Anyone carry a 1911 left handed without a ambi safety? I’m not carrying my new to me sr1911 commander because of the right safety till I can get one and get it installed but was wondering if anyone carried LH without a ambi safety and how they do it if they do
1911 right hand safety for a lefty
- Thread starter Kwaynem
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Zerodefect
member
I've found the 1911 to be a bad choice for a lefty.
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
I shoot left handed and would not carry my 1911 without a left hand safety. I installed an ambi safety myself and it was very easy.
CapnMac
Member
I know people who do, and have adopted a drill where the y flop their thumb from one side to the other on draw.
I would not recommend that--it clearly wants a lot of not-even-on-the-same-shelf out-of-box stuff.
But, having been through the, ahem, fascinating, world of ambi 1911 safeties, I can understand why.
For those unaware, all ambi 1911 thumb safeties are two-piece. Only real difference is where the joint is. They all need fitting, which can be interesting in a number of ways (one of the lest best is where the end of the shaft and the frame are not co-planar; where the 'flat' of the safety is not exactly perpendicular is next in line).
Having the offside safety be 'wobbly' ranks right up there with having it not be certainly fixed. Mashing down with you thumb and nothing happens is not good. Having the safety snag on every fool thing in a one meter radius is equally undesirable.
If done in a factory, or by a very legit smith is a bit different. It's spendy, too--and rightfully so. It's also more than a pain if you need to disassemble the safety, too.
But, that's my 2¢
I would not recommend that--it clearly wants a lot of not-even-on-the-same-shelf out-of-box stuff.
But, having been through the, ahem, fascinating, world of ambi 1911 safeties, I can understand why.
For those unaware, all ambi 1911 thumb safeties are two-piece. Only real difference is where the joint is. They all need fitting, which can be interesting in a number of ways (one of the lest best is where the end of the shaft and the frame are not co-planar; where the 'flat' of the safety is not exactly perpendicular is next in line).
Having the offside safety be 'wobbly' ranks right up there with having it not be certainly fixed. Mashing down with you thumb and nothing happens is not good. Having the safety snag on every fool thing in a one meter radius is equally undesirable.
If done in a factory, or by a very legit smith is a bit different. It's spendy, too--and rightfully so. It's also more than a pain if you need to disassemble the safety, too.
But, that's my 2¢
Ramone
Member
I can't speak to the accuracy of it, but I have heard ( from more than one old timer) that southpaws were supposed to carry the .45 on the half cock notch as a safety.
Not ideal, obviously, but it's an option.
Not ideal, obviously, but it's an option.
Hangingrock
Member
In my USMC days when issued a 1911A1 you were issued the standard holster which was for use with the right hand. You were required to adapt and forget excuses such as being left-handed. That's just the way it was.
halfmoonclip
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I dunno, hammer down on a chambered round (carefully!).
If you're committed to carrying that much gun, there may be other choices.
Moon
If you're committed to carrying that much gun, there may be other choices.
Moon
I prefer to shoot south paw. The 1911 gets carried and shot with my right. I dont like how ambi safeties can get bumped and I dont like the inherent weakness of the 2 part design.
Its funny. I remember years ago when my wife and I watched The Walking Dead series on a weekly, can't miss it basis. Fan favorite Darrell Dixon had a brother by the name of Merle played by the always awesome Michael Rooker. At one point *Spoilers from about 10 years ago*, Merle gets his right hand cut off and fashions a bayonet to the stump. He continues to carry a 1911 in his left. I am wanting to say it was a non ambi set up, and I commented to my wife (who did not care in the least) that the 1911 is a terrible sidearm of choice for a lefty if it doesn't sport an ambi safety.
I have tried all manner of actuation with my left, and short of relying on the half cock, I dont see a way to do it. I just shoot righty.
Its funny. I remember years ago when my wife and I watched The Walking Dead series on a weekly, can't miss it basis. Fan favorite Darrell Dixon had a brother by the name of Merle played by the always awesome Michael Rooker. At one point *Spoilers from about 10 years ago*, Merle gets his right hand cut off and fashions a bayonet to the stump. He continues to carry a 1911 in his left. I am wanting to say it was a non ambi set up, and I commented to my wife (who did not care in the least) that the 1911 is a terrible sidearm of choice for a lefty if it doesn't sport an ambi safety.
I have tried all manner of actuation with my left, and short of relying on the half cock, I dont see a way to do it. I just shoot righty.
Sistema1927
Member
And I, as a lefty, have found just the opposite, once an ambi safety is installed.
The mag release can be easily manipulated with the trigger finger, I sometimes wonder how righties do it with their thumbs. The slide stop is just that, and not a slide release. Slingshotting is the order of the day. Lefties are not disfranchized from carrying the venerable old warhorse.
.455_Hunter
Member
As a teenager, I carried my brother's Llama .45 condition 3, so it didn't really matter.
