1970 – 1971
Pasadena, California
- 1966 designed the Auto Mag pistol
– designed by Harry Sanford & Max Gera
– short-recoil operated pistol
– rotary bolt with locking lugs
– similar to the M16/AR-15 rifle - 1970 Harry Sanford opened Auto Mag Corporation in Pasadena, California
- 1971 .44 Auto Mag caliber
– formed by trimming the .308 Winchester or .30-06 case down to 1.30 inches - 1972 .357 AMP (.44 AMP, but is necked down)
- August 8, 1971 first pistol was shipped
– less than 3,000 pistols made - May 3, 1972 declared bankruptcy
- 1973 – 1983 company opened & closed multiple times
- 1996 Harry Sanford died
- August 2015 Walter Sanford the company & trademark to AutoMag Ltd. Corp
– in South Carolina
About the Auto Mag
The Auto Mag was one of the first semi-automatic pistols built to fire a true magnum-class handgun cartridge. Designed between 1966 and 1971 by Harry Sanford and Max Gera, it used a short-recoil action with a rotating bolt and locking lugs similar to the AR-15, and stainless steel construction. Its dedicated cartridge, the .44 AMP (Auto Mag Pistol), was formed from cut-down rifle brass. Sanford opened a factory in Pasadena, California, in 1970, and the first pistol shipped on August 8, 1971.
The original Auto Mag Corporation filed for bankruptcy on May 3, 1972, after building fewer than 3,000 pistols, and the design passed through several makers, including TDE, High Standard and AMT, through 1982, for roughly 9,000 pistols in total. The gun’s fame grew in 1983, when it appeared in the Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact. Harry Sanford sold parts until his death in 1996. In August 2015 Walter Sanford sold the name and trademark to AutoMag Ltd. Corp. of South Carolina, which resumed limited production in 2017 with Founders’ Edition pistols.
Key Facts
- August 8, 1971: First Auto Mag pistol shipped
- May 3, 1972: Auto Mag Corporation filed for bankruptcy after fewer than 3,000 pistols
- 1973-1982: Production continued under several makers, about 9,000 pistols in total
- 1983: Featured in the Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact
- August 2015: Name and trademark sold to AutoMag Ltd. Corp.
- 2017: Revived production began with Founders’ Edition pistols
Learn More
Sources
Across the Gun Websites Network
- .44 Auto Mag Ammo Buyers Guide.com
Profiles on Minuteman University.com are editorial content compiled from public sources. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of, sponsorship by, or affiliation with this site or the Gun Websites Firearms Network. Corrections and removal requests are welcome through Contact Us.
