Running a 1911 Left handed.

[Rick Hodges]

After reading the review and comments on the Ruger 1911 I was struck by a comment to the review saying a left handed shooter should learn to operate the safety on a 1911 with his left hand.

I carried a Series 70 Colt 1911 for a number of years, but it was outfitted with an Armand Swenson ambi safety. I did carry a GI issue gun as an MP, but no one ever showed me an effective way to use the standard safety left handed. Is there some trick to it? How do other lefties operate the safety on standard Model 1911's?

[bhn22]

I would hate to try doing that under stress. I understand I'm far clumsier than anyone else here, but it looks like a dandy way to drop a gun.

[Dan Cash]

Try using your trigger finger to work the safety. It works well for me with standard commercial or mil-spec safeties. It might even be easier with those dad burn extended safeties.

[BruceB]

As a lefty with over forty years of living with 1911 pistols, my own pistols do have ambi safeties. These are carried cocked-and-locked.

When using a 1911 without an ambidextrous safety, I carry the gun in "Condition Two", which is hammer-down on the loaded chamber. It's quicker and safer (in my book) than messing with the right-hand safety, and my hand is large enough that I can cock the gun very easily. It's also a perfectly-safe carry mode, since a blow on the uncocked hammer positively cannot make the pistol fire.

I trust myself to NOT let the hammer fall while cocking or uncocking the gun. The possibility must be kept firmly in mind, though.

[scrapcan]

When I practice weak hand I try to practice the method that Phineas Bluster relayed. I also try to teach that to students in basic pistol if they are shooting from the left side with a non ambi safety. The method works well if you also use the two handed grip (IPSC style), then you have good control of the handgun also.

But I also agree with Bruce, condition 2 may be a much better way.

[HeavyMetal]

Grip the gun as usual during your draw use you right index finger to drop the safety as it is brought to bear on target.

To put the safety back "on" simply lift your left index finger high enough to click it into place.

This is much safer than the gymnastics suggested above at least until you fit an ambi safety to the gun.

As for real world issues with lefty shooters and "stock 1911"s? I'd carry that 1911 cocked and unlocked if I thought for one second I might need to use it in a serious matter.

Point in fact if I had that kind of warning a suitable long gun would be the primary weapon to carry with the 1911 in back up mode carried as described!

[Char-Gar]

I am a Southpaw and 50 years deep into 1911s. Like Bruce I carry them hammer down on loader chamber. Most often I cock the hammer with my right thumb as I slide into a two hand grip. I used to do it with my left thumb, but I have lots of arthritis in that joint these days.

With great reluctance, I have gone to a Glock for a defense handgun. Just point the creepy thing and pull the trigger. It will do bang, every time without exception. It has the reliability of a DA revolver. There is no way, I will ever warm up to it, but as a fighting handgun, there is none better.

[exile]

Interesting discussion, as I am a lefty.

exile

[bhn22]

As a lefty with over forty years of living with 1911 pistols, my own pistols do have ambi safeties. These are carried cocked-and-locked.

When using a 1911 without an ambidextrous safety, I carry the gun in "Condition Two", which is hammer-down on the loaded chamber. It's quicker and safer (in my book) than messing with the right-hand safety, and my hand is large enough that I can cock the gun very easily. It's also a perfectly-safe carry mode, since a blow on the uncocked hammer positively cannot make the pistol fire.

I trust myself to NOT let the hammer fall while cocking or uncocking the gun. The possibility must be kept firmly in mind, though.

Be practical then. This is probably the best solution of all.

[Matthew 25]

Chargar... a "creepy" Glock, that cracked me up.
Darn lefties anyways.

[98Redline]

"As for real world issues with lefty shooters and "stock 1911"s?..."


If I were to carry a 1911 for my CCW I would make sure that it has an ambi safety.
In fact my P-14 does sport an ambi safety although the cavernous mag well makes it somewhat difficult to conceal or carry comfortably.

When it comes down to it, how reasonable is it that your own CCW gun will not be outfitted the way YOU want it? If you want an ambi safety, put one on. If not then don't.

Not to start any sort of argument, but the thought of trying to deal with extra gyrations of getting your thumb over to the other side of the gun or using your weak hand to disengage the safety seems like a perfect reason NOT to carry a stock 1911 for a left handed shooter.
Will there be instances where I will have to shoot a 1911 without an ambi safety...probably, but those instances should be at the range where it really does not matter how long it takes me to turn the gun on it's side and disengage the safety.

Just my $0.02

[Bass Ackward]

I think people always make things too complicated or watch too much TV. Safety problem, what safety problem?

If the gun is hidden where you can't get it out right away anyway, you got all kinds of time to flip it off on and off again if you want too till ya get it up into position. Quick draws very seldom won from a concealed position even in the olden days.

And are you really just standing /squatting there when you begin this process? So while you are getting down or behind something, you got plenty of time to play with the safety too.

If you are just planning on standing there like on TV, you could buy a right handed holster. This keeps you from banging up the gun as you will always be using your left hand for lifting, working, important things anyway. Left side has so many disadvantages to boot. Darn seat belts in the way on the left. Car door too if you are spreading out these days. Besides, you don't want to show your hand to the world by mistake when you reach around for your wallet anyway.

Yep, both hands gotta come together if you are doing it right and care to send the very best. So as you bring the gun out and up with the right, it will take some time, so use the right hand to work the safety and transfer the gun as it comes up.

Regardless of what choice you eventually make, trust me, when the chips are down, that safety will come off so slick you won't even know or remember how it happened. I just hope that you have the gun with you cause it is really going to annoy you on the left side anyway. What worries me more is what it takes to get the gun pointed the correct direction as the darnedest things happen when you least expect them. That's why I am getting down.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

My Brother shoots lefty and hated training with the 1911 in Navy Bootcamp, Said it gave him headaches. ejected shells to the forehead.

