Hey guys i've been looking at picking up a 1911 for a long time now and cost has been my main problem.. i've noticed that i can pick up a Gov't Length 1911 from Llama for only around 250. i havent heard that many bad things about them and have herad no problems as far as reliability. just wanted to check with everyone on their personal experance's with them..

please dont just type their cheap crap that isent made here.. i'm more looking for personal experance's with reliability and such as this will probably be a base gun for moding..

Jess

The only personal experience that I have had with Llama products have been bad.

I have a llama 45. It's my second one if that tells you anything. The first one was stolen.Both of mine have been very reliable and as accurate as I am. No they are not as good as a Kimber or SA etc. But there is a little price diference too. A year or so ago Gun Tests mag tested buget 1911s the Llama they got had either a bad barrel bushing or the slide was out of wack( I think it was the slide) and they could not get the sights to adjust enough to center the group so they had to send it back for warranty.And as we've all heard many times any company can let a bad one slip through, other than that it was the best of the discount 1911s they tested, reliability, group size etc.

I would say that a llama 1911 is a good starter 1911 sometime in the future you can buy a nicer 1911 and the Llama can be a loaner/spare.

If $250 -300 is your ABSOLUTE MAX price , you need to consider a slightly USED 1911.

Even then , finding a decent one will be tough.

( you will have to settle for a 3rd world built gun)

Do yourself a favor and read some GOOD Info

 www.sightm1911.com/lib/1911_reviews.htm

Haven't fired one but there was once a quote on these here forums that made me laugh everytime I remembered it.  I think it went something like, "Llamas, they dont even throw straight."

I bought my buddy a double-stack 5" 1911 from Llama. It functions fine and is reliable, and even shoots pretty decent groups.
Personally, I shoot higher-end 1911's, but when you have a limited budget and just want  a 1911, a Llama is much better than no .45 at all!
With a little tuning and play I think a Llama that has problems will be fine.

man if you can find me lets say a SA milspec used for anywhere near that price let me know... i've looked around quite a bit and this is cheaper by a good 200 dollers for the nearest comparson by a american company..

everyone has said the same kind of stuff about the norincos but then all the guys who moded 1911's and then sold them where doing so on norinco frames *from what i understand dont quote me*

but from some of the stuff i have heard they are a good firearm i just wanted to throw it out there to see if anyone had any real bad personal experience with them..

i'm goina read some of your guy's links here in a minute just one more thing..

i love to tinker with my firarms.. i have made my 870 like silk to rack and my 10/22 has a good trigger and is silky smooth as well without any store bought parts.. so if i can to mod it a bit no big deal..

Jess

After reading that the only other 1911 thats even clouse to my budget would be the Mil-Spec but i would rather pick the llama up for some range time and to get more accurte then the firearm if at all posiable..

i honestly dont know if SA offers a lifetime warrenty but if they did that would sell me even more on the idea.. thats one of the main things i liked about the llamas

Jess

Quoted: And as we've all heard many times any company can let a bad one slip through,

The thing about Llama is that occasionally they will slip up and let a good one slip through.

If you just can't stand not having a 1911-ish gun, you might get lucky with a Llama that functions well and shoots where you point.   The odds are kind of stacked against you though.

Good luck getting your money back out of it, however.  These things have about the trade-in value of a two-day-old McDonald's Filet 'o' Fish sandwich.

Hold off and save some more $$ and get a SA G.I. you can still find them for right at $400 new. If I was buying a pistol in the $300 range I would go with a EAA Witness.

If that's your max budget, find a used Norinco.  It's a far better bet because you CAN trade out parts as your budget allows and do whatever you want to it.  The CHICOMs aren't bad 1911's and you can tweak them to your hearts content, in the end you'll have a gun you'll keep vs. a gun that you will toss in the safe or get rid off to by a real 1911 later.  You could also track down a used Thompson Auto-Ord for that price tag, but that would be my second choice.

Least that's my opinion.