Left handed pistols

[Bruno2]

My 14 yr old daughter wants me to buy her a left handed or ambidextrious pistol for her. She has shot just about all of my pistols in the safe. Her biggest problem is she cant operate the slide on the full size auto loaders. I have tried different techniques that have seen , but , she just cant squeeze the slide tight enough to operate it w/o it sliding through their hands. So I considered buying her a mouse gun to start with. I think a 380 auto would maybe be light enough for her to operate it. I wonder though b/c she is so young that , is she legal to hold and operate a pistol at the sporting goods store?

I know 380 is hard to get ammo for now , but , I reload and I am pretty sure that I have some free range brass in 380. If I dont , I never have any trouble finding some when I go.

What do I need to watch out for when buying lefties or ambidextrious?

 

[azyogi]

Magazine releases I've had some that would drop the mag just from a normal left hand grip. Just hanging a safety on the other side don't make it so.

 

[Control]

I'm a lefty...

Make sure that if the gun has a manual safety it's ambidextrious or reversible. That's about it for lefty pistol shopping.

Mag releases are usually no big deal as leftys can use their index finger. Slide releases can be ignored (via the stabdard slingshot method) or sometimes they can be reached with the index finger as well.


Many 380s are blow back so don't assume they are all sprung weaker. Take her to the store and let her try out a few!

If she will consider it, you might want to try a S&W m60 revolver. That's my wife's personal favorite as she has trouble working the slide on autoloaders as well. Remember, its not "old fashion." Its "retro" or "punk" or "old school" or "reclaimed" or whatever buzz phrase she uses...

Another option is the Berreta 86 which is a .380 with a tip up barrel for loading. They can be found for $550 in excellent shape.

Good luck.

 

[oneounceload]

The HK P7 is the best ambi gun there is.

As far as your daughter - you and her should read : Thecorneredcat.com - written by a woman for women and giving different ways to rack a hard slide

 

[Nushif]

Also consider that "mouseguns" (why on earth are they called that!?) are harder to shoot than normal and the slides are usually more stiff than fullsizes.

 

[collector rob]

How about a Sig P250? Slide release is ambidexterous, and there is no external safety. The DAO pull is super smooth and light.

 

[Dnaltrop]

You're a good dad.

My family had a rule that if you couldn't operate it on your own, you had to wait.

Age.... My just-8-yr-old received the family Marlin 101 .22 (about 100 years old) and she can *just* cock it. The marlin hit this little boy's hands at 6.

I was allowed the use of the wwII M&P .38 for a few years before I could pull the slide on the pesky .22 semis. The first time I could draw the slide, I promptly scuffed the HELL out of the gun from the slide bite.

Don't discount the bigger guns, My little sister was handling a .357 at 14 with no issues, though you obviously know your own kid, little girls will keep you hopping.

 

[Quoheleth]

I'm a lefty and I have very small hands. My 12-year old (righty) shoots my pistols with no problem, so let me tell you what works for us.

- Smith & Wesson M&P with the small backstrap for her, the larger backstrap for me. Ambi slide & mag release. No thumb safety to mess with.

- CZ85. Ambi thumb safety and slide release. Mag release is on left side of grip, but I use my middle ("bird") finger to hit it with no problems.

- Smith model 15 .38 Spcl revolver. Yeah, the cylinder release is on the left side which makes reloading a bit slower but it can be accomplished with a little practice w/out difficulty.

- I would suggest staying away from little .380s. There is a reason folks say "carry lots, shoot little". I am amazed at the snappiness of that pipsqueek cartridge out of my Taurus 738. Likewise, while reloading it is not impossible, it is slow and challenging due to component size. It quickly takes the fun out of reloading. If you want to go .380, try the Bersa Thunder. It is a slightly larger frame gun than a "mouse gun" and, therefore, soaks up a bit more recoil.

- I like the CZ82 in 9mm Mak. You can also get an aftermarket CZ83 barrel in .380 and you have two guns in one frame!

Mid- and large frame guns will be easier to her to handle, probably, and definitely easier to shoot well. My daughter also loves my Browning Buckmark. It's definitely not ambi-friendly (for me) but it's a great training gun, cheap to run, and accurate as anyone who can shoot.

Q

 

[Bruno2]

If she will consider it, you might want to try a S&W m60 revolver. That's my wife's personal favorite as she has trouble working the slide on autoloaders as well. Remember, its not "old fashion." Its "retro" or "punk" or "old school" or "reclaimed" or whatever buzz phrase she uses...

Big +1 on that control.

When I hear a bump in the night 9 times out of 10 I grab a wheel gun. Simple, reliable and safe.

 

[BCCL]

Charter Arms Southpaw .38 special? Full lefty revolver.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I am left handed. The only addition that semiauto pistols require IMO is an ambidextrous safety, and that's really only necessary if the gun is being carried. If it's a range gun it's not mandatory. I use the middle finger on my left hand to drop the magazine on my 1911, BHP, XD, etc.

However, consider a used S&W K-Frame, such as a Model 10 or 64 (fixed sights) or 15 or 67 (adjustable sights). The stock K-Frame grip size tends to fit most people pretty well, but the grips are easily changed to accommodate different hands. .38 Special is common and comes in a wide variety of loads. 148 grain wadcutters or 130 grain ball have light recoil, but when she gets more experience she can load with +Ps for defense.

I would not recommend a J-Frame for a new shooter, unless it's a .22 and has a 4" or 5" barrel. J-Frames in .38 Special kick, and those with short barrels are difficult to shoot accurately.

Blowback operated .380s and 9x18s tend to have pretty snappy recoil, and the slide may not be any easier to operate than a locked breech 9mm.

