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Recommendation for Lefty and Righty Sharing Handgun

Brass Magnet

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
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2,818
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Right Behind You!, Wisconsin, USA
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kwiebe wrote:
Looking for help selecting a handgun that would be a good choice if it will be shared by a lefty (me), and a righty (my son).

Thoughts?

Really depends on what you want to pay.

HK USPs have ambi controls including a nice ambi mag catch

1911's have ambi controls for the most part and aftermarket ones can be added for those that don't

I'll have to go home and look at my Beretta 96, I think it has them but I'm not sure about ambi mag catch capabilities.

The three I mentioned are all good guns but prices vary widely. The USP's are at least $750 new last time I checked. The 1911's can be had for about $500 with ambi controls. The beretta can probably be found a little cheaper.
 

Felid`Maximus

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Joined
Nov 12, 2007
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1,711
Location
Reno, Nevada, USA
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Brass Magnet wrote:
kwiebe wrote:
Looking for help selecting a handgun that would be a good choice if it will be shared by a lefty (me), and a righty (my son).

Thoughts?


I'll have to go home and look at my Beretta 96, I think it has them but I'm not sure about ambi mag catch capabilities.

Slide catch and brass ejection is right handed though I believe.

On the Beretta 92/96 its really easy to reverse the magazine release button. You just take it out and put it in the other way!
 

Thundar

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Sep 12, 2007
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Newport News, Virginia, USA
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S&W 642 in .38 special with crimson laser grips

I have this as my bug, and the major consideration in selection was that it was shootable from either hand.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
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35,317
Location
Valhalla
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Any wheel gun will fill this bill and the only safety is the one on your shoulders. :)

Yata hey
 

Task Force 16

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
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2,615
Location
Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
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autosurgeon wrote:
My C&R CZ vz-82 has ambidextrous controls. both safety and mag release.
I've got a CZ82 myself. I never put the safety on, since it can't be put on safety unless the gun is cocked.


When it isn't cocked, there is a hammer block that prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin, that is activated by the trigger. It's as simple todraw and fireas aDA revolver, butcarries more rounds and the only "longpull" is the first round.
 

GlockMeisterG21

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
637
Location
Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA
imported post

Try a 1911. My carry piece is a Kimber Tactical Custom II and it has the ambi safety. I'm a righty but I've shot it left handed before and it's not bad. Both the slide release and mag release are on the left side of the gun but are easily manipulated with the left hand.
 

markand

Regular Member
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Sep 29, 2006
Messages
512
Location
VA
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I'm left handed, but shoot "right handed" pistols (mostly SIGs) just fine. Revolvers are another matter. I stay away from revolvers as a lefty as I need to change hands to reload. Might be inconvenient in a stressful moment.

Analyzing the controls for a moment, SIG's have no manual safety, so no lefty/righty issue there.

Slide release is irrelevant as I grab the back of the slide and let it fly forward and ignore the slide release lever, so no lefty/righty issue there, either.

Magazine release is on the left side. If shooting two handed, I can just use the index or middle finger of the non-shooting hand to hit the slide release, or the trigger or middle finger of the shooting hand.

I actually prefer "right handed" pistols. When an injury forced me to shoot right-handed for several months, I found that my trigger finger got in the way of the Crimson Trace laser more often than not.

With the exception of revolvers, where the cylinder opening out to the left could be a real issue, you might find the "right handed gun" thing to be fairly small.
 

Racer X

Regular Member
Joined
May 31, 2009
Messages
93
Location
Thomasville, NC, ,
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The Ruger SR9 has ambidextrous mag release and safety. It also has an adjustable backstrap on the grip. I think it's a good bang for the buck semi-auto 9mm. There have been some teething issues with the earlier production runs, but I'm very happy with mine.

ruger_sr9_2.jpg
 
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