This is the replacement for the Llama Max-1 pistol I was having so much trouble with a few weeks ago. To hear the story, and to get my review of this pistol, tune in to this video!
I picked one up right around when this video was made in .45. What a sweet 1911! I cannot find fault with it other than maybe some sharp edges. A top-notch 1911
I'm very happy for you. Thanks for the update. So glad you got the 38 Super bug finally scratched -- it's so very frustrating to have spent good money for a bad product. I'm glad to hear your project had a successful ending.
After following your adventures with the 38 super, I needed another 1911 for a backup gun for IDPA matches. I got a American Classic I I in 45. And to be honest I tried to break it but it’s fantastic just now waiting for mag well to be fitted and blended. Strong work on review as usual
I have been a fan of the .38 Super since the mid 1970s owning several over that time period. My personal favorite today is the Dan Wesson Guardian 1911 L.W Commander ,an outstanding pistol custom quality and works great with the powerful Buffalo Bore 115 gr JHP ammo. The super with some of the hot ammo on the market is a powerful defense option.
Yes it is. I've got some warm handloads worked up for mine. They're only slightly less powerful than .357 Sig loads, and I prefer the straight-walled case to the bottle-neck variety.
Great work on your journey Mr. Funk. Really an excellent lesson in " tact" and working through an unfortunate problem. I have watched all the videos on the Max 1 and never did I hear you disparage the weapon or companies involved. Glad it all worked out for you in the end. A great lesson for us all. Congrats ! Semper Fi
I just looked at one of these today in 45ACP. I was really impressed with the fit and finish. At $550 I thought it was a good price for what you are getting.
My AMCII 45 was about that accurate out of the box. After I had my nationally-recognized 1911 specialist gunsmith install a custom-fitted Wilson Combat barrel bushing (and trigger, hammer, sear, disconnector, etc.) accuracy improved by at least 100%.
Looks like you came out well with this one #1 a great dealer #2 a handgun that is performing #3 Success with 1st handloads for it.Great review as always HR
Thanks for sharing your story, beautiful pistol. I've always loved the 1911 in .38 Super with the right JHP loads. I notice that on the range you had swapped-out your grips for what looks like Neoprene grips. Good choice, nice shooting.
I have the Metro Arms classic 2 - in .45acp, that i purchased about a year ago I really like it and mine has the same grip panels yours had earlier in the video I like them OK they look really good on the blue version but I've had several 1911s over the years and have plenty of grip panels laying around if I get tired of these-nice review
The magazines came early today and they fit and lock in , also function perfectly. Now to order the xgrip that slip over the magazines to create flush fit . It’s coming together Hr couldn’t be happier with this set up . Have purchased a lot of pistols thru my buddy that’s a Davidson dealer , not had to go thru pistol replacement process but good to know it works . Happy for you , what a sweet pistol you choose for replacement.
HR, glad the .38 Super Do-Over is working out. I'm having fun with mine too, but now i'm jealous. Your new ACII is prettier than my RIA conversion, especially once you switched out the grips! Don't be too distressed about not driving the tack on the first shot, Brother. You put a heck of a group together trying until you got it. That tells me you have a well fitted pistol. Your handload sounded pretty snappy, but without too much muzzle flip, rather like my much loved .357 SIG. And this from a cartridge that came out in 1929. Congratulations.
Thanks Brother! I'm not too worried about the tack. I was having a bit of an off day shooting all the way around when I made this video. It happens to all of us. I'm really liking this new pistol. It is tight and seems well made. I'm now looking forward to further experimentation with handloads. So long as YT doesn't kick me off, I'll have a video or two on my load development/performance in the not too distant future.
Great shooting, glad that the replacement is functioning and is accurate to boot. That 1350 FPS load is why I like the super, nice performance and a good defensive round.
I'm glad to hear that. I really think mine was just a lemon; although, the experience makes me wonder about Llama/Metro Arms' quality control process. To date, my ACII has only had one failure to feed, and I am now loading my own ammunition specifically for it. The primary consideration seems to be that the cartridges must be held very close to the SAAMI max overall length. I don't know if the Llama would have fared better if I had tried the same thing with it, but the fact it didn't run reliably with any of the 6 different factory loads I tried in it really bothered me.
