Most lefty friendly production guns?

[mizer67]

I've been shooting an M&P because it's fully ambi, but I'm looking at switching from .40 to a new 9mm for production and want something different than a 9L or Pro.

Aside from the M&P, anyone have other suggestions about lefty friedly platforms that will be competitive in production for under $2K fully equipped?

[pvhendrix]

GEN 4 Glock 17 but I'd wait on the Gen 4 34. I'm also a lefty and have shot Glocks in Production, Limited, L-10 for years. I find any platform other than Sig to be OK for a LH shooter. I just work all leavers with the trigger finger. Only require ambi safties on 1911 style of guns.

[Wendytww]

I shot left handed for awhile and I used an XD. They are great for either hand!

[JorDanO]

CZ Shadow. Can switch the mag release to either side, and I can easily hit the slide release with my trigger finger.

[SteveU]

I'm lefty and shot an XD in production

[mizer67]

GEN 4 Glock 17 but I'd wait on the Gen 4 34. I'm also a lefty and have shot Glocks in Production, Limited, L-10 for years. I find any platform other than Sig to be OK for a LH shooter. I just work all leavers with the trigger finger. Only require ambi safties on 1911 style of guns.

Any issues releasing the slide stop with your trigger finger, seems like it might take a fair amount of effort? Do you add an extended stop?

Edited June 20, 2011 by mizer67

[mizer67]

CZ Shadow. Can switch the mag release to either side, and I can easily hit the slide release with my trigger finger.

I've been looking hard as these as well as Gen 4 Glocks.

I'll just have to re-learn the slide release which will save me undoing some training scars.

Any issue keeping yours running over a high rount count training schedule? I'm mostly all thumbs mechanically and an M&P is the only gun I've been able to work on myself (aside from ARs).

[Joe4d]

Whats wrong with the M&P ? They seem to win with surprising regularity, Are cheap and easy to work on, and you can buy one, doodad it, use some gear you already have, and buy a buttload of ammo components for the $1000 you'll have left in your budget.

[Cy Soto]

Whats wrong with the M&P ? They seem to win with surprising regularity, Are cheap and easy to work on, and you can buy one, doodad it, use some gear you already have, and buy a buttload of ammo components for the $1000 you'll have left in your budget.

This is exactly what I was thinking! The OP already has a 40 caliber M&P for which he could easily load Minor and use it in Production...

[mizer67]

Whats wrong with the M&P ?

I'm having difficulty finding a 130-140 pf load that doesn't fall apart after ~50 ft.

[ajg308]

+1.

This is what I do. Never any issues with my trigger finger doing the work.

GEN 4 Glock 17 but I'd wait on the Gen 4 34. I'm also a lefty and have shot Glocks in Production, Limited, L-10 for years. I find any platform other than Sig to be OK for a LH shooter. I just work all leavers with the trigger finger. Only require ambi safties on 1911 style of guns.

[salilus]

I would vote M&P. Mag release is swappable and the slide stop is already on both sides.

3.7-3.8 WSF plus a BBI 147 grainer works for me.

[Cy Soto]

Whats wrong with the M&P ?

I'm having difficulty finding a 130-140 pf load that doesn't fall apart after ~50 ft.

What powders & bullet combinations have you tried? There are plenty of accurate 40 minor loads that will shoot great out of an M&P. I have experimented a bit with some 180gr & 165gr bullets using various powders and have found some good 40 minor loads. For example, my wife is currently shooting 165gr Zero TC bullets with Bullseye powder out of her M&P 40 with good results. This is what she uses in Production with a PF just slightly above 125. Another friend of mine (and also BE member) is using 180gr bullets with Clays and recently made Master in Production shooting this load.

[mizer67]

Whats wrong with the M&P ?

I'm having difficulty finding a 130-140 pf load that doesn't fall apart after ~50 ft.

