Ambix polymer 9mm handgun

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TonyEgg

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I'm a lefty, wife is right handed. Looking for polymer 9mm that has ambidex controls in the $400-$500 price range for me to use mostly and for her ocassionally.
Any recoms? To be used for HD and range, so thinking of compact the size of glock 19. Don't plan to carry
Thxs
 
Smith M&P - either with or without thumb safety
Springfield XD or XDm
Ruger SR9 and SR9c
Ruger P-series
Smith & Wesson Sigma
Smith & Wesson SD-series

Just a few off the top of my head.

As far as prices go, the M&P, XD and XDM will probably push over the $500 price point, but you can keep an eye out for a used one.

I have an SR9c that I paid just north of $400 for and yesterday at the gun show I saw some in the high $300s.

Ruger P-series are regularly in the high-$200s to low $300s. While chunkier than other poly pistols, they are rock solid.

The Sigma is low-$300s; the SDs seem to be priced about in the middle between Sigmas and M&Ps.

Q
 
Is an ambi mag catch a requirement, or can you live with a reversible mag catch?
 
S&W M&P pistols have ambi slide lock/release.

Most other semi-autos (and Glocks) do not have ambi slide lock/release.
 
I was going to ask quoheleth if the handguns he listed have ambidex slide releases.

Are there any handguns with ambi mag releases or are they all of the reversible variety?
My preference would be the former for simplicity sake so easily used by my wife and me during same range session for example
 
The HK P series guns are completely ambi but are out of your price range. Everything else, S&W M&P, Gen4 Glocks, etc, I believe is the reversible mag release, so it isn't totally ambi.
 
Ambi slide release - M&P does for certain. The others, I don't know. I'm a lefty and never worry about the ambi - I just reach up with either my trigger or middle finger and hit the release. Ditto with the mag release. IMHO, it's easier to hit the mag release when it's on the left side of the gun than when on the right!

Edit: CORRECTION: SR9c does NOT have ambi slide release. Just goes to show how I don't worry about it!

Q
 
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Are there any handguns with ambi mag releases
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Springfield XD (maybe XDm, not sure)
Walther PPS / P99 have a flipper under the trigger guard
HK makes some with the flipper mag release also
Anything with a heel release
 
Gen4 glocks have ambi mag release. But not slide. Wouldn't be hard to do though.
 
Are there any handguns with ambi mag releases or are they all of the reversible variety?
Click to expand...

It isn't hard to adapt to a single sided mag release...one of you just need to learn to use your trigger finger. For any folks this is actually faster and easier.

If it weren't for your budget, I've always felt the H&K P7 (either PSP or M8) was the ultimate ambi pistol...oops, disregard, forgot about the polymer requirement

Has anyone mentioned the SigPro 2022...last I saw they were ~$400 with night sights and 3 mags (could have been a special)
 
For My fellow lefties out there,you don't see a speed disadvantage Using handguns with right hand controls. Does it not make much of difference?
 
Are there any handguns with ambi mag releases or are they all of the reversible variety? My preference would be the former ...
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Tony, other than H&K, Ruger semi's like P95 are the only ones I can think of that come with ambi mag releases (both of them installed and work at the same time).

Most semi-autos have "reversible" mag releases, so only one side works at a time.
For My fellow lefties out there,you don't see a speed disadvantage Using handguns with right hand controls. Does it not make much of difference?
Click to expand...
My dad's a lefty and he chose the M&P because of the ambi slide lock/release. Of course, he had the mag release changed over. Until he bought the M&P, he simply learned to use his left index finger to release the slide or use the right hand to pull back on the slide to release (which many endorse).
 
Rugers have ambi safeties and mag releases. My dad is a lefty and he'd just slingshot the slide to unlock it. I find myself using the slide lock less frequently these days as well.
 
Surprised no one brought up the Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact Pro truly ambi on the slide release and safety with the reversible mag release.

Recently bought mine for $299 new in the box. 13+1 round capacity, comes with 2 mags, cool key chain, its polymer, decocker, double action, compact with a good grip and good visible sights. 9mm cheap to shoot. reliable. save more money for accersories or ammo.
 
I'm new to guns, so don't know much / haven't heard much about Bersas.

I took an 8 hour basic handgun class; they used Glock 17 /19s for the live range portion. Liked how they held in my hand.

I was surprised and did not expect that out of about 20 student, I was the only leftie. Surprisingly, the instructors didn't seem too prepared on showing me how to adapt with the Glocks, ie., whether to use my left hand middle finger or index finger for the slide lock/release and/or mag release. Using my left hand for those functions felt awkward.

Granted, I'm sure with practice, it'll be easier. I'm just not sure whether it'll prove to be a big deal/inconvenience/annoyance or not to have non-ambi handguns at later point in time when I'm more proficient. If it turns out that a leftie can do the mag switch and release the slide almost as fast as rightie without much thought, then I probably don't care.

I did a fair amount of research, and was very attracted to the Glock 19 for the optimal size, simplicity in field stripping, simple design and reliability and ruggedness/ability to take abuse. How does the Bersa Ultra compare?

Thanks again.
 
Surprisingly, the instructors didn't seem too prepared on showing me how to adapt with the Glocks, ie., whether to use my left hand middle finger or index finger for the slide lock/release and/or mag release. Using my left hand for those functions felt awkward.

...If it turns out that a leftie can do the mag switch and release the slide almost as fast as rightie without much thought, then I probably don't care.
Click to expand...

Teaching lefties isn't hard, I've taught several, it is only tough when they are cross eye dominate too.

On the Glock the mag is released with your trigger finger. You just take it out of the trigger guard, curl it and press the mag release...it is actually faster and safer than a righty doing it.

The slide is released from the locked back position, during a mag change, after you have inserted the mag...by reaching up over the top of the slide, grasping the rear of the slide and pulling back as your strong hand drives the frame forward. When the slide reaches the rear of it's travel, it slides out of your hand and slams forward to chamber a round as you re-establish you hold on the gun.

It is much easier to do than to write and is the technique taught at most schools regardless of handiness
 
I did a fair amount of research, and was very attracted to the Glock 19 for the optimal size, simplicity in field stripping, simple design and reliability and ruggedness/ability to take abuse. How does the Bersa Ultra compare?
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No comparison as you have already shot a Glock. Now, every pistol you shoot will be compared to the Glock (simplicity, no safety, light trigger, mild recoil and good accuracy, etc.).

The popularity of Glocks among new shooters is that it is often the pistol that outshoots most other pistols. We have done numerous range tests where new shooters who never shot a gun before stated it was the easiest to shoot and produced the smallest shot groups. Disclaimer - only sub $1000 pistols were compared.
 
There is the taurus 809 which you can find for under $500 and has a lifetime warranty.

Also, the FN fnx-9 which is a little over your price point. Both are completely ambidextrous.
 
No external safety on a Glock or Smith/Wesson Sigma so they're very lefty friendly and both are poly. I'm a lefty and carry the Sigma myself.


Mike
 
fnx is totally ambi

Slide release can be a bit of a pain to get to and the decocker/safty is oddly placed if you have large hands, but I still like it
 
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