Conceal carry anyone?

Swamp Donkey

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Have any of you found much in the way of a left-handed AR platform? I’ll admit I haven’t researched it much. My son is crazy left-eye dominant, and although he does everything else right-handed, he has always been more proficient shooting from the left shoulder. He can handle all my AR stuff (SW MP, Sig Rattler) but I think he might be better served if he could go lefty. He shoots a left-handed Beretta A400 shotgun very well, and his deer rifle is a left handed Christensen Mesa 6.5 Creedmoor, with which he is deadly out to 500 and serviceable to 800. Any insight out there?
meaning just an ambidextrous safety? or a full left hand model? ambidextrous safeties and mag release are easy. but I've never had a model with a left-handed ejection if that's what you mean.

is he right-handed or left-handed? if he's right handed you may want to teach him to shoot with his right hand on the pistol grip and using the left eye and the left shoulder. that's becoming increasingly popular anyway for off-hand shooting. all the ninja operators operators claim it's just as effective and you don't have to switch hands when you're switching from right shoulder to left shoulder using that grip.

felt weird to me at first.
 
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ThreatMatrix

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meaning just an ambidextrous safety? or a full left hand model? ambidextrous safeties and mag release are easy. but but I've never had a model with a left-handed ejection if that's what you mean.

is he right-handed or left-handed? if he's right handed you may want to teach him to shoot with his right hand on the pistol grip and using the left eye and the left shoulder. that's becoming increasingly popular anyway for off-hand shooting. all the ninja operators operators claim it's just as effective and you don't have to switch hands when you're switching from right shoulder to left shoulder using that grip.

felt weird to me at first.
And an ambi charging handle. But, yeah, don't think I've seen an AR-15 with the ejection port on the left side. Juts tell him chicks dig brass-burn facial scars.
 

Albert

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meaning just an ambidextrous safety? or a full left hand model? ambidextrous safeties and mag release are easy. but but I've never had a model with a left-handed ejection if that's what you mean.

is he right-handed or left-handed? if he's right handed you may want to teach him to shoot with his right hand on the pistol grip and using the left eye and the left shoulder. that's becoming increasingly popular anyway for off-hand shooting. all the ninja operators operators claim it's just as effective and you don't have to switch hands when you're switching from right shoulder to left shoulder using that grip.

felt weird to me at first.
He literally does everything right handed but shoot. I worked with him on the right-hand grip/left hand shoulder, but it’s very uncomfortable. Considering he is still growing rapidly at 14 (Currently 6’0, 155) it may be just too awkward I have a very close friend that’s a former Special Op guy researching a few options. What I don’t want is a unreliable POS even if it’s lefty.
 

Swamp Donkey

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And an ambi charging handle. But, yeah, don't think I've seen an AR-15 with the ejection port on the left side. Juts tell him chicks dig brass-burn facial scars.
Yeah, Id just get ambi safety and other controls (or not) and drive on if he wants to shoot lefthanded. Millions have. Almost all the guns have built-in brass deflectors. He is more likely to get the brass on his right arm. Some how they always land right in the elbow antecubital area and stick. Wear long sleaves.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I don't shoot sissy gucci guns. My 40 year old Makorov and Beretta chew through steel case like butter.
the Makarov is no doubt built for steel "brass". the Beretta is not. I probably put maybe 50,000 rounds through a Beretta, mostly very hot 40 caliber. Ive seen a few broken springs, op rods, ejectors and extractors in my time, though never my own. they are tough guns but far from indestructible.

The Beretta is most assuredly not designed for steel cased ammo.

Will some steel cased ammo hurt it? probably not but it'll definitely accelerate the wear especially on the ejector and extractor.
 
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NOLAGATOR

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a small 38 is about the worst thing you could give someone who's not good with firearms.

a pump action shotgun is next on the list of terrible firearms for a beginner.

no offense but how much lighter than a polymer 380 can you get? a 22 mini revolver?

at some point you need to consider whether if you need a self-defense handgun you need a self-defense round in that handgun. I cannot think of any 32s that are lighter than the 380s. that wasn't always the case.

I wouldn't consider a 22 under almost any conditions as a primary self-defense weapon. rimfire ammo is just too hit or miss.

what is he have in mind? and what do you have now?


Donk:

I am aware of your issues. I said I was looking for a smaller 380 for my wife because she wants something lighter...mine is steel.

So I am looking at one that fits in my pocket with a laser site. Same ammo (Hollow Point) as mine, single stack and I have a use for both.

I like a revolver because they are simple...almost always work BUT again harder to shoot especially snub nose and very light. and I want the same ammo.

