Pistols for Lefties

[Eeyore]

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KodiakISGOOD wrote:

Kodiak, last time I checked, the AR wasn't a pistol.

au contraire

http://www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster-Pistol.htm


:lol:

happy carrying,


jason

OK, that's a pistol like a Ford Excursion is a car.

I'm guessing that the aftermarket mods are available for pretty much any 1911. We might play with a 1911 next trip to the range, but 1911s tend to be more costly than I want to spend, especially since you then have to buy aftermarket parts to get something you really want.

Dreqo--the P99AS I handled had an obscenely long, hard, gritty DA pull. The SA pull was about the same as my Taurus, which costs half as much. I liked the looks and the ergos, but if I'm going to drop $600+ it'll have to be better than what I felt on that P99. I'm open to the QA version--we'll see if it feels any better. However, I only remember an ambi mag release, not an ambi slide release, so at best it's in the "compromise" pile.

Euromutt--thanks for the P250 tip. I'll have to see if I can find one anywhere; it's been "coming soon" for a long time. I just shot the P226 for the first time. The trigger was very nice but the grip was a bit deep for my preferences. My wife's hands are a little smaller, so that's a factor--we'll have to see if the P250 skinnies down any more than the P226. I had never heard of the ADP--doesn't look too impressive, and I think she would want a range gun more than a CCW.

Just looking for excuses to go shopping.....

 

[Superlite27]

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I'd get her whatever Stevan Segal carries on the cover of all his DVD's.

They all have ejection ports on the left side and contols on the right.

 

[ODA 226]

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Superlite27 wrote:

I'd get her whatever Stevan Segal carries on the cover of all his DVD's.

They all have ejection ports on the left side and contols on the right.

That's a great idea! But "portsider's" are VERY expensive if you can find one. Randal used to make an extremely high quality pistol for lefties.

 

[MamaLiberty]

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She wasn't too impressed with the XD,

I wonder why?? I carry an XD .45 compact full time, everywhere and I love it. I shoot with either hand equally well, and love the fact that it works in either position without fail.

No safety lever to flip, but good safety features. No slide release necessary either, just rack and go. The mag release is bilateral and easy to use. It tends to print a bit with the 13 round mag in it, but the 10 mag rides just right.

I'm a 62 year old grandmother, just FYI ... LOL

 

[Tomahawk]

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Guns for lefties? Here's one!

Oh, you mean left-HANDED...sorry.

 

[Eeyore]

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MamaLiberty wrote:

She wasn't too impressed with the XD,

I wonder why?? I carry an XD .45 compact full time, everywhere and I love it. I shoot with either hand equally well, and love the fact that it works in either position without fail.

No safety lever to flip, but good safety features. No slide release necessary either, just rack and go. The mag release is bilateral and easy to use. It tends to print a bit with the 13 round mag in it, but the 10 mag rides just right.

For her, it was just OK. It wasn't the features or the overall size; the grip is fairly square in cross-section, so she didn't find the ergos especially good. Not bad (That was the Glock. She fired 5 rounds, put it down, and said "That's awful." Thatta girl ), just not great. FWIW, the XD is still in the running, but certainly hasn't broken out ahead of the pack. So far, she's tried Glock 19, the XD9 4", Ruger P89, and Steyr M9A1. So far she likes the ergos on my PT111 best.

 

[MamaLiberty]

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For her, it was just OK. It wasn't the features or the overall size; the grip is fairly square in cross-section, so she didn't find the ergos especially good.

Has she been to any handgun classes? It is possible she could benefit from having an instructor show her a better way to hold the gun. Many of my students have to relearn that. I teach self defense to (mostly) women, and many of them who already shoot have a very poor grip. The extra long fingernails are the worst. There is NO way to effectively hold a gun with them.

Just an idea...

 

[DreQo]

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MamaLiberty wrote:

For her, it was just OK. It wasn't the features or the overall size; the grip is fairly square in cross-section, so she didn't find the ergos especially good.

Has she been to any handgun classes? It is possible she could benefit from having an instructor show her a better way to hold the gun. Many of my students have to relearn that. I teach self defense to (mostly) women, and many of them who already shoot have a very poor grip. The extra long fingernails are the worst. There is NO way to effectively hold a gun with them.

Just an idea...

I dunno, I'd like to think I've got a pretty good shooting grip, and I don't like the XD either .

 

[Eeyore]

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MamaLiberty wrote:

For her, it was just OK. It wasn't the features or the overall size; the grip is fairly square in cross-section, so she didn't find the ergos especially good.

Has she been to any handgun classes? It is possible she could benefit from having an instructor show her a better way to hold the gun. Many of my students have to relearn that. I teach self defense to (mostly) women, and many of them who already shoot have a very poor grip. The extra long fingernails are the worst. There is NO way to effectively hold a gun with them.

Just an idea...

Again, you miss the point. :banghead:

My intent in starting this thread was to learn what pistols were out there that were fully ambidextrous, so lefties would have all the options. That effort has been successful, in that I now know of 2-3 other models than I did before, though I'm surprised there aren't more.

For some reason you're assuming that everyone would love the XD if only they were holding it right (and their fingernails were short enough). One size does not fit all, and if you're teaching self defense you surely know that. That's why there are many successful gun makers that aren't Springfield Armory, just like there are many different car makers. If I test drive a car, get back to the lot, and tell the salesperson I liked it OK but didn't love it, s/he wouldn't say "Maybe you weren't driving it right. Have you ever taken driver's ed?"