All of my current 1911's have been retrofitted with military style low profile ambidextrous safeties.
All of my current 1911's have been retrofitted with military style low profile ambidextrous safeties.
JTQ
Member
I'm a righty with strong side only thumb safeties, and I've seen folks comment on using their left hand trigger finger to work the thumb safety. I've tried that, but I find that extremely difficult for me to do. It is much easier for me to use my left hand thumb to deactivate the safety if working the gun as a lefty.
What technique do you use to disengage the thumb safety for your non-ambidextrous 1911's.
Jim Watson
Member
I know of two southpaws with 1911s. One carried Condition 2; hammer down. I emulated him for a while before I realized he did it that way BECAUSE he was left-handed. I then started using the safety, Condition 1.
Another ham handed southpaw had broken at least two ambidextrous safeties of the original Swenson design by slamming them down on the fast draw in IDPA and USPSA. I showed him the King's, the first of the type retained by a headed action pin instead of an ear under the grip. It lasted longer but was still not durable enough for his use. So he bought a Glock.
So if you are left-handed and are going to use the right side lever every time you draw the gun, you need a strong one.
I think the Wilson Bulletproof and EGW are the first places to look.
Another ham handed southpaw had broken at least two ambidextrous safeties of the original Swenson design by slamming them down on the fast draw in IDPA and USPSA. I showed him the King's, the first of the type retained by a headed action pin instead of an ear under the grip. It lasted longer but was still not durable enough for his use. So he bought a Glock.
So if you are left-handed and are going to use the right side lever every time you draw the gun, you need a strong one.
I think the Wilson Bulletproof and EGW are the first places to look.
bangswitch
Member
Most any manual of arms you read on the 1911 will say the half-cock notch is not intended as a safety. In any case, with the pistol on half cock, you still have an additional step to bring the pistol into battery, you have to pull the hammer back. You might as well carry it C3 and rack the slide as you draw, or C2 if you're comfortable with the hammer down on a chambered round.
I'm right handed, but I practice left-handed shooting on all my handguns, never know if your strong side will be injured and you need the gun. Of the three 1911's I own, two have left side (right handed) thumb safeties only. I never use the left-handed thumb safety on my other 1911, so operating it is the same as the others. I also practice releasing the thumb safety as I draw, so by the time I have the pistol pointed at my target, I am ready to fire. My draw to aim is uninterrupted this way. Right handed is easy, left handed is a bit more clumsy, but like anything, it gets better with practice.
Going back to the ambi safety, I don't like it because the holsters use do not guard the frame in that area, making it possible that a shirttail, or rubbing against something, could potentially push the safety off. Not that it would create a unintended discharge, because there's still the grip safety, but because it creates a circumstance I'm not aware of related to the condition of the gun.
Carl N. Brown
Member
One of the combat training courses I went through required that you shift to "wrong hand" on a random selected target at discretion of the range officer. (Your "good" hand got wounded, whatever.)
Ambidextrous safety training (if not an actual ambidextrous safety) is a survival tool.
As usual individual experience may vary.
One size fits all is a fiction.
Maybe one size fits most floats.
Individual mileage may vary.
Ambidextrous safety training (if not an actual ambidextrous safety) is a survival tool.
As usual individual experience may vary.
One size fits all is a fiction.
Maybe one size fits most floats.
Individual mileage may vary.
DT Guy
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- Feb 23, 2003
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I've shot non-ambi 1911's in competition, since I agree about the weaknesses of the ambi safeties. I have to admit, if I were left-handed, I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying a non-ambi 1911 for defense.
Yes, it can be done, and I can do it; it's just not as quick or secure (lots of gun wiggling) as you'd want it to be while getting shot at.
Larry
Yes, it can be done, and I can do it; it's just not as quick or secure (lots of gun wiggling) as you'd want it to be while getting shot at.
Larry
herrwalther
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An Ambi safety or a right side only safety are a must for 1911 owners that fire wrong handed. Sure you can practice manipulating the safety for a right handed person with your left hand, but it will never be as intuitive. Also, there is an animal I did not know existed until searching for it: ambidextrous magazine release for a 1911. May want to look at these as well.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1030339193
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1030339193
For me it is a subconscious act, as I draw the hand gun I automatically use both the middle finger and the trigger finger together at the same time. I make a downward sweeping motion allowing the middle finger to come to the grip and the final motion of the finger finishes unlocking the safety remaining in the ready position for the trigger. I spent decades doing it in this fashion. You get the strength by flicking the wrist downward not counting only on the finger strength to do all the work.
Lennyjoe
Member
You can buy a leather holster that puts the security strap between the hammer and slide.
https://www.desantisholster.com/thumbbreak-scabbard-c-l/
https://www.desantisholster.com/thumbbreak-scabbard-c-l/
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