Handguns for lefties?

[Monkeyleg]

A guy emailed me today, complaining about the lack of handguns made for left-handed folks. Why me? I don't know.

But his email got me thinking: does anyone produce revolvers or semi-auto's in left-handed models?

I know that you can put an ambi safety on a 1911, but you still have the mag release on the left side, as well as the slide lock.

I've never seen a revolver with the cylinder release on the right side.

A Glock is probably the most ambidextrous handgun I know of, but the mag release is still on the left side.

So, is there a handgun that is truly for southpaws?

[Moonclip]

There was a 1911 made just for leftys by Randall(the portsider?) Walther P38's/P1's eject to the left. Ruger P series guns seem to usually have ambi safeties and mag releases but not slide stops. SA revolvers are generally suited to left hand use.

[Rob1035]

Beretta 92s usually have ambi-safeties, and the mag release is easily swapped to left-status.

Me, personally, as a long time lefty, I can run most autoloaders just fine, as long as there is no safety (Glock, etc) or ambi. I just use my trigger finger on the mag release. I can't do sigs, its impossible for me to work that decocker; revolvers also suck for me

[Sistema1927]

Most semis are very easy for lefties to use:

1911 with an ambi
Glock
BHP with an ambi
Kahr
etc.

I use the trigger finger to eject the mags, and all is good.

Even the double actions, like the Makarov, are fine for us lefties since the "safety" is used more as a decocker than a safety.

[Scottmkiv]

I'm a lefty, and I don't really think shooting right-handed guns is much of a pain. I eject mags with the trigger finger, and push the safety down with my thumb. I guess it makes me a touch slower in theory, but it just doesn't seem like much of a problem to me.

[pax]

Look at H&K's P2000/P2000SK. Lots of ambi features, maybe the most ambi semi-auto handgun on the market.

pax

[ZXD9]

I'm a lefty and shoot a Springfield XD. Has an ambi-mag release. The only problem is working the slide lock on the left side. Not a big deal, I can release it with my trigger finger easy enough.

[Navy joe]

I am convinced that most pistols are better for left than for right. My only lefty requirement is an ambi safety or a gun that is safe off-safe such as a decocked DA, or Glock type. A gun without a ambi can still be run quickly, you have to learn to come overtop the gun with your right thumb while bringinging the hands togeter and before punching out on the draw. Done several matches with a 1911 like that. I think the big benefit is that I can run all the controls with my trigger finger. I have yet to see a right hander that can pull off a slicker slidelock reload due to the fact my trigger finger is already laying on the slide release when the mag seats. Revolvers are great too, the cylinder is right there on the left, ready to toss ammo in. All my dumb right hand has to do is hold the thing and close the cylinder. /the only lefty gun I want is a bolt rifle, and if prone right handed bolts are easier for me to work anyway. Adapt and overcome!

[tc300mag1]

Im a lefty most Semi autos arew lefty friendly except sigs.

As for wheelies single actions are perfect for a lefty but i dont have a problem shooting and wheel gun

[biere]

I want a mirror image 1911 just because I think that is a neat concept, but I sure as heck doubt I want to pay the asking price for it.

Lots of ideas have been mentioned and many of them come down to your palm size, your finger length, and the strength of certain fingers.

I have smallish hands but since I worked as a mechanic for a while I have strong fingers and can generally work mag releases and what not with my trigger finger.

I have trouble reaching some slide stops so I just make it a habit to load a fresh mag in the gun and then grab the back of the slide and pull it back and release the slide.

And on double action revolvers I personally don't think it matters much. It helps to run some searches about doing reloads with speedloaders in the revolver section here so you can see the steps involved and in some of the posts people have mentioned what a lefty should do differently.

The type gun that needs to be adaptable is a bull pup type rifle where the brass will be hitting you in the head if you switch shoulders. Of course one bullpup design coming down the road throws brass forwards so that you can switch shoulders with it.

Overall I think you should see what guns fit your hands and part of it fitting your hands is that the controls are reachable and workable for your size and strength of hand.

[Standing Wolf]

I know that you can put an ambi safety on a 1911, but you still have the mag release on the left side, as well as the slide lock.

