AMT Hardballer - Overview

Overview

The Hardballer derives its name from round-nose hardball G.I.ammunition (solid 230 grain Full Metal Jacketed bullets). This is the round the pistol was designed to shoot.

The Hardballer series of pistols all share a brushed stainless steel finish, wrap-around rubber grips, loaded chamber indicator and a wide target style trigger with adjustable trigger stop. The later Galena-made pistols have an elongated "beavertail" grip safety and a beveled magazine well.

Galling of the stainless steel, a condition whereby excessive friction between high spots in one or both of two mated parts results in localized welding with subsequent splitting and a further roughening of rubbing surfaces, was a common issue, as lubrication technology at the time of the original manufacture of the Hardballer was not suitable enough to prevent it. Galling occurred due to the alloy used, as well as the fact that the same hardness of alloy was used for the frame and the slide. In modern stainless steel handguns, different alloys and hardening are used to prevent galling.