Ambidextrous 1911 slide release?

[squarooticus]

Does there exist an ambidextrous (extended) slide release lever pair? Something like a pinned left-handed release that fits together with a right-handed lock in a way similar to how ambidextrous safeties fit together.

I can't seem to find this anywhere. If it doesn't exist, I imagine it might be because they have problems snapping due to the rather significant torque that needs to be transmitted through the pin. But I'm just speculating.

Cheers,
Kyle

 

[Jim Watson]

They have been made, I don't know if any are still in production.
The ones I saw were not high quality.

 

[dfariswheel]

The 1911 doesn't need a ambidextrous slide stop or safety.

The 1911 is one gun in which lefty shooters actually have an advantage.

While most right-handed people have to shift their grip to reach the slide stop or mag catch, left-handed people can simply reach up to the slide stop and down to the magazine catch with the trigger finger.

This not only takes your finger off the trigger, you don't have to shift your grip.
This actually works better than installing an ambi mag catch or a trouble-prone ambidextrous slide stop.

Before investing money try it. Without breaking your shooting grip, just reach up with the trigger finger and hit the slide stop, then down and drop the magazine.

 

[Jim K]

Quite a few 1911 users don't use the slide stop (slide release) at all, preferring to release the slide by retracting it and letting it go. This works no matter which hand grips the gun.

There may have been ambi slide release levers, but I don't recall any.

(There have been "mirror image" 1911's made, but those have everything reversed, including the magazine.)

Jim

 

[scotty]

I'm a lefty and I operate a 1911 exactly as dfariswheel describes. While I do prefer an ambi safety, there is no need to reverse the slide stop or mag catch.

Another down side I can see to an ambi slide stop is that it would have to be disassembled each time the gun was field stripped.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'm with Scotty. As a Southpaw, all I want is ambidextrious safety. As for the slide release, rack it! Keep all your drills simple (KISS principle) so as with Tap, Rack, Ready, rack it to recharge the chamber. Besides, more stuff, more things to get caught up in clothing too.

Then again, I hear tell a Randall Southpaw is available at GunBroker but you're going to have to pay for it.