What powders & bullet combinations have you tried? There are plenty of accurate 40 minor loads that will shoot great out of an M&P. I have experimented a bit with some 180gr & 165gr bullets using various powders and have found some good 40 minor loads. For example, my wife is currently shooting 165gr Zero TC bullets with Bullseye powder out of her M&P 40 with good results. This is what she uses in Production with a PF just slightly above 125. Another friend of mine (and also BE member) is using 180gr bullets with Clays and recently made Master in Production shooting this load.

MG 180 JHP

MG 180 CMJ

MG 180 FMJ

PD 180 FMJ

Missouri bullet 180 TCFP

Hornady XTP 180 JHP

Nosler 135 JHP (gun loves these at 1150+ fps)

Mostly over 3.5 - 4.0 of TG, also with light charges of Power Pistol (loud, dirty, lots of flash). Win, Wolf and CCI primers. From 1.125 - 1.135 OAL.

Loads generally shoot fine up to 50 ft., 30 rounds into less than the size of a Post-it note from the bench for 3.7 gr TG & MG 180 JHP @ 50 ft., but somewhere between 50 - 75 ft, they go haywire and are lucky to hit the cardboard.

[Cy Soto]

MG 180 JHP

MG 180 CMJ

MG 180 FMJ

PD 180 FMJ

Missouri bullet 180 TCFP

Hornady XTP 180 JHP

Nosler 135 JHP (gun loves these at 1150+ fps)

Mostly over 3.5 - 4.0 of TG, also with light charges of Power Pistol (loud, dirty, lots of flash). Win, Wolf and CCI primers. From 1.125 - 1.135 OAL.

Loads generally shoot fine up to 50 ft., 30 rounds into less than the size of a Post-it note from the bench for 3.7 gr TG & MG 180 JHP @ 50 ft., but somewhere between 50 - 75 ft, they go haywire and are lucky to hit the cardboard.

I had a similar experience when I tried Titegroup. My rounds would group well out to 15 yards but accuracy was less than stellar past this distance.

In my experience, some fast powders such as Solo 1000 and Titegroup performed best at Major PF but didn't give me the results I was expecting in Minor.

While WSF and Bullseye both worked very well for Minor, they were incapable of shooting any tighter than 3" groups at 25 yards (from the bench) which I find acceptable for this sport. The big tradeoff for my wife was having a really light recoil impulse.

I am not saying that you don't need a new gun. Lord knows that I love guns and I would love to own two of every gun ever produced. What I am trying to say is that, with some load data experimentation, you can also achieve great results with the equipment that you already own.

Though I am not left-handed and though I don't shoot an M&P in Production, I honestly believe that this platform is probably the best suited for a left-handed shooter (certainly much more so than Glock or CZ) based solely on having the option of operating the slide release lever with your thumb instead of your trigger finger.

[mizer67]

MG 180 JHP

MG 180 CMJ

MG 180 FMJ

PD 180 FMJ

Missouri bullet 180 TCFP

Hornady XTP 180 JHP

Nosler 135 JHP (gun loves these at 1150+ fps)

Mostly over 3.5 - 4.0 of TG, also with light charges of Power Pistol (loud, dirty, lots of flash). Win, Wolf and CCI primers. From 1.125 - 1.135 OAL.

Loads generally shoot fine up to 50 ft., 30 rounds into less than the size of a Post-it note from the bench for 3.7 gr TG & MG 180 JHP @ 50 ft., but somewhere between 50 - 75 ft, they go haywire and are lucky to hit the cardboard.

I had a similar experience when I tried Titegroup. My rounds would group well out to 15 yards but accuracy was less than stellar past this distance.

In my experience, some fast powders such as Solo 1000 and Titegroup performed best at Major PF but didn't give me the results I was expecting in Minor.

While WSF and Bullseye both worked very well for Minor, they were incapable of shooting any tighter than 3" groups at 25 yards (from the bench) which I find acceptable for this sport. The big tradeoff for my wife was having a really light recoil impulse.

I am not saying that you don't need a new gun. Lord knows that I love guns and I would love to own two of every gun ever produced. What I am trying to say is that, with some load data experimentation, you can also achieve great results with the equipment that you already own.

