Rifleman Q&A: The Portsider

by
posted on February 14, 2017
port.jpg

Q: On p. 139 of the 1987 edition of Gun Digest, there is a picture and mention of a Falcon Portsider Left Hand 1911 made by Falcon Firearms of Granada Hills, Calif. What became of Falcon Firearms, and did it ever produce such a gun? Are there other lefty M1911s?

A: Falcon Firearms Mfg. Co. was incorporated in Granada Hills, Calif., on July 10, 1985. The last statement it filed with the state was on July 24, 1989, and it appears to have gone out of business shortly thereafter. According to some sources, in 1986 the firm started producing a left-hand pistol patterned after the Colt Model 1911 that ejected to the left rather than to the right. As far as I can tell, there is no source available that gives the total production of these “Portsider” pistols. They are not commonly seen, but the 2016 Standard Catalog of Firearms gives prices for them as $225 for poor-condition examples up to $700 for those new in the box.

Several firms have made left-hand pistols; perhaps the most well-known was Randall Firearms Mfg. Co., which was incorporated in California in September 1982. That firm was also short-lived, and it is sometimes said that Falcon obtained the Randall tools and leftover parts. Randall made several versions of left-hand pistols. Reportedly its quality was exceptionally good and production quantities were modest, so collectors seem to value Randall pistols highly. The overall market for left-hand pistols does not appear to be adequate to support large-scale production, but there is at least one current manufacturer. Cabot Guns of Sarver, Pa. (cabotgun.com) produces full- and Commander-size left-ejecting pistols, as well as mirror-image, two-gun sets.

—Charles W. Pate

Latest

Precision Rimfire Christensen Arms
Precision Rimfire Christensen Arms

Review: Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rimfire Rifle

The Modern Precision Rimfire from Christensen Arms builds upon time-honored blueprints and is crafted from its maker's flash-forged carbon-fiber technology to create an accurate and fun-to-shoot repeating rifle.

New For 2025: H&K MR A4 Series

Building on its existing commercial line of MR556 and MR762 rifles, HK USA now offers A4 versions of both rifles, as well as large-format pistol variants.

Gun Of The Week: Smith & Wesson Model 1854

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and this time we have a modernized American lever-action to take to the range. Meet the Smith & Wesson Model 1854.

New For 2025: Kimber 2K11

With its new 2K11, Kimber now has a dedicated design based on the 2011 concept that comes loaded with a number of added features.

The Armed Citizen® Nov. 22, 2024

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Red Fifty: The Soviet 12.7 mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun

While the Browning .50-cal. M2 machine gun has been unequaled for more than a century, John Moses Browning’s genius design has had one significant 12.7 mm competitor: the Soviet DShK.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.