The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Big bore revolvers but none semi? dangers of timing off

**44 AMP** · March 14, 2013, 11:07 AM

Hi Magnum Wheel Man, sorry it took so long!

We have some similar interests, it appears. Your collect is very nice, and what I consder "second generation" magnum autos. I've been thinking of getting those as my next interest, but other things, and economics are currently holding me back.

We also have some similar Contenders, if I recall correctly.

Magnum Wheel Man got it exactly right (not surprising) but its little known to people who aren't into these guns, Auto Mag (two words) is the name of the originals, and AMT was not involved in their production.

Automag (one word) II, III, IV, & V are AMT products, and as you can see from the pics, completely different designs from the original Auto Mag. Harry Sanford founded the original Auto Mag Corp, also ran its successor, and later worked at AMT after the original Auto Mag companie(s) folded.

The Auto Mag, Wildey, and Desert Eagle use a rotating bolt. The Grizzly and the Coonan use the Browning tilt barrel system.

You could design and build a tilt barrel system that would handle the .460 & .500 S&W rounds, BUT it would have to be even larger than the biggest made today, and at that point, you might as well make it a rifle. Also, since these rounds are too long to fit in a grip that a normal human could hold, the magazine would have to be somewhere else. You might make something along the lines of a Broomhandle Mauser, but if the mag was detatchable, it would fall under the definition of assault weapon in existing state laws, and all the currently proposed state and Federal ones.

Seaman, the Wildey is an interesting beast, with an unusual combination of features. It is a DA gun, but has a heel type mag catch. The gas system is adjustable, without any tools, just use your fingers to turn the adjustment nut (the knurled ring at the front of the pistol). You can set it for any load from powder puff to full house magnum. Learning the settings is a trial and error process, but once you have it, for each different load, you can go back and forth just by counting the clicks.

The Desert Eagle uses a fixed gas system, and one that is nearly impossible to clean if it gets seriously clogged. NEVER use cast bullets in a DE, and the lead and lube can clog the gas system. I know of one case where the owner clogged one up royal, and it had to go back to the maker, who, replaced the barrel assy (and charged for it, as the manual tells you not to use cast slugs).
Don't do it.

The .45 Win Mag is basically a .45ACP stretched to 1.198", and duplicates .44 mag with bullet up to 250gr in an autoloader. Heavier bullets can be used in the Contender barrel, if desired.

I also have a Coonan, one of the originals, a Model A (only 1500 made), but don't have a good pic right now...

March 14, 2013, 11:07 AM	#22
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,824	Hi Magnum Wheel Man, sorry it took so long! We have some similar interests, it appears. Your collect is very nice, and what I consder "second generation" magnum autos. I've been thinking of getting those as my next interest, but other things, and economics are currently holding me back. We also have some similar Contenders, if I recall correctly. Magnum Wheel Man got it exactly right (not surprising) but its little known to people who aren't into these guns, Auto Mag (two words) is the name of the originals, and AMT was not involved in their production. Automag (one word) II, III, IV, & V are AMT products, and as you can see from the pics, completely different designs from the original Auto Mag. Harry Sanford founded the original Auto Mag Corp, also ran its successor, and later worked at AMT after the original Auto Mag companie(s) folded. The Auto Mag, Wildey, and Desert Eagle use a rotating bolt. The Grizzly and the Coonan use the Browning tilt barrel system. You could design and build a tilt barrel system that would handle the .460 & .500 S&W rounds, BUT it would have to be even larger than the biggest made today, and at that point, you might as well make it a rifle. Also, since these rounds are too long to fit in a grip that a normal human could hold, the magazine would have to be somewhere else. You might make something along the lines of a Broomhandle Mauser, but if the mag was detatchable, it would fall under the definition of assault weapon in existing state laws, and all the currently proposed state and Federal ones. Seaman, the Wildey is an interesting beast, with an unusual combination of features. It is a DA gun, but has a heel type mag catch. The gas system is adjustable, without any tools, just use your fingers to turn the adjustment nut (the knurled ring at the front of the pistol). You can set it for any load from powder puff to full house magnum. Learning the settings is a trial and error process, but once you have it, for each different load, you can go back and forth just by counting the clicks. The Desert Eagle uses a fixed gas system, and one that is nearly impossible to clean if it gets seriously clogged. NEVER use cast bullets in a DE, and the lead and lube can clog the gas system. I know of one case where the owner clogged one up royal, and it had to go back to the maker, who, replaced the barrel assy (and charged for it, as the manual tells you not to use cast slugs). Don't do it. The .45 Win Mag is basically a .45ACP stretched to 1.198", and duplicates .44 mag with bullet up to 250gr in an autoloader. Heavier bullets can be used in the Contender barrel, if desired. I also have a Coonan, one of the originals, a Model A (only 1500 made), but don't have a good pic right now... __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.