As I was getting ready to leave the gun show this weekend, this blued revolver caught the corner of my eye. I've been wanting to start a European revolver collection this year and decided this would be a great way to begin. After some negotiating, I was able to take it home for just a little over $200.

It's a Llama Comanche III (.357 Mag) with 6" barrel. I understand that these revolvers made in Spain were designed with internals copied from the S&W Military & Police (model 10), and had aesthetics based on the S&W Combat Magnum (model 19). At first glance it does have a lot of similarities with a S&W K frame.

It's interesting because it appears they borrowed little details from both S&W and Colt. The hammer and trigger are shaped and feel like they came from a Colt Police. The ventilated rib barrel reminds me of an Anaconda or Python. The frame, walnut target grips, and cylinder are definitely inspired by S&W. I was even able to use the same HKS speed loaders that I use on my model 15. Tried two K frame holsters and it fit like a charm. The Comanche III also has a pinned barrel and recessed cylinder like the older Smith's do, and a nice touch is when you pull the hammer back it clicks and sounds very familiar.

So today I took it out and fired a box of .38 Spl and it handled nicely. Locks up tight, nice action, balances well. Even though I'm a S&W and Ruger fan, this was actually a lot of fun to shoot. Cleaned it up right after and just wanted to share a few pictures.

It's not as lovely as my Smith & Wesson's, but with all the sky rocketing prices of these better name revolvers, I'm glad I passed on a few of those yesterday and took this home. I thought it was going to be a 'hit or miss' gun, but I can honestly say I really like it and appreciate it in it's own way.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

The late gun writer John Wootters had one of these. He told me that he liked it, although the cylinder timing was off, as with many Colt and S&W guns made then, in the 1970's. He got the timing fixed and found the gun to be impressive.

Astra usually has a better rep, but these Llama guns seem sound. Take off the grips and see if it has a coil mainspring, like J-frame S&W's. I think they did, but don't remember.

Note that your extractor rod shroud has a gap between it and the frame. It's worse than I've ever seen on an S&W, and I wouldn't have bought this gun. Colt and Ruger seem able to routinely get a snug fit there. S&W varies. I think that if Wootters's gun had been that bad there, he'd have mentioned it. He was a very critical and observant man.

You'll be lucky to get your money back if you sell it. Maybe you could trade it in on a Star auto? If that gap doesn't bother you as much as it does me, you probably have a good gun.

For two hundred bucks, if it's a good shooter and you like it I wouldn't worry about selling it. But I don't have that critical an eye, and no longer can buy guns except to shoot and pass along to my son and his boys for them to shoot some more.

Looks like a good walking-the-woods gun to me.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I wouldn't be concerned about spending $200 on a shooter grade revolver, but spending $200 on a shooter grade revolver that may, or may not, shoot past the first cylinder of ammo. I'd have saved the $200, but I hope your investment pays off.

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I'm with the banned ...

I've attach some pictures of the mainspring.

Yes it does have a gap, but again it's a Spanish revolver and I didn't expect it to have the same fit and finish as a Smith. I should mention I also own a newer 3" 686+ (bought new) with a gap as well and also a model 66-2 that shows a visible gap. They're not as bad as the Llama, but it doesn't bother me as long as it doesn't affect how it functions.

$200 isn't really something I'm going to worry about either. I don't plan to sell or trade and I think it was reasonable. At the shops around here $200 would get you something that had rusted out all over and a dirty bore...I knew going into it that Llama and Astra don't have much resell value. They don't carry much status in the collector world but I've been wanting to branch out this year and start picking up European revolvers, mostly for personal reasons. I am curious about them and going to be looking for some other's at the August show.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

For the price that you paid, I think that you did fine. These were also made in .44 mag as well as the .357. I have never fired one of the Comanches but, I had an acquaintance once who claimed to have killed a black bear with a head shot from his .44 Comanche at about 20 yards. If you get a good one that functions and shoots reliably, you have a keeper.

I owned one years ago and shot a few thousand 38 Special reloads through it with never a bit of trouble or lead shaving. I never shot 357 though it that I remember because I was only shooting paper. traded it on a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt.

Yea i would have passed on it too. $200 is still $200. The problem with Spanish pistols is that they were either ok to good or complete junk and I'd rather not spend the money to find out but good luck i hope you got a good one

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That is one of the better looking LLamas I have seen. If it were me I would limit my collection of European revolvers to one.