All other things being equal, she seems to prefer pistols with smaller grips that are more rounded than square. Since this will probably be a range gun (she probably won't be CCing), maybe she would prefer the heft of an all-metal piece. She might prefer a hammer-fired DA/SA vs. a striker fired. Maybe she would prefer a manual safety. Of course, price factors in. Many pistols are now coming with ways to adjust the grip size/shape to her preference--the XD isn't one of them. However, until she handles each one and weighs the likes and dislikes, we won't know which one she likes best.

Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with loving the XD. And there's nothing wrong with not loving it.

 

[MamaLiberty]

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Eeyore wrot

For some reason you're assuming that everyone would love the XD if only they were holding it right (and their fingernails were short enough). One size does not fit all, and if you're teaching self defense you surely know that.
Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with loving the XD. And there's nothing wrong with not loving it.

Heavens! I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I own and shoot more than a dozen other guns of all shapes, kinds and calibers. Some I (and students) like better than others, and some I've COME TO enjoy shooting more since I learned how to hold them better. One I can't shoot at all and will probably sell soon. Some of the ladies who come to my classes have trouble because of the fingernails... so those were simply some suggestions from my experience, not intended to be THE answer for you folks.

I just hate to see someone pass up a great gun for the wrong reasons, but of course, ultimately HER reasons are the only ones that count.

 

[Eeyore]

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I found another one: the Zastava EZ.

I don't know anything about these other than what's on EAA's website (http://www.eaacorp.com/handguns-zastava-ez.html), and it looks a lot like a Sig. I'd be very surprised to find one of these at a store, let alone at a range, so it probably won't be a contender.

 

[ODA 226]

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[Euromutt]

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Eeyore wrote:

I found another one: the Zastava EZ.

Yeah, Zastava Arms used to be the "Special Projects Division" of the Crvena Zastava ("Red Banner") industrial conglomerate. Used to be Yugoslav, now it's Serbian. It might frighten you if I tell you that Crvena Zastava are the people who brought you the Yugo, but on the other hand, you have to realize that the "Special Projects Division" (prior to being spun off) was the only part of Crvena Zastava to make a consistent profit.

The "Zastava EZ" is EAA's name for the CZ-999 (perhaps because CZ-USA owns the "CZ" trademark in the US); it's got some interesting features, like being able to switch between DA/SA and DAO and a pin that pokes out of the backstrap when there are three rounds or fewer left in the magazine, but EAA stocking dealers seem to be thin on the ground, so trying one out, even just for fit, would be very difficult.

ETA: My bad! The EZ is not the CZ-999, but the CZ-05, which doesn't have the action-type selector, but is plain DA/SA.

 

[Euromutt]

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ODA 226 wrote:

I have a CZ-99 (same gun minus the rail) that I brought back from the war in Croatia. I can attest that these pistols are very reliable.

Were you with MPRI or something?

 

[Comp-tech]

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Eeyore wrote:

I'm guessing that the aftermarket mods are available for pretty much any 1911. We might play with a 1911 next trip to the range, but 1911s tend to be more costly than I want to spend, especially since you then have to buy aftermarket parts to get something you really want.

A Rock Island Tactical (which has ambi safety) can be had for just under $400...another $30ish should get the "lefty" mag release...."test drive" one if you get a chance.

 

[Comp-tech]

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DreQo wrote:

I can't find the page right now, but I read a review on a variety of 1911's that were put through torture tests, and passed with flying colors. Buried in mud, dirt, sand, left under water, and even fired under water. I'll keep digging for the link, or if anyone else knows what I'm talking about, please post.

DreQo...I don't remember the site that it came from but, I have that article in .pdf format....if you want, you can PM me your email addy and I'll send it to you.
My next 1911 will be the RIA Tactical...that is one sweet pistol for the money.

 

[ODA 226]

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Euromutt wrote:

ODA 226 wrote:

I have a CZ-99 (same gun minus the rail) that I brought back from the war in Croatia. I can attest that these pistols are very reliable.

Were you with MPRI or something?

:what:Sure was. How did you hear about that? :question:

 

[Marco]

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ODA 226 wrote:

Randal used to make an extremely high quality pistol for lefties.

Safari Arms (bought out by Olympic arms) made a ambi/left handed 1911 variant


Most if not all Ruger Centerfire Semi auto's are ambidextrous.

 

[Euromutt]

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ODA 226 wrote:

:what:Sure was. How did you hear about that? :question:

I worked for the ICTY for a few years, so I picked up a decent knowledge of the wars in the former Yugoslavia (I did some background reading on my own time too). You said you brought that CZ-99 "back from the war in Croatia." The US didn't get directly involved in that one, but it's no secret that the Clinton administration indirectly aided the Croatian government by having MPRI "consult" for the HV (mainly by teaching them how to stop fighting like they were still in the JNA). Of cours,e you might have been working for the UN, or ICRC, or some NGO, but I don't think you'd have been in a position to privately acquire and import a firearm if you had.

Sorry about the off-topic, folks.

 

[Loneviking]

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I just picked up my (new to me)CZ 82 (the civilian version is the CZ 83) from the gun store.

It's a great gun for a lefty! The safety can be flicked on and off by your thumb; the magazine slides can be released on either side and the slide release is on the left side of the gun.