Llama's little .380 1911

[duelist1954]

The Llama Especial, also known as the Micro-Max, or the Llama IIIa, is a 7/8th copy of a 1911Ai pistol, chambered in .380 caliber. The Especial is a great little shooter that is much stronger than the typical blow-back operated .380s we usually run across. It is a real fun gun to shoot.

I ran across my first Especial in 1973. It belonged to a buddy and we had a lot of fun shooting it. So I picked up one of my own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR5lZcltNpU

 

[kokapelli]

It is a neat little pistol, but I just want to make one point and that is that most of the pocket 380 pistols today are not blowback but rather have locked breach actions as well.

 

[jimbo555]

Thanks for sharing,interesting 380 in beautiful condition!

 

[capttom]

I owned one back 30 years ago, It was a nice gun. However, the steel firing pin was very soft. The base of the pin peened over stuck the firing pin in the forward position. The gun went full auto as a slam fire. Unable to fund a replacement firing pin, I sold the gun for parts.

 

[bigfatdave]

Are these roughly the same as the adorable little .32acp wannabe 1911 from Llllama?

I keep almost buying one of those at the local gunshow

 

[Walkalong]

Yes, same frame etc, just .380 instead of .32. I had one in .380 and still have one in .32 ACP. Fun little guns.

 

[JERRY]

cool gun, nice video. thanks for posting.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

They were nice pistols. Just like a 1911. Iver Johnson had one made overseas (Italy?) called the Pony. I think it was a little smaller, but nevertheless a neat pistol.

 

[bigfatdave]

I'll have to check out that video, it's probably in my subscription queue on youtube.

And if you guys like these, I'll have to grab that lonely one from the gunshow.
Are mags out there at all, or can I modify another .32acp mag to fit?

 

[VA27]

They also made them in 22LR. I've had several over the years and they were nice.

 

[1911Tuner]

Nice little pistols. The .22 and .32 versions were straight blowback. The .380 was available either as a true-to-Browning locked breech or straight blowback. I've owned both.

 

[kokapelli]

Nice little pistols. The .22 and .32 versions were straight blowback. The .380 was available either as a true-to-Browning locked breech or straight blowback. I've owned both.

Which of the two actions did you like best?

 

[MachIVshooter]

The Llama Especial, also known as the Micro-Max, or the Llama IIIa,

The earlier IIIA is locked breech, but the Micro-Max is a blowback.

They are decent little guns. I had a Micro-Max for awhile, still have my IIIA.

 

[TWatson]

Nice video. The Llama looks like a good little shooter.

 

[1911Tuner]

Which of the two actions did you like best?

I liked the locked breech version better. The action/recoil spring in the blowback model was a beast.

 

[Pilot]

I have a .380 IIIa and it is a straight blowback. Yes the recoil spring is a beast.

 

[kokapelli]

I guess that means it has a light slide and uses a strong spring to compensate.

 

[RUT]

Geez, I bought one of those new back in 1968!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I bought this one probably 30 years ago (guessing.) Oldest son has now had it probably for 15 years (guessing again.) I still get to shoot it some and it works/shoots great.

 

[Wil Terry]

They were nice pistols. Just like a 1911. Iver Johnson had one made overseas (Italy?) called the Pony. I think it was a little smaller, but nevertheless a neat pistol.

The Iver Johnson PONY was a STAR design from Spain and a FAR better design that any LLAMA ever made excepting one, The OMNI 45.
STAR also made PONY pistols for COLT and they too were doozies. IMHO, my STAR SS 380 is unsurpassed as an accurate strong locked breech 9MMKURZ/380ACP pistol.
BUT...it cannot shoot with my ASTRA CONSTABLE II 380 which could win at CAmp Perry given a suitable marksman.

 

[tipoc]

Nice video! These were and are great guns. They were the forerunner to a few Colt products and Sigs 238.

Much softer shooters than their blowback kin.

tipoc

 

[jimbo555]

Cocked and locked. If you put all your handgun pics in a book I would buy it!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Thanks Jimbo !

I take about 10-15 pics and end up with one or two good ones out of that many.

 

[AABEN]

Any good tool and die maker could make a very good firing pin.

 

[bigdogpete]

Purchased mine in 1971 but mine has wood grips.