Firearms and ammunition

Type Single Action: semiautomatic
Caliber(s): .357AMP .44AMP
Weight unloaded: ~ 1630 g (with 165mm barrel)
Length: n/a
Barrel length: 165 or 216 mm (6 1/2 or 8 1/2 inch)
Magazine capacity: 7 rounds

The .44 Automag was originally created in the late 60’s by the Pasadena Corporation. After the Pasadena days, several companies had their own version of the firearm, including: TDE North Hollywood, TDE El Monte, High Standard, TDE / OMC, and AMT.

Contrary to popular belief, the automag used in Sudden Impact was neither a Pasadena model, nor an AMT. It was actually one of two guns that were hand-crafted especially for use in the film. Only one of the two actually fired, and was used for all of the shooting scenes.

THE ORIGIN OF HARRY’S AUTOMAG

In the novel, the film’s screenwriter reveals Harry’s introduction to the Automag:

Harry had received it as a gift. The grateful husband of a hostage and potential murder victim was a master gunsmith. A few months after Harry had rescued his wife from the mess of a botched bank robbery, he had sent him the boxed gun and a card that read, “You saved my wife’s life. Maybe this will help to save yours.”.

In his time as a cop, Harry had never accepted a thing, not even a free cup of coffee. But he accepted this gift.

AMMUNITION

The .44 Auto Mag cartridge was introduced in the ill-fated Auto Mag pistol in 1971. Its rimless, straight wall case was formed by reducing the length of the .308 Winchester case (or any other member of the .30-06 family) to 1.30 inches. The .44 Auto Mag was designed to shoot .429 inch bullets at about the same velocity as the .44 Magnum. No U.S. manufacturer has offered a factory loading for this cartridge, but cases were once available from a Mexican firm of Cartuchos Deportivos Mexico.

The gas operated Auto Mag featured a rotary bolt with locking lugs located at the front , much the same design as the later Wildey and Desert Eagle autoloader. Like those two, it was an extremely massive and heavy firearm designed to give handgun hunters .44 Magnum power from an autoloader. The cartridge was an excellent move in the right direction in the 70’s, but the gun was short lived due to a variety of reasons.

Like its ballistic twin the .44 Magnum, the .44 Auto Mag is powerful enough to be used on game such as deer and black bear at woods ranges. Whether or not one should go to the trouble of doing so today is questionable. Forming the case requires a set of custom dies from RCBS, an inside neck reamer, and plenty of spare time. If not for the availability of dependable autoloaders in .44 Magnum and .45 Winchester Magnum, the .44 Auto Mag concept would probably still be a good idea.