The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 7, 2002, 08:17 PM   #1
Courier
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2002
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 102
Long gun for left handed

I have several pistols and am saving for a shot gun. I like the price and everything I've read about the 870's, but I'm left handed and need a good home defense CQB weapon. Any opinions or help would be appreciated, but it does need to be reasonably priced. Thanks.
Courier is offline  
Old April 7, 2002, 10:30 PM   #2
C.R.Sam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 29, 1999
Location: Dewey, AZ
Posts: 12,858
870 shouldn't be all that bad to operate from the other side.

Whatever you get, practice from both sides. A lot of times wronghanded mount can render a faster, safer or more accurate shot. Think barricades, left side, right side.

Sam
C.R.Sam is offline  
Old April 8, 2002, 12:22 AM   #3
Navy joe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 28, 2001
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 1,804
Are you sure you need a shotgun? One thing is that a long gun in a house presents some greater rentention hazards than a pistol.

If you do, you'll be able to run an 870 just fine. Trigger finger runs the slidebar release, disengage the safety before completely grabbing the comb, or if it's already pointing at something you don't like just snake your trigger finger around the trigger and push the safety off with it. Reloads from a sidesaddle are pretty quick too, I can chamber load, (AKA combat load) pretty fast. With the shells pointing up I just rip one and loop it over the top of the reciever with my stronghand, don't dismount or unpoint the gun. Reloading the tube is best left for when you have a little time or cover, preferably both. I guess I don't need to point out that if you're reloading an 8 shot 870 in your house you're already having a pretty bad day, may want to consider a different zip code.
__________________
FY47012
Navy joe is offline  
Old April 8, 2002, 08:37 AM   #4
Huntersix
Member
 
Join Date: April 1, 2002
Location: Peoples Demokratic Republik of Minnesota
Posts: 41
Remington makes a lefthanded model 870 express. My hunting buddy bought one at a chain sporting goods store for about $40 more than a standard model.
Huntersix is offline  
Old April 8, 2002, 12:00 PM   #5
CMichael
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2001
Location: MI
Posts: 1,516
Mossberg's safety is in the middle so it's good for left or right handed shooters.

Michael
CMichael is offline  
Old April 8, 2002, 08:05 PM   #6
Nevada Fitch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 21, 2000
Posts: 261
I am lefthanded and I have gotten along with right handed 870s and 1100s for years. You can get a lefthand safety for your right hand 870 or 1100. This is the best way to go other than buying the lefthand shotgun to start with. Just be sure to get lefthand safeties for all of your shotguns, otherwise you may make a mistake someday. Personally I hate cross bolt safeties and even though I still have an 1100 I prefer to use other guns with top tang safeties or hammers because there is less chance of getting confused concerning which position is safe and which is fire. I am sure this is part of the reason I prefer side by sides to all other shotguns.
Nevada Fitch is offline  
Old April 8, 2002, 09:28 PM   #7
Courier
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2002
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 102
Thanks

I appreciate all the info and advice. Thanks.
Courier is offline  
Old April 10, 2002, 11:01 AM   #8
Vern Brink
Member
 
Join Date: March 13, 2000
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 85
I use an 870P left handed and shoot a handgun right handed. Definitely have the safety converted if you get the 870. I find the gun easy to load and very easy to chamber check visually and by touch in low light left handed. Never had any issues with it being a "right handed" gun.
__________________
S/F
Vern
Vern Brink is offline  
Old April 10, 2002, 12:59 PM   #9
Gunter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 5, 2000
Location: Vienna, Austria
Posts: 279
A HD Shotgun should have a sling anyway. The two most popular methods of retention IIRC are
1) blast the attacker off the end of the shotgun (pull back sharply for alignment, then press trigger)
2) let go the shotgun, shoot the BG with your pistol (he won't want the shotgun any more).
Gunter is offline  
Old April 12, 2002, 12:57 PM   #10
Mike Kilo Niner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 21, 2001
Posts: 158
I'm a southpaw, and have had good luck with a Mossberg 590A1. As Cmichael mentioned, the safety is ambi-friendly. Right-side ejection is just something we lefties get used to.
If you're set on a Rem 870, you might try storing it hammer down, chamber empty, tube full, safety off. If things go bump in the night seriously enough to require buckshot to settle down, just rack the slide and you're in business. This is not a good option if you've got young kids, however.
__________________
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers --
joined in the serious business of keeping our food,
shelter, clothing and loved ones from combining
with oxygen.
-- Kurt Vonnegut
Mike Kilo Niner is offline  
Old April 14, 2002, 01:23 PM   #11
Courier
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2002
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 102
Thanks for all the help. I had never shot a shotgun and was worried about being left handed and getting hit in the face from the ejection. I have no kids, so I feel safe in getting a shotgun for my home protection. I appreciate all the input everybody.
Courier is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.09070 seconds with 10 queries