Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	AMT-High Standard Manufacturing Co. More Info

About the Gun

Double-stack semi-automatic pistol targeted for law enforcement. Aluminum frame with steel recoil shoulder. Front and rear slide serrations, inertia (free-floating) firing pin design.

Production

Production of this model ran from 1991 through 1994.

Market value

MSRP during production was around $700. The used market value in 95% condition is around $650.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	9 mm Luger
Alias:	9 mm Parabellum
More Info

Analysis

The AMT On Duty was a short-lived, full-size duty pistol that attempted to compete with the Beretta 92, S&W 5906/4006, and early Glocks using an aluminum frame, stainless slide, double-stack magazine, and 4.5-inch barrel. In 9mm it provided a soft-shooting, high-capacity (15+1) package with mild recoil and quick follow-up shots; in .40 S&W it produced noticeably higher muzzle energy and felt recoil but remained manageable due to the pistol’s 32 oz weight. The DA/SA version featured a frame-mounted decock-only lever that lowered the hammer safely without firing, resulting in a long first-shot pull followed by lighter single-action shots, but no manual safety for cocked-and-locked carry. The pure DAO variant used a single heavy, consistent trigger pull (typically 10–12+ lbs) and included a frame-mounted thumb safety lever that blocks the trigger and locks the slide when engaged, offering an additional manual safety option despite the DAO action. The pistol suffered from quality-control issues common to late-era AMT products, including feeding and extraction problems, decocker malfunctions on DA/SA models, occasional out-of-battery discharges, and galling on stainless rails if lubrication was inadequate. Priced at $700 when a Glock 17 cost half as much, the On Duty sold poorly, production was short-lived, and surviving examples are now primarily collector items rather than practical duty pistols.