FL-NC
Member
About 11% of the world is left handed. The military only issues right handed M4's and M16's. The lefties there do fine with them, for the most part. In my unit, they were allowed to have ambi safety/selectors installed. Just saying.
Left Handed AR
- Thread starter bullseye308
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right. but i was responding to berettaprof, not you (and I believe he was talking about ARs)
Skylerbone
Member
Your neighbor can order an complete upper and complete lower from RRA for $910 all-in. Dealer pricing from a friendly source should get that down to perhaps $825, maybe lower with the current glut of black rifles.
The other benefit is that he can build and price on their page if he wants to spend more.
The other benefit is that he can build and price on their page if he wants to spend more.
alsaqr
Member
"The military only issues right handed M4's and M16's."
Yep, the military issues cheap toilet paper too.
i've been shooting center fire rifles since 1953. i just love it when a right handed person tells me what is best for me, a lefty. Could care less about re-sale value, building a rifle, brass deflectors, etc. i want something designed for me.
My Stag Arms model 4-L rifle cost just shy of $900, including tax.
Yep, the military issues cheap toilet paper too.
i've been shooting center fire rifles since 1953. i just love it when a right handed person tells me what is best for me, a lefty. Could care less about re-sale value, building a rifle, brass deflectors, etc. i want something designed for me.
My Stag Arms model 4-L rifle cost just shy of $900, including tax.
OP
OP
bullseye308
Member
Thanks for all the info, I'll pass it along and let him decide what he wants. He does seem to be set on a lefty ar and I've offered to let him shoot mine before committing to a purchase.
berettaprofessor
Member
Yes, noted, but I'm buying a lefty AR, or lefty bolt, entirely for me. Resale, given my rate of selling my current guns, is not likely to be my concern.
No, I was talking about bolt guns. I don't have any trouble chambering a right-handed AR, I just don't like shooting them. And I know there are those lefties that train themselves to throw the bolt on a right hand bolt gun by reaching over, but it's hardly as intuitive nor as stealthy (if hunting) than throwing the bolt on a left-hand gun.
I am right handed/left eye dominant and shoot all long guns left hand. All my AR rifles are right hand with ambi safety selectors, most of my bolt actions are left hand. I stated in my previous two posts that a standard AR is just fine for a lefty. OP if your friend wants a left hand AR, let him buy it. I was giving you my personal experience (30 years) with the AR/M16 rifles as a lefty. He can get into a standard AR for half the price of a lefty and will be fine with it.
As far as bolt actions go, if I could afford it, I would have left hand bolts with right hand ejection. The reason as stated before, you don't have to tilt the rifle to inspect the chamber.
As far as bolt actions go, if I could afford it, I would have left hand bolts with right hand ejection. The reason as stated before, you don't have to tilt the rifle to inspect the chamber.
MachIVshooter
Member
Indignant much?
Nobody is telling anyone what's best for them. What you have here are a bunch of southpaws and right handed folks who practice ambi explaining that the standard pattern AR really doesn't present problems for left handed use, as well as the benefits of sticking to the standard. You're free to disregard, but don't insinuate or flat out accuse people of doing something they haven't. I'm sorry you've spent a lifetime dragging your hand across the ink and fighting with scissors, but don't take your frustration out on us. We're just offering friendly advice.
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Wisco
member
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- Dec 13, 2013
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- 1,239
Isn't that reason enough to become a righty?!?! That's why the nuns used to slap lefties with the ruler...
Back on topic, one week I did everything left handed. While I sucked compared to shooting righty, the M4 wasn't really difficult to use. If I had to do it now, I'd just get an ambi safety and ambi charging handle and call it good.
Sunray
Member
"...So do I..." Yep. Never had any problem with any semi-auto battle rifle, SMG or MG, shooting left. And AR's launch the empties about 20 feet anyway.
Yeah, while I have shot plenty of RH rifles just fine, I'm much happier with one that has LH or ambi controls.
