This is a question for left handed people who do a lot of pistol shooting.

Lets use a Sig 220 for this discussion.

Pistol is infront of you on a table, slide is open with no magazine in the gun.  A loaded magazine is on the table.  

· [b]Loading the pistol.[/b]  
  Which hand do you pickup the pistol to load with the magazine.  

· [b]Pushing the slide release[/b]
  Which hand is the pistol in now?  What finger do you use to push the slide release?

Here is what I have been doing and I'd like to hear what other lefty people are doing.

Pickup the pistol with my right hand and slap the magazine in with the left hand.   I then hit the slide release with my right thumb.  Then I transfer the pistol to my left hand and sight-in for a shot.

This should probably now be in the Handgun site, but since only a few people are over there, I'm asking here. [:)]

Thanks.

I would pick up the pistol with my right hand an load the mag with my right.  Let the slide forward with my right thumb and bring my hands together, swithching the pistol to my left hand as I do it.  Same method.

Lets say you fire off a magazine.  Pistol is still in the left hand and you need to reload.  Do you move the pistol over to the right hand, eject mag, insert new mag, right thumb slide release and then move it back to the left hand?

Is this the best/fastest way for us leftys?

Thanks.

I'm left handed. I do most of my shooting with a 1911 with left handed safety (an ambi safety with the left lever ground off).

I pick the pistol up in my left hand.

I insert the magazine with my right hand.

I rack the slide with my right hand.

I engage the safety, and insert the pistol into my holster.

When I draw the pistol (with my left hand), I disengage the safety with my left hand's thumb.

When I need to eject the magazine or release the slide, I do so with my left index finger.

That is what I do, but I like DonS' way too.

I love Sigs, but I have found them to be a pain to use left handed.

With most handguns I pick up with left, load with right, and use index finger to disengage slide lock.  Middle finger for mag release.

but for a Sig, I can't get my index finger back far enough to hit the slide release, so I would use my right hand to pull back the slide and manually cycle it.

7 I`m right handed, but have to shoot lefty (along with everything else) due to a accident years ago....anyway, I do pretty much as you have described....I would pick up with left hand,transfer,insert with left hand,release slide w/left, transfer,then shoot.....to re-load,hit mag release w/left forefinger, transfer,slam mag and hit slide release w/left thumb,transfer-shoot......then repeat...sounds complicated but isn`t if you practice...you can get pretty efficient........was going to persue a leo career, but my right hand accident stopped me.....but NOT from handguns.....I have 1911`s and a s/w..ruger22 and a cheapo 22....no problems with any...except the right eye is dominant....have to shoot longuns righthand for that reason....a little hard with trigger pull but not too bad.......[:)]

As a fellow lefty, out of habit I pick it up right hand and load with my left and then slingshot the slide forward with my left hand, transfer it and fire. I  never use the slide release. If I just emptied a clip with the pistol already in my left hand, I try to use my middle finger on my left hand to hit the mag release( its awkward but I just have to keep practicing it) and then slam one in with my right hand and slingshot the slide forward with my right hand. Of course this works with a Glock but I would assume its pretty close to how a Sig is set up.

I would pick up with left hand, load magazine with right hand and pull side back with right hand and release as I am raising the weapon.

I use a High Power and a Glock lefty.  Pick up left, load w/right, rack slide w/right.  Safety on HP is flicked off with left thumb while drawing from holster (yes it's odd, but works).  Magazine is dropped with left middle finger.  slide is released with left index finger.  
Works for me, but I think I'd like to get a ambi safety for the HP, in any case.

It's a right handed world! But being left handed you have to deal with it. We all do. I always pick up a pistol or revolver with my left hand, that's the shooting hand. I've gotten used to using my trigger finger to use most controls on a pistol or cylinder release on a wheelie. I've always done this and I think it's helped me to not be so dependent on ambi knick knacks. I think I can hit a mag release or slide release faster than a lot of right handers by using my trigger finger. Never used the middle, might have to try.

Southpaw here, too, and I also concur with DonS, except sometimes I leave the 1911 in the left hand and use the left index finger to release  the slide. Hey, it works for me. Then of course you can spoil yourself rotten and switch to an HK P7 ... only the takedown button ISN'T "ambi". By the way...try all this ONE handed, and don't use ANY other body part (no tucking weapon under an arm, etc.)Simulate a wound that puts one arm totally out of commission. That drill will have you scratching your head the first few times.

I'm a lefty also.  The handguns I usually shoot are a Ruger P-89, Beretta 92FS, and Taurus 100. What I do is pick up the gun with my left hand, insert the magazine with my right.  As I cup my right hand around my left I reach up with my right index finger and hit the slide release.  This way I don't have to juggle the gun between hands, especially during a stress, or timed reload.  Because of the placement of the controls this method would not work well with a Sig or a Glock.  One of the reasons I don't like either of those pistols.

dito sparky, but always drop the slide with my index finger. I'm a lefty