Question for the southpaws

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Howdy,

For all the left handed guys and gals out there:

  1. Do you find using the stock safety a hindrance?
  2. What’s your preferred method for operating the bolt catch/release.
  3. What’s your preferred way for clearing malfunctions?

I ask because I just watched Magpul’s carbine DVD and noted there were no southpaws in their class.

N8dawg16

2
  1. Not a problem easier with an ambi.
  2. Index finger or changing handle. or even better ambi
  3. No easy method just alot of practice.

Luckily there are more ambi lowers around now, KAC, POF, and Spikes will have one very soon.

3

  1. No, and I do not have any time using/training with an ambi type selector lever and haven’t bothered to seek it out as running it “right” is second nature to me.

  2. It depends somewhat on the postion you are shooting from. But if you’re looking for just a general weak hand approach to running the bolt forward I find giving your weapon the “reach around” works well ( for me.). The “reach around” is conducted after a ‘load’ or ‘reload’ by simply gripping the mag well at the junction of the upper and lower receivers with with the web of your right hand (left hand remains on pistol grip finger off trigger) and reaching around the MW with your four fingers to find and depress the bolt release.

  3. Again this depends a lot on shooting position and what type of malfuntion you have to deal with. But I find using your weak hand works best in a lot of situations in and out of your control. YMMV (and objects in mirror are ALWAYS closer than they appear.).

4

1: No, But I prefer to install an Ambi Safety on all of my personal guns, on my Issued gun I adapted without problems. Either use your left index finger knuckle or left thumb, preference going to the former.

  1. Left index finger, if you have the BAD lever you can drop the bolt after you reload w the right thumb. (edited left to right, typo)

  2. Tap mag w/ right hand, roll gun 60 deg clockwise w left hand (ejection port facing down), reach over and pull charging handle w/ right hand (pinch grip), observe, release, reacquire, squeeze.

GU

5
  1. Nope, I flip it with my left thumb.
  2. Left index finger.
  3. It may not be the most efficient in terms of economy of motion but if I need to strip the mag I’ll do it with my right hand and at the same time move my right hand to the handguards and left hand to the charging handle and rack rack rack
6

I am a righty, but shoot a lot of offhand.

  1. No as I use my trigger finger to roll the selector on and off.
  2. Right hand rotated around the front of the magwell hitting the release.
  3. Tap and rack with right hand (canting the rifle starboard as I am running the charging handle).

C4

7

Like others have said.

  1. Safety/selector, not really an issue. Easy to use with trigger finger, or left thumb. In my opinion, getting the safety back on is a little more tricky.

  2. Index finger on my left hand, or with my right hand going in front and around the magwell.

  3. Depends. I’ve found with standard charging handles and some optics, I can’t reach the charging handle with my right hand. I also tend to run the stocks shorter, and I’ve kinda punched myself in the face a few times. Recently I just started using my left hand to operate the charging handle.

8

You must have an excessively long left thumb or you are rolling the palm allowing the thumb the required reach to the BAD lever. I’m having a hard time seeing the efficiency of this. Got pics?

9

Sorry, typo, I meant right thumb.

*This is not the technique I use on a consistent basis though, just an option.

Gu

10

Thanks for the clarification.

11

the use of the right thumb to depress the BAD lever after a reload is a very good adaptation to drive the bolt home…

12
  1. I use an ambi safety. It’s helpful, but not neccessary.
  2. I have long fingers. No problems operating the bolt catch or release with my trigger finger without adjusting my firing grip.
  3. I follow the “SPORTS” procedure for immediate action without changing my firing grip.
    [ul]
    [li]Slap magazine with support hand to make sure it’s seated
    [/li][li]Pull charging handle fully to the rear (Reaching over the top of the rifle, hooking the extended latch with my index finger)
    [/li][li]Observe the offending cartridge being ejected
    [/li][li]Release the charging handle
    [/li][li]Tap the forward assist with an open palm from my support hand
    [/li][li]Squeeze trigger
    [/li][/ul]
13

I use a modified ambi safety. I trim off about half of the safety lever on the left side to give me clearance. It still works well shooting right handed. See pic below.

I use the right hand wraparound as mentioned by others. If my right hand is busy, I use the trigger and middle fingers of my left hand.

I use tap and rack with my right hand. Left hand never comes off the grip.

Gringop

14

I was once of the solid opinion that as a lefty there was no need, and in fact it was detrimental, to try and make a carbine ambidextrous. I’ve sinced learned that the reverse is probably most true so long as you do it to all of your ARs.

About the only thing I haven’t switched out has been the selector and that’s more due to just laziness and not wanting to spend the money on the part since it’s the most ambi-friendly part of the carbine.

As I’ve shot more and realized that shooting a carbine is an ambidextrous skill anyways, having things set up for both right and left handed shooting is an asset.

I use an ambi-catch and ambi charging handle and it was significantly faster for me as a lefty once I retrained.

15

Here’s to hoping BCM will make an ambi Gunfighter Charging Handle.

16
  1. No, I either install an ambi selector or use my trigger finger.
  2. On standard lower, I use my trigger finger or install a B.A.D. Abmi lower is nice but I think the KAC is the only one.
  3. SPORTS method unless it becomes one of those complicated malfunctions.
17

I just found this interesting video demonstrating the use of the BAD Lever for lefty’s.

18

that was interesting. I totally disregarded the BAD being a lefty and never thought about giving it a try but, after watching that video, may just have to try one for the hell of it…