Right-Handed Guns for Wrong-Handed People

PaintballGuy

PaintballGuy

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
14   0   1
Location
Petawawa, ON
leftorium_400.jpg


Hey Guys,

I've shot right handed firearms all my life. Infact, I've yet to even fire a truly left-handed gun until just late last year, AND HOLY WOW it was satisfying! Sure I've handled so called "ambidextrous" guns, but I don't see how they figure this at all.

You look at a Glock 17, people say its ambidextrous, but I still for the life of me cant lock the slide back by lifting up on the slide catch without switching hands. I'm a huge fan of the the 1911, always have and always will be, but I can't shoot one in a competition without the "ambidextrous" safety, and even with that, I have to use my trigger finger to activate the mag release.

I could go on and list more guns I have problems with, but it would end up being a novel, so I'll get straight to my question of interest...



Why can't gun manufacturers produce a version of their right-handed model that is mirrored in every way? Why not?



Just take the current design, and make everything on the opposite side. Sure some rifles are mirrored and I think that's great, but most handguns still feel clumsy to me, and with no amount of practicing, I'll never be able to operate it as proficiently as a right-handed person with the same amount of practice.

If I were to ever develop my own line of pistols, and they became the next Para Ord in popularity, I'm gonna make all of them left-handed only! Out of pure spite!

"Oh, you heard good things about this handgun? You like how well built it is and the accuracy? Oh, you don't like the fact it's left-han----- WELL TOO FREAKIN BAD!" :D


So my question is, which i'm sure could be debated, is the Walther P99 my only real option? I love Walther, but is it my only choice?

Any input is welcome, thanks.
 
Take a look at the newer HK pistols. The P2000, P30L, HK 45.

They have the ambidextrous magazine release and slide lock/catch.

On another note being left-handed myself, I have no problems running a Glock. I don't change hands, I lower my grip and engage the slide lock with my trigger finger.
 
It's easy.

PaintballGuy said:
...You look at a Glock 17, people say its ambidextrous, but I still for the life of me cant lock the slide back by lifting up on the slide catch without switching hands...
Click to expand...

This guy demonstrates it:

Springfield XD9 Handgun Review
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUpaepT7MJw>

It's an XD, but he learned on a Glock 34. (In a hotel, in Connecticut, in 2009. Ask me how I know.)
 
Last edited:
I'm a left handed pistol shooter as well and prefer to use a 100% Ambi pistol. I can use Glock just fine (got my Black Badge using one) but I prefer a true Ambi gun at this point.

As mentioned HK P2000's are totally Ambi, along with the P99 its your best choice for a duty pistol.

So are most (or all) of the FH Hertal handguns...I have my eye on this puppy.

https://shopquestar.com/shopping65/shopexd.asp?id=1257&bc=no

I have yet to handle the FN's but I think I am going to take the chance and order one in from Questar.

I have yet to find a 1911 that's toally Ambi...I am told Dlask used to make one.
 
I'm a lefty too and have never in my 60+ years ever fired a left handed firearm. Shooting from a bench is actually comfortable for me because I work the bolt with my right hand. I'm not sure of the exact stats but us lefties make up about 10% of the population. Small market for the manufacturers, I suppose.
 
There was one company (Canadian) there were making a Left hand Pistol even the ejection was on the left side.....Personally I prefer the mag release one the left side and hit it with my trigger finger...I was a Master Open IPSC Shooter....so I don't think a R/H Pistol hurt performance...it's just a matter of getting a pistol (any) and practicing with the same equipment over and over ;)
 
Raytheon said:
Take a look at the newer HK pistols. The P2000, P30L, HK 45.

They have the ambidextrous magazine release and slide lock/catch.

On another note being left-handed myself, I have no problems running a Glock. I don't change hands, I lower my grip and engage the slide lock with my trigger finger.
Click to expand...

also the HK P7
 
Randall (if memory serves) used to make a true LH 1911A1. They never sold many (lot's of people complain, most won't pony up the cash), I've only seen and handled a couple in the decades that they've been in existence. It was an interesting exercise though, and a nice stainless gun. - dan
 
Dlask makes a true lefty 1911, but its a very very small niche market that's for sure.
 
COASTED said:
So tell me...wasn't the Colt single action a lefty?
Us right handers have to switch to left to load and unload.
Not a Glock, but...?
Click to expand...

Yes we do have to switch. And this is the right thing to do since it leaves us picking up and loading the much smaller cartridges with our most dextrous hand instead of trying to fumble them in with our left hand. If the SAA was actually a left hand gun the loading gate would be on the left so the southpaws could use their most dextrous hand to handle the cartridges.

It may seem bass ackwards at first glance but when Billy The Kid and his outlaws is shootin' at ya you'll be shaking so much that you WANT to be using your best hand for handling those small, slippery cartridges... :D

for the same reason hand ejector revolvers open to the left so the fingers of the left hand push the cylinder open, reach through to hold the gun and the left hand and thumb tip the gun up and eject the empties while the right hand loads the individual cartridges or guides the speedloader into place. Once loaded the right hand re-aquires the grip and the left hand pushes the cylinder closed.

This only seems cumbersome and odd because we are so tuned into semi auto pistols these days where the left hand handles the magazines. So we automatically ....er ... sorry... double action'ly assume that revolvers should be held in the right hand full time during loading as well. But it ain't so.
 
I am in a similar position. I have been looking for pistol that is true ambi and doesn't have to be modified to be that way. Of all the pistols i have handled to far, the HK45 has felt the best and fits my criteria the closest. The HK45 i tried had ambi slide release, paddle style mag release, and the safety on the left side. I looked on HK's site and i think the safety can also be had in an ambi config.

Thanks for the link to the FN, I might also take a chance on it and see. $900FN vs $1200HK.
 
I'm sinister handed as well. Try the Springfield Armoury XDm...everything but the slide stop is ambi, plus it's a nice gun.
 
I'm a left. I got used to right handed pistols. I now have only my FNP45 which I love, great gun, solid gun! I still use my middle finger on my shooting hand to release the mag, it's much easier than using your thumb (mine is short) and keeps me from breaking the grip.

FNP all the way, can't go wrong. Questar has the FNP9 handguns now, sweet :)
 
Money talks. There wouldn't be any polymer pistols is Glock's didn't sell. But they did and now there are plenty of Glock copies. So it goes with left handed firearms. If sales of your Walther goes off the chart, then other manufacturers will copy those features and we will be awash in backwards . . . err left handed pistols.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom