Complete Newbie

newshot · Mar 17, 2017

As the title states, I'm a complete newbie. My dad died suddenly last year and I inherited his guns. Since I have them, I thought I might as well learn how to shoot. Only been to the range twice but do enjoy it.

The gun I've been using is a Llama 380. It was jamming a lot the last time I was at the range and the instructor took it apart and cleaned it for me. Hopefully that solves the problem. If not, I'll have to get a gun that works for more than one round at a time.

The other handgun I have is much too old to shoot. I don't know what it is or how old it is. I plan on taking it to the range and seeing what they can tell me about it.

swinokur · Mar 17, 2017

Howdy. Join our fight.

www.marylandshallissue.org
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j_h_smith · Mar 17, 2017

Welcome from Hazzard County.

Dave MP · Mar 17, 2017

namrelio · Mar 17, 2017

Welcome from Marriottsville. Sorry about your dad. Not sure what you have, but they are a good start for your soon to have collection. Good luck.

Mark75H · Mar 17, 2017

Welcome!

BrianinMd · Mar 17, 2017

Welcome newshot!

mopar92 · Mar 18, 2017

Welcome. I'm sorry for your loss.
I'll break the bad news to you. That Llama .380 is likely going to be a jamomatic. They're simply not high quality guns and spare parts are hard to find. You have two serious options. The first is to place it in storage in heavy grease and just preserve it as "Dad's gun".
The second is to pay a gunsmith to give it a once over and advise you of any repairs or upgrades it needs. (I recommend Dave at Blue Fins Bait and Tackle in Dundalk. Tell him Mopar sent ya) If you choose to fix it it will almost certainly cost more than its worth. But, if it where me I'd do it anyways. (I paid about $200 to have my Dad's old Seiko repaired and wear it daily......it's like $100 for a brand new one)

Then shoot it and enjoy it and revert to option 1. Shoot it once a year and give it an easy life. I personally wouldn't trust my life or my families life to a Llama, Taurus, Charter Arms, or any of the potmetal "Saturday night specials". Buy another gun for home defense or target practice if either interests you. I recommend Glock.

On your second gun, are there any markings? On the grips I see what looks like a badge shield with wings but I'm not familiar with any logos or companies that correspond. Some better pics would help us to identify it.

newshot · Mar 18, 2017

Thanks for the welcome!

mopar92 said:
Welcome. I'm sorry for your loss.
I'll break the bad news to you. That Llama .380 is likely going to be a jamomatic. They're simply not high quality guns and spare parts are hard to find. You have two serious options. The first is to place it in storage in heavy grease and just preserve it as "Dad's gun".
The second is to pay a gunsmith to give it a once over and advise you of any repairs or upgrades it needs. (I recommend Dave at Blue Fins Bait and Tackle in Dundalk. Tell him Mopar sent ya) If you choose to fix it it will almost certainly cost more than its worth. But, if it where me I'd do it anyways. (I paid about $200 to have my Dad's old Seiko repaired and wear it daily......it's like $100 for a brand new one)

Then shoot it and enjoy it and revert to option 1. Shoot it once a year and give it an easy life. I personally wouldn't trust my life or my families life to a Llama, Taurus, Charter Arms, or any of the potmetal "Saturday night specials". Buy another gun for home defense or target practice if either interests you. I recommend Glock.

On your second gun, are there any markings? On the grips I see what looks like a badge shield with wings but I'm not familiar with any logos or companies that correspond. Some better pics would help us to identify it.

I'll definitely look in to that gunsmith next time it gives me issues. The first time I shot it a year ago it didn't give me any issues. I'm hoping the grease job it got will help things for a while.

I was planning to look into another gun given the jamming issue. I'll take a look around next time I'm at Free State.

On the second gun, yes. Above the badge shield is the initials "F&W" and then on the top of the barrel, "Forehand D.A. Hopkins & Allen Arms Co Norwich Conn U.S.A."

ToolAA · Mar 18, 2017

Welcome from Ellicott City. I don't have any experience to offer on your guns, but it Looks like you are already getting some good information from those more knowledgeable.

LGood48 · Mar 18, 2017

Greetings from Ceciltucky! :wave:

bkuether · Mar 18, 2017

Hi Newshot.

Shooting is fun. And we can help you get into the sport and get the most enjoyment out of it.

It is good to honor your father and try to get something out of what he left you. But don't limit yourself to just that firearm...

I had a friend who's dad died and gave him an RX7. He spend THOUSANDS on that car keeping it running, just because it was "his dad's". After he bought a new car, he confessed to me, that he wished he had done it sooner. So when you go out looking to fix the one gun, keep your eyes out for something you might like even better.

