a couple of lefty AR questions, need opinions

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ArchStanton

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critical info: I'm left handed and that's not going to change.

I know Stag is the only company that makes a "left-handed" upper. From what I've seen, the mag release on the Stag Lefty AR is still on the wrong side and unreachable by a left handed shooter. It basically just puts the ejection port and forward assist on the left side and the safety on the right side (albeit without raised catches). It's also kinda hard to get ahold of the charging handle because of where the forward assist is relocated to.

Because of this, I've been told by people whom I trust that I should just get a right handed AR and make sure it has a brass deflector.

Can I (and please specify any difference between mil spec and standard in your answer) buy a righty AR and switch the mag release to the left side and the safety to the right? I know the mag release isn't going to move but doesn't someone make a piece that I can put on the left side that PULLS the mag release mechanism instead of pushing it from the right side? The safety isn't as important as I can still use my thumb if I can't switch it, but it'd be nice. Thanks in advance for any answers!

Now, opinion time.

Obviously if I get a lefty it will be a Stag.

I've narrowed the righty ARs down to a Windham Flat Top or a New Frontier G-15 G-TAC. They're about the same price. The Windham is readily available but not Mil Spec, the New Frontier would take me awhile to get but is Mil Spec. The New Frontier is more gun, but I'm kinda intrigued by the Windham story and want to try them out. Whatch'yall think?
 
About $300 more than I was looking to spend but you may have just sold one.

Looks like Ramen and Sriracha for a few weeks...
 
Okay, I'm a Southpaw, as well. Here's the deal, most righthanded folks will tell Southpaws to either convert or "just get used to it". Well, I don't agree.

So, I have a lefty Stag. And you're right about the mag release. But you can get an ambi release from Stag that deals with that, I did. I think they should put them on from the factory, but it's really not a big deal.

As to the charging handle, I haven't had a problem, but there are lefty and/or ambi charging handles out there that are fairly cheap. So with those, you now have a true lefty.

Two simple relatively inexpenive changes and the right handed folks of the world can take a flying leap.

Being somewhat cussed at times, one of my favorite things to do is shoot my lefthanded autos, rifle, pistol and shotgun around righthanded folks. Bugs the heck out of them that brass/shells come out the other side. I've actually had a couple "insist" I quit shooting as the left handed ejection "bothered" them. A simple response that right handed ejection bothers me usually shuts them up.

Now generally I'll move down to the far left of the line, when possible, but if I can't, I expect the same respect that right handed shooters show to other right handed shooters.
 
I'm a lefty. And I really like my left handed guns, but I couldn't justify the cost increase and limited resale market for a lefty AR. righty AR's do work fine for left handled people, just drop the mag with your thumb as you are using your offhand to swap mags anyway. I have medium sized hands and can drop the bolt with my trigger finger. As far as bolt on parts, I've been eyeballing the bad lever (or comparable product) to use to drop the bolt with my offhand thumb after I insert a new mag. And I do with that I had a lefty charging handle to use with my scope. Brass deflector keeps shells well away from my face.

A lefty selector switch is a must though.

And I believe DPMS makes a lefty AR called the "southpaw"

I believe dpms makes a lefty version called a southpaw.
 
Another southpaw checking in. The only modification I've made to my two Colt AR-15s to make them more lefty friendly has been to install DPMS ambidextrous selectors on them. Takes about 5 minutes. Remember to use a drop of blue Loctite on the screw.

The right side ejection has never been a problem (they have brass deflectors on the upper) and for the life of me I can't understand the "need" for a different charging handle. The only control I can't use left handed is the mag catch. Big deal.

FWIW, I shoot my AR-15s in practical rifle competition against righties and don't feel handicapped by RH/LH issues in the slightest. The main reason that I often finish in the middle of the pack is because I'm older, fatter, and run slower than the young guys.
 
Not left handed, but left eyed and learning to shoot left handed after finally giving in to my eye dominance.

Honestly, I've found the AR to be very lefty friendly as-issued. I can easily flip the safety by slightly shifting my grip and moving my left thumb over. Bolt release is already set up for left handed operation unless your fingers are short, but it works fine for me. I'll get the mag release by reaching under the gun if I'm slung up, or with my right thumb if not.

If you really want, get an ambi mag release and safety though, even right handed shooters seem to love them.
 
I'm south paw.


i just recently built an AR for my "correct" hand.


ambi saftey.
wilson paddle for the bolt release
ambi-catch magazine release.
i also bought a troy ambi mag release, but i didn't like it as much as the ambi-catch.


i can run everything from my left hand, it works VERY well.


i have a bravo company gunfighter bolt charging handle as well.
 
I'm a lefty. While I don't have an AR, I've observed they typically eject 90 degrees straight right. This means they're perfectly safe for a lefty to shoot unmodified. While you may want to install some ambidextrous features to adapt it to you, a right-handed AR will serve you just fine.

An AK is also safe. The vast majority of AK's eject 45 degrees forward. Their safety on the right side of the receiver is also quite handy. They're probably one of the most lefty-friendly guns out there.
 
i shoot AK's and AR's regularly. they don't hit my face FWIW...... now bull pups and other specific guns don't work for southpaws like me, but AR/AK's are no problem. my AK tosses them at 2:30, and my AR throws them at 4:00
 
An AK is also safe. The vast majority of AK's eject 45 degrees forward. Their safety on the right side of the receiver is also quite handy. They're probably one of the most lefty-friendly guns out there.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I find my AKs to be very lefty friendly. Also, my VZ-2008 (VZ-58 clone) would be perfect if the safety rotated the other way to put it on fire.
 
