Table of Contents
Introduction
You share your left-handed dominance with 10% of the population if you’re a southpaw. Until recently, left-handed gun owners had to make do with rifles that were almost entirely built for right-handed shooters.
Slide stops, cylinder locks, decocker/safety levers, magazine catches, and charging handles were all accessible solely with the right thumb. In recent years, more manufacturers have opted to develop weapons with ambidextrous or bilateral controls to satisfy the demands of left-handed shooters.
Handguns that enable bilateral control or accessibility are the ideal for left-handed shooters. The less adaptations a left-handed shooter must make to a right-handed posture, the better.
Heckler & Koch VP9
Heckler & Koch has a number of handguns built specifically for southpaws. The HK VP9, also known as the Volkspistole (people’s pistol), is a striker-fired 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a polymer frame designed for tactical use. While Glock is recognized as being the first successful striker-fired pistol, the HK VP70 was released more than a decade before Glock. As a contemporary fighting pistol, the VP9 follows the HK legacy.
The VP9’s ambidextrous controls reflect its design to make it accessible to both right and left-handed shooters. The magazine catch is the first feature you’ll notice. The magazine catch on most handguns is a horizontally sliding button. If you’re a left-handed shooter, you’ll need to flip the magazine catch for it to work.
The magazine catch is a paddle positioned behind the trigger on numerous HK pistols that may be depressed with either hand’s index finger or thumb. Not only is the magazine catch ambidextrous, but the VP9 also has a second slide stop for your left thumb on the right side of the frame.
Charter Arms Southpaw
The semi-automatic pistol isn’t the only firearm that may be customized to fit the needs of a left-handed shooter. The cylinder latch on a classic swing-out-cylinder revolver is on the left side of the frame. The cylinder swings out to the left side as you depress the cylinder lock, allowing a right-handed shooter to load and unload the chambers using their left hand.
The Southpaw is a left-handed revolver made by Charter Arms, the same firm that makes the Undercover and Bulldog revolvers. The Southpaw is a double-action/single-action revolver with a snub nose. The 38 Special is an Undercover Lite version.
The cylinder lock is positioned on the right-hand side of the frame, which is also the side where the cylinder swings out. This is a unique feature of this weapon. For right-handed reloading, you can use your left thumb to free the cylinder from the frame.
Glock 19 Gen 5
The Glock 19 is a semi-automatic handgun that is perfect for concealed carry, home protection, competitive target shooting, and law enforcement in the United States. While the Glock family of pistols has had some ambidextrous capability for years, the launch of Gen 5 improved the firm’s attractiveness to the left-handed market.
The reversible push-button magazine catch is not ambidextrous out of the box. The Gen 5 does, however, include an ambidextrous slide stop, unlike prior versions. No list would be complete without a mention of this Austrian industry leader, which is popular among both right- and left-handed shooters. The Glock’s exterior design is simple and snag-free, with no decocker or safety levers.
CZ P-07
The Czech Republic-based CZ, or Česká zbrojovka, is a prominent maker of pistols, carbines, rifles, and other weapons. Consider the CZ P-07 if you want a hammer-fired semi-automatic pistol rather than a striker-fired handgun. The magazine catch is reversible, and the safety lever is ambidextrous. The slide stop is not ambidextrous or reversible, unlike the Glock 19 Gen 5 and HK VP9.
Some left-handed shooters may find this a hindrance, while others may adjust by releasing the slide with their left index finger and retracting it with their right hand. The P-07 lets you swap out the safety and decocking levers, which the firm refers to as “control components.” You can carry the P-07 with the hammer down to ensure that the first shot is double action. It’s also feasible to carry the handgun cocked and locked, as was the case with the original 1911.
Walther PDP
Walther is known for a wide range of weapons, including the PP, the first successful double-action semi-automatic pistol, and the extremely specialized and rare WA 2000 sniper rifle. The PDP, or Performance Duty Pistol, is the successor of the PPQ, which has been discontinued. The PDP is a striker-fired, polymer-framed pistol with optics suited for self-defense, law enforcement, and military duty. The PDP has a reversible magazine catch and an ambidextrous slide stop, just like its predecessor. As a consequence, the PDP is one of the most user-friendly pistols available.
The PDP has a number of notable features. The Performance Duty Trigger features a shorter travel, better take-up, and a more defined wall than the standard Duty Trigger. You can shoot the weapon more accurately if the trigger stroker is constant and predictable. The Performance Duty Texture has a rough surface finish that improves grip. Unlike standard grip checkering, however, the texture is non-abrasive and won’t irritate the skin.
Beretta APX Centurion
Beretta is a well-known name in pistols, having designed and manufactured the 92 series, which includes the M9. The APX Centurion is a mid-size polymer-framed, striker-fired handgun developed for duty and concealed carry by the Italian company.
The APX Centurion has a striker deactivation button, a trigger safety, and a firing pin block safety. While the APX Centurion includes a reversible magazine catch, one of the most prominent characteristics for left-handed shooters is its ambidextrous slide stop. This lever, positioned on the right side of the frame, is similar in size and design to the Glock. The controls of the APX Centurion are modest yet bilateral for your requirements because there are no manual safety levers.
Holsters for left-handed shooters
The weapon is simply one of the entire configurations if you plan to carry a left-handed pistol. You’ll also require a holster that is tailored to your carry requirements. This holster should allow you to carry your firearm safely and smoothly while drawing it. Furthermore, as a left-handed shooter, your holster should be appropriate with your unique demands.
