- Is the AR-15 Good for Left-Handed Shooters?
- 5 AR-15 Parts to Swap for Left-Handed Shooters
- Buy Left-Handed AR-15 Parts and Give Yourself an Edge
Is the AR-15 Good for Left-Handed Shooters?
While most AR-15s are built for right-handed users, they're also left-handed guns because they're completely customizable. You can swap in an endless number of left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous parts to personalize and optimize your gun to meet your specific preferences as a shooter. Changing out AR-15 parts is quick and easy, so you can easily customize your gun for your dominant hand.
Though some manufacturers do make complete lefty AR-15s, they can be tough to find. Left-handed and ambidextrous AR parts are usually easier to come by, allowing you to start shooting with your dominant hand even sooner.
5 Left-Handed AR-15 Parts to Swap
Left-handed shooters using right-hand-dominant rifles are usually able to adapt, but some vital parts of the gun may be challenging to access. These difficulties can lead to awkward movements that slow you down or may even pose safety hazards. To build an AR-15 for a left-handed shooter, you'll need to swap out some important, right-hand-dominant parts to make them more accessible.
On the following list, you'll find both left-handed swaps and ambidextrous parts that can help improve your firearm's accessibility. Ambidextrous parts are set up to be accessed from either side, allowing easy use by both right- and left-handed AR-15 shooters. While these parts aren't specifically designed for lefties, there are a lot of benefits to having an ambidextrous rifle in both tactical and competitive scenarios, not just a left-handed AR-15.
1. Left-Handed Eject Upper Receiver
The upper receiver is where most people start when converting AR-15s for left-handed shooters. A right-eject upper receiver releases gasses and shell casings on the user's right side, which is perfectly safe for right-handed shooters. If you're a lefty AR-15 shooter, this means you might get a faceful of hot gasses and metal every time you shoot.
Switching to a left-eject upper receiver allows your gun to port everything on your left side, protecting your face from potential burns.
2. Left-Handed AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group
Your AR-15's bolt carrier group (BCG) is the part of the rifle responsible for firing the weapon when you pull the trigger. It's also one of the most important things to convert to make a left-handed AR-15 because it needs to be compatible with the upper receiver to eject your spent casings successfully.
3. Ambidextrous Charging Handle
As with many parts on a stock, right-handed AR-15, the charging handle latch is generally positioned on the left side, meaning you have to awkwardly reach around to engage it. Charging handles for left-handed AR-15s are available, but installing an ambidextrous option is a great way to ensure you always have easy access.
Ambidextrous charging handles feature latches on both sides so you can engage the handle comfortably with either hand.
4. Ambidextrous Safety
The safety switch on any firearm is a vital part of ensuring you're operating as safely as possible. The switch should be set to “safe” at all times, until the moment you're ready to shoot, which means you need to have quick, smooth access to it. If you want to use a left-handed AR-15, you may have to reach around the body of your gun to activate or deactivate a right-handed safety switch.
Swapping in an ambidextrous safety selector switch is the best way to ensure you have optimized access at all times on your left-handed AR-15. Being able to activate and deactivate the switch with either hand gives you the opportunity to improve your speed, which comes in handy during high-pressure competitions or life-threatening situations.
5. Ambidextrous Mag Release
Like the ambidextrous safety switch, an ambidextrous mag release allows you to access your release with either hand for quicker reloads. Most ambidextrous mag releases are designed to be used with one finger, so they're even speedier than their counterparts for right- and left-handed AR-15 shooters.
Buy Lefty AR-15 Parts and Give Yourself an Edge
At Wing Tactical, we carry a full line of ambidextrous gun parts designed to help you optimize your firearm. Shop online with confidence knowing we only sell products we believe in enough to use on our own firearms. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help!