Looking for a Randall Left handed 1911

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ZekeLuvs1911

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Hello everyone!
I'm looking for a rare Randall Arms M1911A1 in a lefty version. I've tried a few auction sites (Guns America, Auction Arms, Gunbroker,....) but I'm looking for a few other sources. Anyone got any ideas? Thanks!

ZekeLuvs1911
 
Randall

Howdy Zeke.

Good luck on your search. I've seen only 2 of those mirror image 1911s
over the past 40 years.

Now for the "Rain on your Parade" section. Sorry.

They were pretty shoddy pistols, on average..but that was to be expected I guess, since they were aimed at a very small segment. Though I realize
that southpaws are plentiful, not all of them were frantically searching
for a southpaw 1911, if they wanted a gun at all. The lefty issue had long been addressed with ambi controls that could be added to the pistol. Randall Arms probably figured on maybe one tenth of one percent of the southpaw market, so there wasn't a big incentive to build a truly high-quality pistol for such a small piece of the pie. This is not to suggest that there aren't some very good Randalls floating around out there, it's just that your chances of actually finding a good one are slim.

The small parts and accessories would also be very hard to come by.. Who
makes a switch-hit thumb safety or slidestop these days? How about
magazines? Mag springs? The only repair parts available would be the subject of an exhausting search...rather like trying to find an OEM hubcap for a Hudson Terraplane.

If your interest is purely as a curio collector, you can find one. I wouldn't
count too heavily on it actually working though.

Luck to ya!

Tuner
 
I wish someone would market a lefty 1911. Any folks from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, etc. listening?
 
Lefty Colts

Randy said:

I wish someone would market a lefty 1911. Any folks from Colt, Springfield, Kimber, etc. listening?

Oh, they hear ya...but it's the same old same. If they don't feel that the
demand would make it worth the effort to tool up, they won't do it.
It would require a completely new production line, and the tooling costs
would be prohibitively high. Supply and demand is the key, and profit
margins are the bottom line. If there was enough demand, it would have
already been a reality. Ultimately, that's what killed the Randall.

Somebody might do it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Cheers!
Tuner
 
Randy, I'm curious why you want a lefty 1911. I'm a southpaw and I think the gun is better suited for us than right-handed shooters: slide lock and mag release are easily operated with the trigger finger, ambi safety works just fine.
 
I just thought about it, do I really want left-handed 1911's out to be common place? No! Why? I can see me at the range now, with someone on my left with a standard 1911 chucking hot brass at my head and someone one my right with a left-handed 1911 chucking hot brass at my head. Bad enough getting it from one side, but both sides at the same time?:scrutiny:
 
Randall Southpaw

There was a dealer at the Puyallup, WA gun show that had one last year. I know he had it on his table for a least 2 or 3 shows.

I'll be going to another one the last weekend of this month ( Jan31, Feb1).
If he still has it I'll get the contact info for you.
 
Ah. Larryw. the key word is why do a I want one vs do I need one? I ave a righty and it is my regular carry gun. I love it and its the best shooting handgun I own. I agree that the 1911 is easy to operate lefthanded, and would be less friendly switched around. I think having a lefty would simply be 'cool'. Besides I like brass to fly the 'wrong way' as mentioned earlier. (Wait til I'm on the range with my left handed flintlock!):D Personally putting the cool factor away. I would love to see a good 12 ga. with a garand safety, an 18-20 inch barrel with screw-in chokes and ghost ring sights.......
 
Switch-Hit .45s

Thinkin' of a shooter standin' on the line with a pistol in each hand...
brass flyin in both directions. It evokes a vision of Dillinger or Clyde
Barrow shootin' his way out of a trap set by the "Laws"...Elliot Ness takin' down bathtub gin distillery in a warehouse in Chicago...I see flappers
and speakeasies...I hear a ragtime rendition of 42nd Street...

I think he may be onto somethin' here. I say we build it!:cool:
 
Hey Tuner:

I'm envisioning an old-timey slapstick comedy instead: The bad guy picks up his twin 1911s in the wrong hands and fires one shot from each. At that point, each ejection port gets clogged up: The gun on the right has flung an empty into the ejection port of the gun on the left, and vice-versa! :D Hey, I'll bet YOU could tune 'em to do that, couldn't ya? ;)
 
I wish all 1911s were left handed-and I'm right handed and eyed. Leftys have it better.
 
Randall Quality

I know a person who owns several of the left-handed/mirror-image Randalls. The quality of the guns is second to none. The owner of these does carry and shoot one a lot. Has for a long time. It is true that finding replacement parts can be a problem. Since there are others now making a left-handed 1911 it might be best to go with something in current production. Being right-handed meself, I use a standard Randall. Best production gun I have ever owned or shot. Beats a lot of the custom units I have run across.
 
The past issue of Gun list had an add run by a large shop with a left hand randall for sale. If you are interested I can get the number. The gun was priced at $1495.
Paul
 
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