Llama Firearms facts for kids

Llama Firearms, officially known as Llama-Gabilondo y Cia SA, was a Spanish company that made guns. It started in 1904 as Gabilondo and Urresti. The company was based in Eibar, Spain. They also had workshops in other cities like Elgoibar and Vitoria at different times.

Llama Firearms made many different types of revolvers and pistols. These guns were known for being affordable. They were very popular in Europe and Latin America. People in Spain also bought them.

Early Guns: Radium and Revolvers

Gabilondo and Urresti began in 1904. By 1907, they had four gunsmiths working. This number doubled to eight by 1914. At first, they copied popular revolvers. These included the Nagant M1895 and Colt New Service models. They also made small pocket pistols called "Vélodog" revolvers. These were for cyclists and hikers to protect themselves from dogs.

In 1913, the company made a unique pistol called the Radium. It was a small, six-shot pistol. It had a special magazine that was fixed inside the gun. To reload, you slid a grip panel down. Then you could put bullets in one by one. This design was clever but hard to make. It was not made again after World War I.

The Famous Ruby Pistol

In 1914, just before First World War started, Gabilondo created a strong pistol. It was based on the Browning Model 1903. This pistol could hold nine bullets, which was more than most guns at the time. It was designed for police and military use.

In 1915, Gabilondo showed their Ruby pistols to the French government. France needed many weapons for the war. They liked the Ruby and ordered 10,000 pistols a month. Soon, this order grew to an amazing 50,000 pistols a month! Gabilondo was a small company. So, they asked other companies to help them make the Ruby.

Many companies ended up making Ruby-style pistols. Some were good quality, but others were not. French officials noticed that magazines from one Ruby pistol often didn't fit another. This was a big problem in battle. So, they made manufacturers mark the magazines. Some Ruby pistols also had problems with parts wearing out quickly. This could make them fire too many shots at once.

Even with these issues, the good quality Rubies were reliable. About 710,000 Ruby-type pistols were used by France. Other countries like Finland and Yugoslavia also used them. Gabilondo stopped making the Ruby in 1919. They moved on to newer designs.

Bufalo and Danton Pistols

In 1919, Gabilondo introduced the Bufalo pistol. It looked a lot like the FN model 1910 by Browning. But it had some different internal parts. The Bufalo was made in different sizes. It could hold seven, nine, or twelve bullets.

The Danton pistol replaced the Bufalo in 1925. It was very similar. It was also available in a smaller size. These pistols were popular with police and for private use. One company even shipped 100 Danton pistols a day to the US. Production of the Danton stopped in 1933.

Ruby Plus Ultra: High Capacity

The Ruby Plus Ultra was made between 1928 and 1933. Its name means "further beyond," which is Spain's national motto. This pistol was an improved Ruby. It had a huge magazine that could hold 22 bullets! Some models even had a longer barrel. Others could fire multiple shots with one pull of the trigger.

These special features were popular in Asia. Chinese warlords and Japanese pilots bought them. Many were used during the Second World War. Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War also liked these high-capacity guns.

The Llama Brand Begins

The "Llama" brand name was registered in 1932. New pistols started appearing in 1933. Gabilondo wanted a fresh start. The Ruby brand had a bad reputation because of the wartime quality issues. Most of those problem guns were not even made by Gabilondo.

The new Llama pistols were based on the Colt M1911 design. They did not have the grip safety found on Colt models. The Llama IV was one of the first models. Over the years, many Llama models were made. They came in different calibers and sizes. For example, the Llama I was a small copy of the Colt 1911. The Llama III had a grip safety and was made until 1954.

Llama never made stainless steel guns. Any shiny Llama guns you see are actually chrome-plated.

Special Brands: Tauler and Mugica

In the 1930s, Gabilondo made pistols for export under other brand names. These included "Tauler" and "Mugica." They were mainly sold in the Americas and Asia.

Tauler was a famous Spanish target shooter. He became a gunsmith and started exporting weapons. He had Llama pistols made with his own brand name. These guns had small improvements he designed. The markings were in English, suggesting they were for British and North American markets. Tauler also worked for the Spanish secret service. He helped sell these guns to government and police groups. Tauler pistols were only made from 1933 to 1936.

Jose Cruz Mugica owned a large shotgun factory. He exported pistols to the Thai government. But after Japan occupied Thailand, he focused on other markets like China. Most of his products were Llama models with his brand name. Mugica pistols were made from 1931 to 1954. Production stopped sometimes due to the Spanish Civil War.

Modern Designs: Omni and M-82

In the late 1970s, the Spanish military wanted to update their handguns. Llama-Gabilondo offered two new designs: the Omni series and the M-82. These guns were very different from their older models. They used the newest technology.

