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Posted: 1/31/2012 4:49:41 AM EDT
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Co-worker is left handed and is starting to look at building or buying a left hand upper/rifle. I have really never looked into a left hand upper before. I have found at least two companies selling them; Rock River and Stag. Are there any others? He wants to get a suppressor to use on this rifle so I may suggest building one custom. The only left handed parts I have found is a left handed complete BCG and a left handed upper reciever. I have read a left hand BCG must be used with an Ambi barrel extension. What is the difference between a regular barrel extension and an Ambi one? Are there any other parts needed to build a left handed upper that are different then regular parts?
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I hate to say it but you might be on your own with this. What I would recommend doing to calling places like bravo co and aim, see what they have or maybe could point you in the right direction. Also check the web sites and or catalogs for left handed parts.
Also he might just consider getting the stag LH rifle and customizing/rebuilding it to his liking. Sorry we couldnt be more help |
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Quoted:
I hate to say it but you might be on your own with this. What I would recommend doing to calling places like bravo co and aim, see what they have or maybe could point you in the right direction. Also check the web sites and or catalogs for left handed parts. Also he might just consider getting the stag LH rifle and customizing/rebuilding it to his liking. Sorry we couldnt be more help Sorry if my OP was not clear. But what are the dedicated left handed parts needed to build a left handed upper? Can I use any barrel with a left hand BCG or do I need to find one with an Ambi barrel extension? I have built a few uppers but all have been right handers. |
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IIRC the bcg is the only thing that is different, besides the upper itself. I haven't noticed anything different in the feedramps/barrel extension. Stag is the big left hand AR company, DPMS, and Rock River behind them. The others may even get their bcg from Stag but I don't know that for sure.
That said, as a lefty, I have one left handed Stag (my first AR) and the rest of my ARs are right handed, including my 3gun rifle. As long as there is a brass deflector and NOT a slick slide, your buddy shouldn't have any problem with the standard right eject AR. just my .02 |
| I think the bolt is left hand specific too. All the things I would move for a lefty are the same for left or right handed uppers other than the ejection port. That alone is not worth having to use a non standard bolt and BCG. If the barrel extension is different too you are more or less stuck with whatever barrel Stag or RRA wants to offer. |
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The only thing different is the BCG and the fact that the upper has an ejection port to the left side, and the cover flips up instead of down.
It is a little pricier to go that way than the standard right handed way but if you're a lefty and plan on shooting suppressed, goggles or a left hand upper are the only things that don't choke your eyes with gas. |
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OP, there a couple things your coworker might want to consider...
#1. Eye dominance... which eye do they sight the target with? #2. Hand dominance... which hand do they normally gravitate to when shooting a pistol or a rifle? Some people that are left handed aren't really. They've just done it that way for a while... some shoot lefty but do everything else right... it's confusing sometimes. If your coworker is right eye dominant, they might want to consider shooting right handed instead of lefty. Reason I say this: the provisions made for left handed people in this world are few and far between. We're a less than 10% minority and everything usually costs a bit more for us because it's "left handed"... Having said that, I'm a lefty, shoot left handed, left eye dominant... my AR is right handed. I don't have ambidexterous controls on it. I don't have any real problem with using it. STAG makes a left handed upper. It ejects to the left side. The BCG is different than that of a right handed one. I think LMT just announced a left handed rifle during SHOT 2012 as well. As far as the ambi barrel extension, I have no idea. As far as other parts needed for a southpaw rifle, I have no idea. I let other people smarter than me build uppers and stuff. Your coworker could build their own lower and slap a lefty upper on it and it'll work fine.... just spit casings on the left side... |
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I have a lefty Stag and a righty Rock River, the only things different that I can tell are the actual upper, and the Bolt carrier.....im 90% positive its the same bolt, just in 180* from a righty BCG, so that it ejects out the left side
I have also shot suppressed M-16's with both lefty and standard uppers, and if you plan on shooting suppressed and are left handed, definitely get the lefty upper. The amount of gas in your face while shooting suppressed or full auto (or both  ) with a standard upper gets real old real fast.
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