llama
I picked up a Llama Special 1911 .380 clone 3744xx and would like to know the date of manufacture.
Thanks
Emmett
Thanks
Emmett
0
-
Does any one know how many llama minimax 9mm were made ive been searching for a while with no luck 0 -
They make a decent replica of the .45 acp 1911, and the ones I've seen, handled & shot were all .45's. They're good little guns, fairly accurate, hardly ever jam if you take care of 'em, and priced right.
Dunno a thing about the .380, but if it shoots about 2" below point of aim at 25yds., you got a good one!
If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!0 -
Opinions on Llama's seem to run hot and cold, with quite a few people having negative experiences with this Spanish make. Your pistol sounds like the Model III-A which was a small .380 which looks quite a bit like a down sized .45 Government Model. Llama produced these pistols for years (since around 1950) and the III-A is simply a Model III (introduced in around 1933) with a grip safety. These pistols sold for around $50 in the 1960's. In 1992 Llama began to market the Micro-Max which is also a .380 downsized 1911; it may be better or worse than the Model III-A, I don't know--you'll have to check which version you are interested in.
I owned a Model III-A about 12 years ago (I sometimes think I've owned one of everything) and liked the feel of the pistol in my small hands. That was where the good feelings about the Llama ended. First of the pistol is all steel so it is rather heavy for a .380 and Llama actually went to the considerable trouble of making this a recoil operated pistol, making more complicated than a typical blow back .380 pistol. On the other hand, if you can take down of the .45 Government (and I'm sure that you can) you'll feel right at home with the Llama.
The outside finish on the pistol was rather nice with a good looking deep blue and the exterior was nicely polished. Inside the appearence was a totally different story. There were tool marks all over the inside of the slide, the internal finish was left rough, and there were enough sharp edges to actually cut your fingers! There was also a good deal of play in the slide, barrel, and barrel bushing. The trigger on my gun was awful; maybe 10 or 12 pounds and was very gritty. The sights on the pistol were pretty good with low profile sights and a good sized square notch at the rear. Make sure that your wife can rack the slide because my example had a very heavy recoil spring. The pistol did function without any problems but it would not be my choice for use as anything other than informal plinking. Other folks may having differing opinions, but I have not noticed a lot of GB members on board the Llama band wagon. If you have a budget that would allow you to purchase a more expensive pistol (or any other .380 for that matter) I would pass up the Llama without a second thought.
Mark T. Christian0 -
"Ask the man who owns one."
I own a bunch of 1911s, and when (about 30 years ago) I saw that little Mk. IIIA in the dealer's case, I just had to have it. And I still do.
It's about a 2/3rds scale piece-for-piece (except for the extractor) copy of the M1911A1. It breaks down exactly as a 1911 does.
As with most Llamas, fit and finish can vary. Mine has a fine exterior finish, and the interior parts are so-so....not up to Colt standards, but quite adequate.
It's a fun shooter, reasonably accurate, reliable, and, as long as you use round nose ammunition, doesn't jam. I've put many hundreds of rounds thru mine with no trouble.
If she wants it as a defensive handgun....well, .380 is a pretty marginal defensive caliber, and carrying "cocked & locked" (the preferred carry mode for any 1911-type pistol) could be a problem if carried in a purse.
But.......if you're trying to get her into shooting, it's not a bad "first gun". Small enough to fit feminine hands, and the recoil is benign. A nice little "shooter" or "plinker"....even if the ammo is a little expensive.
I'll bet she thinks it's "cute".....I do!0 -
[^][^]They used to make these little guns in .22 cal & .380.I have owned a few of each (I'm a dealer) never had either one returned by a dissatisfied customer.The .22 cal is my favorite ,but is no longer made.
[^][^][^][^][^]
ATF0 -
I have never met a person that owned a llama that had anything good to say about thwm.they are HIGHLY malfunction prone.buy a sig!
SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,RUSTY WALLACE FAN AND AS EVERYONE SO OFTEN POINTS OUT PISS POOR TYPIST e-mail alisonandwalt@charter.net0 -
I've got a Llama Mod IX-A, 1911 style, in 45 ACP. I've run almost 5,000 rounds through it without a problem! Everyone says I must have been born under a lucky star...but..knock on wood, it shoots great. Been looking to get another one, in 380, but also looking at a Bersa. I guess it's sort of like buying a Chevy S-10 pickup...some are good, others are a whole lot less than perfect! [8)]
That's my two cents worth
John
An armed society is a polite society.0 -
u r far better off with a little Star, if you want a 380. It has a locked breech,and far better execution and metallurgy. It's also smaller and lighter. GCA 68 banned the import, but Iver Johnson and FI either made them or got them in somehow. The alloy framed version, the DA, was making 38 snubs look sick, in the early 60's already, if you loaded it right. Because of its locked breech, the Star (or Colt Mustang) can be hot loaded to well over 300 ft lbs of power. With the 9x18 JB case, (a bit longer, made from .38 Super) it can get 50 grs to 1900 fps, 25% more poop than a 22mag rimfire rifle. The alloy Mustang is 5.5" and 13 ozs, very handy indeed. 0 -
I have the Llama .45 in the full size and love it. To date i have not had a problem with. Shoots really good. I have not heard anything about the compact ones. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
9 comments