Any lefties in the group?

[OkieCruffler]

I'm trying to teach my wife to shoot clays, but my beloved SXS's are a bit much for her to swing around. So now we're looking for a good pump (she likes the swish/click sound) for her. However, since she's one of those silly southpaws :D We've found that our selection is limited. I was thinking a Browning BPS, but wanted some input from those of you who actually have to shoot backward.

[huntsman]

I'm a Lefty and my #2son is also, I shoot a single trigger SXS and he uses an 870 express with a left handed safety.It was cheaper to have a Smith flop the safety than to buy a lefty gun, and we both can shoot with no problems.

[Lonnie Jaycox]

I am a lefty, and I settled on a Mossy pump, since the tang safety is naturally ambidexterious. Watch out for LOP problems for a woman (or a short armed man like me!). Outers makes a short LOP Cadet stock set for the 500 that includes a smaller forearm for smaller hands. I put the rear stcock on mine and it fixed the problem fine (I put a sure fire forarm on the front). If the LOP is long she will suffer firing it. I could not get mine to mount properly until I made the change. I had a Berretta 1201FP and loved shooting it--but I could not operate it properly from the wrong side. Autos are harder for lefties to use--in my experience

[JB in SC]

I've shot RH autos (started in 1969 with an 1100) most of my adult life and have tried LH autos but was too accustomed to the RH manual of arms. I just picked up a new Benelli Nova 20 gauge and have fell in love with it. It fits me very well and weighs about 6.5 lbs. (24" bbl). I found the BPS (I have owned several) to be a tad awkward (I have short arms) although I liked the bottom ejection and tang safety. I don't think they are as smooth as an 870 or Mossberg (or the Nova) and are a little expensive compared to the others. The pump is easier for me to manipulate than an auto. For ease of modifications the 870 is probably the best choice. But, if you don't need to shorten the stock, she might give the Nova a try. Just whichever model fits her best.

[Herr Walther]

I'm a lefty when it comes to long arms.

I love my Ithaca M37 12ga. It might be kind of light as far as felt recoil goes for the wife though.

I mean unless she's a good sized gal.

The Ithaca is very accurate and light AND ejects downward. That was a big selling point for me. I owned my first 20ga back in '76 as a teenager and I bought another a couple of years ago in 12ga.

Nice shotguns.

[K80Geoff]

I was watching the Great Outdoor Games yesterday. Casey Atkinson, one of the top Sporting Clays shooters in the world shoots lefty even though she is righthanded!

Seems she is left eye dominant, and finds it easier to shoot lefty than her normal righty.

From the string of victories in Sporting Clays she seems to be doing OK. She shoots a Beretta 390.

Geoff Ross

[Bam Bam]

I am right-handed and left-eyed. I bought 2 BPS just because of this. A 12 and 20 ga. I love the 20 because it looks good and shoots good and is light enough that it is just fun to use it. The 12 is great too, but kind of barrel heavy. Both guns are definitely quality products. If you can get a 20ga BPS with the gold embossing on the engraving she might want to buy it just because it is so pretty.

Can your wife handle either BPS before you purchase it so she can get some idea of how heavy it may feel to her, and you? As far as the tang safety I think it is a really good feature. The BPS is a good ambitexerous gun. It would be gun you both could shoot and enjoy.

Will you be doing skeet and sporting clays? how fast can she pump? I have used mine for doubles on skeet but not for sporting clays.

[contender4040]

I am left-handed and also was brought up to shoot a right-handed gun. Remington has a left-handed 870 express on the market but is only offered in 12 ga. Ithaca has a sweet 20ga and 16ga pump that would be very nice in the weight dept. That said, the 16ga is high on my list. I did previously own a browning bps but let it go due to it being very sensitive to feed problems from the magazine in the sandy country I hunt.

[Romulus]

I thought you meant politically speaking...:D

[ATTICUS]

I'm a lefty who is right eye dominant. I've shot right handed SG's and rifles most of my life, but now have two Ithica 37's (20 & 12) and a couple rifles that have had the safeties switched to the "correct" side. Like most lefties though, I've learned to adapt and it really doesn't matter what I shoot. I'm equally bad with everything!
I used to have an American Arms 20 gauge O/U that would be perfect for most women, regardless of left or right mindedness. They are nice guns and are reasonably priced. Good luck.

[Ipecac]

Righty/left eyed here. I've had a BPS since they came out, was the first gun I ever bought myself and haven't regretted it. I also have an old belgium Browning Auto-5 20 ga, sweet gun. I've never even seen an empty go whizzing past my nose, altho the safety is a pain unmodified.

Tang safeties are nice, but I haven't been bothered by any righty auto loader. Get what fits her.

[OkieCruffler]

Thanks to all, we're walking out the door now to pick up the Browning BPS that she's decided on. I found one with a youth style buttstock that is about 2'' too short for her, but I also found a recoil pad that will fit nicely and is about 2'' thick. And best of all, I talked the guy down to $225 for the BPS because it had a cut down stock.

[4V50 Gary]

Perhaps the easiest route to go is the Remington 870 in left hand. I have two with one being 12 ga and the other 20 ga. However, don't overlook the Ithaca 37 shotgun which features bottom ejection and feeding. Apart from the safety, the Ithaca doesn't care what hand you shoot it with and if you get her an older used one which doesn't have a disconnector, it will shoot as fast as she can pump it.

BTW, don't know any Southpaws who have encountered any problems using a wrong sided shotgun. We shoot 'em just fine but there's no harm in pampering ourselves with portside shotguns.

[Lonnie Jaycox]

I have used right handed guns my whole life--I only rcently aquired a left handed 1100 for skeet and trap. I learned to shoot skeet with a RH 870. I have never felt hindered by RH guns when hunting (even bolt actions) since the gun is carried fully loaded and only the safety has to ber manipulated and the goal is the firing of a single shot. I bought a RH Beretta 1201 FP as and HD gun and could not feel comfortable of my ability to use it LH in an extreme situation, I practiced quite a bit but in the end I sold it to my brother (who shoots right) and bought a Mossy with a tang safety. I just feel that in a high pressure situation (HD use) I wanted a simple and familiar order of arms, even if it means giving up some raw performance (auto's shoot faster).