Thread: Does a "small-frame" .22 1911 exist?

I love the .45, but I've shot a .22 conversion 1911 and that is a lot of fun also.....but there really is no need for such a large frame for .22.

Many brands of pistols provide full size for large caliber, and also have a smaller frame version for .22, for practice, small hands, whatever (e.g., SIG with the Mosquito).

Is there any small-frame .22 1911? I.e., exactly a 1911, but with every part a bit smaller?

Would make a nice carry plinker....

I think Llama makes some, but I'm not sure how small they are.

The Llama Especial 22lr

It was my first handgun, given to me by my grandfather. I still have it in the safe.

this isnt my picture, and this is the .32acp model, but it'll give you an idea of size

The Especial was made from 1954-1997.....

They seem pretty rare in .22....they sell for about $330, from the auctions I found, which is pretty high, I think htey have entered the "collectible" category.

I don't understand why there are no current .22 small frame 1911's around - everyone who had one of these Llamas (if it worked) loved it!

Originally Posted by Stevie

I don't understand why there are no current .22 small frame 1911's around - everyone who had one of these Llamas (if it worked) loved it!

It's a 1911 so... In order to be reliable, it'd be expensive... and there are already better, more accurate and reliable 22lr platforms on the market.

My little llama works great with the right ammo... but it's nowhere near as accurate, versitile, or reliable as my ruger MKIII which I bought new for less than $300

[QUOTE=MrNiceGuy;307336]It's a 1911 so... In order to be reliable, it'd be expensive... and there are already better, more accurate and reliable 22lr platforms on the market.

Yeah, I have a mark III also, use it in competition, but a little 1911 would just be so much fun!

I own the Llama .22LR and it is about a 2/3 scale of the 1911. It's about 21oz and all steel. It's a nice, little gun that is fun. It does prefer RN high velocity ammo. Llamas were made in Spain and the European ammo tended to run hotter. I run CCI Mini Mags and it eats them up. Yes, they go for $325-$350 but are worth it, IMO.

The picture has been 'photoshopped' or else a giant is holding it .... LOL They are small, but not that tiny....

Next to a full size 1911 .... also, the .22, .32, and .380 Llama's use the same frame ...

larryh1108, that is a very nice little LLama .... Congratz!

Thanks, pink. Nice looking grips on yours! Shoot her yet?

Just a few times ... I don't want anything to break .....

Awww, man, that's like saying you don't touch your trophy wife because you don't want to mess her makeup. All lookey and no touchy is no fun!

The new Browning .22 1911 is about a 80% scale copy of the 1911....



Looky here...

Hey, that Browning looks great....a little pricey, but is the quality there? How does it shoot (accuracy, feeding), does it seem made well?

LOL, I am too busy with this .....

It has the threaded barrel too .... for my 'Can' ....

Hmmm....the Browning is supposed to be in production first quarter of 2011....and sell for around $600 (I've seen some prices as low as about $540)....but the Kimber .22 Target sells for $700, not much more, is incredibly accurate and has a really nice trigger....it remains to be seen how this Browning will stack up...(I'd actually like a smaller frame for the .22, but not if the Kimber is much, much better built)..

And yes, pinkhamr, we know how good the Ruger is, I shoot a Mark III in NRA Bullseye competition, but it just ain't a 1911. End of story.

Originally Posted by Stevie

Hmmm....the Browning is supposed to be in production first quarter of 2011....and sell for around $600 (I've seen some prices as low as about $540)....but the Kimber .22 Target sells for $700, not much more, is incredibly accurate and has a really nice trigger....it remains to be seen how this Browning will stack up...(I'd actually like a smaller frame for the .22, but not if the Kimber is much, much better built)..

And yes, pinkhamr, we know how good the Ruger is, I shoot a Mark III in NRA Bullseye competition, but it just ain't a 1911. End of story.

I've shot a kimber 22lr 1911... it was "nifty", but it's still not very accurate... and it's INCREDIBLY overpriced. If you're that set on a 22lr 1911, just buy a cheap 22lr upper and save yourself $400. The kimber is a $700 wannabe with all the accuracy and reliability of a mosquito.

Hmmm again....I was shooting a Kimber .22 Conversion on a .45 Kimber Custom II Target Stainless, and that was amazingly accurate....I wonder if the purpose-built .22 Kimber is very different...certainly the frame is (steel vs aluminium), but I would have thought that the slide & barrel would be the same.....but maybe not.

I sold the .45 and .22 conversion (that was $$ overkill for a .22), now looking for something that is just a 1911-style .22....

There's nothing at all special about the dedicated Kimber .22.
Aluminium frame and .22 upper slapped together, same barrels, slides, small parts
Kimbers triggers randomly very between "outstanding" and "not disagreeable", without regard to price or model...
The 22 should be pretty accurate. I have a Kimber and Ceiner .22 kits and they're both easily 1" at 25yrd from a bench with quality ammo. Mr NiceGuy may have had a dodgy one.

I think your approach, Stevie, is the opposite of most peoples, where the .45 is the primary calibre, the .22 upper is secondary, for cheap practice and plinking.

Yeah, exactly right!
...I just decided that I was going to really focus on .22 (I do NRA Bullseye), and letting go of the .45 meant that I'd spend more time with the .22!
But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun, too, and a little 1911-style .22 would be a nice break from the big heavy target .22....