[TrapperReady]

Last Thanksgiving, my wife and I toted our shotguns along when visiting her parents. After our normal post-turkey recovery day, we took her dad out to shoot some sporting clays at a nearby club. Even though it had been over 30 years since he'd touched a shotgun, he broke 14 out of 50 and had a heck of a good time.

Needless to say, he's starting to look around for his own shotgun. I would wager pretty heavily that he'll be an occasional shooter at best, maybe getting out for clays 5 or 6 times per year, and maybe pheasants once or twice.

In any event, he's a lefty. While we were shooting, I let him use my Browning 425 O/U, which he liked. However, he's not too happy about the prices of most O/Us.

I talked with him a little bit, and we've narrowed down the requirements to the following:

1) Left-handed friendly design
2) 28" barrel w/ choke tubes
3) Wood stock (he hates black plastic)
4) Cost under $400
5) 3" chamber

My first thoughts were to a Browning BPS, with a left-handed 870 Wingmaster running just about neck and neck. Used would be fine (preferable in fact). I've considered a Baikal O/U, but all the ones I've seen have 26" barrels.

Am I missing out on anything? How do the values of the left-handed models hold up? If he went with a left-handed 870, what parts would not be interchangable with a "regular" model? I was thinking that if he got the BPS, it would be much easier to sell if he decided to down the line.

Also, if he goes with a used BPS, are there certain variations or model years which are better than others?

[Ullr]

Of the two, go with the Browning. As another member of the "sinistrous sixth," I've never had much luck trying to sell "backwards" guns. The BPS with bottom-feeding/ejecting and a tang mounted safety is about as ambidextrous as it gets. Don't know if you can find one new for <$400, though.

Another option is the Ithaca Model 37. IIRC, the M37 has a safety on the trigger-guard, which isn't so great for a lefty, but it's not impossible to work around it.

Mossbergs have tang safeties, but eject to the right -- it isn't bothersome to me, but some people don't like that.

[Badger Arms]

I'd go with the Ithaca first, Browning second. They are basically the same design. Ithaca sells a left handed safety that is simple to install.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Had a L/H 870 and sold it some years back. It wasn't a bad gun, but I was shooting everything other than it right handed.

Now, due to eyesight, I'm shooting everything left handed now; my R/H 870 included.

With the 870, there are two work-arounds. One is that the safety can be reversed. Ho, exactly I do not know, other than that drilling is involved. The other is go with a L/H trigger group; about $96 or so from Brownells.

I haven't noticed any problems with the ejection path being across my face.

Erick

[blades67]

Shooting my Winchester 1300 from my port side doesn't cause me any problems. I'd suggest to him to try a couple of pumps, shooting from both sides, before buying a left-handed shotgun. If shooting a right-handed gun from the port side doesn't bother him, he'll save himself some time looking for a good used gun.

[Dave McCracken]

Most of the southpaw COs I trained had other probs than dealing with RH weapons. Most were able to shoot as well as the RH majority.

The big change lefties have to make with the 870 is working the safety. I taught and used a method where one rotates the wrist and takes the safety off with the thumb and on with the index finger.

My suggestion is to have your FIL try different shotguns and see what lights his fire.Then,work up a MOA that suits...