Ar 15 left handed

[Nova guy]

Looking for help.I have never built a AR 15 always bought factory ones.But my son is left hand and I have a nice Rock River Tactical Carbine I am giving him.My question is to make it a left handed what all will I need to change.Or should I just sell the Rock River and buy him a factory built left handed rifle.
Thanks for any help

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[The B]

you can get ambi controls, but he should learn to shoot it the way it is. i don't know how many left-handed soldiers have learned on the M16/M4 platform, but i'm willing to bet its in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

 

[titsonritz]

you can get ambi controls, but he should learn to shoot it the way it is.

I am left handed and agree 100%. The only ambi control I might consider is the safety. But seriously just learn left handed manual of arms and you'll be GTG. (Or go AK, they are very lefty friendly)

 

[MrNiceGuy]

I am right handed but because of my eyesight, I have to shoot rifles left handed.
My father who is left handed showed me the basics and I have been able to shoot the standard ar15 left handed with no problems.

Having said that, my father now has a left handed ar15... and it's SO much nicer to shoot.
You can shoot a standard ar15, but if you can build or buy one that is suited to your needs, you will enjoy shooting it much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much more. In this day and age, there is no reason for a lefty to shoot a right handed ar15.


To "convert" the ar15 you will need an upper with a left handed ejection port and then you'll need ambi controls for the lower.

Or, you could just sell the right handed ar15 and buy a left handed version. This is the route that I would choose, and am in fact getting ready to do myself.

 

[The B]

I am right handed but because of my eyesight, I have to shoot rifles left handed.
My father who is left handed showed me the basics and I have been able to shoot the standard ar15 left handed with no problems.

Having said that, my father now has a left handed ar15... and it's SO much nicer to shoot.
You can shoot a standard ar15, but if you can build or buy one that is suited to your needs, you will enjoy shooting it much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much much more. In this day and age, there is no reason for a lefty to shoot a right handed ar15.


To "convert" the ar15 you will need an upper with a left handed ejection port and then you'll need ambi controls for the lower.

Or, you could just sell the right handed ar15 and buy a left handed version. This is the route that I would choose, and am in fact getting ready to do myself.

i would absolutely not get a dedicated lefty upper. firstly, its no benefit, as they still do not makr a left dedicated lower to go with it, so all your controls are still right handed. secondly, there are no quality manufacturers producing lefty parts- so youre stuck with a substandard barrel and bolt. thirdly, as far as i know, stag is the last of the manufacturers producing these parts, and they dont produce very many- replacement parts will be unnecessarily difficult to obtain, possibly impossible at a later time (think SHTF, like guys around here like to do).

the lower has all the important controls, and the brass defector nullifies any benefit a lefty upper offers. you can even get ambi chargers, these days.

 

[farmdog]

Have him shoot it R handed and get familiar with it if he has not already. I am L handed and so far all that i have done is put on an ambi safety. I might go with a different charging handle later possibly. I would say that the easiest thing to do is get a L handed AR if he truely wanted it to be a L handed weapon. For me personaly I would stick to the standard configuration w/ small mods as i mentioned.

 

[MrNiceGuy]

i would absolutely not get a dedicated lefty upper. firstly, its no benefit, as they still do not makr a left dedicated lower to go with it, so all your controls are still right handed. secondly, there are no quality manufacturers producing lefty parts- so youre stuck with a substandard barrel and bolt. thirdly, as far as i know, stag is the last of the manufacturers producing these parts, and they dont produce very many- replacement parts will be unnecessarily difficult to obtain, possibly impossible at a later time (think SHTF, like guys around here like to do).

the lower has all the important controls, and the brass defector nullifies any benefit a lefty upper offers. you can even get ambi chargers, these days.

Left handed ar's are abundant. Parts are EASILY obtained but rarely needed. The brass deflector nullifies nothing.

The fact is that the ar was designed for right handed shooters. For lefties, the ejection port is annoying at best, dangerous at worst, even with the brass deflector. Lefties still get pelted in the face from time to time, in between pelts we still get the additional gasses and unburnt powder in our faces that come from the ejection port pointing towards us.

Have you ever seen a lefty who had a round pre-detonate in a right handed ar15? The brass deflector didnt help that.

