Llama 380 - dimpled bullet

[joeranger]

I inherited an old Llama which was found when a relative passed away. I think it is a piece of junk, but there is an interesting family story behind it so I at least want to clean it up and take it to the range. Research shows these as very low value guns that some people like to shoot and collect since they are so cheap. Also that parts can be hard to come by since Llama went under.

Is there a manual about assembly and disassembly? You tube had one poor one.

One of the bullets appears to have been fired (thus the interesting story) but the dimple isn't even close to the center, right on the edge of the cap next to the brass. Is that odd?

[Twoglocks]

It disasamble like 1911 gun. I have one and it shoots fine. I replaced the grips few times, finaly with aftermarket ones

[joeranger]

This is a little different.

[HisSoldier]

Could be the disconnector is broken? If you could drop the hammer during unlocking (Assuming this is one of the locked breech ones) it might do that.

I strongly disagree about Llama's being junk, I have many and prize them, all of them locked breech .380's. Consider that there is no plastic or aluminum or zinc in them and bingo! You have a gun with much better materials than many guns sold today.

I like the Llama .380 locked breech handgun because it really is the closest .380 to a 1911, it's a "shrunk" 1911 with a few minor exceptions, the exterior extractor, the screwed in MSH pin, the raised rib sights. Other than that it is far closer to a small 1911 than a Colt .380 Government model. If you like gun design take a look at the sear and disconnector in the Llama, perfectly shrunken 1911 parts.
Here's mine from 1946 next to my RIA 1911;

[wnycollector]

I strongly disagree about Llama's being junk

+1 on that. My father-in-law has carried a Llama .380 as his CCW since the mid 1960's. He has put thousands of trouble free rounds through it over the years.

[Walt Sherrill]

Some of the last Llamas made, in the year or two before the company folded, may have had some quality-control issues. Older llamas were quite good.

I had a much-older Llama 9mm 1911 that was imported by Stoeger, and it was a very solid gun.

When I got it, I asked my gunsmith to do a trigger job, and he found that one of the hammer hooks was broken. Because the factory hammer and sear weren't aren't quite 1911 spec., he replaced both the hammer and sear with standard 1911 Ed Brown parts. He said you had to do BOTH to get the proper relationship between the parts, as replacing just the either the sear or hammer alone with standard 1911 parts wouldn't work. It became a great-performing gun with a great trigger, and capable of driving tacks. Heavy, however. very heavy. Great range gun, but not a good "carry" gun.

If I stumbled across one of those older guns, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

[joeranger]

Cleaned up well. I did figure out how to field strip it. Still need some advice on cleaning the firing pin. I will look at the 1911 videos.

I repainted the grips and then added some instant wear to match the gun.
What do the markings say about the manufacture?

[joeranger]

Hey guys, bump. Any idea about the markings? Just trying to guess the age.

[joeranger]

Hmm, I think wiki had it. S 01 seems to be 1948 but there is a little circle between the S and the 1.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra-Unceta_y_Cia_SA

[graysmoke]

Durring the mid-eighties up too early ninties, when I was a licensed Dealer in Florida. The LLama handguns were my was the most popular sellers. I never had a single complaint, or return on one.
The LLama was solid, very well made and reliable back then.
But like anything. Modern guns manufactured today lost that quality.

[joeranger]

Thanks, I think I misread the chart. I think it is S1 which is 1974.

http://www.star-firearms.com/firearms/proof.shtml

[Pilot]

I've got one of these too. A IIIa in .380, except mine is NOT locked breech, it is a straight blowback. What year did Llama switch from locked breech? It shoots great however.

[BlackJackID]

I have one of the last pistols imported, the IX-D, which is basically a colt commander with a double stack magazine. it accepts para-ord magazines without issue.

I have had her for about 4 years now and it has been a very reliable gun, loves hollow points, my only complaint was hammer bite which I ordered a commander-style bobbed hammer and it dropped right in. The fit and finish is great and I actually carry the beast often. I call it a beast because it is all steel and weighs like a panzer, and the grip frame is very wide.

I am not sure what would cause the hammer strike you have pics of, never seen one that far off on any gun..

[cookie5]

I sold my 2 llama 380s 2 years ago they can be O.K. mine were ok . Some parts are available from Numerich arms or one of the like companies.