You might have her try our a Ruger or Browning .22 autoloader in a store to see if she can work the action. One of those would be an excellent gun to learn on. Little recoil and cheap ammo which means she'll be able to shoot a lot.

 

[Rod4277]

I'm a left handed and most importantly left eye dominate shooter. I own several handguns including a Sig P229DAK 357SIG, Springfield Armory 1911 A1 45ACP, SCCY CPX-1 9mm, Ruger P345 45ACP, Ruger GP-100.

When I bought the Sig I thought about having the mag. release reversed but never did. I can easily use my trigger finger. The gun is DA only so there is no safety.

The 1911 I simply just installed ambidextrous thumb safety.

As for your daughter I would consider a Kel-Tech or the SCCY CPX-1 in 9mm. I own the SCCY which is a new firearm company and for $300 a good price. I has a manual ambidextrous thumb safety and double strike capability. The force required is much less that those full size autos.

Take a look at http://www.sccyindustries.com/2009/CPX_1_Black.html

Have a great day!

… Rod

 

[ms6852]

Taurus makes a semi auto in 22lr which breaks open, than you put a bullet close it and it is a semi. But I would recommend another year go buy and weight lifting if she cannot operate the slide in the various techniques you have tried to teach her.

 

[mustang_steve]

Mouseguns are a bad idea, unless it's a .22LR with a tip-up barrel.

Reason is a mousegun will often have stronger springs than a larger firearm for the reasoning that there's less slide movement, thus to prevent "bottoming out", there has to be a stronger spring. Recoil management is a whole other issue as well.

Consider a firearm with front serrations so she can get a solid top-slide grip on it. I find many people prefer this as it's more ergonomic to them.

Honestly, I'd have her stick with revolvers until she can rack the slide of a Glock, 1911 or Beretta 92 without any problems.

I saw a mention of a SCCY, I own one as well, it's my daily carry. It's accurate and reliable...but slide actualtion can be difficult, recoil can be snappy to brutal depending on ammo selection, and it has some quirks (all of them happen due to bad shooting form, including safety lever related issues, proper grip and proper 2-handed firing will resolve all issues with this pistol.), however has proven itself incredibly reliable. 1400 rounds so far, and it's doing great.

 

[Wolfeye]

I'd give +1 on the recommendation for a Charter Arms Southpaw. I've no direct experience with Charter Arms, but I had a friend who liked them, which would be enough for me to give them a look. Beyond that, I think continuing to look for ambidextrous autos might be her best bet. Letting your daughter pick a gun for herself is very important, otherwise it won't really be "her gun". I'd get in contact with your local police about whether it's okay for her to handle them in the shop; I'm sure it differs from state to state. Most of the cops I've talked to are friendly about gun talk.

On a side note, the issue with revolvers is mainly whether a small shooter can pull the trigger. It can sometimes be helped by changing grips, adding a trigger shoe, or changing springs, though I wouldn't go too crazy with springs otherwise you can affect the gun's reliability & safety. Also, some revolvers' trigger pulls can improve if you dry-fire them a few hundred times with snap-caps first.

 

[omegaflame]

what about a 22LR conversion on a full size gun like a glock or 1911. Considering the weight of the slides the force to rack them should be really small.

 

[6x6pinz]

The Sphinx 380 AT has full ambi controls. The sphinx is also about as reliable as a firearm can get.
I would also take a look at the Walther P5 as it ejects out to the left, many of my lefty friends enjoy shooting this pistol.
People need to look around, the 380 round is back in stock in most places and very plentiful. The price has even come down to a point where I restocked after the little drought we had.

 

[xphunter]

I am a lefty, and I would consider the Glock 17.
3rd Gen's have interchangeable backstraps that will give better fit for different size hands.
I do not recommend a small gun for a girl or a lady, as they are harder to shoot, and will have more recoil. Plus it is easier to make safety mistakes with the little pistols.

 

[CPshooter]

Forget .380. There's no reason the girl can't learn to handle the 9mm. Also, if you actually want her to practice with the gun, she won't be able to if you can't locate affordable .380 ammo.

H&K makes the best ambidextrous pistols out there IMHO. A P2000 in 9mm would be a fine weapon for a young female shooter. Interchangeable back straps too.

 

[Manco]

The Smith & Wesson M&P is ambidextrous (except for the magazine release, which is reversible though), and it has ultra-grippy slide serrations.

 

[Jackal1]

SCCY CPX-1 in 9mm

My wife likes this gun since it's basically the smallest 9mm w/an ambidextrous thumb safety - but I'm hesitant to get it because SCCY is such a small company - I figure they'll go out of business any moment. I live near their facility and I actually thought they were already out of business... It's good to know they're still going.

 

[bandk]

H&K P2000 or P2000sk, from one lefty to another. great pistol with everything left except for cartridge ejection.

 

[Rod4277]

The SCCY CPX-1 9mm is just $300 so I wouldn't worry about them going out of business. I have found the CPX-1 reliable and great concealed carry gun. I acctually like it better thant the Kel-Tec 9mm.

 

[scbackpacker]

Have a look at the Walther PK380. I'm not crazy about the 380 round but it's better than nothing. I'm a lefty and it is completely ambidextrous. I bought the PK for my wife who has arthritis pretty bad and she has difficulty pulling the slide on S&W 3913. Slide is easy to pull and the recoil is a whole lot less than my 3913. I may like the magazine release as time goes on but right now it's the only thing I don't like about the handgun. And the main thing is my wife likes this handgun and she likes to shoot it. This is the only pistol out of the revolvers and semi autos that I own she calls mine.

 

[ElToro]

Single action army colt or clone. Or ruger The loading gate is on the wrong side !