Manual of Arms for AR as a lefty

[Leadslinger585]

How do lefties run their rifle without using ambi controls?

The magazine release is easy, I just use the thumb on my right hand, but the bolt release and safety is difficult to figure out.

Bolt release:

My fingers are long enough and strong enough I can use my trigger finger to release the bolt. Another method I have used is, when inserting a magazine slide up the receiver til the upper hits the web of your hand, and use the fingers to find and activate the bolt release.

The safety is a little more difficult. No matter how I try, I have to break the grip to activate/deactivate it.

[26 Inf]

Lefty here also.

The make ambi-controls for mag release, bolt carch, and safety. But I'll bet you knew that. :)

I do the bolt catch the way you described.

If you are running a carrying handle you can insert the mag, continue up the receiver until you can curl your fingers into the 'hole' of the carrying handle, curl your fingers over and get the colt catch that way. Works best with A1 or A2 upper receivers.

To lock the bolt to the rear, cradle the rifle in your right hand as you described, come off the rifle with your left hand to bring the bolt to the rear, engage the bolt catch with your right hand fingers.

To run standard charging handle, roll the rifle a little to the right in your shoulder to make it easier to come over the top and hook the latch with your right index finger and generally the other side of the latch with your middle finger. Or you can maintain the rifle in your shoulder with your support hand and release the shooting grip with your strong hand and use it to run the charging handle. I'm on the fence as to which of these ways works better/faster, the major drawback is, of, course, releasing your shooting grip during the last method I described. I learned to do it the first way described, by hit-or-miss, so that is what I usually do even on rifles with amb-handles.

The safety thing is a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned, all rifles should have ambi-safeties.

[VIP3R 237]

I mean buy an LMT Mars-L lower and don’t worry about it?

But when ambi controls aren’t available I’ve always reached around with my right hand to hit the bolt release.

[FightinQ]

You get used to it and deal with the cons of being a lefty shooting a right handed rifle, or adapt and overcome using ambidextrous controls.

If you're wanting areal solution without buying aftermarket fixes, then pay for an instructor that is either a lefty himself and get retrained, or buy the parts and move on.

And I'm saying the above as an actual southpaw too. The M16A1 was my first issued rifle. No brass deflector, brass to the face all the time. I was taught to cant slightly and get a nose to the CH weld to avoid it. I adapted. With the M16A2, brass deflector was awesome, no more canting. It was already by then muscle memory using my right hand thumb to drop the mag and ensure that is would drop if there was any obstruction if it didn't free fall, and then after the fresh mag was inserted and quickly slapped then push/pulled, reach with right hand index finger and drop the bolt release, all while maintaining positive control with your firing hand. As for the selector, you don't have to break the grip to change settings at all. Index the trigger finger along the side and away from the trigger, continue gripping and articulate your firing hand thumb around and thumb it. Too easy. But a Radian selector GI or ambi makes this even easier because of the extra real estate. Buying an enhanced bolt release with more meat on it makes it easier but OEM is fine but not as fast because of less surface area.

Two solutions I have done is with the EMR-A from FCD and this southpaw friendly bolt release mod: https://www.tealbluebravollc.com/

If you don't want to cut the lower yourself to install, local smiths can do it or you can order direct from Aero when in stock because they offer a lower with that. Or if you have the money, the Radian assembled ambi lower is another great option as well.

If you'd like pictures, just ask as I won't mind at all.

[Diamondback]

Southpaw here.

Safety: I spring for an ambi right off the bat (easier when you build rather than buy), but if I HAVE to use a regular safety I'm switching to "safety off empty chamber" carry.
Mag catch: Right thumb.
Bolt catch: Right middle fingertip up from below as I slam the mag in.
CH: I hook the latch with either left middle or right index finger--they're a bit dated, but I like the original "big square hole" Badger latches because they're easy to hook the pad of your fingertip into.

Most important thing is to try out our various suggestions and decide what feels best for you. Your body will tell you when a technique isn't right, so learn to listen to it.

[R0CKETMAN]

Left index finger bolt release.

Ambi safety

If all ARs were ambi I’d have ambi lowers.

Edit: crap I’ve also got ambi CH on all

[TomMcC]

Right handed only controls...

Right thumb to drop mag.
Trigger finger to drop bolt.
Reach left thumb around grip to put selector on safe.
Curl trigger finger back on itself to put selector on fire.

My rifles all have ambi selectors. 2 have ambi mag releases, but still almost always use the right thumb.

[crosseyedshooter]

Right handed only controls...

Right thumb to drop mag.
Trigger finger to drop bolt.
Reach left thumb around grip to put selector on safe.
Curl trigger back on itself to put selector on fire.

My rifles all have ambi selectors. 2 have ambi mag releases, but still almost always use the right thumb.

I also agree with the above. I can't think of any lefty manipulation of the standard selector without breaking the firing grip, so the ambi selector has been the most helpful mod for me. Larry Vickers is probably the most well-known lefty firearms trainer I can think of and he's made himself ambidextrous rather than his firearms.

