New Gun, He he he he he!!-UPDATE

[EZ CZ75]

My wife told me that I was done buying guns for about a year or so.  Well, I have started trading for them and that gets around the technical mumbo jumbo.

This new one was a bit of a surprise.  I have been trying to get rid of my extra 10mm upper and someone local called and offered me a ANIB Llama 45 Minimax subcompact for it!  My brother has a Llama in 45 so I thought I might as well look at it.  It looked clean and as if it hadn't been shot.  I know that as far as 1911's go it is on the cheap side, but I have heard lots of good for the price.

Does anybody here have any experience with Llamas (insert animal jokes here)?

Also, 45 ACP is a new caliber to me and I am excited to start reloading for it, too.  So much to do, so much to do.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I think that I will at least get an action and trigger job done to see what happens.

Any other info for a guy that has never owned a 1911 before is also welcome.

TIA

[Walt-Sherrill]

The LLAMA Minimaxs come with a checkered reputation.  Some seem to be OK, and some seem to be terrible.  Hope you have one of the good ones.

[KingPolymer-III]

Not to burst your bubble,  but I agree with Walt, only my experience with them has not been a mixed bag like Walt's and I will be less diplomatic, its been an empty sack.   They are horrible and I am glad that Llama went out of business and am also glad that Bersa is on their own now.  Bersa is 1000% more reliable than Llama.  I wish you well with yours.

[SLM crew chief]

New guns are almost always fun!  My only experience with one was a super duper "Honey, I shrunk the gun" version.  I swear it had a barrel so short that when I looked down it I could see the bullet!  I think it held five or six rounds.  I shot a very nice group with it at 7 yards, about 5".  The guy who owned it had two and just talking he said that they would shoot any FMJ but would not feed HP's untill he had a ramp and polish job done.  Good luck!

[jwc007]

Metallurgy on Llamas has been very suspect with cracks in the slides and frames, very common.  Were I you, I would trade it or sell it, ASAP!  Before something goes very wrong with it and then it will be worth nothing!  Sorry to put a damper on your enthusiasm and joy on the acquisition of a new toy, but I've seen these guns break!

[EZ CZ75]

No need to apologize, fellers.  I am just hoping that it is a diamond in the rough.  I'll post my review after shooting it.  I hope it works out well because as a sub-compact it will hold 10 rounds.  I am not sure if this is 9+1 or 10+1, but the owners manual said 10.  I don't have any ammo right now to try it out with.

[BRASMAN]

I hope it is a diamond.

[lee n field]

Quote:Also, 45 ACP is a new caliber to me and I am excited to start reloading for it, too.

On the positive side, you should find .45 ACP a very easy round to load.  (Hint: 4.7 gr. Bullseye behind a 230 grain round nose.)

[EZ CZ75]

Thanks, Lee.  Is this a plinking load that you like to shoot?  I think that I will definitely load this pistol light considering some of the previous statements made about the quality of metal.

[Walt-Sherrill]

Something went awry over the past 20 years of so at Llama.  A line of generally good guns went to crap.  You'll still find some good ones, but they're rare.

I've got an older  (circa 1980, imported by Stoeger) 1911 Llama in 9mm that's about as good anything around -- hgih quality throughout, with a fully ramped barrel.

The internal parts aren't exactly standard 1911.  I suspect that will be the case with yours, as well.

When I had to replace a hammer on it (one of the hammer hooks was chipped), I was also forced to replace the sear.  (The replacement 1911 hammer wouldn't work with the factory sear, but with a replacment 1911 sear, it was fine.)

[EZ CZ75]

I know that this one does not have a fully ramped barrel.  Part of the ramp is built into the frame.

How can I tell when this pistol was imported and through whom?  Are there markings that I should be aware of?  I haven't inspected it too closely as school always seems to demand the majority of my time.

Hmmm.  Out of business.  I guess the lifetime warranty isn't any good anymore.  I know that it is for the original owner only, but it was a thought that crossed my mind.

What went awry at Llama?  Was it QC or similar to what happened to Bren-Ten when it closed it's doors?  I am doing some searching online and am having a hard time finding much.  I know that the net is not exhasutive, so cough it up, boys and girls.

[Walt-Sherrill]

Quote:How can I tell when this pistol was imported and through whom? Are there markings that I should be aware of? I haven't inspected it too closely as school always seems to demand the majority of my time.

Doesn't much matter.

The most recent importer was Import Sports, in NJ.  Parts are still available, but service will have to be done at your local gunsmith.   I suspect that many generic 1911 parts will work for the internals.

(According to the Fjestad Blue Book, Llama went bankrupt in 1992, and in 2000 a group of employees reopened the company.  I don't know what the company's status is right now, and haven't heard of any being imported.)

The MiniMax, new, sold for around $265, and the Blue Book says that one in 95%-98% condition (or thereabouts) is probably worth $200 - $230.  

If it turns out to be a shooter, you did alright.

[jwc007]

The original Importer of Llama handguns was AMF Stoeger & Sons, now Stoeger Industries, which did not have a good reputation for Customer service.  They no longer import or contract manufacture any handguns, but have plenty of high priced shotguns.

www.stoegerindustries.com/

[lee n field]

Quote:Thanks, Lee. Is this a plinking load that you like to shoot? I think that I will definitely load this pistol light considering some of the previous statements made about the quality of metal.

Midrange load.  It does well (for me) in both FMJ and lead.

[ghostcop]

Well,  I for one have had mixed results with Llama.

  I briefly owned a commander sized .45.   It would shoot alright with fmj, but didn't like hollowpoint.  It was fairly accurate, more so than my series 70 commander.
 
  The only problem I had,was the plunger tube coming unscrewed, as it's not staked on.  Even red loctite wouldn't hold for long.  

  I also had a .380 IIIX, that looked like a mini .45.  It was an early stoger import, that was NIB.  It was recoil operated, and had a tiny link on the barrel.

 I have NEVER had a worse p.o.s. in my life.  It was rare if I could get thru 4 shots, without a problem.  I would guess I had 4 barrel links installed, in the short time I had it.  It would tear them out like paper.  I traded it for a taurus 85, to a bud of mine.  he thought he could fix it   .  He didn't have it long.

 I truly hope you have good luck with yours.