Several folks have stated that right handed ARs/AKs are lefty friendly. Possibly true. But this is exactly my point. Folks tell southpaws that they must adapt themselves to righthanded guns. I say "NO", we deserve completly left handed guns just as much as right handed folks deserve right handed guns.

The Southpaws that say that the right handed rifles work for them, are still caving in and going with the flow. This is the type of attitude that resulted in the low sales of Randall left handed 1911's. As a result, Randall went belly up.

Southpaws are different. And, it's up to southpaws to demand the same access to tools and equipment set up for lefties that right handed folks already have.

Imagine the outrage, today, if one race/religion/creed, insisted that those of another race/religion/creed convert in order to have access to all of the benefits that were available. Not having left handed products is a form of discrimination, like it or not.

Rant over.
 
I shoot long guns lefty. The stag lefty seems silly to me because as you pointed out, the lower is still a right-handed version (with an ambi safety). The bolt and mag release are still in the wrong place.

IF you can afford it, a couple of places make true ambi ARs. Knight's, POF< etc.

I shoot a colt SP1 slickside and have no issues with brass in my face.

The only thing that bothers me is the mag release. You can't drop the mag with your trigger finger. Slows down reloads. But it's workable.

I actually prefer the ejection port on the right side as you can easily identify problems without rotating the rifle.
 
I'm a Lefty as well, with 2 AR lowers and five uppers.

i think regular/ Righty AR's are fine for Lefties, AS LONG AS there is a brass deflector*, and an ambidextrous safety (really, ALL guns should have ambi- safeties.**)

I'd go further to say that if you're going to depend on the rifle in a combat situation you also NEED an Ambi mag release. I like the Troy ambi mag release over the others based on its size and location. In combat, moving dynamically, it may be necessary to use your other shoulder to limit your exposure; so without ambi-controls you are handicapped.

A side, but to me huge, benefit of staying with the righty guns is the interchangeability of parts, like .22lr conversions etc; but this is a growing market...more lefty stuff is available every day.

*: I got a nice cookie-cutter .224 circular scar on the right side of my forehead from shooting an old slick-side a couple years ago.

**:As a lefty, i find distinct disadvantage (sometimes bordering on danger) with Lefties using guns that have only right-handed safeties. Guns like the SKS and the FN49 come to mind.
 
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Shoot left. 2 AR's both with ambi safety(get one with no left side lever as you will feel it in your left hand when off) and mag release(norgon, by far the best). Ever thing else is a waste/show for a lefty(shooter). Have a good time they are a great weapon...
 
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Desidog, never had a problem with the SKS's safety. Nothing wrong with reaching under the trigger guard to work it.

Regarding AK's, there's a company that will install a left-side charging handle on your bolt carrier. They call it the Lightening Rod. The safety is better left as it is. It actually works better for a lefty than a righty. The rest of the gun doesn't care which hand you use.
 
As a lefty, I believe it is one of the best kept secrets in the business that ARs and AKs are actually better for a lefty than they are a righty.

AR - Install Ambi selector, and a Norgon ambi magazine catch. I would probably install these even if I were a right hander. For a lefty with these parts installed, you can now run the selector, magazine catch, and bolt catch with your strong hand without moving your firing grip, or maybe with some slight movement for the bolt catch if you have small hands. Right hander can't say the same without installing one of those goofy-ass "BAD" levers. Charging handle... I'm not sure what the tacticool method for the charging handle is these days, but you only need to run it if the gun malfunctions anyway, so I don't much care.

AK - CH and selector on the right side, perfectly positioned for a lefty. Mag catch is equally bad for both hands.

M1A - Much like the AK, but with ambi selector from the factory.
 
I just sold my Colt ar. I shot it left handed all the time. The only problem I had was gunpowder all over my face and hair. I never got hit by brass.
 
Personally, I find my standard AR controls just as easy to use lefty or righty.
I flip the safety with my second knuckle, release the bolt with my index finger, and release the mag with my right thumb while pulling the mag out. Since I charge the rifle by grabbing both sides of the handle regardless of which hand I'm using, it's effectively amidextrous there too.

In fact, lefties also have the advantage of not having to flip/reach over the rifle to whack the forward assist (not that it's really necessary or recommended at the range).
 
Left eye dominant and right handed. I've 6 ARs and have no problems using them with my left hand. I've 3 bolt rifles 2 right handed and a left handed bolt my only problem is trying to load the left handed bolt left handed. Tried to learn to shoot right handed and just couldn't get used to the "feel" of shooting right handed.
 
Thanks for all the info guys. Fact is, even if I wanted a lefty, they're about impossible to get. I'm looking at a 90+ day wait from Rock River.

I'm just going to get a righty and install some lefty parts on it.

So, any experience with Windham ARs? I like the price and I like the story.

Also, should I get one with the front sight permanently installed or just add sights to the rail? I had someone tell me that if I put a scope or red dot on it the front sight won't be in the way anyway, and if it all goes down I want steel sights just in case. Truth?
 
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