left handed concealed carry handguns



Left Handed Hand Guns. The Best Choices For Southpaws.

There are very few true left handed hand guns, and indeed few made for lefties in general including long guns. 

Today, there's a lot more in terms of choice.

Today's left-handed shooter will find precious few pistols made specifically for left-handed shooters, but CAN find a good number of guns with ambidextrous controls that makes left-handed operation easy. In some cases, you may have to swap the magazine release button...and others will not.

But what are some of the best to look for? Here are 7 top left-handed handguns that should be on your radar.

Beretta APX A1. Great Left-Handed Guns, Great Features.

APX Centurion

Beretta has replaced the APX in their lineup with the APX A1, a full-size poly/striker pistol with a 17/15/10 (depending on magazine) capacity. 

The APX A1 has an upgraded trigger over the original, swappable grip panels and comes optics-ready. The slide release is ambi, and the magazine release is swappable. The only control that isn't is the takedown lever, but that is also the least important one! 

The APX before it and APX A1 are sleepers, in that they are reliable, rugged, and have a very decent factory trigger. You won't find a pistol of this type from another major brand that's this good for as little as they go for.

 

Glock 17/19 Gen 5 Pistols. Better For Use As Left-Handed Pistols Than Gen 3.

 

left handed glocks



Previous generations of Glocks required a left-handed shooter to learn the slingshot method of running the slide and swapping the magazine release.

The Gen 5 guns have ambi slide release levers, swappable magazine release buttons and the same ambi takedown tabs. 

There's a reason a lot of people deem the Glock 19 as a go-to concealed carry pistol, and now it's more left-friendly. 

 

IWI Masada. Left-Handed Handguns That Won't Break The Bank.

IWI Masada

Named for the ancient fortress, the IWI Masada pistol is IWI's entry into the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol format. While they might be known for their DA/SA pistols and long guns, the Massada is their sleeper as it's staggeringly good.

Outstanding ergonomics making for an easy high, tight shooting grip. A very good trigger press. And actually ambidextrous magazine and slide releases, so it's ready to run left-handed right out of the box. Except the takedown lever, but that's sort of par for the course.

The real pity is that this gun, like many other excellent pistols, is easily shadowed by the bigger name brands in the business. You really shouldn't overlook this handgun.

Walther PDP: A Premium Left-Handed Pistol

Walther PDP

The Walther PPQ has been replaced in their product lineup by the PDP, or "Performance Duty Pistol," essentially an updated PPQ. The PDP has many of the same virtues, including best-in-class ergonomics and an outstanding factory trigger. 

The PDP, like the PPQ before it, is one of the most lefty-friendly pistols on the market. The slide release and takedown tabs are ambidextrous from the factory, and the magazine release button (no paddles this time...more's the pity) is swappable. 

The PDP is available with 4-, 4.5- and 5-inch barrel lengths, and 15-round compact or 17-round full-size frame sizes. There is also an F model optimized for female shooters, with a reduced-radius grip and tuned spring system for easier slide manipulations. 

CZ P07. Czech Out These Left-Handed Hand Guns.

CZ P07

Most hammer-fired DA/SA pistols have right-hand only controls, but the CZ P07 adds a little left-hand functionality. The CZ P07 has CZ's Omega trigger system, in that the user can use either a decocking lever or install a manual safety instead for cocked and locked carry like a 1911.

The magazine release is also swappable, so the only thing you'd have to train around is the slide release/takedown pin. However, if you wanted a hammer-fired pistol instead of a poly-framed striker gun, this is one of the few that can be operated as a left-handed pistol.

It's also a thoroughly modern DA pistol, with a smooth DA pull, crisp single-action press, accessory rail, polymer frame for easier packing and swappable backstraps for the perfect fit. It's actually one of CZ's best pistols. It's almost the same dimensions as a Glock 19, so it's also a fantastic concealed carry gun.

Heckler & Koch VP9. Left-Handed Pistols With Class.

 

left handed ccw



This has become a fan favorite amongst southpaws. In terms of ergonomics, the HK VP9 absolutely destroys the competition. It's a striker-fire pistol with ambidextrous controls (magazine release, slide release) that has some very unique design features that set it apart from many of the other striker-fire pistols out there. It's now available optics ready and with a (swappable) magazine release button instead of the paddles. 

The Only Left-Handed Subcompact. Savage Stance.

Savage Arms Stance

 

Eagle-eyed folks will notice something familiar about the Savage Arms Stance pistols, with good reason. The Honor Defense company went belly-up just before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the intellectual property (and presumably some tooling) was sold to Savage Arms, who decided to get back into handguns after a nice long rest...of about a century. 

Some might have preferred to get the 1907 back, but that's for another time. 

The Savage Arms Stance is a slim, single-stack subcompact much like the S&W Shield, Glock 43 or what have you. The slide release is ambidextrous, as is the magazine release. The only control that isn't is the takedown lever, and that's the one that just doesn't matter. 

Beretta PX4 Storm Compact. A Better Left-Handed Beretta.

The Beretta PX4 Storm takes Beretta's classic operating system - hammer-fired DA/SA system with slide-mounted decocker or decocking safety - and updates it for modern sensibilities.

Accessory rail for a light/laser? Check. Polymer frame for easier toting? Check. Swappable magazine releases? Check. They also add a rotating barrel, which helps dispel gas more efficiently and reduces recoil, and equip the pistol with one of the better double-action triggers on the market. For fans of old-school operating systems, it's frankly one of the best guns to buy.

It uses Glock-style takedown tabs, so field-stripping can be done without switching hands if you're left-hand dominant, and - as mentioned - you can also swap magazine releases. As with Berettas, the decocker/safety can be operated with either hand. You'll have to learn to run the slide release with the index finger rather than the thumb, but it's a small price to pay for such an excellent pistol.

Left-Handed Hand Guns Are Rare. Left-Handed Holsters Are Not.

Are these the only options available for those in the market for left-handed pistols? Absolutely not. Left-handed shooters have a number of pistols and revolvers at their disposal. Increasingly, manufacturers are designing their next gen pistols to be modular so that left-handed shooters have an easier time accessing them.

The best way to test if a left-handed concealed carry pistol is right for you is to test drive it at the range. This will give you a very good feel for how the pistol operates within your hands – not just how it looks in the display case.

And just remember – All Alien Gear Holsters are available with a left hand option. Simple select left-handed or right-handed preference at checkout.

 

James

England  

About The Author


James England (@count_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan for L-3 Communications. He presently lives in New Hampshire where he advocates for veterans issues through the Veterans of Foreign Wars.