For a left handed shooter, I'd STRONGLY recommend shooting a left handed ar15.
All of those quirks that you have to live with or work around are gone! The rifle turns into something that is simply a joy to shoot.

Personally, here's what i've been looking at

http://www.lefthandrifles.com/cgi-bin/imcart/display.cgi?cat=6 - Noveske, If you think it's substandard, i'd love to hear what you consider quality.

Obviously you have little to no experience with lh ar15's and almost no knowledge of their market.
Now, all I have to worry about is deciding between 5.56 and 6.8

 

[Nova guy]

Thanks MrNiceGuy I agree and that is what I will do is just buy a left hand rifle for him.He has shot it alot and I want it to be the best for him and the hot brass and other things with a short sleeve shirt it is not to much fun.I guess if the only choice you had was right handed gun you would make the best of it.But that is why they make guns for left handed shooters.Thanks everyone for your replys

 

[titsonritz]

As I mentioned I am a lefty and would rather stick with the standard configuration. I think one major advantage to shooting a "right-handed" weapon with the left hand is the direct visual relation to the ejection port and the slight roll to the right when operating the charging handle or bolt, as the case may be, allowing gravity to do its thing while clearing the chamber.

The negative I see with a left-handed configured weapon is the different manual of arms that will/must be developed that will work against you under stress should the need arise to pick up a standard configured weapon.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Shoot it....



Shoot it....



Shoot it....



Shoot it....



Shoot it....



You get the idea.....notice what I DON'T have in 10 years worth of pictures? That would be a left handed AR....completely unnecessary. If I would recommend anything it is a "tac" latch and an extended bolt release.

My "lefty gun(s)"

 

[titsonritz]

Unka-Boo, I see we are on the page on the left-handed gun.

 

[Unka-Boo]

Unka-Boo, I see we are on the page on the left-handed gun.

Yup....you hadn't posted when I started my reply....

I've had at least 10 different ARs over the years in one style or another ( I have gun ADD, what can I say )...all have been in standard configuration. I do not see the need for a "lefty" AR, it's something that has a limited market, adds to cost and has a limited resale audience.

I haven't completely abandoned ARs, but I've been focusing on AKs the past 5 or so years and have been having fun doing it. There is a small group of us AK nuts shooting PR and we all enjoy showing the "game gun" guys what the "lowly" AK can do.

I will say, shooting an AR suppressed does SUCK as a lefty....fireballs are kewl too!

 

[titsonritz]

I dig your Ultimaked Bulgy side-folder. Are you familar with Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics?

 

[Unka-Boo]

I dig your Ultimaked Bulgy side-folder. Are you familar with Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics?

Just through the 'net....love the Ultimak!

I totally splurged on the SLR-107 last year, glad I did, it's a very accurate and versatile platform...

I got bored and went with " If the Taliban shot PR " look recently:

View attachment 191208

 

[timac]

I have 2 Stag Arms lefty AR rifles, love them more than my 2 Colt AR's.

 

[mjbskwim]

Looking for help.I have never built a AR 15 always bought factory ones.But my son is left hand and I have a nice Rock River Tactical Carbine I am giving him.My question is to make it a left handed what all will I need to change.Or should I just sell the Rock River and buy him a factory built left handed rifle.
Thanks for any help

Howwabout this? The owner's son is a lefty.Well the founder's son is the left handed owner?

<broken link removed>

 

[mjbskwim]

I have 2 Stag Arms lefty AR rifles, love them more than my 2 Colt AR's.

Yeah like he said

 

[Unka-Boo]

OK......other than the fact it ejects out the left side, how is it better? All the other controls are the same. Serious question.

 

[Buddhalux]

I would suggest the ambi safety and ambi magazine release.

 

[mjbskwim]

OK......other than the fact it ejects out the left side, how is it better? All the other controls are the same. Serious question.

Beee caaause it does eject out the left side AWAY from your face instead of across your face?
Just askin myself.

BTW you need a lefty follower group to go with a lefty lower.Stag Arms made their lower so that all other AR parts will fit their lowers

And bkb 0000,if SHTF,then you get rid of the lefty parts and get the righty parts.
If you can get any parts (plus see the aforementioned about stag's guns)