Your welcome ! Been missing in action due too kidney stones now recovering slowly. My new pistol is Sig Sauer P224 in 40 s&w , yes I’ve not abandoned the 40 as of yet . The new P224 is in equinox finish and is a bit short in the grip, but doesn’t seem to affect me shooting it with great results even out to 20 yards . Being and all metal pistol it handles the recoil impulse very well . I have a couple of 229 magazines coming Monday which extends the grip and gives me two more rounds . Let you know how that goes . Have a blessed Easter my friend . K
I think I was more disappointed than frustrated. I wanted to like the Llama, and I wanted it to run reliably. For the price, it had a lot going for it. That said, I’m quite happy with the ACII. I’m now really looking forward to developing some good 38 Super handloads.
I just recently discovered your channel and videos and have enjoyed your insight. If you’re still searching for .38 Super 1911s, I’d recommend checking out the CZ Guardian and the Dan Wesson Pointman PM-38. The Pointman is my first 1911 and it is exceptional in quality, finish and its performance. They’re hard to find these days but they’re significantly cheaper than trying to get ahold of the older Colts.
Thank you. I looked for a Pointman, but had no luck. I ended up going with an American Classic II in .38 Super. It’s been a good pistol. If you search my videos you’ll see it in a few. Thanks for watching!
Great looking gun!! I'm thinking I'm going to step away from the Llama 38 super. I'm a tad bit nervous about messing with it. I called Metro Arms and asked them about the warranty and they told me. That the warranty ONLY applied to the first buyer. Being that i was buying it second hand from a pawnshop no warranty! 😟😟. Great looking pistol sir!! Glad things worked out for you!
Fit, finish, and accuracy of the American Classic II are all very impressive. I've had a lot of fun shooting this pistol, and I really like the 38 Super cartridge.
You know I have a hat just like and in drab green goes with most my out door gear lol! My niece named it the Jones hat years ago . Glad to here you can reload inexpensively I think you enjoy it more than I do . 357 sig guns are out the there Sig Sauer lol for sure in 1911 if still made ? I think Elliot ness and his group used them ( 38 super )in Chicago for sure . Great history with this round ! Plus nine in the magazines and one in the pipe makes for great round count , much better than model revolver of the times. Enjoy my friend great presentation as always and great outstanding shooting! K
Nice pistol. As a firearms instructor, however, I noticed when you were handling that pistol that you need more trigger-finger discipline as I saw your finger ridding on or near the trigger instead of on the frame where it should be. Also, the correct way to "make safe" an autoloading pistol is to first remove the magazine, then visually and physically inspect the chamber. Remember, following these 4-basic rules of firearm safety will keep you and others safe: 1. Treat every gun at all times as if it was loaded. 2. Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target. 4. Be sure of your target and what is behind and beside it.
While I'm sure you are a good instructor, he is not a pupil of yours, nor did he ask for a critique of his pistol handling. In his many videos he is extremely safe with his pistols, and he is a pretty darn good shot. Save the critiques for your students.
Sir I have to commend you outstanding shooting you are absolutely lethal. I was going to make fun of you until I saw you shoot 😁. Something to the effect of you look like a mix between Crocodile Dundee, Ricky Ricardo (the smile) with a touch of Paul Harrell thrown in there. Just for the record I have the same weapon except chambered in 45 ACP, it is outstanding, I was extremely impressed with the quality when I first took possession of it and it shoots just as nice as it looks if not better. Great video and good stuff sir.
How is the metro 38super holding up? I love the 38 super and have been wanting one for a while now. Very good video with alot of useful information, I think you have sold me on the 38 super, Thanks
Good shooting to you too, HR. I love 38 Super, but what about 10mm, Mr Funk? Would you consider the 10 as well as the 38 Super? Take care and keep shooting straight.
Yes. I like the 10 mm too. It’s another great cartridge. In fact, I saw a Colt Delta Elite a few days ago that I really like. Unfortunately, there are 1100 reasons why it didn’t follow me home.
Llama pistols are made in spain amd have been around for a long time. Metro arms is made in the philippines and is a newcomer in the industry. They different companies.
Actually, no they're not. The original Llama company went out of business in the early 2000's. Metro Arms, in the Philippines, bought the rights to Llama and now produces pistols under that name at their facility in the Philippines.
Llama produced junk. Back when I sold guns I had one fall apart showing a customer how to drop the mag. Needless to say I steered him to a better brand
@@hrfunk completely understandable. The reason I ask I took my R51 to the range today and I just wanted your feedback on my shot group didn't know any other way to get a photo to you.
First time to see you. Just bought me a Metro 38Super, but in the AC38SG Matte Blue Finish. I am a dealer, but had to go to GunBroker to find it when I decided that is what I wanted to shoot along with my Rock Island Arms 22TCM that I love so much. I've wanted the 38 super for years. Thanks so much for your input. By the way, can you tell me where you got/bought that awesome holster?
