lefty friendly semi-auto?

[2eagles]

It's time for me to buy!  I have been shooting long guns for 45 years and now I need a handgun.  Mostly for self defense.  I want something that is fun to practice with.  Thoughts are semi-auto and small enough to hide when I get my cc permit. Thinking .40 S&W or .45 ACP.
Are there some brands / styles that are more friendly to a lefthand shooter?  Thanks , Jim

[Lee N. Fielder]

Actually, you have more options than you may have imagined.

The Ruger P-91 (in .40 cal) and the P-90 (in .45 cal) are about as lefty-friendly as they come.  They have ambidextrous de-cocking levers and they come with a mag release on both sides of the frame.  They still eject to the right though, and many people think the grip is a bit ill-fitting to the hand, but a set of Hogues helps this greatly and there is no doubt they are a sturdy and reliable pistol.

Another option is one of the surplus Walther P.1 or P.38 pistols in 9mm.  They eject to the left and the European heel-style mag release is ambidextrous.  The decocking lever is on the left side of the frame but most people carry them in DA mode anyway so that issue is pretty moot.

A third completely ambidextrous pistol is the CZ-82, although it's in the Russian 9x18 caliber.  It has ambidextrous safeties with mag release buttons on both sides of the frame and, unlike the Ruger, it can be carried either cocked-and-locked or with the hammer down in DA mode.  A hard choice to beat for the budget conscious shooter.  Cole Distributing is carrying its civilian brother, the CZ-83 in .380 caliber for $220 in 80% condition if the Russian caliber puts you off.

I'm sure there are other options but these are some of the more obvious ones.

-Lee

[critter44]

Be SURE to give a good, close look at the HK P7 M8's (or even a P7 PSP). Completely ambi and magnificent shooters. MADE for defensive work for the W. German police.

[Lloyd Smale]

i do switch hand shooting drills with my 1911s all the time and never seen where there was a problem

[1911crazy]

The CZ75DB & CZ85DB  are ambidextous thats with the slide lever and safety lever on both sides. The "D" means double action and the "B" means ambidextous.

[huntswithdogs]

My wife has a S&W 99/45. No safety and ambi mag release located at the back of the trigger guard. The decocker is on the leftside but not too complicated to handle. I don't care too much for the grips, but they fit you fine.
Being a fellow lefty, I've looked at a lot of 1911s with the ambi. safties. Springfield makes a model that I really like but I can't remember the model number. Kimber has one that's made pretty much the same, but the price is a little above me right now. The one problem I have with a 1911 is, if the mag release sets out too high, I'll drop the mag, inadvertently, on the second or third shot. It may be the way my hands are made or the way I hold a 1911 that causes it. Be nice to find one that had the release set up for a lefty.


HWD

[Broom Rider]

Give the HK pistols a good look. They're not cheap but they make a nice product that's leftie friendly.
I'm left handed but only have one left handed gun which I find hard to use after learning and practicing with regular 1911's. (most of which have ambi safeties)
For what it's worth I don't recommend buying any left handed gun if it's a limited production or out of production item.

[2eagles]

Broom Rider, I agree completely on not buying a left hand model.  I've shot right hand guns for 45 + years and do just fine!  I did buy a .270 Ruger lefty a few years ago, didn't like it and sold it.
I'll take your statement one step further.  I will not change the safty to be left handed.  I believe that to be asking for trouble when a righty borrows one of my guns. Proof in this is one of my sons shoots left, the other right.  It would be confusing at the very least.  Jim

[Lloyd Smale]

a 1911 is pretty tough to run left handed with only a right handed saftey. It comes alot more natural to me to use the lever on the right side when doing left hand drills. I dont worry about ambr. safteys on competition guns but my self defense guns all have them.

[.357 shooter]

I was in law enforcement for 20+ years, now retired. Now I work as an armed security supervisor for a Huge pharmiceutical. I started off with revolvers early in my career. taught myself to reload switching to my right hand. And the same with autos. You will be surprised how fast you can reload by switching to weak hand reload with a non amidextrous firearm. As said above a 1911 with out a amidextrous safety is tuff. So most guns will work for lefty's.

Bryan

[Ole Man Dan]

For many years I taught Firearms in the LEO community, Durring the transition years from 'Wheel-gun' to autos, most guys with limited experience were started out with something like a Glock. 
(Not a lot of bells & whistles, and simple to operate) 
That said:  I carry 1911s & Sig 220s.  (Adapt & Overcome...)
I am left handed and learned many years ago that most manual of arms were written by right handed folks W/O much experience shooting left handed.  It's a different ballgame for 'South Paws'.  Spend an hour with a left handed instructor and you will learn many different techniques to overcome right handed operating systems.  A good lefty coach can teach you to operate a 1911 type auto W/O an ambi-safty
(The good news for 'Ole Timers' is that most of the 'Old Fashioned' wheel-guns are easier to operate left handed than right)

[S.B.]

IIRC, Randle at one time made a lefthanded .45 ACP 1911? If not, someone more knowledable will chimb in and correct me.
Steve

[fastbike]

The FNP-45 is completely ambi from the factory (well, the take down lever is only on the left side). Slide release, mag release, and decocker on both sides. This is double stack but has a smaller feeling grip than say an XD45 or M&P 45.

[2eagles]

I finally bought my first handgun!    I decided on a S&W M&P in 40.  It was the "lefty friendliness" that made me choose the M&P.  I have had 45 years of shooting long guns and haven't shot handguns at all.  The M&P feels good in my hand and points where I want it to.  Wanting to get a feel for the gun,  I took it apart several times (and put it back together).  And cleaned it.  Then I got bold and reversed the mag release by myself.  Then my son (an Army vet and now a police officer) and I went to the range for my first shoot.  Man, that was fun!  Recoil was not bothersome at all.  At about 10 yards, every shot was close to where I wanted.  Overall, a very good shoot.  I am very happy so far with the M&P.  I can't wait to shoot again.  Jim