Left handed AR? Or skip it?

vinniedelpino

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  • Sep 27, 2020
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    My oldest is wrong handed and I’m going to pick him up a gas gun for Christmas. He shoots my rifles just fine, even the ones that are over gassed when suppressed.

    I’d love to grab an off the shelf bcm and call it a day. Is that a mistake? Am I better off building an ambi lower and lefty upper?

    Thanks in advance.
     
    If your oldest is still living in your house, is the rifle “really” his? Buy the BCM and he can take it or leave it when he moves out.

    If he IS on his own, buy an ambi lower, and give that for Christmas. Discuss uppers with him and get what he wants.
     
    My oldest is wrong handed and I’m going to pick him up a gas gun for Christmas. He shoots my rifles just fine, even the ones that are over gassed when suppressed.

    I’d love to grab an off the shelf bcm and call it a day. Is that a mistake? Am I better off building an ambi lower and lefty upper?

    Thanks in advance.
    Definitely build him a lefty man. Its sooooo much better. It sux shooting a reg ar lefty. I have 3 lefty ars and I'd never go back to shooting rh ars. If we could just go buy an LMT and be done with it, I absolutely would. I did buy a CLE lefty. Fact is, there's almost zero lefty good production AR's so, just have to build em. I'm super happy with all mine.
     
    Definitely build him a lefty man. Its sooooo much better. It sux shooting a reg ar lefty. I have 3 lefty ars and I'd never go back to shooting rh ars. If we could just go buy an LMT and be done with it, I absolutely would. I did buy a CLE lefty. Fact is, there's almost zero lefty good production AR's so, just have to build em. I'm super happy with all mine.
    Anything I need to know if I build a lefty as far as parts selection goes? I've built about a dozen ARs. I was looking at the stag upper/bcg combo if for no other reason than lack of options. There's not much out there.
     
    Anything I need to know if I build a lefty as far as parts selection goes? I've built about a dozen ARs. I was looking at the stag upper/bcg combo if for no other reason than lack of options. There's not much out there.
    The bolt is the only real difference other than of course the upper receiver. There's only a few options for the receiver as you've seen. I'd get the upper and bcg together if you can. I have a stag and I have a gibbs side charger. They both work fine but I'd probably stick with the regular one vs the side charge for a first one. Cross also makes one which is probably pretty good dimensionally but I have never seen one in person.
     
    I shoot long guns left handed (left eye dominant). Until a few years ago, I was stuck with an issued AR as my primary defensive rifle. Even now, I still only have regular AR’s. I do have some ambi lowers, but I still use the same manipulations as my “standard” AR.

    There just aren’t enough lefty AR’s out there to worry about it. If I ever need an AR, it’s most likely going to be a regular one. That’s what I’ve trained with and I don’t see any reason to change now.

    With the current political situations, the chances of needing to know how to use an AR are higher than usual. I recommend you train him on what he will most likely be using.
     
    I built a stag lefty for a buddy ,he's happy with it ,l thought it was odd that the dust cover pivots up instead of down ,but didn't seem to effect scope mounting, after building that one I came across a lefthand lower ,don't remember the brand , but that would be the ultimate lefthanded AR.
     
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    i’m a lefty and been shooting AR’s for 30 years. never noticed it much, we adapt and i’m fairly ambidextrous as alot of lefties seem to be.

    in some ways i like the bolt catch on the left if i need to address a miss feed or just lock back. the tigger finger works fine for that. edit: the geiselle maritime bolt latch helps that out too.

    you can always get ambi mag releases and larger bolt releases to make it easier.

    i have a mix of ambi LWRC’s lowers and normals. its almost a curse. i think all or none is best, for me buy YMMV.
     
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    Gonna revive this one to ask a dumb question...

    I get the ambi controls. Makes sense.

    Would a Brass Goat brass catcher help prevent the distraction/burns with right hand ejection?

    The youngest boy is talking about buying his first gun... He hasn't specifically said he wants an AR. But I figured I would be a bit proactive just in case he decides that's what he wants.

    If it turns out he wants an AR, I guess we'll build one.

    Mike
     
    Gonna revive this one to ask a dumb question...

    I get the ambi controls. Makes sense.

    Would a Brass Goat brass catcher help prevent the distraction/burns with right hand ejection?

    The youngest boy is talking about buying his first gun... He hasn't specifically said he wants an AR. But I figured I would be a bit proactive just in case he decides that's what he wants.

