AR-15 - Need Left-Handed Advice

[midtennchip]

My brother is looking into an AR, but is left-handed. I shoot ARs all the time, but I am wondering if any of our left-handed members could offer advice. I know Stag makes a left-handed AR, but they only change the ejection port and safety. To me, the mag release and charging handled are pretty important, too. My concerns:

1. how hard is it to learn to manipulate the mag release and charging handle as a left-handed shooter?

2. would a left-handed AR make that much difference with the charging handle and mag release still set up for a righty?

3. anyone have any experience with this( Ambi-Catch )?

Thanks!

[peejman]

I'm left handed but shoot right handed. A left handed friend recently bought a Stag AR and loves it. He's not mentioned any issues with adjusting to the differences.

[leroy]

Chip:________________

Take a look at this: TC-ACCESSORIES, INC. : BRASS DEFLECTOR - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools

and this: J P ENTERPRISES : AR-15 ADJUSTABLE/REVERSIBLE/AMBI SAFETY SELECTOR - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools.

We've got the brass deflector. It works like a charm. Will keep the brass out of your face and laying at your feet.

Hope this helps.

Leroy

[Guest Guy N. Cognito]

I'm a lefty that shoots left. No problems shooting the AR left-handed. It takes a bit of practice, but it works just fine. If anything, the safety is the hardest thing to work left-handed, but an ambi model can easily be added to any AR.

[Guest buttonhook]

all the parts need for true left hand shooting

DPMS Ambidextrous Safety Selector AR-15 Matte - MidwayUSA

JP Enterprises Reversible Safety Selector AR-15 Matte - MidwayUSA

Buffer Technologies Norgon Ambi-Catch Magazine Release AR-15 Matte - MidwayUSA

Power Custom Ambidextrous Extended Magazine Release AR-15 Matte - MidwayUSA

Badger Ordnance Ambidextrous Charging Handle Assembly with Tactical Latch AR-15 Aluminum Matte - MidwayUSA

DPMS Upper Receiver Stripped AR-15 Lo-Pro Flattop Left Hand with Stripped Left Hand Bolt Matte - MidwayUSA

http://jsgunparts.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=16_203

Edited December 24, 2010 by buttonhook

[MacGyver]

How about a true left hand Noveske N4?

Left Hand AR RIFLES - Precision AR Barrels by Noveske Rifleworks used for these Professional Grade ARs AR-15 for LeftHandRifles.com - Bedrock Industries, Inc.

[midtennchip]

How about a true left hand Noveske N4?

Left Hand AR RIFLES - Precision AR Barrels by Noveske Rifleworks used for these Professional Grade ARs AR-15 for LeftHandRifles.com - Bedrock Industries, Inc.

Even the Noveske doesn't have a mag release for lefties. As much as I like Noveskes, I don't think he would spend that much on it.

[MacGyver]

They'll upgrade any of their rifles with a Norgon ambi mag release for $90. But yeah, you are paying Noveske prices.

[dlm37015]

like my drill intructor told me many years ago get used to it .i did never had any problem .

[Guest Seraph]

In my opinion, it is much smarter for a lefty to learn to shoot a standard AR.

[Keyless]

I shoot left handed and have never had a problem shooting standard AR's . To me you are better off to buy standard rifles and add any left handed parts because if you ever sell it , the market is so much larger for right handed guns.

[TGO David]

I'm a lefty that shoots left. No problems shooting the AR left-handed. It takes a bit of practice, but it works just fine. If anything, the safety is the hardest thing to work left-handed, but an ambi model can easily be added to any AR.

This. Same here.

[Guest DaG]

I'm a lefty shootin' a right handed AR. Get an ambi safety and you're good to go. I had a bolt racker installed which allows a lefty to keep his strong hand on the gun at all times. Works extremely well in 3gun for unloaded table starts.

DaG

[sbeck37923]

I shoot left handed. The only thing that I have added for this is an ambidextrous safety. Everything else is easy enough to manipulate on an AR shooting lefty.

[Guest Alexander07]

Chip, I'm a left-handed shooter, former military with several years dealing with the Colt M16A2. I'll have to tell you about my experiences using right-handed gear, even though I'm left handed...

