JoWaCa Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hello all, I've never gone to, or seen a 3 gun competition a day in my life. So about 2 months ago I decided to change that and I would like to "dabble" in it this year. I'm in the middle of my 16" middy AR build and I've got a trusty Glock 17 that I've had the pleasure of owning for about a year. I'm interested in/ looking for information on a good entry level shotgun...BUT i'm left handed. Which can be a PITA. I've read about the 870's awesome reliability and ruggedness, but the safety is at the trigger. I've handled a Mossberg 500, but to me it felt cheaply made. I have a Browning BPS with the Sabot barrel on it. I looked into buying a new barrel, but the cost of a new one is fairly prohibitive and I don't really want to mess with it. (sentimental value) I'm fine with either pump action or semi, I don't have much experience with a shotgun so i'm open to suggestion. My only request is being Lefty/ Ambi friendly. I'm trying to stay between $300 - $600. I figure if shotguns are anything like Glocks and AR's i'll probably want to fiddle with it and accessorize as I go. Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael1778 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Benelli claims to make left handed shotguns, on their wen site. But I could not put my finger on it with a fast search there. Give a look and perhaps you will have better luck finding specifics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent C Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) Hello all, I've never gone to, or seen a 3 gun competition a day in my life. So about 2 months ago I decided to change that and I would like to "dabble" in it this year. I'm in the middle of my 16" middy AR build and I've got a trusty Glock 17 that I've had the pleasure of owning for about a year. I'm interested in/ looking for information on a good entry level shotgun...BUT i'm left handed. Which can be a PITA. I've read about the 870's awesome reliability and ruggedness, but the safety is at the trigger. I've handled a Mossberg 500, but to me it felt cheaply made. I have a Browning BPS with the Sabot barrel on it. I looked into buying a new barrel, but the cost of a new one is fairly prohibitive and I don't really want to mess with it. (sentimental value) I'm fine with either pump action or semi, I don't have much experience with a shotgun so i'm open to suggestion. My only request is being Lefty/ Ambi friendly. I'm trying to stay between $300 - $600. I figure if shotguns are anything like Glocks and AR's i'll probably want to fiddle with it and accessorize as I go. Thanks for the help! I am a lefty. I have used an old early 70's 870 for the longest time and have been very happy with it. I now use an SX3. I never felt I was at a disadvantage with the safety at the trigger. The SX3 lets you switch the safety to the other side if you like. I also think that having a right handed gun for a lefty is kind of an advantage because it is easier to see the loading port to clear any jams or quickly load single shells. You can never go wrong with an 870 for anything in my opinion, but most people are using semi autos for this game. I got my SX3 for under $700 used which is a little out of your price range. The new Mossberg 930s are probably the cheapest way to get a solid performing semi auto for 3 gun. Edited February 20, 2012 by Vincent C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoWaCa Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) Is there a certain 930 series I should look for, or can I pretty much take any off the shelf and start tinkering/ shooting? I guess the same question applies to the 870. The 870 Express is selling for 329 here. I think the stock 930 is selling for about 450. Edited February 20, 2012 by JoWaCa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I've been using a left hand 11-87. The only problem was finding a shorter barrel. I got a 22 inch, choked barrel from a shop on the east coast. I've used an 870 but prefer an semi-auto. I've also heard Benelli makes a left handed shotgun, but I've never seen one. If you put an oversized safety button on the Remingtons, as you reach for the trigger, you almost automatically push the safety off. It may be easier to see a jam/malfunction in a right handed gun, but one thought keeps coming into my mind....during a catastrophic failure, the guns is designed to expend it's energy through the magazine and ejection port, keeping the user as unharmed as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddler Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I believe you can buy a left hand trigger assembly for the 870 or 1100 or 11-87 from Remington. This of course does not change the gun but it puts the safety on the other side. I have not yet felt the need. When I start losing matches by seconds instead of minutes, many minutes, I may upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TYLAG DS Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I have been shooting in my local 3-Gun matches for almost a year now, and I too am a lefty shooter. Since true lefty shotguns (Benelli, Remington) are difficult to find and therefore pricey, I went with a Mossberg 930 semi-auto. It fits your price range, eats nearly any ammo you feed it as long as you keep the shotgun relatively clean, and has a bounty of aftermarket add-ons if you choose to dress it up. I did splurge and had an AR rifle built with a Stag lefty upper when I found a deal too good to pass up, but my scattergun is still a righty. If I hit the lottery and can afford to buy true lefty guns, I'll give a complete collection a whirl - in the meantime I'm sticking with a right handed shotty that I found I can shoot fast and well. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinistralRifleman Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) As a left handed shooter there is no good reason to use a left handed action; unless you're planning on blowing your gun up. Then you might take less debris to the face. The ejection port on the right is where you want it to see its empty or more easily throw a shell into the chamber. Right handed shooters would benefit from left handed guns for this reason. 870s are very lefty friendly. Slide release is easier to operate left handed with the trigger finger. Reverse the safety if you feel the need. Mossbergs are also lefty friendly, the slide release is easily accessed with either hand. The safety is ambi. For the auto loaders the button on the right side to drop the bolt is easily accessed with your support side hand after you drop a shell in the chamber. I need to start a left handed shooter self esteem program, start viewing it as an advantage not a handicap. Edited February 22, 2012 by SinistralRifleman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 "Right" handed guns were MADE for Leftys! I would not spend the money on lefty guns. Seen too many problems with them, even in the hands of rightys. Get the safety and mag release ambi, and you are gpod to go! jj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerritm Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Winchester and I believe Fn's have a very simple way of changing the safety to left handed. I shoot an SX3 with the safety changed to left hand and have no problems. Never see the shell as they eject. You pull out the trigger ass.