Lefty 1911 ?

A 1911 is a 1911. I carried a Colt or USGI for for well over thirty years before going over to a Glock 21. The only thing not left-hand friendly is the thumb safety and even with that, I carried one with a standard safety for many years. It's pretty easy to learn to quickly flick off a left-sided safety with your left thumb.

The mag and slide release is set up perfectly for a left hander. You use your trigger finger for those. I have a couple of plastic guns with ambi mag releases and still use my left forefinger to drop the mags.

I wouldn't carry one of those specialty, left hand 1911 because it would be a handicap. Also don't see the point. Don't get me started about how double action revolvers are much easier to reload for left handers.
 
Any 1911 as long as you install a WC or EGW safety. They come with an extended hammer pin with a relief cut that fis in a channel cut into the ambi side of the safety. Those are the only ones that wont seperate over time.
 
I have 2 buddies that are lefties...and we all shoot Wilson Combat 1911's.../ an Ambi safety is a good option for lefties and Wilson combat has a number of different options for the safety for lefties ---bigger, wider, etc....

Wilson also offers a recessed slide lock pin ...so it makes it less likely to be bumped by the grip of a leftie....

both good options...

A new CQB ...or a Protector model ...( in 5" guns ) will cost you around $ 3,600 depending on the options you pick ( mag well, sights, finish, etc ).../ the lead time on a new order is still about 18 months.../ but there are a number of Wilsons for sale on Gun Broker from reputable dealers that have orders placed out far enough to be getting some inventory ...both in 9mm and .45 acp...( personally I like both calibers in a full sized, all steel 1911 - with a speed chute or mag well, ambi safety, recessed slide lock pin, rear battle sight, front fibre optic sight in green, Armor Tuff finish or all stainless...)...
 
As a lefty, you don't need a lefty 1911. Simply find one with, or have an ambi safety installed and you are good to go. With two seconds of practice, you can learn to drop the mag with your index finger.

Keep in mind, I own a lefty bolt action rifle and a few lefty guitars so I understand that sometimes a left handed version is a must. A left handed 1911 isn't one of those however.
 
I shoot left handed primarily due to an injury years ago. A bit of a learning curve for sure however it's very natural now and I don't have any ambi safeties. I have been retraining my right hand for nearly a year now and it has come back very quickly. Pleasant surprise. To answer your question, I have several brands of 1911 with single safeties and not a lick of difference between any of them. They are all standard G.I. style with the basic TSs, magazine releases, and SSs.
 
Using an ambi-safety on my colt. Unlike others have mentioned, I use my middle finger to drop the mag. My index stays high on the slide. Feels like I have more control or is at least more comfortable.
 
I always thought I wanted a 1911 with an ambi safety, but, after finally playing with one a friend bought, I found I actually don't like it.. I have a gi style Remington r1 with a standard gi safety and while I can, I actually have to try to flip the safety off and back on. It's too short for my left index finger. I also have a sw e series 1911 and the extended safety fixed everything I didn't like about the gi safety. I can unholster and flick my index finger up simultaneously without having to focus on the safety and I get it every time. Turning the safety back on is easier too. When I tried an ambi safety, I found I had learned to grip my 1911's in a way that presses my thumb sideways onto the safety absent on my own guns instead of under or on top so it feels awkward to me. I also think the extended ambi safety takes away the slimness of a 1911. If I were to have a safety by my thumb on a 1911 I would prefer a gi safety. Even then I'd probably use the right hand safety out of habit.
 
Been shooting left handed for around 70 years. Started shooting pistols right handed about 16-17 months ago because of a tremor in left hand.

I've found the controls all worked better shooting right handed. No surprise.:rolleyes:

Several of my newer guns have ambi controls. When shooting left handed, to keep in practice, I've found I never use the right side controls. Old habits are hard to break. The only times I use a right side control is shooting an HK right handed where I use a finger on the right hand to operate the magazine release lever and when checking the safety on my Kimber SOLO. The SOLO has ambi safety and it faces out in the holster.
 
If you truly feel the need for all left handed controls ambi slide & safety are easy to find, and there are several makes of right side mag. releases made. Mitchell Custom Guns and Cylinder and Slide are two that come to mind. And at some where under $200.00 for the mag release sure beats the price of a lefty gun.
 
I find the ones with a ambi safety the most user friendly for me.

I have a Stainless Springfield Champion, and a stainless Colt XSE Lightweight Commander that came with them, and had one installed on my Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II.
 
If you are a left hand shooter, you don't really NEED an ambi safety, you need a lefty safety. Ambi does no harm, though, usually. Just like it does for the right hand shooter.

If you want a true left hand 1911A1, I bet you could still find a Randall, and maybe even some magazines, (good luck!) cheaper than the $5k they want for the SouthPaw.

Looking at the link, the Southpaw is "full high end gun" and done for the left hand.

The Randal was standard gun left handed.

Have heard varying reports about Randall quality. No personal experience, sorry.

All I can say is Randall's left hand .45 hasn't been made in quite some time.

Good Luck.
 
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