    If it turns out he wants an AR, I guess we'll build one.

    Mike
    I don't see why it wouldn't.

    Then again, it's friggin' huge and it'd be right in front of your face if you're shooting a regular AR as a lefty.

    I'd duct tape a VCR to your ejection port to get a feel for the ergonomics before purchasing.
     
    Gonna revive this one to ask a dumb question...

    I get the ambi controls. Makes sense.

    Would a Brass Goat brass catcher help prevent the distraction/burns with right hand ejection?

    The youngest boy is talking about buying his first gun... He hasn't specifically said he wants an AR. But I figured I would be a bit proactive just in case he decides that's what he wants.

    If it turns out he wants an AR, I guess we'll build one.

    Mike
    Seems like it would be in the way and in his face though? A lefty rifle is SOOOOOOO much better and more pleasing to shoot. All of this "I can shoot a righty" is just saying "I can make due". Of course we can, but why would you? It's not like having a lefty ar keeps you from ever shooting any other ar???? This is not even a question imo, and as someone with several of both and having done it both ways through the years ect.... it's just crazy to not get a lefty if you can get a lefty, not to mention the safety factor of not having your face and eye, directly beside where any over pressure situation is going to blow out.
     
    Ok, so this is a real aside, but it was brought up. I’ve got a brass goat for my ar15 rifles. As a right handed shooter, it’s a non issue. The comment about taping a vhs tape to your lower is pretty spot on. Maybe it would be distracting to a lefty, but certainly not in the way of shooting. That said, there are a couple of downsides…

    1.) It doesn’t flip out of the way of the ejection port. Clearing a malfunction is slower than without it as you must take it off to get access to the port.

    2.) It may interfere with some magazines. The baseplates of Magpul pmags are large enough that they interfere with the brass goat hopper, if only just. They don’t drop free from my rifle(s) with the brass goat attached.

    3.) The brass goat fits very snuggly on the lower receiver. Snuggly enough that it will eventually leave marks. Maybe that’s not a concern. But, it is an observation.

    4.) The hopper isn’t that big. If you are doing a lot of running and gunning, and hoping to save your brass, you are going to be doing a lot of stopping and dumping too. You can use the brass goat as a massive shell deflector, by removing the hopper. Brass will fall straight down, instead of flinging out and away.

    5.) It makes administrative range tasks more tedious. If your range has strict rules about “safe and show clear,” you’ll be installing and removing the brass goat every time the line goes cold.

    That said, if you have a dead nuts reliable rifle, a square range with no ROs or other shooters, a lower that you don’t care if it looks like trash, run steel or aluminum mags exclusively, and have a need to save your brass, the brass goat is a great product.

    It may sound like I’m down on the thing, but I really am not. I wish they made one for large frame rifles too.
     
    Ok, so this is a real aside, but it was brought up. I’ve got a brass goat for my ar15 rifles. As a right handed shooter, it’s a non issue. The comment about taping a vhs tape to your lower is pretty spot on. Maybe it would be distracting to a lefty, but certainly not in the way of shooting. That said, there are a couple of downsides…

    1.) It doesn’t flip out of the way of the ejection port. Clearing a malfunction is slower than without it as you must take it off to get access to the port.

    2.) It may interfere with some magazines. The baseplates of Magpul pmags are large enough that they interfere with the brass goat hopper, if only just. They don’t drop free from my rifle(s) with the brass goat attached.

    3.) The brass goat fits very snuggly on the lower receiver. Snuggly enough that it will eventually leave marks. Maybe that’s not a concern. But, it is an observation.

    4.) The hopper isn’t that big. If you are doing a lot of running and gunning, and hoping to save your brass, you are going to be doing a lot of stopping and dumping too. You can use the brass goat as a massive shell deflector, by removing the hopper. Brass will fall straight down, instead of flinging out and away.

    5.) It makes administrative range tasks more tedious. If your range has strict rules about “safe and show clear,” you’ll be installing and removing the brass goat every time the line goes cold.

    That said, if you have a dead nuts reliable rifle, a square range with no ROs or other shooters, a lower that you don’t care if it looks like trash, run steel or aluminum mags exclusively, and have a need to save your brass, the brass goat is a great product.

    It may sound like I’m down on the thing, but I really am not. I wish they made one for large frame rifles too.
    So what's the question here? I have a lefty brass catcher on my lefty AR that I leave a little clip on the rail and then move the catcher to whichever one I am shooting. It works well but I'd hate to have it on the right side shooting left handed and it be right in my face.
     
