Things have improved over the years with manufacturers making a lot of the controls ambi but some still don’t seem interested in helping the lefties out. I have several FN’s and they are lefty friendly and I seem to shoot those well. I have a CZ PO7 on the way and that should be pretty friendly. I’m lusting after a H&K VP9 and there are several available online but nowhere locally to fondle one. I’m concerned with that extended paddle on the right side of the gun which is for the slide release I believe. Looks like it would be right where I put my thumbs.

Curious what other lefties here may have found in the handgun world that works for them? What does Sig offer that’s lefty friendly.

Well, I'm not left handed.

But I wanna be.

Hope this helps.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Well, I'm not left handed.

But I wanna be.

Hope this helps.

Yes many do but only 12% of the population has been so blessed. I have a rare blood type as well I wonder if there’s a connection?

I'm sorry, in my last post, I wasn't entirely truthful. Actually, I like being right handed and I wouldn't want to change that, especially not at such a late date.

Sorry for, you know, muddying the waters.

But, at least your thread gets a free bump.


Bump

Oh don’t be sorry and I think you still hold a desire to be left hand left eye dominant every right hander has at sometime. It’s like one day everyone will give in to the desire to own a Glock. As of yet I never have but perhaps one day. You can reach out and I will gladly give you some workouts and drills to do to get you down that road of being a lefty!!

revolvers. DA/SA Sigs are lefty friendly. So are Glocks. Somethings righties do with a thumb we do with an index finger (does that sound dirty?)
1911s pretty much require an ambi safety.

As long as the safety (if there is one) is ambidextrous I've been able to make anything work. I'm wired for slingshot reloads, so as long as the slide catch doesn't get in the way I don't really care if it has ambi controls.

I now prefer having the magazine released swapped over and wouldn't buy a gun that can't be, but I learned shooting a DA/SA Sig and shot competition using everything in the stock location.

HKs are generally the worst setup for me. Newer models have a long slide catch lever on the right side and I'm so used to there being nothing there I will sometimes put pressure on it and prevent its activation on empty.

On a 1911 I require an ambi safety and prefer the pin portion of the slide catch to be flush or recessed with the frame.

I like S&W revolvers more than others as the push-forward cylinder release is the easiest to hit for my weird change-hands-twice reload method (basically a normal RH reload with a little flip-flopping).

I have a Ruger MkIII 22/45, I plan on replacing it with a MkIV as the new gen has ambi safety and I currently shoot the pistol without using the safety, or doing an awkward reach around with my right hand to take it off.

I enjoy shooting Walthers with trigger guard mag releases, but my love for Sigs transcends any issues I have with the location of their controls.

Left eye dominant and Left handed,
this is what has worked for me Concealed:

no reload/ no extra mags:
Ruger SP101 (I agree about S&W being easier)
Ruger LCP (too small to manipulate)
KelTec P32 (too small to manipulate)
Sig P220 compact DA/SA (not swappable IIRC)

with extra mags:
P365 (with mag release switched)
H&K USP (full ambi)

Looking at this, basically anything without a safety will work, but magazine changes require accommodation.
I've not shot anything with a heel release but it might be worth a try.

The IWI Masada looked decent pre pandemic but if prices stay inflated I'd opt for another H&K. I might give in to a Glock 45 MOS, since the 19X was always tempting. I did buy some ETS mags on sale last Black friday that havent been unwrapped.

Left-handed and left eye dominant here, too.

To be honest, I shot a fully-ambi pistol recently and I hated it. I’ve spent so much time training myself to use my middle finger to hit the mag release and my index finger to work the decocker, I fumble when they’re on the right side (yep, pun intended). Muscle memory works. This way, I never have to think about where anything is when I pick up any gun. They’re all the same.

Having an ambi safety (if the pistol has a safety at all) makes me happy, however.

I’m not a lefty but appreciate ambi controls. I have HK seems have the best in this regard and I dig the paddle mag release because.....well probably because I’m touched in the head but I do like it.

I'm left handed and left eye dominant here. I've learned to take advantage of controls on the Sig P series as they come from the factory. I can drop a mag, reload and hit the slide release easily without ambi controls. I wouldn't use ambi controls on a DA/SA pistol. But would need an ambi safety on a SA.

-TVz

S&W 3rd gen pistols. Most of them with ambi safeties.

I only use the safety/decocker as a decocker. So the few without ambi safeties, don't present a problem, for me. Regards 18DAI

Had a chance to get a Randall 1911 for left-handers. One of the few gun manufacturers to make such a thing. Had my eye on something else at the time (can't even remember what it was now) so I passed. Would have made a neat partner to my regular right-side ejection Randall.

Glocks work. Cut off ambi slide release on gen 5. Rugers are pretty ambidextrous. Berettas are too. CZ is good. Sigs too.

ETA: HK is really good too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ruger357,

Just about anything that doesn't have a right-handed-only safety.

I swap the mag button to the other side if possible, to avoid a bump release when holstered, but if it can't be reversed I can push it with my index finger. Slide stops can be index-fingered or slides sling-shotted. De-dockers aren't time critical and on a Sig DA/SA they can be hit with the index finger.

For fully ambidextrous - HK P30, HKP2000, and HK45 (with ambi safety added), VP9, Walther PPQ, P320/M17/M18, Glock Gen 5 - all are fine, it's just a preference.

For mostly ambidextrous except the slide stop - Glock slim lines, P365, CZ-75B, Glock Gen 4, Sig SAO's, Beretta 92

For reversible mag button but otherwise right handed controls that still aren't bad - Sig DA/SA single stacks. I have an issue with the double stacks because they have a hump over the de-cocker that affects my trigger finger.

And 1911's & Hi Powers are OK with an ambi safety.

I also have the issue where I am used to having no slide stop on the right side and shoot high thumbs. Ambi slide stops can lead to failure to lock back on empty.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lefty Sig,

I am 61, left handed, left eye dominant and have been shooting for upwards of 45 years. Most of that time left handed. But I always tried to practice weak/support side. Anyway, years of working on machinery have taken a toll on my left shoulder. (Monkey spanking didn't help, I'm sure ... wink).

Anyway, recently, I needed to start training myself to shoot right handed full time. All I can say is you Righties have had it so easy with mag and slide releases. It really makes life so much simpler.

Interesting responses. Rustpot brought up the extended paddle type slide release on the new HK’s that are on the right side. That was my concern with the new VP9 looks really awkward for a lefty.

How about rifles and shotguns? Do you just put up with right side ejection port and taking the occasional hot brass to the forehead or do you buy only guns with the ejection port on the other side?

Well, we left-handers can thank Colt for the design and production of a true lefty gun, the Single Action!

Tim

I have a P250 that works well for me. I would assume the 320 would be similar.