Left handed 1911's?

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AlbertaMuskeg

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Are there any left handed (mag release mostly I am concerned with) models of 1911's or anything .40 and up?
 
Okay, sounds simple enough. I'll just have to go down to my local shop and try a few. Thanks!
 
The 1911 works for me right or left-handed - the safety's the only problem that I see, and there's ambi's for that (since I'm not a leftie, no problem).
 
Usually looks like this:

Image001.gif

when I do it. Of course we need to be proficient while holding it at other angles.

(sorry bad pic - just took it with a cellphone)

Cheers! beerchug.gif
 
The reason I ask is that I have an idea of trying some IPSC shooting once I get a bit more experience with autoloaders (have to get one first!)Rifles and shotguns my favorite now. I am a bit ambidextrous but prefer the left for sure. Well as usual I suppose the answer is practice. Thanks for the photo!
 
I'm not a lefty, but I know that some lefties are VERY fond of the ingenious ambidextrous 1911 magazine release from Cylinder & Slide. I also hear that they're very hard to find in stock anywhere .. and I don't even see them on the official site. Midway has 2 of them right now as of this post, better grab one up if you want it, even if you don't have a 1911 to put it on yet.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=856482
 
Smith & Alexander ambi-mag release...

I'd get a S&A ambi-mag release for the 1911a1 models. Try www.brownells.com . ;)

You can also get custom ambi-safety controls and maybe 1911a1 slide releases too.

RS

(left handed since 1970)
 
I didn't realize S&A made a version. I guess being a righty, I never paid much attention. I'm sure anything form S&A is a quality part, though significantly more expensive than the C&S one I mentioned.
 
When I was a boy back in the 1980s, a neighbor of my family had a 1911 called a 'Portsider'. It was a true, left-handed 1911 -- a full-blown isomer image of any standard, authentic 1911. The small firm that made them went away after only a few years, however, due in part to lack of demand, in part to lack of quality, and in part to the fact that they weren't making parts for their guns (having one was kinda like having a DeLorean).
 
With nothing other than the additon of an ambi safety, I am of the opinon the 1911 is better suited for left-handers than right: finger off trigger, hit mag release with index finger, insert mag, index finger hits slide release (or do it the correct way and pull/release slide w/ right hand) and back on trigger. All done w/o changing grip.
 
Randall used to make a left handed (mirror image) 1911A1 type pistol...that said, I am left handed and own 2 1911A1 type pistols...both Teddy Jacobson enhanced...Kimber Custom II and SiGARMS GSR Revolution STX (still with Teddy)...good luck,
Bill
 
+1 on what LarryW said. That's how I do it with my Springfield Loaded. I do need the ambi safety though. I tried standard safety and just couldn't reach it without changing my grip
 
I have been shooting 1911's left handed for more than 30 years. All that I have ever needed was an ambi safety. The trigger finger does everything else.

Honestly, I have to wonder how righties use the things since they seem perfect for lefties.
 
The reason I ask is that I have an idea of trying some IPSC shooting once I get a bit more experience with autoloaders
Click to expand...

As a similarly kinda-ambidextrous lefty who competes left-handed let me suggest this:

There's a competition subforum here on THR. Ask the above question there. Then ask it over at BE's board. Listen to these people. IPSC is a lot of fun, but you'll thank yourself if you get input from these guys before you lay out several hundred dollars for a pistol, only to find out that a) IPSC is really, really fun and b) whatever you just spent a lot of money on isn't particularly well suited to the sport.

Competition subforum

BE.com
 
I'll do that, thanks for the advise. I am waiting now for my restricted license to come through, so in the mean time (could be very long wait I am told!) it is the perfect time to do the research. Oh Canada!
...It is quite an adjustment coming from the states to live in a country were one is not really allowed to defend oneself... very strange.
For the curious... I found this site which explains gun laws in Canada for Americans. It is very helpful if you travel up here or through here en-route to Alaska. http://panda.com/canadaguns/
 
Last edited:
larryw: Jeff Cooper aggreed with you. He stated that the index finger is faster at releasing the magazine. Furthermore, he prefered the slide release to be on the opposite side from the thumbs to avoid accidentally hitting it saying that it was "rarely used and so should be tucked out of the way." I have found over the years that both statements are true.

I am a lefty and find the 1911 design perfect for left handed fire with an ambi safety.

What would be interesting to me is if someone built a 1911 with a single sided safety on the right side with the rest of the controls on left side. That would be ideal for a lefty. The same design inverted for right handed folks would also be ideal in my opinion.
 
This thread seems more or less over, but I thought I'd mention Caspian Arms. They had several fully left-handed kits (frame/slide + all parts) available as of a month or two ago. They wanted ~$2.5k each, though, so I just bought an ambi safety. :D
 
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