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Posted: 2/25/2008 11:35:30 AM EDT
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I'm looking at building a left AR for my girl, and I was wondering what other people have built for left handers? I'm looking for a lightweight 16" barrel build. I've heard DPMS and Bushmaster, but the only thing I've seen is DPMS has a 20" upper and then some other uppers that dont have forward assist and other minor things. So lets hear it from the leftys....what did you do?hanx |
Stag makes left handed uppers. I do not see a need for this, as long as you get a newer upper (brass deflector). But, if that's what you want........that's who makes them. 
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In keeping with the ARFCOM stereotype I am a lefty who owns both right and lefty ARs. I find the lefty rifles a better fit for me for more reasons than just the LH controls such as Ambi Mag catches or selector switches that many cite as their main concerns. To me they are non-issues as I originally learned on a RH AR. -The safety features are designed primarily with the Lefty shooter in mind. If something bad happens it's more likely the shrapnel and gases will be projected out the side of the rifle away from my face. -Less gases spewed directly into my face during normal fire. A big thing if you've ever been restricted to shooting at an indoor range. -The occasional empty casing grazing your neck or ear can be somewhat disconcerting, especially if one winds up travelling down the back of your tucked in shirt. -That same brass has a way of landing in the crook of your arm when firing in the prone position as a lefty with a RH AR. The big thing you may want to keep in mind when building a rifle with a Stag upper and bolt is that Stag claims that using their ambi barrel extension is necessary. If you're ordering a custom barrel elsewhere might as well request that the manufacturer use one. That being said, all three of my Leftys operate just fine with barrels with standard extensions. |
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If possible you really should try and use an "ambi" bbl extension when building a lefty stag upper. It can make a difference in reliability. On a standard bbl extension, the lugs in the extension are beveled on one side to aid in proper bolt engagement/disengagement. Since the bolt on a stag lefty engages/disengages complely opposite, the bevels on the standard extension are no help. The "ambi" extensions are beveled on both side of the lugs. While some have had no problems with using a standard extension, I personally wouldn't do it. Especially if it's for your go-to SHTF gun. I know Rainier arms has some ambi extension WOA bbls, and I'm pretty sure Randall at ar15barrels could set you up also. -Tom |
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Buy a lefty. All the folks who say "they're unnecessary" never seem to address the simple, basic fact that the designer of the weapon put the ejection port on the side opposite the (right-handed) shooter's face for a very legitimate set of reasons. Those reasons don't take a day off for the 10% of shooters who are left-handed. Instead, we get told that it's no big deal or that it is somehow and advantage to have the port right in front of your face, which is a complete load of crap. Anyone who has seen a photo of a "kaboomed" AR15 knows otherwise. The Stag lefty uses a handful of "specific" parts and the rest of it is 100% interchangable with a standard AR. If getting parts for it, post-apocalypse, is important to you, pick up the necessary spares now and call it good. At worst, you can always put on a "regular" upper later on down the road. In the meantime, your lady can enjoy an AR rifle that is designed for a left-handed shooter. Besides, look at it this way: if you have a "righty" and she has a "lefty" you guys are all set for the mobile SHTF scenario. She can drive and shoot out the left side of the car and you can shoot out the right side and neither one of you will be filling the interior with brass.  |
You do have some valid points, but do you really think that letting a world drive after the apocolypse is such a good idea? As a lefthanded person I learned to shoot righthanded guns. The parts aren't that far out of line as far as pricing is concerned. But figured that most people I meet are going to be righthanded, before, during or after the SHTF. |
Left handed uppers are out there for a reason. That reason is that there are left handed shooters who want a left handed AR. Who cares that a lefty can shoot a right handed rig without much worry, since the upgrade of a brass deflector. Many people get into a pissing match essentially calling left handed shooters stupid for buying a left handed AR, when a right handed AR will suffice. If her rifle were to ever malfunction from a squib round or other failure, then her face will be on the better side of the gun with a lefty upper. If she shoots lefty, then buy her a lefty with ambi-controls. It's that simple. I've been building a lefty precision/varmint rig on a Stag A3 upper since I'm a lefty. I am within weeks of finishing the rifle, and can't wait to see how it shoots. |
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