You could go piston as this would help with gas going back through the barrel and into the upper receiver.
I have two left handed AR-15's that I have built. One was with a WOA barrel with an ambi extension and the other with a FN chromelined take off barrel with a normal extension. I couldn't tell a difference between the two barrel extensions.
Now if your going to build a left hand rifle you need a left hand upper receiver and left hand bcg. Stag makes these parts as well as
Red X Arms upper receiver,
CMT upper receiver, there are also other companies that make some left hand ar parts.
I use the Radian Raptor SD charging handle, it works in both right hand and left hand upper receivers.
You can't use a gemtech bcg if you plan on using a left hand upper receiver. I'm using a Superlative Arms gas block on both my left hand and right hand suppressed AR's and they work just fine.