In addition to ambi selectors, there are ambi charging handles too, which I also like to have.
I look at an RH rifle and think "meh, why would I put up with even the tiniest smigion of inconvenience, given all the great options we have to choose from, in our awesome freedom of firearms options?"
I've seen many people say that was one of the particularly awesome things about the AR market - the nearly endless options for customization. Some people really get into the customization, and hey, if it gets more people into owning guns, it's great as far as I'm concerned. (And if some grouse about Barbie and not needing all those options, well as near as I can tell, deep down they just enjoy grousing).
In addition to ambi selectors, there are ambi charging handles too, which I also like to have.
I look at an RH rifle and think "meh, why would I put up with even the tiniest smigion of inconvenience, given all the great options we have to choose from, in our awesome freedom of firearms options?"
I've seen many people say that was one of the particularly awesome things about the AR market - the nearly endless options for customization. Some people really get into the customization, and hey, if it gets more people into owning guns, it's great as far as I'm concerned. (And if some grouse about Barbie and not needing all those options, well as near as I can tell, deep down they just enjoy grousing).
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I have one AR, and it is left-handed Stag. It was an extremely thoughtful gift from my dad. I saw it at the local gun shop and commented on how it was cool to actually see a rifle built for lefties like my dad and me.
He snuck back and bought it later and told the guy behind the counter to call me in to do the paperwork. It's a fantastic shooter, and the first one I would grab in an emergency.
Would I have purchased it myself? Probably not. The left-handed parts, bolt, etc takes away from the Lego-ness of the platform. However it was a very kind gift from my dad, and it is nice to shoot a gun and not have shells fly in front of my nose.
If I were in the military and handed a RH rifle, I would be totally fine with it. However, as a private citizen, I like the idea of purchasing a bit of fluff and comfort for my shooting pleasure.
That said, the prepper in me says I should get a RH upper just in case I need a gun that is easily refurbished with stock parts.
He snuck back and bought it later and told the guy behind the counter to call me in to do the paperwork. It's a fantastic shooter, and the first one I would grab in an emergency.
Would I have purchased it myself? Probably not. The left-handed parts, bolt, etc takes away from the Lego-ness of the platform. However it was a very kind gift from my dad, and it is nice to shoot a gun and not have shells fly in front of my nose.
If I were in the military and handed a RH rifle, I would be totally fine with it. However, as a private citizen, I like the idea of purchasing a bit of fluff and comfort for my shooting pleasure.
That said, the prepper in me says I should get a RH upper just in case I need a gun that is easily refurbished with stock parts.
ny32182
Member
Another lefty here who would never buy a left handed AR.
They are lefty workable right out of the box. However, I swap to full ambi controls (selector, charging handle, mag release). The stock bolt catch is better for a lefty right out of the box.
Zero compromise, and not locked into proprietary parts. YMMV.
They are lefty workable right out of the box. However, I swap to full ambi controls (selector, charging handle, mag release). The stock bolt catch is better for a lefty right out of the box.
Zero compromise, and not locked into proprietary parts. YMMV.
MachIVshooter
Member
Yep. What time is lost using the support hand to depress the mag release is gained back being able to close the bolt with your trigger finger. The BAD lever was developed for righties, and I can't stand having those things in the trigger housing.
I have yet to see a perfect ambi- or LH mag release (and I have tried a few).
The Norgon is pretty stiff. Other designs (with a pivot) are quite easy to press, but are made of steel and should eventually eat into the alumninum of the lower. I'm tempted to just put some sort of small steel part just under the pivot point - not sure there's enough material and space to do it.
There are great options for charging handles and selectors that are ambi or LH, and as mentioned previously the bolt catch is LH friendly as-is, just not for the mag release, from what I've seen...
