It is a right-handed world everywhere, including the gun world. Most firearms are set up for the 90 percent of right-handed people, as it is the platform most people are going to operate and buy in the first place.
While there have long been rifles that lend themselves well to right-handed and left-handed shooters, the same was not true for handguns until very recently. The net of ambidextrous-friendly handguns grows even smaller as pistols get smaller and lefties go in search of an everyday carry handgun.
As a southpaw myself, I have learned the mantra of improvise, adapt, and overcome. But no amount of practice will make up for the hand dominance gap. It is just easier to manipulate the controls, control recoil, and get a good trigger press with the left hand. Besides, it would be nice to have something better set up for me and I know I am not alone.
Let’s have a look at my top five carry handguns for left-handed shooters.
1. Smith & Wesson J-Frame
Small-framed double action revolvers make for an excellent deep carry option, but the platform has its determents. Depending on who you ask, they are either an expert’s gun or a beginner’s gun.
The small sights, moderate recoil, and long double action trigger pull can make them challenging to shoot. On the other hand, the swing-out cylinder is easy to load and unload and all that is required to fire is to simply pull the trigger.
Although it is the oldest platform on the list, snubbie revolvers are surprisingly ambidextrous. On the surface, the controls of a J-frame Smith are few and set up for a right-handed shooter with the cylinder release on the left side of the revolver. The difference arises when you shoot your five, six, or eight rounds and need to reload.
Revolver reloading techniques vary, but most of them require a change from the shooting hand to the offhand. For right-handed shooters, the revolver is opened with the right thumb while the left hand takes the revolver by the cylinder. The more dexterous right hand hits the ejector rod to knock out the empties and goes for the spare cartridges or speed loader.
For lefties, it is simple to switch to the right hand, push the cylinder release with the right thumb, and swing the cylinder out with the right index finger. The cylinder swings out to the left, allowing the strong left hand to easily hit the ejector rod, grab fresh ammunition, and handle the reload.
Since the left hand is already dominant and the cylinder swings left, there’s no need to work around the grip with the offhand. This method of reloading is universal no matter the brand of revolver and it works for snub-nosed revolvers and larger framed models as well.
In the snubbie world, all-steel models like the Colt Cobra and Ruger SP101 are easier to shoot while lightweight models like the Taurus 856, Ruger LCR, and Smith & Wesson J-Frame are easier to carry. The J-frame is by far the most popular and gets the nod for the sheer number of speed loaders, holsters, parts, and accessories.
There is also an even split of all-steel guns and lightweight aluminum and scandium frame options to pick from. The snubbie revolver may not be the obvious or best possible choice, but it has some advantages over auto pistols and is surprisingly ambidextrous.
2. Rost Martin RM1C
Snubnosed revolvers date back more than a century and the Rost Martin RM1C dates back only a year to its introduction in early 2024. Rost Martin of Dallas, Texas managed to break into the flooded polymer-framed striker-fired pistol market with a fully modern and ambidextrous 9mm pistol.
The Rost Martin RM1C is easy to class into the micro-compact pistol category of handguns. It features a 1.1-inch grip diameter but holds a healthy 15+1 rounds of ammunition. It comes complete with a Picatinny light rail, forward and rearward cocking serrations of the stainless steel slide, and one of the shortest out-of-box triggers available in the striker-fired realm.
Like other older designs updated now, the new Rost Martin comes ready for an RMR optic from the factory and features fully ambidextrous controls. Some manufacturers include a normal-sized slide release for right-handed shooters while including a tiny version on the right side for lefties. Rost Martin doesn’t skimp by putting it prominently on both sides. Instead of a reversible magazine release, it is a prominent button on both sides that is not hard to hit with the left or right shooting thumb.
Despite its newness to the market, the Rost Martin RM1C is making waves and is one of the top carry handguns for left-handed shooters.
3. Springfield Armory Echelon
The Springfield Echelon is the latest generation of polymer-framed 9mm handguns offered by Springfield Armory. Like the Sig P320 and P365 pistols, the Echelon has a serial numbered fire control chassis that can be switched to different grip frames, allowing you to get a smaller or larger footprint without the need for another handgun.
In addition, Springfield uses their Visionary Optics Integration system of self-locking pins that allow the shooter to directly mount an optic without the need for a collection of adapter plates.
The Echelon first debuted as a full-sized double-stack handgun with a 4.5-inch barrel and a 17-round capacity. Now, a compact model with a 4-inch barrel and a 15-round capacity is available.
To further differentiate itself from other pistols from makers like Glock, Sig, and Smith & Wesson, the Springfield Echelon comes with a single port to control muzzle rise and is fully ambidextrous. The slide release is of equal size and located on both sides of the pistol, as is the magazine release.
If you are on the hunt for a handgun that is duty-sized with no ergonomic drawbacks, the Echelon line is worth a hard look.
4. Glock 19 Gen 5
The double-stack Glock 19 is not the latest and greatest, but it has been a standard of measure that made the polymer pistol viable and acceptable for serious work. The Glock 19 is a striker-fired pistol that features a 4-inch barrel and a 15-round flush-fitting magazine.
While that is not necessarily groundbreaking, the aftermarket of parts, accessories, and extra magazines for the Glock 19 is unsurpassed. You can build up your Glock into what you want it to be, or you can simply keep your stock model in service without worrying about finding what you need.
The latest iteration, the Glock 19 Gen 5 and the optics-ready Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS, brings Glock into the left-handed game with a reversible magazine release button and a slide release on both sides of the handgun. The Glock’s slide release is a durable one-piece unit, but the release itself is larger on the left side of the pistol. The release on the right side is smaller and stiffer to hit, but it is possible to use.
If Glock is the name in your game, the Gen 5 is a good starting and ending point for southpaws. Safariland offers a left-handed holster for the G19, that you’ll want to check out, too.
5. Sig Sauer P322
Not all tasks require a big bore. Pistols chambered in .22 LR are likely more popular than 9mm, but finding a fully left-handed friendly version can be a task. Most .22 pistols are built around traditional target models, but newer offerings built like modern polymer pistols are making serious inroads. One solid option is the Sig Sauer P322.
The Sig P322 is a polymer pistol with a footprint not dissimilar from the P365 series of micro-compact 9mm handguns, but in .22 LR. In fact, it has a 20+1 capacity, while many .22 pistols on the market traditionally hold ten.
The P322 is optics-ready and comes with a 1/2×28 adapter for use with a suppressor or compensator. Unlike the P365, the P322 is an internal hammer-fired single-action pistol for a crisper trigger press and more reliable ignition of .22 LR rimfire ammo. As such, it comes with an ambidextrous manual thumb safety.
The slide release is also ambidextrous while the triangular magazine release comes from the factory set up for right-handed shooters. Fortunately, it is reversible and can be remounted for the wrong-handed.
Whether you are looking for a pest control solution, a fun plinker, or a low-recoil defensive pistol, the Sig P322 defies expectations.
Options Aplenty: Carry handguns for LEFT-HANDED Shooters
As a lifelong left-handed shooter, I’ve heard it said that it is best to improvise, adapt, and overcome. From a shooting standpoint, most handguns are functionally the same whether you are left-handed or right-handed. The reload, on the other hand, can be more cumbersome.
It is a useful skill to learn to shoot with your offhand, but we will always be better shooters with our strong hand. Now, we lefties have some excellent options that are best set up for us.