Regarding Metro Arms I like the .38 Super I actually knew guys that carried them while attached to the Dectective Div. I'm curious if you know anyone who has one in 9mm? Thank-you!
The adjustment is for over-travel. I don’t think it will do much for the creep. The trigger, however, already feels better than it did when I first took it out of the box. The creep seems less noticeable than it did at first. A few hundred more trigger cycles and it might be completely gone.
Here's my first video in what turned out to be a 3-video series on the Llama Max-1 in .38 Super. If you watch the entire series, you will see the trials and tribulations I had with that pistol.
I have been looking online for this exact pistol. I am only seeing OUT OF STOCK on every site. I have seen them in 45 but already have pistols in that caliber. Do you still have yours and is it still performing well?
I’m not sure if this model is still available. When I bought it, it was a Linsey’s exclusive. I don’t know if Lipsey is still ordering them. I recently traded my ACII on an Iver Johnson 1911A1 (also in 38 Super). The ACII had intermittent feeding problems with some hollow-point ammunition. I also wanted a more basic 1911 chambered for that cartridge. If you’re interested, here’s my review of the IJ: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6D7NPqqAYig.html
@@hrfunk Thank you for the reply. I guess my search will continue. I like the looks of the IJ ported longslide but they don't build it in 38 Super......kinda frustrating
Only thing I don’t care for is the stepped grip safety. That’s easily changed though. I haven’t seen hard chromed 1911s in years. I prefer SS, and most likely that’s been ignorance on my part.
I really like the pistol and I don't mind the grip safety, but I could do without the extended slide-stop. It's different from all my other 1911's and it tends to get in the way.
HR, I'm really glad that everything worked out for you. It looks like you now have a fine, reliable 1911. Is that a WWII replica holster? It looks almost identical to the holsters issued to WWII Navy and Marine pilots. Semper Fidelis, Brother. Treetop
Yes! It’s a repro made by El Paso Saddlery. I really like it. It’s also very similar to the ones still used when I was in the corps, except ours were black. I was issued one once for one of the very few plain clothes assignments I was ever given as an MP.
Well, it sure looks good on you. I think I'll buy one, too. Thanks for the El Paso Saddlery tip! I had forgotten all about them in this day of Kydex holsters. TreeTop
I am considering purchasing American Classic 2 after viewing this. Would you please consider a update video on it now that you have had it few months. Love to hear your opinion and experience!
I wouldn't mind making a follow-up video, but I'm not sure how long it might take me to get it posted. My time is extremely limited at the moment, and I've had to temporarily reduce my video production. If you have some specific questions I can try to answer them. In general, the ACII has been a good pistol. It's not quite to the quality/manufacture level of a Colt, but I also costs roughly 60% as much. I wanted a descent quality reliable 1911 in .38 Super, and that's exactly what I got with the ACII. The accuracy is not match quality, but it is accurate enough for most handgun applications. In the months since I made the video with the ACII, I have experienced a couple of failures to feed, but they have been few and far between. I carry the ACII from time to time when the mood strikes me, and I don't feel any anxiety over doing so. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy New Year!
@@hrfunk Thank You ! I value your opinion and the only other questions-how is the hard chrome holding up , were the FTF with reloads and have you done anything to it(polish feed ramp, springs etc)
The chrome is holding up fine. That said, my pistol has not been exposed to much in the way of hostile conditions. Even so, hard chrome usually resists rust and corrosion pretty well. The FTF's were with reloads, and no, I have not done any polishing. Maybe I'll get around to that someday! I did find that the pistol seems to be somewhat particular regarding the overall length of the cartridge. Once I found the length that the ACII liked, the FTF's pretty much ceased. I seem to recall hearing somewhere that this is not an uncommon characteristic in firearms chambered for the .38 Super.
Think you have a keeper Hr ! By the way The Indiana Jones’s hat suits you . The recoil of 38 super seems very manageable and a tac driver for sure . Now I have not stepped into the 38 super world as of yet , looks like I’m going to . Ammo cost ? And finding it local could be a problem.
Ammo isn’t too much of a problem because it can be ordered from several sources. Still, like I said in the video, I think it’s better as a handloading proposition.