The Norgon is pretty stiff. Other designs (with a pivot) are quite easy to press, but are made of steel and should eventually eat into the alumninum of the lower. I'm tempted to just put some sort of small steel part just under the pivot point - not sure there's enough material and space to do it.
There are great options for charging handles and selectors that are ambi or LH, and as mentioned previously the bolt catch is LH friendly as-is, just not for the mag release, from what I've seen...
Hokie_PhD
Member
Wow lurking this thread has been fun.
From serious suggestions to insulting people for which hand is dominant.
It amazes me when I see this stuff. I'm right handed but mostly ambidextrous and my brother is left handed and pretty ambidextrous. I'm fortunate in that most people are right handed so right being preferred makes things easy. He like a few others, shoots right and it's no big deal.
All that said, I'm a believer is working both sides. One never knows when something will happen. Being able to shoot off of both sides is just something that makes sense if you're serious about developing your skills. And I highly encourage everyone to do so. But OP has to decide what is best for them. The civil responses giving choices summed up the possibilities. Now others may like them or not, but geeez, do we have to go down a road of getting nasty? I don't know about others but I'm sick of it. Seeing all of the fighting in our country is getting to me. How about we help stop it? Agree, disagree, but let's error on being extra civil. Some of us come here to relax and escape for a few minutes. And I'm pretty sure we all have a common interest in guns, shooting etc.
From serious suggestions to insulting people for which hand is dominant.
It amazes me when I see this stuff. I'm right handed but mostly ambidextrous and my brother is left handed and pretty ambidextrous. I'm fortunate in that most people are right handed so right being preferred makes things easy. He like a few others, shoots right and it's no big deal.
All that said, I'm a believer is working both sides. One never knows when something will happen. Being able to shoot off of both sides is just something that makes sense if you're serious about developing your skills. And I highly encourage everyone to do so. But OP has to decide what is best for them. The civil responses giving choices summed up the possibilities. Now others may like them or not, but geeez, do we have to go down a road of getting nasty? I don't know about others but I'm sick of it. Seeing all of the fighting in our country is getting to me. How about we help stop it? Agree, disagree, but let's error on being extra civil. Some of us come here to relax and escape for a few minutes. And I'm pretty sure we all have a common interest in guns, shooting etc.
I
Do you shoot hand guns left handed as well? That doesnt work for me either, but my best shooting is both eyes open with gun brought up to left eye. I let the rear sight and target blur if I cant fully adjust by partially closing right eye, and keep sharp focus on the front sight. I dont miss very much.
Russellc
Im 61 and been shooting all my life, right handed, left eye dominant. There are degrees of this and everyone is wired different. I have NEVER been able to shoot any long gun worth a goody crap left handed. Without a little practice, I am pretty near unsafe shooting left handed. I do practice a little left handed for that very reason. For any degree of accuracy and avoidance of outright clumsiness, I shoot right handed.
Do you shoot hand guns left handed as well? That doesnt work for me either, but my best shooting is both eyes open with gun brought up to left eye. I let the rear sight and target blur if I cant fully adjust by partially closing right eye, and keep sharp focus on the front sight. I dont miss very much.
Russellc
I shoot hand guns mostly with my right hand but can and do shoot them with my left also. Being right hand/left eye dominant benefits me. I shoot my rifle left hand and can swing the rifle down/away with left and draw/fire pistol with my right hand
Just goes to show, we are all a little different, and different things work for different folks, whether cross dominant, left hand, right hand, ambidextrous or whatever.
Russellc
Every time this subject comes up right handed folks swear lefties don't need a left handed fire arm. You also have a few southpaws that swear they do just fine with a right handed fire arm.
My suggestion to right handed folks is to start doing a few things left handed in a right handed world. They might finally understand that left handed firearms are much easier for southpaws to use.
Now, since we are talking about AR's in specific, things like charging handles, magazine releases, safeties, and ejection all work better if one has a firearm dedicated to the side of the body a person uses.
