1911 Ambidextrous Safety Question

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  • Bill2905

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    I was just wondering how many of you left handed 1911 shooters have intentionally purchased one with an ambidextrous safety or have installed one.
     
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    Lefty here, my current 1911's all came with ambis. However, when I learned 1911 shooting and carrying there were not many ambi 1911's I could find or afford so I adapted with the single safety on left side. Actually got pretty decent with disabling when drawing and enabling when holstering.
     

    CladdaghBands

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    Lifelong southpaw. All of my current 1911's, my CZ97B and old Star M43 either were purchased because they had one already or have had ambidextrous thumb safeties installed. Before Armand Swenson came out with his ambi setup carrying a 1911 for SD (other than when required to in my service time) was clumsy and impractical. Heck, the Navy even required me to wear it in a RH FULL-FLAP HOLSTER, hammer down on an empty chamber and with a magazine containing only FIVE rounds in it while escorting prisoners to and from the brig. Until the Blessed Armand, all of my EDC handguns were of necessity revolvers.
     
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    DadSmith

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    I was just wondering how many of you left handed 1911 shooters have intentionally purchased one with an ambidextrous safety or have installed one.
    I'm right handed, but I practice with my left hand just in case my right hand/arm becomes inoperable. In which case if I carry cocked and locked. Without the ambitious safety it would definitely slow the process down a lot. It's bad enough getting your firearm drawn-out of the holster with my left hand having to deal with a safety is just another second or two I may not have.

    My Rock Ultra FS 10MM has an ambidextrous safety, my Ronin does not.
     

    Loganwildman

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    I either purchase firearms with the ambi-saftey or install them. Back in the 90's when I was big into competition, I tried an ambi slide release and mag release. The mag release worked well, but the slide release kept coming loose so I ditched it and learned to do it with my index finger.
     

    Leo

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    interesting. care to elaborate?
    I am not who you asked, but I do switch holster position to the left hip, butt forward. I use that when I am spending a lot of time driving in city traffic. I cannot smoothly draw from the right hip in a car with a seat belt on. I can smoothly cross draw.
     

    DadSmith

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    I am not who you asked, but I do switch holster position to the left hip, butt forward. I use that when I am spending a lot of time driving in city traffic. I cannot smoothly draw from the right hip in a car with a seat belt on. I can smoothly cross draw.
    Definitely a good idea if you drive a lot
     

    92FSTech

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    since no lefties have chimed in, as a right-handed shooter, I don't like ambi-safeties.
    Two weeks ago, I spent $55 and 3 hours of my life to remove the ambi and fit and blend a single-sided safety to my SA loaded. I hate them. I've had them get bumped and disengage the safety in the holster, and I've had them get bumped on during a string of fire.

    I don't like any manual safety lever on my carry guns, so the 1911 is pretty much a range gun for me. As such, the argument of being able to operate it under duress with my left hand is a non-starter. I'm glad they're an option for left-handed folks, but it's annoying when the LGS has the exact gun you want, but it has that accursed double-sided safety on it.
     

    Ruger_Ronin

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    I am not who you asked, but I do switch holster position to the left hip, butt forward. I use that when I am spending a lot of time driving in city traffic. I cannot smoothly draw from the right hip in a car with a seat belt on. I can smoothly cross draw.

    Good info
     

    warren5421

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    If doing a long drive, doing ballroom dancing, if my .32 isn't in the left pocket. If I plain an activity that will use my right side most it goes to the left side. A shoulder holster holster is used if there is going to be a lot of setting. I am ambudextris (sp), most of my brothers and sisters were left hand as was my mom. The schools made you use your right hand so I had lots of training.
    Playing cowboys and Indians I would draw with either hand. Both brothers were left handed but they use right hand to shoot with.
     
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    Leo

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    If doing a long drive, doing ballroom dancing, if my .32 isn't in the left pocket. If I plain an activity that will use my right side most it goes to the left side. A shoulder holster holster is used if there is going to be a lot of setting. I am ambudextris (sp), most of my brothers and sisters were left hand as was my mom. The schools made you use your right hand so I had lots of training.
    Playing cowboys and Indians I would draw with either hand. Both brothers were left handed but they use right hand to shoot with.

    Since you are ambidextrous, with lefty brothers, you might help me figure something out. The little neighbor boy is being made to write left handed. I don't know how they determined that to be correct. His penmanship is horrible, and they make him practice writing all the time. He hates e extra practice. I watch the kids play. He pushes toy cars with his right hand, he picks up things with his right hand. When the kids play sword games with sticks, he holds it in his right hand. When he climbs the ladder, he leads with his right hand and right foot. When he hits another kid it is with his right fist. Would you think he is a lefty? I know I need to stay out of it, it isn't my kid. I just kind of feel sorry when they yell at him.
     

    WebSnyper

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    Since you are ambidextrous, with lefty brothers, you might help me figure something out. The little neighbor boy is being made to write left handed. I don't know how they determined that to be correct. His penmanship is horrible, and they make him practice writing all the time. He hates e extra practice. I watch the kids play. He pushes toy cars with his right hand, he picks up things with his right hand. When the kids play sword games with sticks, he holds it in his right hand. When he climbs the ladder, he leads with his right hand and right foot. When he hits another kid it is with his right fist. Would you think he is a lefty? I know I need to stay out of it, it isn't my kid. I just kind of feel sorry when they yell at him.
    Parents doing this? How old is he?
     

    Bill2905

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    Since you are ambidextrous, with lefty brothers, you might help me figure something out. The little neighbor boy is being made to write left handed. I don't know how they determined that to be correct. His penmanship is horrible, and they make him practice writing all the time. He hates e extra practice. I watch the kids play. He pushes toy cars with his right hand, he picks up things with his right hand. When the kids play sword games with sticks, he holds it in his right hand. When he climbs the ladder, he leads with his right hand and right foot. When he hits another kid it is with his right fist. Would you think he is a lefty? I know I need to stay out of it, it isn't my kid. I just kind of feel sorry when they yell at him.
    Back in the day, I heard of strict parents forcing their left-handed child to do things right-handed but this is a first. Seems like a very cruel thing to do.

    I'm a lefty but I'm semi ambidextrous too. I wrote left handed up until age 6 when I broke my left wrist. After 8 weeks in a cast, the cast came off and I never stopped writing with my right hand. I throw left handed, shoot left handed, bat right handed, swing a golf club right handed, kick with my left foot, eat right handed, drive nails and use hand tools with either hand. I can't shoot any handgun or long gun right handed to save my life.
     
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