horge
Member
Hi,
Can anyone offer experiences/ recommendations regarding a small Spanish .380 ACP, the Llama Micromax III AC?
I live in the Philippines, where gun laws are even more oppressive, and the need for stiff personal self-defense is certainly no less than anywhere else in the world.
I have small hands and I am also of modest means.
The choices before me seem to be either: local manufactures by Armscor or by Twin Pines (the outfit that manufactured the recently-ended run of Rock Island Armory M1911's). Their merchandise is commonly chambered in .45 ACP, which means the grip size almost always works against my small hands...
...or affordable imports including the Bersa Thunder and the Llama Micromax in .380 ACP. Of all the pistols I've had the opportunity to handle, the Micromax sat the most comfortably in my hand. The Bersa is not too far behind. If not for the much higher price tag, the Kahr MK9 would be on my wishlist --with the finger extension on the mag, it sat almost as nicely in my hand as the Llama.
However...
I've heard many stories about the Spanish steel in the Llama being soft, else being badly-machined. Add to this the deplorable lack of ANY local warranty whatsoever on Llama or Bersa, and you might understand my hesitation to buy them.
Armscor offers a fairly decent warranty. All I've spoken to here, pronounce them reliable with FMJ once broken in (and with a little polishing, reliable with JHP). but again, even with thinner grips on their compact 1911's, it would still be less than a natural fit for my hand.
PTCFOR's (our equivalent of your CCW permits) are heavily restricted, but I feel that if I'm going to choose a handgun, I might as well choose one that I'd easily carry if I could.
So.... anyone have any dirt on the Llama Micromax .380?
Thanks for any help,
horge
Can anyone offer experiences/ recommendations regarding a small Spanish .380 ACP, the Llama Micromax III AC?
I live in the Philippines, where gun laws are even more oppressive, and the need for stiff personal self-defense is certainly no less than anywhere else in the world.
I have small hands and I am also of modest means.
The choices before me seem to be either: local manufactures by Armscor or by Twin Pines (the outfit that manufactured the recently-ended run of Rock Island Armory M1911's). Their merchandise is commonly chambered in .45 ACP, which means the grip size almost always works against my small hands...
...or affordable imports including the Bersa Thunder and the Llama Micromax in .380 ACP. Of all the pistols I've had the opportunity to handle, the Micromax sat the most comfortably in my hand. The Bersa is not too far behind. If not for the much higher price tag, the Kahr MK9 would be on my wishlist --with the finger extension on the mag, it sat almost as nicely in my hand as the Llama.
However...
I've heard many stories about the Spanish steel in the Llama being soft, else being badly-machined. Add to this the deplorable lack of ANY local warranty whatsoever on Llama or Bersa, and you might understand my hesitation to buy them.
Armscor offers a fairly decent warranty. All I've spoken to here, pronounce them reliable with FMJ once broken in (and with a little polishing, reliable with JHP). but again, even with thinner grips on their compact 1911's, it would still be less than a natural fit for my hand.
PTCFOR's (our equivalent of your CCW permits) are heavily restricted, but I feel that if I'm going to choose a handgun, I might as well choose one that I'd easily carry if I could.
So.... anyone have any dirt on the Llama Micromax .380?
Thanks for any help,
horge
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