Lefty question

[Evad]

My first EBR(s) are on the way...going to be building this winter. Since I have never really been into rifles and never even shot an AR, should I learn to shoot right handed? If I don't, what do left handed people do? If it is a build option (I highly doubt with stock parts), I could build one each way. I am thinking consistent from the start would be more important.

I can shoot a handgun either way, thinking this may be a smarter way to start.

[CarRacer]

I shoot left handed and haven't noticed any issues with an AR. The only options I would suggest are an ambidextrous safety and charging handle. The Battle Arms bad-ass safety and the Raptor charging handle are great options. If you wanted to go the extra mile, a Vltor MUR-1S would help get the forward assist out of the way of your hand when going to charge the gun. I've only shot one match with my gun but didn't feel the need to run an ambidextrous mag release, but that's up to you.

Shooting glasses are a necessity for you as well. You'll be close to the election port and unburnt particles and such *will* come flying out of it. Wear good shooting glasses or you'll have a bad day once you get powder in your eye.

[Evad]

I have good eye protection...I guess I figured the shells flying in my face would be an issue.

I take it from your post it isn't for you, maybe I am overthinking.

[Ironbear]

Never eaten brass off any rifle. It can be a little distracting having the brass come across your sight line, but you get used to it. It is not nearly as distracting as having your neighbor's brass go down the back of your collar...

I understand any of the bullpup designs are a problem, but they all have lefty options.

[redaudi]

I've been in the military for over nine years, and out of the thousands of rounds I've fired from my M-16, I can't recall a single time that I had brass hit me in the face. The brass deflector does a wonderful job. In short, I'd recommend finding one with a brass deflector

[67camaro]

If you are concerned about shooting a AR left handed Stag Arms as well as a few other manufacturers make lefty ARs.

http://www.stagarms.com/left-handed-upper-halves/

[Evad]

If you are concerned about shooting a AR left handed Stag Arms as well as a few other manufacturers make lefty ARs.

http://www.stagarms.com/left-handed-upper-halves/

I already bought parts. The replies here do help, looks like I was more worried than I need to be.

[MNHandK]

I have a Rock River left handed AR, and a right handed model with ambi controls. I prefer shooting the left handed model for 2 reasons. Brass in sight line, and debris. Planning on selling my standard issue and buying a 308 in left.

My hand guns are HK's that are switched to left or ambi. The only gun I shoot right handed is a back up revolver, J frame.

[Thunder71]

I'm a left handed shooter and actually don't know how right handed people operate an AR15 lol. The only thing I changed was to replace the safety with an ambidextrous one and added the Magpul BAD lever.

[jshuberg]

With a rifle, eye dominance does play a role. If you are left handed and left eye dominant, I'd recommend shooting left handed. If you are left handed and *right* eye dominant, you'll have to decide whether you want to switch hands, or switch eyes.

If you *are* cross dominant, generally speaking it is easier to switch eyes than to switch hands (sensory input vs. motor control). However, since most rifles are set up for the right handed shooter, it might make more sense to switch hands than eyes so you won't be as equipment dependent by shooting left handed.

One last thing, if you're cross dominant, shooting with your 'weak' eye behind the scope when using an ACOG seems to speed up learning how to dynamically switch eyes using the Bindon Aiming Concept. If you plan on running an ACOG you might want to start off shooting strong hand weak eye until you get the technique down, and then decide if you want to switch to shooting righty afterward.

Hope this helps.

[bothwell]

Never eaten brass off any rifle.

M1 with no clip (slow fire) seems to throw about 1 case in 40 into a my face shooting lefty. Using a SLED clip will fix it, as will using an adjustable gas plug that barely cycles the action.

AR15 with deflector is not a problem to shoot lefty, though you do get some power, and may want goggles rather than just glasses.

[armedwalleye]

a clarification, please. Not an AR guy so far, but trying to expand my horizons. It's my impression if I buy a left handed AR, the controls and charging handle are either lefty or ambi, but the upper itself is obviously a straight left.
Can I remove that left upper and replace it with a different upper in a right hand, say a longer, shorter, heavier,lighter, different sighted or different caliber upper that may not be available as a leftie?

Thanks for the clarification!

[PHATSPEED7x]

I've been shooting right handed model AR-15 left handed since 2010... Like others have said the brass defector does it's job at making sure you don't catch a case in the face. I prefer to shoot right handed rifles, because in a SHTF ordeal you'll be finding more right handed weapons...

[UnaStamus]

Lefty ARs seem to run fine in short intervals for hobby use, so if that's what you're using it for, have at it.



If they actually made left-handed ARs that worked, I would say they're a good step. The problem is that there is an epic trail of FAIL behind many Stag Arms "L" rifles. When you start to push them and engage in higher round count training (400+ per day), they start to falter. For home defense use, duty use or training use, they're sub-optimal.

It's been noted by several high end trainers like Pat Rogers, Jeff Gonzalez and Larry Vickers that the left-handed ARs do not work in their courses. Now keep this in mind- Larry Vickers is left handed and shoots left. He doesn't use a lefty AR, and it's because nobody makes one that is reliable enough for his needs.

I know several left-handed guys running ARs professionally at varying levels from municipal LE on up to the top tier of professional gun fighters. All of these wrong-handed guys shoot conventional ARs with ambidextrous components and controls. In talking to them, they've stressed the same thing that they just cannot get consistent reliabilty from a left-handed AR platform.
Several manufacturers have come out and said the same thing, which is why companies like BCM, Daniel Defense and LMT don't make lefty ARs.

If you have the components for the gun and are already in the process, so be it. It's not the end of the world. Just be realistic about your expectations. Know what the limitations are.

[Evad]

If you have the components for the gun and are already in the process, so be it. It's not the end of the world. Just be realistic about your expectations. Know what the limitations are.

I'm good. Appreciate the input. I decided to do what I have always done and deal with something made for a righty.