I was wondering if this super 9mm pistol is going to make a debut during the qualification videos..... What velocity can the cartridge develop with the 147gr weight bullet? Just curious. :D
Yep. It's going to be in one of them, but I'm not sure which one yet. I'm trying to pair the firearm I use in the video to a course that has some relationship to it (not always an easy task). I would love to have an old time FBI course from the 1930's for the 38 Super, but I suspect I will probably use it for some other course (Illinois?). But sooner or later it will be there. I have not tried it with 147 grain bullets yet. I'm pretty happy with the mid-range bullets encroaching on .357 Magnum ballistics.
When you buy from Davidson's its like you bought straight from the store where you received it. Its not like you bought from Buds and picked it up there.
So far, I really like the cartridge. Factory loads are on par with +P+ 9mm fodder, and handloads can be assembled that are not too far behind the .357 Magnum (with comparable bullet weight). It’s easier to load than the 357 Sig, and it has a cool history. What’s not to like 🙂.
Good that you reload . But with 9mm 40s&w being $7.99 for 50 at vances (mostly blazer and magtech ) 45acp at $11.00 pickup store only pricing. I can’t reload for that Hr . Chip McCormick owned by Wilson Combat now they where competitors in the shooting scene and in business . Just a suggestion pachmayr g10 grips , I have just put them on my sig c3 1911 which the factory grips where terrible for $ 36 to 40 . No comment back about the Indiana Jones hat , it was a compliment. It could be your trademark hat for RU-vid . K
Hi Keith! I'm glad you like the hat. I like it too! I got it several years ago from a hat store in Charleston, South Carolina. It's not actually an Indiana Jones hat, it's somewhat different. Which is probably why I like it! It is actually sort of a cross between a cowboy hat and a fedora. I suppose the "something different" aspect is also why I'm enjoying the 38 Super and looking forward to working more with it. I could get similar or possibly superior ballistic performance from a 357 Sig (although I don't know of anyone who chambers that cartridge in a 1911) , but the 38 Super cartridge has a cool history and surprisingly impressive ballistics for a cartridge devised in 1929. As far as cost for reloading is concerned, If I use brass I have on hand, I can load the ammo you see in the video for about $7.00/50. If I use a good hollow point, the cost is about $11.25/50. Not bad, in my estimation. Obviously, if I have to buy brass, the cost goes up. But, it's on par with the cost of 45 ACP brass, and the "once fired" variety is fairly common at gun shows. The least expensive factory ammo hovers around $20.00/50, and the Remington UMC and Winchester White Box are about $30/50. The only ammo that is really pricy is the Winchester Silvertip HP. Those go for about a dollar per round (Why, I have no idea). In any case, my handloads should be inexpensive enough to keep me shooing the Super for a long time to come!
My best guess is there was something wrong with the barrel feed ramp or maybe the length of the barrel link. I didn’t feel like coughing up even more money to send it back to the gunsmith again to find out.
Let's be honest they only gave you the free upgrade because you have a Channel with a gazillion subscribers. If Joe Blow came in off the street they would have told me to find the nearest beach and pound sand.... but of course that's only after he opened up his wallet the Shell at the extra hundred or so for the upgrade.
@@hrfunk their cobbly rushed mass production and unrefined, hey don't mind me i shoot custom, like cabot, and wilson combat and i have noticed with only one brand at this point where i can take the top of the line hand fitted components and just drop em in and that's the Girsan turkish ones. I'm speaking of the cheap ones, the metro arms stuff is nothing but a little more cosmetic work added to a RIA build, no better tolerances and someone lied to you, they are not hand fitted, and they charge you for the more cosmetic work. If you try to drop a high end match barrel into that metro to get say 1.5 inch groups at 50yds kind of accuracy your going to have to do alot of work and most likely destroy that cheap plating. The Girsan Turkish and the Bul armory Israeli 1911's are the only ones i can litterally pop a barrel out of my wilson and drop right in with no mods. I haven't tried the tisa's turkish stuff yet, but one is on it's way from anacortez gun shop now.
@@hrfunk that's the point, you can turn a Girsan mc1911s (paid 450) into a 1911 that will shoot 1.5inch groups(in a vise) at 50 yds. I have done it, and have the list of what i did to it none of which involved a gunsmith and when finished i was maybe at 700bucks. Hayes customs does the RIA and metro arms 1911's and they get 1700 for them after all the work it takes.
@@hrfunk I'm not rich just saved and didn't buy until i had enough to buy what i wanted, heck sold my dirtbike to buy a cabot, spent 4700 bucks on that one but picked up a wilson combat cqb for 1500 a year later and i build from cheaper ones from there. You income from youtube alone is enough to buy a cabot. I'm not talking about their wacky million dollar stuff, cabots start at around 3800.
