Operating a 1911 left handed

[nightchief]

For those who are left handed, when shooting left handed with one hand, how do you operate the safety on a 1911 if it does not have an ambidextrous safety?

NC

[seb5]

Trigger finger

[Arik]

Trigger finger. Some people can flip their thumb over. Seen it a few times although I would need 3 hands to do that.

Or rely on the grip safety.... just saying

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[tb417]

Trigger finger. In fact in the late 80's there was a reversible mag released that never took off, eventually they marketed it to right handers so they could use their trigger fingers too.

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[militarymoron]

For those who replied 'trigger finger'; how on earth do you do that in a fumble-free manner? (The OP asked about the thumb safety, not the mag release.)

I'm a lefty and used to flip the thumb safety off with my RIGHT thumb before moving the right hand back around to the normal support position before ambi safeties were widely available. A bit slow and awkward, but I never figured out an easier way.

[seb5]

For those who replied 'trigger finger'; how on earth do you do that in a fumble-free manner? (The OP asked about the thumb safety, not the mag release.)

I'm a lefty and used to flip the thumb safety off with my RIGHT thumb before moving the right hand back around to the normal support position before ambi safeties were widely available. A bit slow and awkward, but I never figured out an easier way.

I would draw with a very high grip, wiping off the safety on the upstroke as my grip settled in where it needed to be, not fast but it worked for me. To put it on I simply rolled the weapon somewhat inboard and up, breaking my shooting grip and wiping the safety on, sorta like using the knuckle of your left index finger to put the safety on an M4 back to safe.

[Drifting Fate]

Back in the day when I carried a 1911, my left handed drills would incorporate an "over the slide" technique. Can't say I ever liked it because it really breaks the grip and made me worried about fumbling the gun in a real-world incident, but I never came up with anything better, barring an ambi-safety of course.

[Wildcat]

Thumb over the top to disengage the safety. To re-engage the safety is a bit more awkward...which is why I have ambi safeties fitted to my 1911s. Trigger finger operates the rest of the (standard) controls.

FWIW I use a standard manual safety on the AR and operate it with the trigger finger when shooting left handed.

[Diamondback]

Left-hander here, no ambi--actually, I run an old-school GI stub-safety (it's what this gun was built with, no mods here). I usually go off-safe in holster when trouble starts showing itself, then loosen my grip just a little and nudge the rear with my right hand so the "web" between index finger and thumb pops it back up.

On the range, I reach over with my right thumb and pop it down, then take a breath and start my drill as normal.

[titsonritz]

I'm left-handed and just learned to shoot 1911's right handed.