I've also found some helpful tips in the video below. Although, his hands appear quite large and some of the techniques may not adapt to smaller hands.


https://youtu.be/r3XRGQxfiV4

[Arik]

Knuckle for safety and trigger finger for bolt release

To be honest I'm not really concerned about safety manipulation. It has to be done in class/range for obvious reasons and I can get the safety on/off however I feel comfortable. However, if this was for keeps I'm not going to be playing with the safety. It's coming off and going back on only when everything is done, at which point it doesn't really matter how it's flicked back on

[taliv]

i went through a phase a decade ago where i got ambi lowers, including the magpul one and the original KAC SR15ew3 or whatever it was I can't even remember. bought some ambi safeties etc. even a BAD lever lol

but over time, i decided i occasionally shot ARs i didn't own, and thus they were unmodified and i just didn't care for the ambi stuff as much as i thought, so i went back to stock configs. as a lefty, i think ARs are more ergonomic for lefties than for righties. so no big deal.

the only thing that's slightly annoying is the safety. as a habit, safety comes off when rifle (or a 1911) comes up, and goes back on when it goes back to low ready. when holding the rifle in low ready, i keep my finger on the safety, and as i come up, i move to the grip. suboptimal, but best i can think of

[Leadslinger585]

i went through a phase a decade ago where i got ambi lowers, including the magpul one and the original KAC SR15ew3 or whatever it was I can't even remember. bought some ambi safeties etc. even a BAD lever lol

but over time, i decided i occasionally shot ARs i didn't own, and thus they were unmodified and i just didn't care for the ambi stuff as much as i thought, so i went back to stock configs. as a lefty, i think ARs are more ergonomic for lefties than for righties. so no big deal.

the only thing that's slightly annoying is the safety. as a habit, safety comes off when rifle (or a 1911) comes up, and goes back on when it goes back to low ready. when holding the rifle in low ready, i keep my finger on the safety, and as i come up, i move to the grip. suboptimal, but best i can think of

I generally agree, except in one case: doing a tactical reload. Can't figure out how to do that without an ambi mag release.

[taliv]

I generally agree, except in one case: doing a tactical reload. Can't figure out how to do that without an ambi mag release.

True. But I’ve never been a fan of those. I figure in the classic tax reload my support hand moves from forearm to mag pouch then to mag well and back to dump pouch and back to gun.

If I go from forearm to mag well to dump pouch to mag pouch to mag well and back to forearm there are going to be pros and cons

Pros for scenario 2
-entire procedure involves just one round trip from gun to body and back as opposed to two so in theory it’s faster
-at no time am I trying to hold and manipulate two mags at same time so much less chance of fumbling
-basic action of pulling mag out and putting mag in are identical to speed reload except I’m retaining mag so I need a lot less training reps

Pros for classic tac reload which requires a ambi mag release
-time from mag out to mag in is shorter so theoretically if something happened I could interrupt the process but do we train to interrupt out tac reloads? No lol
-I’m checking to make sure I have a full mag and have it in hand before I remove the one in gun
-if something is wrong with the new mag the old one is still in hand and I can just put it back in the gun


Maybe I’m missing something but of those I’ll take “less chance of fumbling” any day

[czgunner]

I use ambi safety and charging handle. I went to Iraq with a stock M16 and I made it work, but it wasn’t awesome.

[FightinQ]

I went to Iraq with a stock M16 and I made it work, but it wasn’t awesome.Agreed. Just because we made it work, still doesn't mean that we should be stagnant and not making it more suitable for us southpaws.

Radian Raptor
Radian Talon
Forward Controls Design EMR-A
Stag LH upper & BCG

Done.

[titsonritz]

I'm a lefty and for years I took the LAV approach and ran my ARs with stock controls...

Mag release: Right thumb
Bolt Catch/Release: Trigger finger on lower paddle to catch the bolt. After a push/pull on the mag I reach around the mag well with right hand and hit the top paddle with middle and/or index finger
Selector: Trigger finger take it off and puts in on
Charging Handle: Roll weapon to the right, reach over top with right hand, curled finger and thumb pinch the latch and rack.

...then I woke up and said I'm not in the military, the odds of a "battlefield pickup" are astronomically low, these are my damn guns and I'm a left-handed shooter so I went to ambi controls...

Mag release: FCD EMR-A drop mag with trigger finger
Bolt Catch/Release: Same as above, now I just do it with a FCD ABC/R
Selector: BAD ASS / BAD CASS / Radian selectors swipe off with left thumb, re-engage same as before with trigger finger.
Charging Handle: AXTS/Radian CH, reach straight over with right hand and rack with right side control.

[titsonritz]

Stag LH upper & BCG


I specifically stay away from these in order to use a standard BCG from multiple sources.

[FightinQ]

I specifically stay away from these in order to use a standard BCG from multiple sources.I have spares and spare parts. Most of my stuffs is the normal type and correct parts for those as well. I just wanted one to call my own.