I am not getting my wife a .22...she is not an assassin and I want a little stopping power.

The shot-gun is for the home will mostly mine. I have my hunting shotgun but may get a just legal light-weight, stop them at the door, nasty #$%^&*.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Stag Arms... you're welcome.
my only problem with this is that 99.99% of the rifles in the world aren't going to be left handed, and if he insists on being left handed himself he really needs to learn to live in a right-handed world.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Donk:

I am aware of your issues. I said I was looking for a smaller 380 for my wife because she wants something lighter...mine is steel..
My list would start w Ruger LCP, maybe M&P 380, maybe G42 (id get the heavier trigger for a pocket holster carry).

Edit: This might help.
What's the Best 380 Pocket Pistol?
 
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AuggieDosta

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my only problem with this is that 99.99% of the rifles in the world aren't going to be left handed, and if he insists on being left handed himself he really needs to learn to live in a right-handed world.

I didn't read through all of the above but it isn't important what hand he uses. It is more important what eye is dominant. Find out the answer to that and then train him to use the correct hand to shoot.
 

Nalt

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Have any of you found much in the way of a left-handed AR platform? I’ll admit I haven’t researched it much. My son is crazy left-eye dominant, and although he does everything else right-handed, he has always been more proficient shooting from the left shoulder. He can handle all my AR stuff (SW MP, Sig Rattler) but I think he might be better served if he could go lefty. He shoots a left-handed Beretta A400 shotgun very well, and his deer rifle is a left handed Christensen Mesa 6.5 Creedmoor, with which he is deadly out to 500 and serviceable to 800. Any insight out there?
That's funny actually. I am left-handed with everything except firing a weapon and shooting billiards. Both of those I do righty...
 

Detroitgator

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have you tried p365?

Im not a Sig guy, at all, but it is a fantastic lil gun.
No, but not for any reason, I've heard nothing but good things. I'm at a point where I pretty much have what I need and doubt I'll ever add again.... except I may buy a Browning Hi-Power out of nostalgia... it was the first pistol I bought as a legal adult, and I traded it for another piece and wish I had kept it for nostalgia only, not because I would prefer/carry it over any of my CZ's or .45's even.

The reason why I bought the LCP is because I got it right after it came out and there was a limited selection of true, really light weight, pocket pistols at the time, so it's what I have. You truly do not know it is there, it fills a need, it's a serviceable tool in the box, that's it.
 

Detroitgator

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10-15 years ago, when Colt was going beyond full tilt as the sole provider of M4's for the USG, they received permission to subcontract production. At that time, Stag was located next door (basically) to Colt in Connecticut (they have since wisely moved to Wyoming) and made quality, affordable product, so Colt went with them. Stag was also known back then as the best (and pretty much "only" back then) at "lefty ARs". They manufactured to true USG/Mil spec with Colt stuff to fill Colt's capacity. I did a LOT of USG work with Stag Arms back then. I haven't looked in years, but at least back then (before word really got out about how good Stag was), a Stag AR product cost you about 1/3rd of what the same exact thing with "Colt" stamped on it cost. This was the same time I was working with Spike's Tactical for ARs and they got their uppers from Stag. It was "Mike" ("Spike") at Spike's that told me "you'd be a moron to buy a Colt when you can buy Stag."
 

Swamp Donkey

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I use G43 for pocket carry but I feel it is a bad habit. for me that usually means going to 7-Eleven to pick up gas while I'm mowing the lawn or something. even so a pair of shorts with a belt and a t-shirt to cover allows me to carry a real gun.

that being said the 365 is a very small gun, has 10 rounds of 9mm in a footprint which easily fits in a pocket holster.
 

Detroitgator

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I use G43 for pocket carry but I feel it is a bad habit. for me that usually means going to 7-Eleven to pick up gas while I'm mowing the lawn or something. even so a pair of shorts with a belt and a t-shirt to cover allows me to carry a real gun.

that being said the 365 is a very small gun, has 10 rounds of 9mm in a footprint which easily fits in a pocket holster.
Honestly, I carry the LCP in only rare circumstances. Otherwise, I'm in a situation where I ether cannot carry anything at all (either by law, or say a place that is running metal detectors to get in, and they ain't gonna let you in), or there is no reason other than lazy that you can't carry something with a 3.75" or longer barrel anyway, so for me, it's CZ10P 95%+ of the time I am awake, nothing 3% of the time, LCP 2% of the time... something like that.

I'm at a point where I seriously need to offload items I have... I know there are some that I'll never fire again, but I'll likely "gift" several of those to my kids as they get settled.
 

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