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How lefty can I make the new Officer 1911

830 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Lovebaseball62 
#1 ·
After getting spoiled by my full sized 1911, a buddy wants to get one for himself, but a more compact one. I’ve essentially convinced him to give the new Officer sized 1911 a try, but he’s a lefty. I am sure that it will let you flip the magazine release around, and I know that you can’t do anything about the slide release. However, is there an option for a safety lever on the other side of the slide? Would Ruger need to do it or should any good gunsmith be able to do it?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
After getting spoiled by my full sized 1911, a buddy wants to get one for himself, but a more compact one. I’ve essentially convinced him to give the new Officer sized 1911 a try, but he’s a lefty. I am sure that it will let you flip the magazine release around, and I know that you can’t do anything about the slide release. However, is there an option for a safety lever on the other side of the slide? Would Ruger need to do it or should any good gunsmith be able to do it?



Thanks in advance.


Have your left-handed 1911 desiring friend come see me after one of my classes at Tyler Firearms. I'm a lefty that has been a 1911 guy since I carried one as an officer in the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment in the 1980's. Your friend does not need some funky modified 1911. There are a few simple tricks that once learned will make a regular 1911 work wonderfully for a lefty. I'm teaching classes at Tyler on 3/30, 4/6, 4/20, and 5/4. I'll give him what he needs for free if he comes in at 5:30 pm on any of those dates. Just send me a private message with his contact info.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for the nice offer, CavMan. Unfortunately - he lives down in south Florida! Which I don't think is near to you :) He says he will train and adjust to it. My hope is that even if it is officer-sized, there is still enough 1911 DNA in it that a standard right side safety can be fitted to it. (Otherwise I might have to buy it off him out of guilt for convincing him to get it in the first place - at a discount, of course... hmmm... not such a bad idea... LOL.)
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the tips, CavMan. I’m a lefty too and have a compact 1911 for CCW.
 
#8 ·
Ambidextrous 1911 safetys are available from several sources so getting one should be no problem. There is no reason to struggle with a right handed safety. Yes, it's possible to adapt but why do it? Ruger provides a factory ambidextrous safety on the "Target" and "Competition" versions of the SR1911 so they may be able to retrofit one to your buddies gun.

As to magazine releases, I'm left handed and actually find using my trigger finger to operate the mag release is easier and faster than using my thumb even on guns with ambidextrous or reversible releases.

The slide release can also be reached with your trigger finger but I always "slingshot" the slide so the release is a non-issue.
 
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