You can at least install an ambidextrous magazine release.

Actually, left-handers might want to think about the Single Action Army and its clones, which are decidedly left-handed guns, probably because Samuel Colt was a southpaw.

[Tokugawa]

HK P7, totally ambi.

[Graystar]

It aint a left-handed semi until it ejects to the left. There may be a few out there...but I don't know of any.

[waterhouse]

+1 on the H&K advice above. I'm right handed but I used my trigger finger to do mag drops on my USP, and the P7s are pretty much completely ambi.

[trey gil]

I'm a leftie and I have no problem with Sigs, LOVE EM!
Do keep in mind that the more types of handguns you shoot, the less beneifit there will be to customize for the left hand. I finally switched the mag. release on my Beretta to the right side so it would be easier for me as a leftie (I finally get to use my thumb on the button like the big boys do). Alas, I don't like it...half the time I try to push the button on the side it used to be on. Seeing how on some handguns the mag. realase button cannot be moved to the right side, why not just always leave it on the left....I find it helps to avoid any confusion when switching between guns.
Just my experience on the subject.

Trey

[Texfire]

As far as I am concerned, any gun with no safety or an ambi safety is a lefty gun. I have absolutely no problem with hitting the mag release with my trigger finger or slingshotting the slide after a mag reload.

[NMshooter]

With the exception of the controls on the SIG and some difficulty with safeties on certain single action autos I have found most pistols to be friendly to either hand.

It still takes practice regardless of which hand you use to hold the handgun.

I do not have any difficulties shooting, or reloading, just with manipulation of certain safeties and decockers.

Grasping the slide with the off hand is a certain method of releasing the slide, works regardless of the auto.

With revolvers it is generally easier to hold the frame and cylinder with the right hand while loading with the left, for left handed shooting.

Hope this helps.

[10-Ring]

My first thought when I see these "lefty" threads is of the HK P7M8, mag release and slide release can be easily manipulated w/o mods w/ either hand

[AirForceShooter]

back in the 60's Curtis LeMay, Chief of Staff of the USAF had Colt make a series of lefty 1911. I mean real lefty pistols.

Try to find one. It's impossible.

AFS

[Agrippa]

CZ makes a number of lefty-friendly pistols. As a left handed shooter, I enjoy using my G19, my FN HP-SA, and my CZ-85B. I would like to add another 1911 to the collection, but I am worried about the durability of the ambi safetys on the market. Any suggestions?

[EddieCoyle]

I'm a lefty and like others have posted, find all autoloaders (except the Sig's) easy to use. I operate the mag release and slide release with my trigger finger without even thinking about it. My favorite autoloader is my S&W 4506. It has an ambi decocker/safety.

[Lennyjoe]

The most user friendly gun I have is a Bersa Mini-Firestorm in .45 ACP.

Has safety and slide release on both sides.

http://www.bersa-llama.com/img/guns/bersa_thunder45_sn_large.gif

[blackedoutharley]

The most user friendly gun I have is a Bersa Mini-Firestorm in .45 ACP.

Has safety and slide release on both sides.

http://www.bersa-llama.com/img/guns/bersa_thunder45_sn_large.gif

I was going to say that! the mag release is also reversable for lefty or righty. I really want one of these just because of its size, the 45 acp round and its "lefty friendly" design. How does it shood Lennyjoe??
and how much $$ was it?

[cuteo100]

H&K P7, in any flavor! Both sides look exactly the same! No equals!

http://rcfalcon.com/stuff/P7M8/3.JPG

[Amish_Bill]

P99 has an ambi mag release.
Slide release is still single-sided though.

[Erinyes]

Any ambi or no safety auto works just fine for me. Or for that matter any DA/SA, since I only use the safety as a decocker. My BHP feels like it was designed for a lefty. Ambi safety and symmetrical grip contours along with controls that are very easily manipulated by either my middle or trigger fingers (middle for the mag release, trigger for the slide stop). Once I find some good grips for it, my P38 will be perfect (ejects to the left, though I've never had a problem with any auto in this regard, and has a heel mag release). Since it's DA/SA, the righty-only safety doesn't even factor in.