Though I am not left-handed and though I don't shoot an M&P in Production, I honestly believe that this platform is probably the best suited for a left-handed shooter (certainly much more so than Glock or CZ) based solely on having the option of operating the slide release lever with your thumb instead of your trigger finger.

That certainly mirrors my experience so far. Major loads seem to shoot fine. Minor loads, well.....

What's your minor powder for .40? The forum (per the search function) is usually for TG, Solo 1000 or N320 I think.

[Cy Soto]

What's your minor powder for .40? The forum (per the search function) is usually for TG, Solo 1000 or N320 I think.

3.7gr of Bullseye behind a 165gr Zero TC bullet with an OAL of 1.135" and 0.421" crimp. This combination produces 127 PF with an approximate accuracy of 3" at 25 yards rested. I have only shot it out to about 35 yards and, though I haven't measured groups at this distance, I know for a fact that the rounds will land in the "A" zone when shot offhand.

I will also PM my buddy whom I mentioned before and hopefully he can share his load data with us. He's the gentleman that shoots Clays under 180gr bullets.

[noylj]

There is the most famous leftie gun ever--the Colt SAA. However, it wouldn't work too well in action pistol.

About the only bad thing for most lefties with available pistols it the ejection across the line of sight. Ambi thumb safety and operating the slide release (if one can't simply pull back the slide) with the trigger finger work well.

[JasonS]

Going back to the original post, I'm surprised no one mentioned the HK line of pistols. As a lefty, the trigger guard magazine release, and fully ambidextrous slide release, is one of the best feeling guns to run. However most left handed people are going to be just as fast, using right handed controls. (Also, I'm not sure about the higher end HK's but the trigger on the P30 model, leaves alot to be desired.)

[jimzim]

What's your minor powder for .40? The forum (per the search function) is usually for TG, Solo 1000 or N320 I think.

3.7gr of Bullseye behind a 165gr Zero TC bullet with an OAL of 1.135" and 0.421" crimp. This combination produces 127 PF with an approximate accuracy of 3" at 25 yards rested. I have only shot it out to about 35 yards and, though I haven't measured groups at this distance, I know for a fact that the rounds will land in the "A" zone when shot offhand.

I will also PM my buddy whom I mentioned before and hopefully he can share his load data with us. He's the gentleman that shoots Clays under 180gr bullets.

I use the following which runs pretty flat at a 130 PF:

200gr Montana Gold

3.0gr Clays

Tungsten guide rod with ISMI 11 lb spring (less 2 coils)

[Cy Soto]

I use the following which runs pretty flat at a 130 PF:

200gr Montana Gold

3.0gr Clays

Tungsten guide rod with ISMI 11 lb spring (less 2 coils)

Thanks Jim!

[TonyT]

I've been shooting an M&P because it's fully ambi, but I'm looking at switching from .40 to a new 9mm for production and want something different than a 9L or Pro.

Aside from the M&P, anyone have other suggestions about lefty friedly platforms that will be competitive in production for under $2K fully equipped?

You might also consider the S&W99/Walther P99 they have a unique ambidextrous safety which I particularly enjoy using. The S&W99/Wlther P99 atre at least as accurate as the G-17/G34 and equally reliable. I shoot both but have a slight preference for the S&W99.

Edited June 21, 2011 by TonyT

[JorDanO]

CZ Shadow. Can switch the mag release to either side, and I can easily hit the slide release with my trigger finger.

I've been looking hard as these as well as Gen 4 Glocks.

I'll just have to re-learn the slide release which will save me undoing some training scars.

Any issue keeping yours running over a high rount count training schedule? I'm mostly all thumbs mechanically and an M&P is the only gun I've been able to work on myself (aside from ARs).

The things that occasionally break on a a CZ are pretty easy to replace. Only thing I've had to replace are a trigger return spring in 2 different guns. Both had about a year of heavy live and dry fire use.