Have a look, get some ideas, and come back and hit us up on the various forum topics. We know our stuff, and won't let you down on ANYTHING! (Even non-gun stuff... :cool:

)

I think taking up your father's passion will honor him just as much. I sail for similar reasons. It connects me with my deceased father, via the memories and experiences.

Biggfoot44 · Mar 18, 2017

Please start a thread in the C&R subforum, with more , better pictures, but here is a preliminary ID ;

It is a Forehand& Wandsworth Double Action , mfg by subcontract by Hopkins& Allen . It was introduced in 1871 . The corperate name, and hence markings chaned to Forehand & Co in 1890, and was bought out and name disappeared in 1902. So any marked with Forehand & Wadsworth ir F&W are unquestionably Antique, Forehand& Co must check s/n . There is at least some s/n info on the internet.

The Double Action was offered in .32rimfire and .38centerfire . From the introduction date I'm guessi ing the ctg now known as .38 Short Colt rather than the later .38S&W ( introduced 1877), but further research necessary.

F&W was lesser quality than Colt or S&W , but solidly in the next rung down . They refered to themselves as the Best of the inexpensive Guns. They were certianly competitor with, and at least same quality with Iver Johnson, and Harrington & Richardson.

F&W also made single and SxS shotguns, clones of S&W small frame topbreaks ( albeit of decent quality), and a clone of the Webly Bulldog in .32, .38, and .44Bulldog, again of decent quality.

F&W also offered their firearms marked with private label names for various wholesalers and large customers, as was common with low to medium cost firearms of the era.

Biggfoot44 · Mar 18, 2017

Meanwhile, I have a somewhat higher opinion of Llama than Mopar.

Yes, the steel could be variable, and occasional dimentional inconsistency, but the basic designs were sound, and the 1911-ish .380s were overbuilt for the cal.

Cleaning, good lube . New magazine, or at least one of known reliability from another gun. Feeling froggy, replace main and recoil springs, particularly recoil spring. Use major mfg fmj ammo, several brands.

If problems persist, next most likely culprit is extractor.

28Shooter · Mar 18, 2017

Welcome aboard!

newshot · Mar 18, 2017

bkuether said:
Hi Newshot.

Shooting is fun. And we can help you get into the sport and get the most enjoyment out of it.

It is good to honor your father and try to get something out of what he left you. But don't limit yourself to just that firearm...

I had a friend who's dad died and gave him an RX7. He spend THOUSANDS on that car keeping it running, just because it was "his dad's". After he bought a new car, he confessed to me, that he wished he had done it sooner. So when you go out looking to fix the one gun, keep your eyes out for something you might like even better.

Have a look, get some ideas, and come back and hit us up on the various forum topics. We know our stuff, and won't let you down on ANYTHING! (Even non-gun stuff... )

I think taking up your father's passion will honor him just as much. I sail for similar reasons. It connects me with my deceased father, via the memories and experiences.

I definitely want at least one new gun of my own.

I'll definitely need to rent some and see what I like.

Luckily my dad and I shared a lot of great memories and interests: cruising, photography, powerlifting, etc. He'd never take me to the range for some reason, and I actually never knew him to go either. In the Marines he qualified as expert though, so I know he could shoot, at least back in the day anyway.

Biggfoot44 said:
Please start a thread in the C&R subforum, with more , better pictures, but here is a preliminary ID ;

Thanks for the info! I'll definitely get better pictures this coming week when I'm off from work and start a thread over there.

Biggfoot44 said:
Meanwhile, I have a somewhat higher opinion of Llama than Mopar.

Yes, the steel could be variable, and occasional dimentional inconsistency, but the basic designs were sound, and the 1911-ish .380s were overbuilt for the cal.

Cleaning, good lube . New magazine, or at least one of known reliability from another gun. Feeling froggy, replace main and recoil springs, particularly recoil spring. Use major mfg fmj ammo, several brands.

If problems persist, next most likely culprit is extractor.

Yes, it was the extractor that was causing the issue. I'll be going to Free State at the end of the month and see if things are fixed after the cleaning and greasing up.

dad4 · Mar 18, 2017

Welcome from Rising Sun! Enjoy your new hobby.

bkuether · Mar 21, 2017

Hey, you haven't posted anything as of yet. Go in and have fun!

kalister1 · Apr 2, 2017

F&H in front H&R in back. What is the little button on the H&R sight?
Both of these do NOT lock up tight, some chambers not at all. I wonder if the were used that much, or played with?

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