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Old April 18, 2013, 12:17 PM   #1
Ryu825
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Do affordable lefty handguns exist?

I'm not talking about ambi guns. I switched the mag release on my beretta 92 around, which coupled with the ambi safety is as lefty as I can get with anything I currently own, but it still ejects to the right. I saw this completely inverted 1911 on google but the damn thing is more expensive than a Wilson! Is there anything similar out there that doesn't cost 20 million bucks?
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Old April 18, 2013, 12:38 PM   #2
charlie in md
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The only one I ever saw was made by Randall, many years ago. One sold on gunsamerica recently for $3K (sheesh)
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Old April 18, 2013, 12:49 PM   #3
Ryu825
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The only one I ever saw was made by Randall, many years ago. One sold on gunsamerica

The Cabot guns southpaw 1911 I was talking about costs $5250!!
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Old April 18, 2013, 01:04 PM   #4
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I would say the answer to your question is no. There's just not enough demand to warrant massive production of left-handed stuff, especially high-dollar things like handguns. Ambi is about as good as we're gonna find outside of a custom shop.

And to be honest, after switching the mag release over on my PX4 I have no problem operating the gun, the empties eject at such an angle that it's still nearly impossible to get hit by one even if I tried.

And for some reason I can't imagine reloading my revolver right-handed. It seems that the left-side swing-out lends itself more to left-handed reloading. how do righties do it?

Ivan
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Old April 18, 2013, 01:29 PM   #5
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I think Charter arms makes a couple left handed revolvers.
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Old April 18, 2013, 01:30 PM   #6
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It's no surprise that there's little demand, since only a few minor features need changing to make a gun lefty-friendly (and by the way, moving the mag release to the opposite side of the gun make it harder for a lefty, rather than easier). I've never been aware of cases ejecting "across my line of sight", let alone been hit by a case that wouldn't also have hit a right-handed shooter. Heck, some right-handed shooters are buying those lefty ARs with the charging handle on the left side, so what constitutes a "left-handed gun"?
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Old April 18, 2013, 01:47 PM   #7
tekarra
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There have been a few over the years; Randall, Falcon, Dlask, Safari Arms, Rocky Mountain Arms, Caspian and Cabot. Charter Arms makes a couple of lefty revolvers.
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Old April 18, 2013, 01:57 PM   #8
Grant D
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Charter Arms makes a left handed snubnose 38, called a southpaw lite.
And a Colt SAA has the loading gate on the right side that I find easier to reload as a left hander.
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Old April 18, 2013, 02:13 PM   #9
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I would love to see more left handed revolvers. It would just be so much easier for me to reload. For everything other than shooting I am right handed, having a cylinder release on the right side would allow me to keep the revolver in my firing hand and reload with my right.

As for semi autos, being left handed is a little bit restricting but there are plenty of fairly ambidextrous options. I would love a 1911 with the safety on the right side instead of the left, but plenty of manufactuers make 1911s with ambi safety.

Probably going to just have to learn to deal with it like all the other lefties that don't want to pay huge amounts for a custom southpaw 1911 or something similar.
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Old April 18, 2013, 03:04 PM   #10
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Bought a Glock, learned to use my index finger for the mag release - problem solved.

With one of the common stances, the gun would be more or less in front of the center of the body, so the direction of ejection isn't much of a problem as well.

Don't want to be a know-it-all, but for me it works (and saved me a lot of money since the only real "ambi" pistol available was a S&W M&P which would have cost me more than double...)
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Old April 18, 2013, 06:43 PM   #11
ClydeFrog
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Left hand pistols/left ejecting pistols...

I'm left-handed.
The only left ejecting models Im aware of is the Cabot 1911a1 custom model, the old(out of production) Walther P5 & P5 Compact 9x19mm & maybe the old Styer GB 9x19mm.
The HK P7m8 & P7m13 9mm & .40 line may eject to the left too but I never fired any. P7s are still out there, used but in top condition.

A brand new unfired P5 9x19mm is on www.GunsAmerica.com . It's not cheap, around $1200.00 USD, .

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Old April 18, 2013, 06:50 PM   #12
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I own a lefty bolt action rifle. In my opinion, those are fairly common because a right handed bolt action rifle isn't ideal for left handed shooters.

Handguns however, are very easy to adapt to. I can work any right handed gun without issue and you'd be surprised what you can manage using your index finger. Revolvers are even more lefty friendly.

Other than Charter Arms and their left handed revolvers (if they still make then) I've never seen a left handed auto.

