Info on old Llama pistol needed

A

AR Man

New member
I am researching (and trying to restore) a handgun a friend has given me. Here are the some of the particulars:
The Mfg. is Llama, it looks like a miniaturized government model 1911, but it is a .32acp. It was found in a basement and has some surface rust, I have stripped it completely down and it is in an oil bath. This has worked well as a lot of the rust has come off without any work at all. The slide has these markings:

Left side: Cal. 7.65m/m (32) "LLAMA" ESPECIAL

Right Side: GABILONDO Y CLH ??????? ESPANA

S/N 147XXX

? = UNKNOW due to surface corrosion

I have found this gun in Numrich gun parts catalog, it needs a magazine and mainspring. In the catalog there are two magazines listed one is "old model" and the other is "new model" does anybody know how to tell which one I have? Does anybody have any general history / info on the piece? Mechanically it is in good shape just the surface corrosion and it is dirty. Any help would be appreciated.
 
I bought a Llama .380 in 1972.

It was essentially the same model as the one you have. At that time, the .380 had a locked breech, I'm not sure about the .32; there was a .22LR model that was blow back. Later, the .380's were blow back. That change was around 1980, I think. (Mine's long gone, so I can't correlate the serial number.)

Numrich might be able to differentiate the old versus new question.

They are a nice size little pistol. Always thought the 22 would be a great back packing gun.
 
AR Man.......I have learned that things that seem a bargain can bite.

Recommend, discretely, gettin that thing run for legitimacy. Found guns were often "lost" on purpose. No use you havin troubles over a hot one or a ditched crime scene one.

I looked in Gun Parts and saw that the magazines are NOT on the list of parts "readily adaptable to the Llama .32"

I also looked in the 22nd edition Fjestad Blue Book and came up with another possible frame option. Just from your description it looks like it could be a Model XA....early, late or whatever. Or a Model Micro-MAX.....which would have been made in 99 or later.

Bottom line.....recommend don't buy parts till somebody comes up with a more definitave ID.......and you know it is safe to own.

Sam...sorry I can't nail it for you but betcha there is a Llama guru here.
 
Depending on the age of it, it may not be worth investing a lot in. Many people here say that the older Llama pistols were junk. I have only had experience with the newer models and my experiences have been good. I assume it is a case like Taurus. They used to have poor quality control but are now greatly improved.
 
A Llama Especial .380 in excellent condition is worth about $200-225, the .32 "may" be at a slight premium in price, I don't really know. I doubt I'd spend a lot on that pistol, unless it has some unique history that you want to retain.

I forgot to mention, the .380 magazines will not work with the .32, so make sure the magazine you're looking at is for a .32ACP Especial, not the .380. If you check the most recent Gun Parts Catalog, the heading is:

LLAMA III-A .380 (9MM SHORT)

Those magazines won't work in your .32 model.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top