Q: how hard is it to learn to manipulate the mag release and charging handle as a left-handed shooter?

A: The magazine release on a normal right-hand M16 / AR15 will have to be manipulated by the right hand's pointer or index finger. The right hand normally will rest either on the bottom heat shield cover or against the metal ring that holds the heat shields in place right in front of the magazine well. As far as the charging handle is concerned, to charge the charging handle, he would just hold the front of the rifle by the heat shield covers, take his left hand and pull it to the rear.

Q: would a left-handed AR make that much difference with the charging handle and mag release still set up for a righty?

A: The charging handle and magazine release was covered in previous question... They really do not have that big of impact in the functioning of the weapon, just the shooter has to acquire a little different approach if he or she is left handed shooting a right-handed rifle.

Q: anyone have any experience with this( Ambi-Catch )?

A: I personally do not... at this time.

My experiences being left handed and shooting right-handed M16s and AR15 have been great. The only thing I would be mindful of, is the extraction port! I have had two separate incidents where a single .223 casing some how flew down my shirt collar while in a kneeling and prone firing position. That's something to get your attention LOL! Hot!, Hot!, Hot!

Hope this helps...

[Warbird]

I'm left hand and shoot a standard AR left handed. t only requires familiarity. My AR has a brass deflector. I wear a hat and a shemagh and never have problems with brass. It is just something you get used to using and it means I can pick up any AR and know how to shoot it with no problems.

IMO the AK is easier for a lefty to use naturally because of the placement of the charging handle, but righties seem to adapted well to using them.

[Red9MM]

I'm a lefty who shoots lefty and have the same concerns as you expressed for your brother.

I'm strongly left eye dominant and cannot shoot a long gun with the butttsock in my right shoulder pocket and have any reasonable hope of shooting with accuracy. Pistols are a completely different story.

Mainly these things bug me on the AR-15/M5/M16 platform.

-I hate the charging handle on an AR going back to my days in the Army.

You have to break your cheek weld with the stock and then reacquire your sight picture and target to operate the damn thing.

As well as potentially having to raise your head or move/roll your body and/or footing around and expose yourself and your limbs from cover to perform the operation which is a great way to expose your position and get shot.

I refer to it as "firing up the Toro" because it feels like I'm pulling the start cord of a lawnmower not working the action of a firearm.

But I learned to deal with it and my other gripes below and eventually shot expert during my first tour after Basic/AIT with the 101st and thereafter til I got out about 6 yrs later.

-I caught many a hunk of hot brass down my collar or sleeve till i finally got one of the clip on brass deflectors and hung on to it for dear life.

This was for the M16A1 models of the 80's before they started to cast them onto the upper reveiver with the M16A2 which was after my days in the big green machine.

Most modern AR15's have this brass deflector as the triangular bump on the upper behind the ejection port and the ones I've shot have not (YET) sent brass to singe me as in days before. YMMV.

-Controls; like other features of a Standard AR15/M16/M4 they suck for a true lefty long gun shooter but you can adapt as mentioned above and shoot well if you have too.

SOLUTIONS: I've long been looking for a true LEFTY AR or combo of gear that would solve ALL my lefty issues, but SADLY there ain't no such critter!

But I'll offer MY findings for your consideration.

Again these are MY findings from researching this and MY opinions. You're mileage will certainly vary if you take the journey.

Seeking LEFTY AR shooting Nirvana will SIGNIFICANTLY increase the cost of your purchase.

Cheaper LEFTY options exist than what I list below, ALL OPTIONS are a compromise IMO, THERE is NO perfect TRUE LEFTY AR available, again IMO.

Anyone else who has another solution(s) please post what you've got, I'd love to find other options.

