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0dBm
06-06-2006, 12:51 AM
Anyone remember the .44 Automag that Dirty Harry used in the movie Sudden Impact? That bruiser of a pistol was designed by the late Harry Sanford of Arcadia Machine & Tool, Inc. of Southern California.

That company also made the double action only .45 DAO. This little beast had a 20 lb. (yikes and yuck) trigger pull.

I had mine extensively "smithed" to reduce the trigger pull down to a manageable 15 lbs. by polishing everything to a mirror finish instead of cutting a few coils off the trigger spring.

It is heavy and I carried it for years during the colder climates of the East Coast. Along with a spare mag, a Surefire 6P light, and a Spyderco Pro-Venator folder, these three made for a great (legally) CCW combo. I miss being able to legally carry them.
Jim101
06-06-2006, 08:29 AM
You mean this one?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/Jim101/P9070077.jpg

Jim
0dBm
06-06-2006, 09:28 AM
Jim,

Yes, that's the one from the movie. Any pics of the .45 DAO?
Jim101
06-06-2006, 10:51 AM
No, I got that one a a Police Museum in Fla. during a trip there, they also had the Police car from Blade Runner, which was interesting....

Jim
Loandr.
06-07-2006, 04:18 PM
Not one of my favorite hanguns BUT drop it in a thick tube sock and LOOK OUT baby :D SOLD mine quite awhile back.

Loandr.
Bob Lindell
06-08-2006, 09:01 AM
I owned an AMT .380 Backup years ago. I sold it soon after purchase. Standing at the line, pulling the trigger, and no firing...

A feeling of absolute impotence. Apparently there were problems with the firing pin/spring on those models. I resolved the issue with a Glock 19, I believe. No intention of disparaging your post or .45 by the way...
0dBm
06-08-2006, 09:32 AM
No intention of disparaging your post or .45 by the way...


Bob,

I also owned the .380 and it was equally horrendous.* Being an avid 1911 shooter, it was hard for me to get use to the .380 trigger.

I almost sold the .45 DAO because of the 20 lb. pull.* Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to have the .45 smithed to see if it could be improved.* Much to my surprise, the trigger is now very smooth.* Amazing what a few hundred $ can do for what started out to be a real POS. ;D :P :laugh:
hatchetjack
06-08-2006, 12:20 PM
The .45 DAO had a lot of promise and I was tempted to score one until I started reading reviews. I too owned a .380 Back-up. Then for some reason it started getting very unreliable with light primer hits. I traded it it off at a gun show for a snubbie.
Bob Lindell
06-09-2006, 10:17 AM
And the Glock 36 wasn't available at the time...