lefty-friendly AR

[Sespe]

So my first AR build is mutating even before all the parts have been ordered. I now place a high importance on it being easy for a lefty to operate all controls with the firing hand.

(Back story: Wife is a lefty, and believes in shooting 'slung up'. Far be it from me to change her mind. It works, trust me.)

So, if I want to go with an ambidextrous mag release, I need to go with a featureless rifle. Not being an AR freak, she has no problems with the look of a hammerhead.

Any comments / experience on ambi mag releases? I already have the ambi safety on order.

[Bug Splat]

Why not just get a Lefty Stag. Stag makes a quality rifle. Check them out.

http://www.stagarms.com/

[pyro3k2]

Why not just get a Lefty Stag. Stag makes a quality rifle. Check them out.

http://www.stagarms.com/

[C_1]

Norgon makes a good ambi safety. A little expensive though.

[Turo]

Why not just get a Lefty Stag. Stag makes a quality rifle. Check them out.

http://www.stagarms.com/

My cousin built a lefty with one of their uppers, It looks and works great!

[264charlie]

A regular is not hard for a lefty to use...

[Gio]

Get her and yourself this upper

-Gio

[fairfaxjim]

I've been left handed for all my life, at least as long as I can remember. I've been shooting for over 50 years of that life and have only ever had one rifle that was left handed, a bolt action. By the time I got it I had been shooting right handed rifles so long that it felt wierd.
I would seriously recommend that she practice and learn to use a standard AR, including selector. Then she will be comfortable with any AR she will pick up. One thing about being left handed in a right handed world, you learn to do a lot of things in a jackass manner. Lefties are, for the most part, way more ambidexterious than most righties, they simply have to be to survive.

[IEShooter]

Ambi mag release

So, if I want to go with an ambidextrous mag release, I need to go with a featureless rifle. Not being an AR freak, she has no problems with the look of a hammerhead.

Really? I didn't know this. So, if you put an ambidextrous mag release on an AR, you must make it a featureless AR? You can't install one on a 'standard', California AR with pistol grip, forward grip, 10 round mag and bullet button?

Why is that?

[Sespe]

Really? I didn't know this. So, if you put an ambidextrous mag release on an AR, you must make it a featureless AR? You can't install one on a 'standard', California AR with pistol grip, forward grip, 10 round mag and bullet button?

Why is that?

I haven't seen an ambidextrous bullet button yet. Do they make such a thing?

Just can't picture in my mind how a bullet button would work with only the left hand free. She likes to shoot appleseeds, which means a quick mag change while slung-up. Only way I can figure a lefty could do this would be to flip the rifle on it's side to access the bullet button with the left hand.

FWIW, I'm left-handed and left-eye dominant also. I grew up shooting right-handed, based on what rifles were in the house. Kept it up in the Army and I'm too old to change now.

[Untamed1972]

I think all those who are suggesting he go with a fully left-handed set-up are missing the point.

I'm assuming the OP is right-handed and his wife is left handed. He's wanting a fully ambi set-up so they both can use it.

As lefty myself though the only ambi features I've gone with are the ambi selector switch at and an ambi sling mount butt-plate.

Since mine is not featureless I'm stuck with BB. But have used standard mag release out of state and have no issues with using the standard mag release. And my fingers are long enough that I can hit the bolt catch release with the index finger of my left hand while still holding the pistol grip.

[Untamed1972]

Really? I didn't know this. So, if you put an ambidextrous mag release on an AR, you must make it a featureless AR? You can't install one on a 'standard', California AR with pistol grip, forward grip, 10 round mag and bullet button?

Why is that?

Using something like a Norgon ambi-catch would be like having a standard mag-release button which would result in you not having a mag-locking device which would put you into assualt weapon status unless you're running a featureless rifle where a detachable magazine it legal.

[IEShooter]

Reading is fundamental

Sorry, misunderstanding on my part. OP clearly typed "mag release", but my morning brain read, "bolt release".

My only excuse is I hadn't yet had my second cup of coffee.

Sorry.

[Vanguard]

I'm right handed but shoot left handed because of my left eye dominance. I would never buy a left handed AR just for the fact that you can't swap out bolt carrier groups with the standard right handed models. Parts availability is a big factor for me.....in the event of SHTF.

[CSACANNONEER]

I've been left handed for all my life, at least as long as I can remember. I've been shooting for over 50 years of that life and have only ever had one rifle that was left handed, a bolt action. By the time I got it I had been shooting right handed rifles so long that it felt wierd.
I would seriously recommend that she practice and learn to use a standard AR, including selector. Then she will be comfortable with any AR she will pick up. One thing about being left handed in a right handed world, you learn to do a lot of things in a jackass manner. Lefties are, for the most part, way more ambidexterious than most righties, they simply have to be to survive.

This is almost exactly what I was going to write! My only LH gun is my AR50L. I don't want a LH AR because, if the SHTF or ???? and I need to "pick up" a rifle, I don't want to have to relearn how to use it.