CONTINUED BELOW IN POST#18:

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Edited December 30, 2010 by Red9MM

[Red9MM]

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CONTINUED FROM ABOVE; POST #17

My criteria for A Perfect TRUE LEFTY Long gun (AR or other) and a known manufacturer/vendor who has this kind of device in ( ) is:

-LEFT Side ejection of Spent Cartridge from Upper receiver. (see STAG ARMS)

http://www.stagarms.com

-SIDE Charging handle, Non reciprocating, operated by non shooting (RIGHT) hand or Ambidexterous. (See Rock River Arms PDS, HK MP5 or G3 family, Bushmaster ACR)

Rock River Arms: NEW! RRA PDS Carbine

Heckler & Koch - USA

Bushmaster Presents - ACR

-Fully Ambidexterous controls: Magazine Release, Safety/Selector Switch, Bolt catch/release, etc... operated from BOTH sides of the Lower receiver (see below).

-Controls: the best fully ambi AR LOWER I've found is the POF (Patriot Ordnance Factory) P415-SA-GIII lower.

POF-USA Patriot Ordnance Factory, Inc.

POF-USA Patriot Ordnance Factory, Inc.

http://www.pof-usa.com/p415/223lowerleft3.jpg

http://www.pof-usa.com/p415/223lowerright2.jpg

Magazine release, bolt catch/release, safety/selector switch, are right where you want them on an AR and aren't kludgey add ons. A few other VERY nice touches included. My top choice for an AR lower. Knights ARMS in Titusville, FL has a nice AR with AMBI lower on their SR-15 also.

SR-15 Rifle, SR-15 Carbine, SR-16 Carbine, SR-16 CQB

-Left side ejection port: ONLY one solution I've been able to find, to date, is available from STAG ARMS Lefty (Left side) upper receiver and BCG (bolt carrier group with bolt). From what I've been told from several gunsmiths and vendors I've contacted about this is basically "you're gonna go STAG or go home" and that anyone who offers lefty ejection AR's are getting the Lefty upper & BCG from STAG anyway and finishing the rest of the work in house.

http://www.stagarms.com

-Charging handle: ASA-American Spirit Arms make a Side Charging Handle upper receiver and bolt carrier BUT it is a Righty. Right side ejection that is.

It is a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side of the upper receiver which means it doesnt fly back and forth with the bolt as the action cycles during firing. the spent case ejects out the right side of the upper receiver and uses the brass deflecting bump to hopefully avoid pain and angst from hot brass on skin.

AR-15 M4 Side Charger Upper Receiver - American Spirit Arms

MEGA ARMS makes a billet (machined from billet 7075-T6 aluminum) side charging upper for the AR platform you have to get the BCG form somewhere else.

Mega Arms :: Component Catalog

http://megamachineshop.com/armscatalog/004SPUBILLETUPPER-M0300/loader.html

Young Mfg sells a side charge BCG for the Mega Arms upper but it's charging handle is actually attached to the bolt carrier and DOES reciprocate as the action cycles during firing.

http://www.youngmanufacturing.net/product-info.php?pid78.html

It's also is a Righty right side ejection system the Upper receiver is machined with an elongated groove machined into the right side of the upper to allow for the extra travel necessary for bolt open/close duties and the charging handle doubles as the forward assist.

Note here: some of the sites showing this upper dont show that the back of the upper receiver where the standard AR charging handle comes out is "closed", or seem to show the stanadard AR charging handle installed as well (WTF?), so watch out for this if you go that way.

There's a post on the snipershide.com forums with pics of the setup that apparently someone in "Upper Andersonville, TN" is using.

Gunsmithing a side charging handle for AR - Sniper's Hide Forums

Other than a side charger upper you are looking at one of many replacement AR "T" charging handles with a "enhanced" catch button or "ambi enhanced catch button" that several AR specialty vendors offer for a standard "Righty AR" or STAGS "Lefty AR" upper receivers.

Bravo Company/ VLTOR BCM Gunfighter, Armament Dynamics ACLM, Badger Tactical, etc..., Google is your friend here as their are many variants and sites that carry several of these.

Sorry for the long posts but I hope the info included helps you or others in their quest.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Red9MM

[Red9MM]

deleted

ARGH!!! double posted

Edited December 29, 2010 by Red9MM

[Paletiger13]

If my left handed 105lb gf can shoot my AR then you guys are girly girls.

[Paletiger13]

Or drama queens