Sam :D

[spqrzilla]

My own choice, but as a right handed shooter, is to not carry ambi safeties on 1911 carry guns.

My thinking is this. A right handed shooter carrying a 1911 on a belt holster or IWB holster, has the right side of the gun outward. An ambi safety may rub on something during daily wear and wipe off. Now I understand that a lefty has this problem with the stock safety anyway.

If you do choose to use an ambi safety, then I'd consider making sure that the safety plunger had a positive click feel to it to resist being wiped off in daily wear.

[gray wolf]

I am a rite hand shooter, the first thing I did was remove the ambi safety and replace it with a conventional single sided safety like the original. For me the less **** hanging off my defense pistol the better I like it.
My take on the lefty shooter is this. If you are going to carry a 1911 for self defense you better darn well be able to skin it and use it without thinking about racking slides or pulling hammers back. Condition one is the safest way to carry and deploy a 1911.
If a lefty has a conventional safety on the left side my advise is to practice until you can carry condition 1, drop the safety and fire the weapon fast enough to stay alive.
Not just play around at the range. If you can't master it get an ambi safety, if that gets all fouled up in your cloths or for some other reason does not work out--
then don't carry a 1911 to save your life. End of story, are we playing games here or what ?
My pistol comes out in Con.1 safety is off as part of the draw when the pistol is pointed.
If the safety isn't coming off it ain't coming out. I would rather have to put the safety back on instead of fumbling to click it off.
If I get shot in the strong hand during a gun fight a switch to the week hand is not a problem, the safety will be long time off anyway.
If any of us get shot while it's still in the holster we got a problem.

[462]

Randall Firearms, when they were in business, made left-handed 1911s. Considering the gun's constant popularity, I wonder why no other company has not chosen to follow suit. I'm a leftie who shoots rightie, but, if I weren't, I would willing pay a premium for a left-handed 1911.

[HeavyMetal]

Shot a few of the "lefty" Randall"s,, a right hand answer to a left hand problem!

Basically all they did was reverse the CNC "tape" and cut parts DUMB!

All they really needed to do was generate a CNC program that switched the safety only to the right side of the frame. The ejection port was fine and the mag release is easier for me to work with my index finger than it is for most right handed people to work with the thumb!

It was obvoius to me they never asked an experienced left handed 1911 shooter what they wanted... they just made it!

I'd have bought several of that design if they had done it "right".

[Artful]

I must be the odd duck out

- I am "ambi" and have carried 1911's on either side (or both together) and when operating "leftie" have no issues with the 1911.

On my competition gun, I have an extended safety (forward not outward much) sort of like this one pictured.
http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/thumbnail/329/329344.jpg

and just use the first joint (knuckle joint?) of my trigger finger to operate the saftey lever.

-I used left and right handed Rogers Laminated break front holsters for competition so started with trigger finger of either hand high up along the slide as it came out of holster and then with the downsweep of the trigger finger it removed the safetry off in lefty mode, and after shooting when I went to put my trigger finger up high on the slide it will sweep the safety back on.

for CCW my trigger finger finds the same spot (actually maybe even a little higher on the slide)


I'd consider making sure that the safety plunger had a positive click feel to it to resist being wiped off in daily wear.
I've never owned a 1911 that didn't have a positive "Click" feel and sound to the safety lever. And I have seen Ambi safety lever inadvertently moved to fire in holstered guns but that's why you Never Deactivate the grip safety.

[Multigunner]

My Brother shoots lefty and hated training with the 1911 in Navy Bootcamp, Said it gave him headaches. ejected shells to the forehead.

Sam :D
A friend was struck dead in the right eye by an ejected empty when firing from the hip while using his left hand. He had just told me that this couldn't happen, then an instant later the ejected case hit his eye case mouth on nearly cutting his cornea.

I practice shooting every gun I own lefthaned. My right hand was nearly useless for several years due to an injury so shooting lefty was the only way to shoot for some time.

I always prefered carrying the 1911 or any exposed hammer auto with hammer down on a chambered round. I first learned to shoot using single action revolvers, so cocking as I draw is instinctive.
The U S Army didn't consider condition one to be suited for long term carry, it was for when combat was imminent and the pistol secure in a heavy flap holster.
When cocked, and in a holster that does not provide good protection, the hammer is subject to breakage or bending if stuck a hard blow, dropped , or the carrier takes a fall or is slammed into an object during a struggle. This is known to happen, and leaves the pistol un useable till after an expensive trip to a gunsmith.

Far more accidental discharges have been the result of trusting a safety than due to dropping a pistol from a height great enough to allow a floating firing pin to set off a primer.
Tests have shown that at minimum the 1911 pistol would have to be held far over a persons head and dropped dead on the muzzle for there to be any chance of an AD. Besides which a sudden blow to the muzzle of a 1911 will usually force the barrel and slide back and out of battery.
Since the floating firing pin would have to gain momentum before striking a primer, the hammer back position would actually increase the travel, giving the pin longer to gain momentum. That and less initial spring pressure to resist forwards moment.

Some more modern 1911 style pistols have a firing pin latch, which would make it near impossible for the pin to move forwards unless the trigger were pulled.
Unfortunately these latches have proven to cause safety problems of there own if not properly heat treated, and have been the subject of recalls in recent years.

[gray wolf]

Some people shouldn't carry a 1911,
some people shouldn't carry anything--a stick maybe.
Good luck cocking a spur hammer under duress. Most folks have to loosen there grip just a little, or have to move the fingers and grip a little to cock a 45. then re grip and aim.

No thanks but thanks for the statistics.
No offense but I think I'm a hard sell on this one