 to 1972


 If you have any interest, I recommend you buy a copy.


I acquired these two Auto Mags along with a lot of the pre-prototype concept parts and hardware last year.  There were three prototypes made and here are number 001 and 0002.  I do not own 0003.

Here is a picture of the two together.  001 has the smooth grips and 0002 has the checkered grips.  Max Gera did all the design work on the 001 pistol along with Harry and had the machining done at Gross Instrument.  Max left the Company before the 0002 gun was produced.  The 0002 gun was developed from the 001 gun by Mark Lovendale and Harry.


Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:27pm

The other side.  Note that 001 was made to top eject.  This caused trouble with feeding and the ejected cases hit the shooter in the face.  Note the hole in the frame of 0002.  This was for a safety to be designed later and this pistol never got one.  This is documented in Bruce Stark’s book.



.

Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:31pm

This is the barrel of the 001 gun.  The barrel measures 5 7/8”.  Note that the rib and barrel were machined from one blank.  The front sight is pinned on and the barrel is threaded into the frame.  Max Gera engineered this pistol and he did not believe in welding guns together.



Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:37pm

Here is the barrel of the 0002 pistol.  The barrel measures 6 ½”.  You can see that the rib is welded on. Lovendale came out of the aerospace industry and was familiar with electron beam welding which was fairly new at the time.



Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:38pm
Serial  numbers.


Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:46pm


Here are a couple of photos showing how Gera handled the recoil rods.





Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:50pm

Here is a photo from Burt Mason’s book showing an early concept gun that Gera put together.  This was the inspiration.



Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:53pm


A photo showing all three prototypes, 001, 0002, and 0003.



Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:55pm



Here is a photo of the 001 gun disassembled.



Back to Top
BEEMER1 View Drop Down
Callahan's Auto Mag
Callahan's Auto Mag
Avatar

Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Location: iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 1307
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BEEMER1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2023 at 4:58pm

Another photo of the 001 gun.  The 001 gun was constructed from carbon steel.  It was polished and used in several magazine ads as documented in Bruce Starks book.  It was also the gun submitted to Guns and Ammo Magazine for Jeff Cooper to review.  This was the March of 1970 issue and the 001 gun was featured on the cover also.  It was used in the “STRAP A RIFLE ON YOUR HIP” ads that ran in The Shooting Times Magazine.  These ads are also well documented in Bruce Stark’s Book.



Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.06
Copyright ©2001-2023 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.063 seconds.

 - amtguns.info All rights reserved