Pistols for a southpaw?

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Are there any service pistols in the $300-$500 range that are ambi-ready out of the box or that can be made so with little time/money? The pistols I'm thinking about are (in order of preference right now)

Taurus PT92/99
Rock Island 1911
Some fullsize Glock variant in 9mm or .45ACP
Beretta 92FS

Right now the Taurus is ahead because I want something that has reasonably available standard capacity mags (someone told me they take M9 mags) is somewhat similar to military issue, and is reasonably priced (at the local funstore, Taurus's are $50 less than stock 1911s, $100 less than Glocks and about $150 less than Berettas). Do you have any suggestions?
 
As a southpaw.. I feel obligied to point out the sig-saur line of pistols. While the decocker feels a bit odd to manipulate at first, it really is quite leftie friendly.

Most people will recommend the sig 220 as one of the most accurate 45's out of the box.

I've fired a few glocks, can't recall them being of any particular difficulty. Slide release was a little hard to reach for me.

Have a springfield XD-9. Nice feel to it, points well. Slide release isnt that hard to manipulate. Cheaperthandirt has factory mags at $23 a pop new.
 
out of your price range I know................but there is no finer 'ambi' pistol than the HK P7M8


The slide release is done with the squeeze-cocker and the mag release is just above on the grip with a tab in either side for left or right, it is pushed down by droping the thumb just a bit while your trigger finger stays put.

To reaload you just push down with the thumb to drop the mag (which btw drops straight down/no angle), insert mag and squeeze & you are back in busniess.


do yourself a favor and try one before you buy anything
 
As a "lefty" I have a Taurus PT-99 and a PT-945. Both are great. I've been eyeballing a friend's Charles Daly 1911 though. Ambi safety and a great trigger ROOTB. All for $389. Accurate too, though it's not fond of 200 grain LSWC's. A little tweaking should cure that how-some-ever.
 
the best in that price range

I noticed you had mostly steel soo ...

CZ85. Ambi controls, incredibly accurate, durable, accesories and a following like no other.(they are sane unlike others)

CZFORUM.COM

In plastic look at the Springfield XD.

Axe
 
Ditto the CZ 85B if you want 9mm.

Otherwise, check out the alloy-framed Smith & Wesson Tactical Series ("TSW"), particularly the full-size 4003TSW in .40 S&W, although you might have to buy used or negotiate to get in on the high side of your price range.
 
I'm a lefty, and I use a Sistema 1911 with an ambi safety. I really like it, and I prefer manipulating the mag release with my trigger finger instead of my thumb. Same with the slide release. Throw in the great single-action trigger, and it's a very nice pistol.
 
I feel obligied to point out the sig-saur line of pistols. While the decocker feels a bit odd to manipulate at first, it really is quite leftie friendly.
I couldn't disagree more. I passed recently on a used 228 because I found the slide release and decocker VERY difficult to manipulate left-handed.
 
What rock jock said. Unless your left index finger bends in unnatural ways, the Sig is the worst gun for us leftys. I've come very close to buying a nice 220 that's been sitting in the case at my favorite shop a couple times, all I had to do was handle it for a very short while to change my mind.

1911 with ambi safety is a better gun for a left-handed shooter than a right-handed one. Others I like are USP v2 or HK P7.
 
ambi gun for lefties

As a lifelong lefty I like my P7M8 (too expensive) and my Walther P99. Both it and the SW99 make a fine ambi weapon with the mag release under the trigger guard.
 
I'm a lefty and my Browning High Power Practical, which came with an ambi safety, fits me like a glove.

BHPs may be out of your price range but you could pick up one of the Hungarian or Argentine clones and have an ambi safety fitted.
 
Odd. guess my fingers must bend in unnatural ways, never had a problem with the sig decockers. About the only decocker I *can* operate left-handed. . just a simple downward sweep with the trigger finger.
 
Any gun that fits in your hand is a good gun for a Southpaw.:D My handguns are made by SIG Sauer, Kimber, Walther, Glock, Colt, U.S. Patent Firearms, etc.:rolleyes:
 
I've gotten verymuch into the habit of hitting the mag release with my trigger finger. On my CZ-97 (which lacks an ambi safety), if I hold the pistol in my right hand, I can barely reach the mag release with my thumb. But it's just right with my trigger finger when in my left hand.

The Sig's decocker lever is very difficult to manipulate, though I don't consider it to be a problem. I mean, if the only safety is a decocker, who cares? It's not like you'll have to do an emergency combat decock.

The Ruger P-series has ambidextrious controls (at least the P89 and P90 do), including an ambi mag release, though they lack an ambi slide release. Again, that's okay, though, because on most pistols I can hit the slide release with my trigger finger. I can't imagine trying to hit some of them with my right thumb.

I like being left handed. :)
 
Nightcrawler: I'm not talking about decocking. Try the slide catch; that's the lever where the safety is normally found on a 1911.
 
I'm a lefty that likes Sigs, especially the P220. You can switch the mag release by unscrewing the grip panels on P-series Sigs, though after doing so, I switched it back -- punching the mag release with the trigger finger feels better to me. As for the decoker -- you never need to do that in a hurry, so that's no big deal. I find the slide release somewhat awkward to use, so I don't.

(1) Drop mag.
(2) Insert fresh mag with right hand.
(3) Pull back on slide slightly to disengage slide stop.
(4) Get right hand back to firing position.
(5) bang, bang, bang...

That works well for me, and is about as fast as the alternatice with a little practice. Sigs just point so naturally for me, I'm willing to put up with the "defect" of being unable to get the slide release with my thumb.
 
I find the slide release somewhat awkward to use, so I don't.
Well, that's is where we differ. I like to release the slide with my trigger finger and can do so easily on my Glock, P99, and 1911. That was the single biggest hangup for me on the Sig. Other than that, a fine pistol.
 
As a lefty I've become used to just pulling the slide back to release it. I use my middle finger for the mag release.

This works on every auto I've shot so far.

I don't use safeties. There's no such thing as a safe gun so why fool myself? That said, Glock is a pretty good choice as there are no switches to operate (hence no lefty/righty worries.)

But there are no lefty mag releases. I wish someone would make a reservable mag release. How hard can it be?
 
I slingshot every mag swap too...when I have two working hands, that is. For a defensive weapon, I generally consider it a good idea to be able to release the slide on a full mag if one hand/arm is disabled.
 
This lefty

carries a P90 or a G22. On both guns I can engage/release the slide catch with my trigger finger, and same for popping the mag. I almost always pull & release the slide to charge, anyway. P90 safety/decocker I can work with my thumb by letting my hand slide back a little. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

Then again, I've never owned or fired a true lefty gun in my life, so maybe I don't know what I've been missing.
 
I am a lefty. The only reason I stay away from Sigs is the slide release. Not placed where a lefty can get to it easly. Other than that my 220 was great. I find a 1911 with ambi safety is just right.
Even revolvers are not all that lefty friendly.

Mike
 
I have a Taurus PT99,and it works great lefty.I also just bought a colt Combat Commander and had an ambi safety put on,I'll let you know how that works.Sometimes on certin autos(Glock especialy)the mag release cuts into my finger.other than that w/ a few changes and lots of practice most guns are pretty ambi.:cool:
 
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