( 2 pins) and there is a "dog bone" that you switch from one side to the other and reverse the safety. gerritm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 "Right" handed guns were MADE for Leftys! I would not spend the money on lefty guns. Seen too many problems with them, even in the hands of rightys. Get the safety and mag release ambi, and you are gpod to go! jj truer words have never been spoken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoWaCa Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Thanks for all of your help guys. I'm not really affraid of shooting righty shotguns, just trying to gather opinions on ease of use for the Lefty shooter. All of my guns growing up have been righties so I'm used to them. They've all been rifles though. My AR's have ambi switches, etc. That being said, I'm now looking into the 930, CZ712 and the Nova. I plan on my first shotgun to be a multi-use tool for HD and 3gun, hunting. I'm looking for more of a "Jack of all trades" instead of a master of one. The CZ 712 Utility comes with a stock 20" barrel. The 930 and Nova have several barrels to choose from. What would be the recommendation for my uses? I honestly don't even know what distances of shots I will be taking with a shotgun, or the effective range...i'm a total noob with shotguns. All three are around $450 retail, which is the sweet spot for me because I can spend the rest of my current budget on ammo/ upgrades/ practice/ more ammo. This will be my first rodeo so I don't plan on winning, but second place would be nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Is there a certain 930 series I should look for I would wait for this one. http://3gunnation.com/products/mossberg_introduces_jerry_miculek_pro_series_930_autoloaders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoWaCa Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) Is there a certain 930 series I should look for I would wait for this one. http://3gunnation.com/products/mossberg_introduces_jerry_miculek_pro_series_930_autoloaders I've read about this gun and it certainly looks promising. I'm in the middle of my AR build and will continue researching the shotguns until I'm blue in the face. I'm still the standard noob that doesn't really know what he wants until he buys something and goes from there. Edited February 25, 2012 by JoWaCa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dab Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Ask to try other competitor's shotguns at matches. It'll help you get a feel for what you like/don't like and which guns are more lefty compatible. I also recommend semi-auto unless you can pump a shotgun as fast as a semi-auto cycles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEAN Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I am a big fan of the Ithaca 37. It's bottom load, bottom eject. Very friendly for Lefties such as myself. Very reliable as well. A note; I got mine when I traded my left handed 870 to a partner on the force here for 3-gun. He's right handed, but he found it very fast to 1-round reload and maintain his state with the port on the opposite side. Something I never found advantageous with a "righty" shotgun. To each his own, but might be something worth trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northnick Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I shoot lefty as well. Every gun I own, except for my bolt gun, is a right handed gun. I flipped the safety on the 870 and the Benelli and put an ambi safety on the AR and 1911. The only thing I caution you is if someone picks up your gun let them know the safety is reversed. When I go hunting I let everyone know that my saftey are reversed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Player Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I am a righty and have SERIOUSLY thought about buying a left handed Benelli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 the benellis are not true mirror image shotguns, the bolt release is still on the right. If it werent; a LH 21" M2 would be the holy grail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon9 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 the benellis are not true mirror image shotguns, the bolt release is still on the right. If it werent; a LH 21" M2 would be the holy grail. Exactly what kept me from getting a left hand Benelli M2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 "Right" handed guns were MADE for Leftys! I would not spend the money on lefty guns. Seen too many problems with them, even in the hands of rightys. Get the safety and mag release ambi, and you are gpod to go! jj truer words have never been spoken. This guy is a lefty 3 gunner and one of the best Benelli custom shops in the country. If I could shoot my right handed Benelli left handed effectively I would do it. There are several advantages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I shoot lefty as well. Every gun I own, except for my bolt gun, is a right handed gun. I flipped the safety on the 870 and the Benelli and put an ambi safety on the AR and 1911. The only thing I caution you is if someone picks up your gun let them know the safety is reversed. When I go hunting I let everyone know that my saftey are reversed. I'm a lefty also, and want to flip the safety on my Benelli M2. Is it easy to do r do i need to take it to a gun smith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmcc Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I'm dominantly right-handed but shoot left and my left eye is dominant. I love right-handed shotguns with left-handed safeties. I can keep the gun mounted on my shoulder and do a "weak" hand reload or grab my Arms Tec sticks with my dominant hand. Also manipulating the bolt to clear jams is much easier and the chamber is right there in front of your face. I have never even considered a lefty shotgun. Just my $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiligentPursuit Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I'm also right handed but shoot long guns lefty. I agree completely with Jimmcc's assessment. Reloading from empty is much easier as is cycling the action. I too have the safety reversed on my FN SLP. You may have to point that out to the RO when checking your gun after a stage. Just be sure that you've got a good pair of protective glasses since your off eye is a little more exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StjepanK Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I'm lefty and shot both left and right handed shotguns, right handed gun in 3 gun competition will be better for you being lefty since evrything will be right at front of you. I use SBE 2 lefty for 3 gun now but wish that i have right handed model. SBE 1 and 2 and montefeltro come in L hand, that's it i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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