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Front sight and squeeze

Careful - sometimes these things can get out of hand....

Model 29-2 and its Spanish, American and German cousins

I don't know. Many of the European revolvers were well made especially the military versions. For example having owned and fired both in a harsh environment I'd rather have a MAS 1873 or a Webley than a Colt SAA from the same era. Euro revolvers tend to be weak on visuals because they were geared toward a military market rather than a commercial one.

I would have bought it in order to experience it, no question. Enjoy it!

If it makes you happy it has already served its purpose. I think you did good. Larry

Yep, coil mainspring. At least, it's less liable to eventually break than a flat mainspring.

I think a handpicked one with tighter gap where I mentioned it or an Astra that is well fitted is pretty solid.

The Manurhin (sp?) MR-73 and their Ruger-based MR-88 are Euro revolvers that I'd like to own.

Some of the old commercial Webleys with finely blued finishes and honed actions are very nice items. The WG series and the Wilkinson-Webleys are excellent firearms for their day. Webley's Army Express is probably a better gun than the Colt DA Frontier that it resembles.

Look at Post No. 10. The middle gun, by the High Std. Crusader, is the Astra equivalent to the Llama Comanche.

Let us know how it shoots.

For 200.00, I'd have bought it. What would I have to lose? A few bucks? Big deal. The very worst thing that might happen is that I wouldn't like it. (Come on...blow up? Seriously?) In that case, I could trade it, sell it, or just keep it and have a laugh at myself for being silly enough to buy it. On the other hand, it's quite likely, if I check the gun over carefull, same as I would a Smith & Wesson or a Colt, that I'll get something that works.

I like to try guns I've never tried before. Sure I could buy a Model 19, but I KNOW what they're like (and it would cost three times as much). I don't know much about a Llama Commanche III.

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John 3:16 .

I like the Mle 73; sturdy and double action, but the cartridge is rather anemic. I'd rather have something firing the 45 Colt instead of the 11 mm Mle 73. Too bad they didn't lengthen that cylinder about 5 mm and use the extra space in the cartiredge for more powder.

Colin-

I think the velocity from that thing was only some 550 FPS. Do you know for sure?

At that time, an officer's sword was probably viewed as his primary weapon.

A HS buddy owned a Mlle. 1873. It seemed to be very well made.

Hi everyone, just joined the forum.
Recently I bought an Llama Comanche .357, 4" barrel. Doesn't say III on the barrel, what's the difference? The revolver was imported by Stoeger Industries out of New Jersey. I'd heard that the Llama revolvers imported by them were better than others.
The gun shoots fine, although with the walnut grips it definitely takes a toll on your palm. The revolver has the flat spring for the hammer and I guess by what I've read on the forum that's not a real good thing. It also has the gap on the ejector rod housing but that doesn't bother me.
Can you give me a little more info on the Comanche (not the Comanche III). Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks
<< Jim >>

These had a decent reputation back in the day, when you had to pay well over suggested retail and/or wait to buy a Model 19 or 66. One fellow I knew shot handgun metallic silhouette with one just like that for a while. Eventually, he traded up for something bigger because normal .357 loads wouldn't topple the turkeys or rams reliably and he didn't think overloading the Comanche was a good idea.

Welcome Jim. I bought a used like new one in the late 80's. It was a fairly nice revolver. I thought it was a high quality S&W clone. It made a great truck gun, inexpensive, reliable and accurate. Some guy who needed a 357 truck gun offered a little too much after shooting it. For the price and qualities as mentioned above I miss it.

I had 29's and Pythons then too. It was not quite as slick but still nice. I used it as my packing pistol on one WY Mule deer hunt. It warmed up to t-shirt weather for 2 days. I popped a few Rattlers who came out for a bite. I feel it was well regarded in it's time.

A few links about it.

Llama Comanche III

Llama Comanche III .357 mag - ArizonaGunOwners.com

I had heard from a friend that knew about them that they were pretty good from the time they started making them, mid 70's until early 80's. He said the quality really took a nose dive after that. He told me to look at the importer and if it was Stoeger from New Jersey, that it was probably manufactured early 80's and it should be fairly good.

Thanks,
<< Jim >>