Can southpaws use right handed firearms? Yes, we've had to do it for centuries. But, with today's manufacturing techniques there is no reason one should have too.
My suggestion to right handed folks is to start doing a few things left handed in a right handed world. They might finally understand that left handed firearms are much easier for southpaws to use.
Now, since we are talking about AR's in specific, things like charging handles, magazine releases, safeties, and ejection all work better if one has a firearm dedicated to the side of the body a person uses.
Can southpaws use right handed firearms? Yes, we've had to do it for centuries. But, with today's manufacturing techniques there is no reason one should have too.
MachIVshooter
Member
Apparently you're just skimming the thread. Many of us righties practice Southpaw. While a number of handguns and some rifles are mildly annoying to use left handed, the AR isn't among them. Again, with bolt or slide releases, "right handed" ones are often easier to manipulate left handed. I can drop the slide lefty without budging my hand, where even with my long digits, right handed manipulation often requires rotating the firearm slightly.
I also use my left hand a good 30-40% of the time for fine motor stuff with my work, a requirement due to having only so many joints and not being able to get the right hand into many places. About the only thing I don't do proficiently with either hand is write, and my left handed throwing is a little less powerful and accurate. I'm sorry, but I think a lot of the grievances and indignation of the left handed folks is little more than whining. Yeah, using right handed scissors sucks with the left hand, and there are a few other things, but most of the implements we use are pretty ambidextrous. It comes down to muscle memory and being able to adapt. I drive RHD cars on occasion, and that feels alien, but it's not because I'm right handed; I promise a southpaw who spends their life operating LHD cars would find it equally odd.
The standard charging handle works equally well with left or right hand index and middle finger. And again, what you lose time wise operating the mag release with the support hand is gained back being able to drop the bolt with trigger finger. Selector manipulation with left trigger finger knuckle is every bit as easy as right thumb. And as mentioned several times, unless the upper is slick sided, the ejection to the right is a non-issue. A properly functioning AR kicks the cases 6-10 feet at the 2-4 O'Clock position, and if your eyes are looking where they should be, you won't notice cases any more than a righty, which is peripherally.
To reiterate, this is not speculative. I shoot left and right handed regularly except for bench work. Overcoming eye dominance is far more challenging than operating "right handed" controls lefty.
A lot of if a person can use the "wrong" handed equipment is how they personally are wired. I can do a lot of stuff left handed, even passably legible printing or handwriting, but a good friend of mine, in his own words, "can't pick his nose left handed".
The OP inquired about helping a friend (who had already made a decision) purchase a left handed AR. As usual the thread drifted. In this case with the inevitable "you don't need that, you need this that I like instead".
The OP inquired about helping a friend (who had already made a decision) purchase a left handed AR. As usual the thread drifted. In this case with the inevitable "you don't need that, you need this that I like instead".
greyling22
Member
I'm a lefty, and I hated the ar out of the box. Lefty safety helped, but it wasn't until I bought a used-but-still-overpriced raptor ambit charging handle that I stopped hating the controls. Bolt stop is still a small issue, but I am mostly ambivalent now. If they would get rid of the buffer tube racket with a jp silent capture spring I might actually like the platform.
Ya know, I don't have any problem using my "other" eye, beyond some astigmatism in it - overcoming eye dominance isn't a problem for me.
So I suppose I could dismiss your talk about the challenges of overcoming eye dominance as "whining".
But I realize that some people have an eye that is very dominant, some it's only a little, and a few appear to have no eye dominance issues at all - it's not just left or right, but a spectrum.
Likewise, handedness is actually a bit of a spectrum too, and someone who doesn't have a job that forces them to use their "off hand" for a good chunk of each day could be a much more of a disadvantage than you are, and thus experience more off an issue with right- (or left) handed controls. Personally, a few extra bits of metal is all it takes to turn something from right-handed to ambidextrous controls, so why not?
Different strokes for different folks, one of the nice things about freedom...
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