Another little Llama .32

[rolandtg]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Nice pistol, Dana. I like the .32s as well--except maybe when it comes time to buy ammo.

Your XA and the XV (.22) are contemporary with the first IIIAs (.380) after the Model III, IIRC. Wide based mags for all, coarser checkering on the wooden grips, no lanyard loops on the "Especial" versions. I believe this is also when production changed to cast parts instead of parts machined from scratch.

If you take this apart, you'll find most of the parts--the major components and internals, particularly the fitted ones-- have a 3-digit number (unrelated to the serial number) used to keep them together during production.

There's no cast parts in my pistol that I can tell. I think it was later, '70's-80's, that Llama began using cast parts and that's when their reputation began to suffer.

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by rolandtg

There's no cast parts in my pistol that I can tell. I think it was later, '70's-80's, that Llama began using cast parts and that's when their reputation began to suffer.

Here's a link with more Llama info than you can shake several sticks at https://carbinesforcollectors.com/llamapage.html

Your time frame may just be right concerning the transition to casting technology, roughly the same as when Mauser made Parabellums, which also use the tech. I think also with the change, the frames from then on were a fraction of an inch wider. Anyway, the difference can be spotted by the surface textures inside the frame and on small parts. The earliest of mine have small parts that were obviously made and fitted by hand.