Buy a right handed gun you like and work on adapting to it. It's really very easy and much cheaper.
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Old April 18, 2013, 07:34 PM   #13
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I always flip swing out da revolvers upside down. Then it swings to the other side. Use your left thumb to hold the cylinder up while you load the cylinder.

And yes, Colt SAA are perfect for us southpaws.
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Old April 18, 2013, 07:38 PM   #14
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The P7 as mentioned, is about as non-committal as it gets - squeeze cocker, no other control, heel release or mag release on both sides - accurate as all get out too!
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Old April 18, 2013, 08:23 PM   #15
lee n. field
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Quote:
I saw this completely inverted 1911 on google but the damn thing is more expensive than a Wilson! Is there anything similar out there that doesn't cost 20 million bucks?
Why do you care if it eject to the right or the left? As long as it ejects reliably, the direction doesn't matter.

Controls and ergonomics are what you need to worry about, and yes, lefty friendly handguns aren't too hard to come by.
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Old April 18, 2013, 08:28 PM   #16
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I think you may be starting to walk into a maze that has no exit, and you are going to have to back out the way you came. I am a lefty, and used to look for the same thing. To answer your question, no; totally left handed guns for normal money do not exist. Furthermore, after many years of shooting the regular right handed or ambi friendly guns, I do not WANT a lefty only gun. The 1911 can be manipulated by a left handed person FASTER than a right handed person; even a single action revolver seems to be for a lefty. You can have left handed ejection on a Walther P38 or P1, and the P5 series. The advantage to learning to adapt to the regular guns is obvious: pick up any gun ANYWHERE and be able to shoot it. Drawback to a high buck left handed only gun is resale. Most lefties will never buy it from you because they learned to adapt to conventionally designed, "right hand" guns. It would only be a novelty to me at this point. If you are limiting yourself to a left hand only gun, you forgot to train your weak hand. Once you go somewhat ambidextrous in training and shooting, you are just wasting money on a left handed gun.

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Old April 18, 2013, 09:01 PM   #17
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I am a lefty and have no problem with my FNX9. Safety, mag release, and due cocker are all ambidextrous.
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Old April 18, 2013, 09:16 PM   #18
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Do affordable lefty handguns exist?

I'm left-handed and shoot pistols lefty. I've had great luck with Rugers. I have a P89, 22/45, and LCP and shoot them fine.

I havent gotten their SR1911 yet.
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Old April 18, 2013, 09:26 PM   #19
ClydeFrog
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Other left handed pistol models...

As posted, there are a few newer designs with full ambi-controls that won't break the budget;
The Walther PPX in .40 & 9x19mm, the compact version of the Beretta PX4 line, the EZ9 9mm, the CZ85 Combat.

The older Walther P88 9mmNATO was T&Eed for the US military DoD XM9 trials in the 1980s but major engineering flaws & repair problems made it get cut early, .
The Compact P88 had a few fans but mostly in western Europe.
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Old April 18, 2013, 09:37 PM   #20
KO3422
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Charter Arms makes some, last time I checked.
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Old April 18, 2013, 11:18 PM   #21
Sharpsdressed Man
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Folks, he wanted to know about those OTHER THAN ambidextrous guns.
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Old April 19, 2013, 10:22 AM   #22
Dragline45
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The S&W Bodyguard .38 is a left friendly revolver. The cylinder release is at the rear of the top strap.
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Old April 19, 2013, 10:34 AM   #23
Ryu825
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I can shoot a regular gun just fine like every other lefty who's forced to conform to right handed society. I was just curious and think it'd be a cool gun to have. I also think it'd be funny if I were to let somebody try it at the range and he has to sit there and figure it out for a second. Give him a taste of how it is to have an odd dominant hand. It'll also let me know how it is to shoot a "normal" gun with no ambi anything. A gun seemingly made just for me.
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Old April 19, 2013, 11:10 AM   #24
Ryu825
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I feel that if someone were to start an internet business selling lefty guns for a decent price that one wouldn't have to sell his car to pay, it just might create a market. I'd shop there. A weapon used for hd sd and or ccw should feel as if it were tailored to your hand, not adjusted for ease of use. I think a southpaw using a right handed gun would be a hair slower at reloading or field stripping than a right handed person of equal skill level. With my luck, that 1/3 of a second would count in a sd situation.
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Old April 19, 2013, 01:03 PM   #25
craZivn
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Well, if you're field stripping in a SD situation, methinks you have bigger problems...

RickB, how does flipping the mag release make it harder for a lefty? It feels far more intuitive hitting it with my thumb than my index finger IME. Just curious, as I've never heard anyone with your opinion before.

Ivan
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