Oh, and I agree on the SAA. With the loading port on the right side, it was obviously designed as a left handed gun.

Out of curiosity, have any of you fellow lefties been beaned by an ejected case? I usually have the gun held roughly center in relation to my body, the only difference is which hand is where. I really don't see how it matters in which direction the spent case is going...

[TooTech]

I'm a lefty, and have never been concerned with whether the pistols ejects empties to the left or right.

Why does this seem to matter to people?

[Peter M. Eick]

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/eickpm/3p7s.jpg

These are totally ambi. Butt mag release works well in both hands. I have tried and I shoot pretty close to the same either hand.

By the way, I figured by now in the thread you have figured out these are H&k P7's (PSP versions)

[cortez kid]

Ruger revo's are very lefty-friendly. I read somewhere that Bill Ruger himself was a lefty.
kid

[Graystar]

I'm a lefty, and have never been concerned with whether the pistols ejects empties to the left or right.

Why does this seem to matter to people?Because some guns tend to spit cases nearly straight back and to the right. Not a problem for a righty, but it means a case in the face for a lefty.

[svtruth]

Promo ad for this film shows Mr. holding a left ejecting 1911 in his left hand, but may just be a flipped image.
Good luck.

[Zonamo]

1911 controls are actually very left-friendly except for the safety. But if you want a true left-handed 1911:

http://www.dlask.com/1911-11p1.htm

http://www.dlask.com/images/1911-11p1/left.jpg


Also, from Daly, an ambi Sig Clone:

http://www.charlesdaly.com/html/products/firearms/pistols/dalyzda/dalyzda.asp

http://www.charlesdaly.com/html/products/firearms/pistols/dalyzda/dalyzda.jpg

[geekWithA.45]

As a lefty, I find that most gun designers seem to be able to avoid lefty hostility.

As long as it's not outright hostile, (ie: 1911 w/out ambisafety, PPK safety) I can use it fine.


Of my many autoloaders, I've only made 1 modification: I reversed the mag release on my primary carry, (sig p245), which confuses the snot out of everyone else who shoots it. All the rest are stock.

[Moonclip]

graystar, the guns I mentioned, Walther P38/P1 and the portsider all eject to the left.

TooTech, some people find the brass being flinged across their field of vision unnerving.

CortezKid, what do you feel makes a Ruger revolver more lefty friendly than say a Colt or S&W DA or a Colt SAA?

[Boss Spearman]

The HK USP's safety can be switched to the right side for left handed shooting. I'll double check mine, I think it also has an ambidextrous mag release.

[lawson4]

The Browning PRO-9 and PRO-40 are ambi if you switch the mag release. Same with the FNP- series pistols.
Most semi's are at least lefty friendly if not true ambi or lefty.

lawson4

[pauli]

you know, i'm left handed, and my favorite gun is a k-frame. reloading is a bit awkward, but hey. though it would be pretty neat to have a lever on the right side that popped the cylinder to the right, as well as the one on the left going that way. really confuse people at the range ;)

i don't really care too much about the slide stop lever any more. i only use it if i'm putting a gun back in its case. don't get me wrong, i fully support the idea of ambi slide stops - i just probably wouldn't use them ;)

mag releases for autos should always be ambi. there is no valid reason for them not to be.

same goes for manual safeties, though i do prefer to skip them altogether.

given a good consistent ejection pattern (ie, somewhat forward) i prefer to have spent casings go across my field of vision - it helps me confirm that things are working properly.

except for that trailside that bounces casings off the lane divider and into my chest and neck, but that's a different matter.

[Lennyjoe]

[QUOTE]How does it shood Lennyjoe??
and how much $$ was it[QUOTE]

Shoots great. I use 230gr reloads for range work and 200gr +P for personal defense. Both group great at 15yds.

Extra mags are pretty pricey. Got mine for $39 each.

As for cost, you can find them for around $299.

I traded a Kel Tek .380 for it.

[Riktoven]

Supposedly the P99 is available with an elongated ambidexteous slide release.

It's listed on Walther's site, but I have yet to see one in the real world.

That would be the ticket.

[The_Antibubba]

Wait a sec...I though the Lefties were opposed to handguns?