Probably old news, and possibly not the space to put this so delete and or move as needed.


One of the great falsehoods people tell about AGD is that they used to produce actual firearms instead of paintball markers. While most of us know this isn't true I always wondered where the rumor had started and looked into it from time to time. This weekend I found a book titled "The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers, by A.E. Hartink. Published in 2002 by Chartwell Books Inc.

The second entry is for a company called "AMT", or Arcadia Machine and Tools Inc. Below is a small section of what is written for AMT.

"AMT stands for Arcadia Machine and Tools Inc. The company has gone through a turbulent period. Initially, AMT was established in Covina, California. It became famous for the AutoMag pistol in .44 AutoMag and .357 AutoMag. In 1989, the factory moved and changed it's name to IAI: Irwindale Arms Incorporated. New models were given the name IAI, though the old models continue to be called AMT. A few years ago, the company got into difficulties. After a new start, production continued under the name Galena Industries Inc. The company is still located in Irwindale, California. In the period 1965-1969, the American designer Harry W. Sanford designed a large heavy pistol. It had a completely new caliber: .44 AMP, the abbreviation for AutoMag Pistol. He marketed this pistol in 1969 under the name AutoMag. The auto loader has a rotating bolt with six locking cams. The locking system is similar to that of the Colt M16 Rifle. Sanford's small gunshop was extended to become the AutoMag Corporation (AMC)."


The rest of the entry goes on to explain where the cartridges for the pistol are made and a history of the pistol itself from the AutoMag1 all the way to the AutoMag5. The AutoMag5 is a .50AE caliber that was in production from 1993 to 1996.