    My oldest is wrong handed and I’m going to pick him up a gas gun for Christmas. He shoots my rifles just fine, even the ones that are over gassed when suppressed.

    I’d love to grab an off the shelf bcm and call it a day. Is that a mistake? Am I better off building an ambi lower and lefty upper?

    Thanks in advance.
    Do whatever ya want. But my son is a lefty and shoots right handed. He was shooting 22 at age 4. He went 4 yrs in the Marine Corps after high school and was SAW gunner, & scout sniper school. No one wants a left handed AR for resale value. Go ambidextrous controls, if ya want...but a lefty can run an AR fine just as it is with practice, Ive seen it. So it's kind of a non issue, with an AR.
    The dominant eye is probably the best indicator as to which side to shoulder the weapon.
     
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    Guys I just threw out the Brass Goat as a temporary fix until a guy can make the moves he needs to make himself happy.

    I'm right-handed and left eye dominant... I took a swing at shooting left handed to align with my left eye and it was a shit show... So you southpaws shooting righty AR's have my sympathy.

    Mike
     
    So what's the question here? I have a lefty brass catcher on my lefty AR that I leave a little clip on the rail and then move the catcher to whichever one I am shooting. It works well but I'd hate to have it on the right side shooting left handed and it be right in my face.
    No question. But, someone brought up using a brass goat on a righty rifle for a lefty shooter. I’m sharing my observations of this device.

    I am VERY right handed, and being on the wrong side of the rifle is much more distracting to me than the brass catcher. But, while the brass catcher is in front of your face (if you are shooting wrong handed) it does not obstruct the optic/sights, or get in the way of face placement on the gun.
     
    ...but a lefty can run an AR fine just as it is with practice, Ive seen it. So it's kind of a non issue, with an AR.
    The dominant eye is probably the best indicator as to which side to shoulder the weapon.

    I concur with this and am right handed, left eye dominant. I shoot long guns left handed and my handicaps are not which side of my body I shoot on.
     
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    No question. But, someone brought up using a brass goat on a righty rifle for a lefty shooter. I’m sharing my observations of this device.

    I am VERY right handed, and being on the wrong side of the rifle is much more distracting to me than the brass catcher. But, while the brass catcher is in front of your face (if you are shooting wrong handed) it does not obstruct the optic/sights, or get in the way of face placement on the gun.
    Ah , OK I see. That all makes much more sense now.... ;)
     
    So I get tired of righties always telling us lefties to just shoot right handed or deal with it...that said with gassers there is really only 1 time that I prefer my lefty uppers....when shooting suppressed. I didn't really ever think it bothered me when I had always shot suppressed on standard uppers, then I shot a lefty and realized I was just blocking out how much it sucked. No matter what you do (maybe one ofthe flow through cans,I've never shot one so can say for sure) gas will come out of the ejecting port and you are breathing that in as a lefty
     
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    i’ve never had a right handed shooter tell me to switch, kinda hard to go when you’re left dominant. i guess i’ve seen it online but always chalked it up to hazing. besides, i’d like to see them shoulder a rifle lefty. lol

    but the left handed upper and suppressed makes alot of sense. i always just delt with the gas to the face but hated it and lost interest in cans

    your post made me go order a left upper and bcg to try it out! thanks.
     
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    i’ve never had a right handed shooter tell me to switch, kinda hard to go when you’re left dominant. i guess i’ve seen it online but always chalked it up to hazing. besides, i’d like to see them shoulder a rifle lefty. lol

    but the left handed upper and suppressed makes alot of sense. i always just delt with the gas to the face but hated it and lost interest in cans

    your post made me go order a left upper and bcg to try it out! thanks.
    My neighbors have horses and I'm trying to be a good neighbor.

    Probably 90% of shooting will be suppressed.

    I don't mind dropping $800-$1200 on an upper/lefty rifle. It's the optics that are the killer.
     
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    My neighbors have horses and I'm trying to be a good neighbor.

    Probably 90% of shooting will be suppressed.

    I don't mind dropping $800-$1200 on an upper/lefty rifle. It's the optics that are the killer.
    ya thats brutal to have your scope out cost your rifle. i have a few of those. lol

    can’t wait for my parts to come and swap over. kind of excite actually. i get to use my cans!

    every once in awhile i shoot them righty just to see how the other side lives. its nice.
     
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