The Omni pistols had many new features. They tried three new magazine designs. The Omni III could hold 13 bullets. It also had a special firing pin that was designed not to break. The Omni was expensive to make. Its unusual look also made it less popular for regular sales. So, Omni production stopped in 1986.

Even though the Omni wasn't a big success, it led to the M-82 design. The M-82 looked similar to the Omni. But its internal parts were completely changed. Many features were copied from the Beretta 92 pistol. It could hold 15 bullets. The M-82 was adopted by the Spanish Military in 1987.

Llama also introduced the M-87 in 1986. This was a high-quality competition pistol. It was based on the M-82. It had a longer barrel, special sights, and other features for target shooting. It was very expensive, but it received great reviews.

Llama in the 1990s

In the 1990s, Llama updated some of its models. This was because high-capacity pistols were becoming very popular.

The Llama IX-C was made from 1994 to 1997. It had a 12-round double magazine. It also had a special "Swartz safety." This safety prevented the gun from firing if it was dropped. After a new law in the US in 1994, the magazine capacity was reduced to 10 rounds.

The MAX-1 pistol came out in 1995. It was Llama's version of the Colt Government model. It was very similar to the Colt 1911-A1. This model sold well because it was a cheaper alternative to other 1911-style guns. A smaller version, the MAX-1 C/F, was also introduced.

In late 1995, the Llama Mini-Max was launched. It was designed to be easy to hide. It had a shorter barrel and different grip options. It came in various calibers and finishes. In 1997, the Mini-Max II was released. It had a double-column magazine with a 10-round capacity.

The Micro-Max replaced the Llama III-A. It was a smaller pistol. It came in matte black or satin-chrome finishes.

End of the Company

Llama faced problems in the 1990s. They couldn't update their factories fast enough. The Asian Economic Crisis also hurt them. Spanish banks restricted loans, which affected Llama.

Llama filed for bankruptcy in 1992. In 1993, a group of 60 employees formed a cooperative. They bought the Llama name and equipment. This new company was called Fabrinor Arma Corta y Microfusion, S.A. They moved the factory and tried to sell Llama's old properties.

Fabrinor also made precision parts, not just guns. But sales were not high enough to pay off the old debts from Llama. Fabrinor tried to reschedule the debts in 2002 and 2003. They even tried selling shares to the public. But it wasn't enough.

In 2005, Fabrinor had to close its factory. This marked the end of Llama Firearms. Other big Spanish gun makers like Star and Astra had also closed down earlier.

Types of Llama Pistols

Here are some of the self-loading pistols Llama made:

• Radium: Made from 1910-1915. A small pistol with a fixed magazine.
• Ruby: Made from 1914-1919. A copy of the FN Model 1903, popular during WWI.
• Bufalo: Made from 1919-1925. Looked like the FN Model 1910.
• Danton: Made from 1925-1933. Similar to the Bufalo, but also in smaller calibers.
• Ruby Plus Ultra: Made from 1925-1933. Had a very large 22-round magazine.
• Llama I, II, III: Made from 1933-1954. Smaller copies of the Colt 1911.
• Llama III-A: Made from 1954-1997. A very successful model, similar to the Llama III.
• Llama IV, V, VII, VIII, IX: Made from 1932-1954 (and later versions). Larger pistols based on the Colt 1911.
• Llama IX-C: Made from 1994-1997. Had a 12-round double magazine and a special safety.
• Llama M-82: Made from 1986-1997. A modern design adopted by the Spanish Military.
• Llama M-87: Made from 1986-1997. A high-quality competition pistol.
• Llama MAX-1: Made from 1995-2005. Llama's version of the Colt 1911A1.
• Llama Mini-Max: Made from 1995-2005. A smaller pistol designed for easy carrying.
• Llama Micro-Max: Made from 1996-2005. A very small pistol.

Types of Llama Revolvers

Llama also made many revolvers.

• Early Revolvers: From 1904-1914, they copied Nagant, Colt New Service, and Vélodog revolvers.
• Ruby Extra revolvers: Made from 1955-1970. These were more affordable copies of Smith & Wesson models.
• Llama revolvers: Made from 1969-1978. These had a higher quality standard.
• Comanche revolvers: Made from 1975-1997. These were Llama's top-of-the-line revolvers. They were copies of large Smith & Wesson revolvers.
• Scorpio and Picolo: These were small pocket revolvers made later.

See also

In Spanish: Llama, Gabilondo y Cía. S.A. para niños

• Astra-Unceta y Cia SA, another former Spanish handgun manufacturer
• ASTAR
• Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A.