I inherited this pistol from my Dad. He's not really sure when he purchased it, somewhere around the 60's I think... It has the following markings:

Right Side (if looking from hammer):

"LLAMA" ESPECIAL - On right side of slide
4672xx (Serial # above right side of trigger)

Left Side:

"LLAMA" GABILANDO Y CiaVITORIA(ESPANA)
CAL.45 - ON LEFT SIDE OF SLIDE

Above the left side of trigger:
A circle with a P in it with what looks like a feather plume or flames coming out of the top of the circle, then a box with an X and more feathers or flames coming out of the top of the box, followed by N*1

Anybody have any links on Llama history? I'd really like to find out the value of this gun - if it's valuable, I'll keep it as is, if only $200-300 I'll probably cusomize it.

Here's some pics...





Thanks for any help you may give!!!

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-=[Darkeye]=-

"With great power, comes great responsibility"

It does not, I belive have a great value . But old Llamas are not really that compatable with 1911 so most parts would require lots of fitting. I'd leave as is and shoot it. I had a 38 super that looked like that in late 60's was a good pistol. Sold it in early 70's and ended up being used in a bank job in Seattle. about 74-75 Brought the FBI to my door in Colo. Sprs. only paper work was that little yellow sheet of paper when I bought the gun in Ga. and they found me years later in Colo.

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American Classic II 1941 Colt USGI 1951 Colt Commander 9mm 1972 Colt Combat Commander1995 Colt Combat Commander SS 2001 Colt LTW Commander 2003 Colt Defender 2007 Colt Agent

www.americanclassic1911forum.com

give it some tlc. i think the first thing i'ld do is cleanit up and give it a new finish.... blue or park'd or whatever suits you. and then............................. i would shoot it, shoot it shoot it, til something went wrong. if nothing goes wrong , all the better but if something ever goes wrong, take it as a positive. it could be an ideal oppertunity to do a little basement gunsmithing and get some experience. get a set of dial calipers or a micrometer. check out the parts ....do some research and find out how big a chore it might be to fix whatever is wrong.
but above all shoot it and enjoy it.

Llamas, and especially old Llamas, don't have a great reputation for reliability or durability. Yours must be really old, because it's the only Llama I've ever seen that doesn't have an external extractor.

$200 to $300 is probably a generous estimate of its value. You could log onto Guns America (www.gunsamerica.com) and see if anything similar is up for sale, and perhaps find an approximate value that way.

As noted, the Llamas are not 100% 1911 compatible. The Bersa-Llama web site has a list of parts that will for the new ones. but who knows if they'll fit the older ones. Rather than thinking about customizing it, especially since it has that nice old holster and such, I think I'd just clean it up, oil it up, shoot it occasionally, and hang onto it the way it is for family memories. It came from your father and he won't be around forever (you did say "inherited," but you speak of him in the present tense so I assume he is still alive). Buy a new Springfield, Auto Ordnance or RIA for customizing.

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Hawkmoon
On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

Good thoughts... thank you - Yes, my Dad is still around - he's 75 this year - he taught me to shoot with this gun when I was 7. I just don't want to have this pistol sit around is never be used - I'd even consider using it as a carry piece once I've shot it enough to be comfortable with it - I do need to get the thumb safety worked on - it's a bit stiff... I've cleaned the crap out of it - oiled it up, and the pictures above are after cleaning - I do need to re-blue it - but I'm thinking about parkerize (sp?) it - anyone know the cost for this?

Thanks again!

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-=[Darkeye]=-

"With great power, comes great responsibility"

I believe that is the first 1911 I have seen with a ribbed barrel. Interesting gun. Thanks for the pictures.

It's a ribbed slide Jeff, not a ribbed barrel.

It would be hard to have a ribbed barrel in a 1911, or any other pistol. But, this would be the first thing I would remove from it, if it was mine. The rest of the gun looks very much like a 1911, but that thing on the top, is not what I would call "nice". Oh well, I am an old-fashioned guy, at least as far as 1911s are concerned.

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John Caradimas SV1CEC
The M1911 Pistols Organization
http://www.m1911.org

Thanks for the correction El Commandante. That's the revolver speak in me. I'll get it right someday.

if you are ambitious and comfortable with learning new things, there are several options open to you.
i would suggest some research the subject online. here are a couple of links to get you started:
http://www.shootersolutions.com/allproducts.html
http://www.lauerweaponry.com/
http://www.brownells.com

Wait ... are you the same El Comandante who is always chiding me because I prefer the standard military thumb safety and don't like beavertail grip safeties?

You're not old-fashioned, Boss, you're only "medium-fashioned."

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Hawkmoon
On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside