A question for lefties

[Rollo]

A few weeks ago I made a post asking if people thought it was OK to carry a SA/DA pistol (PT145) with a long take up with the safety off. Much to my surprise the majority said no. Now I am faced with the same question now that I have started carrying my PT709 again which has the added benefit of having a trigger safety unlike mt PT145. I'm 99 percent sure I will carry the 709 with the safety on but it kind of got me to thinking. What about you lefties? If you carry a gun that doesn't have a ambidextrous safety do you carry the gun safety off or do you learn to manipulate it some other way?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[RoadRunner71]

Colt Commander - ambi-safety
Sig - DA/SA no safety
GLOCK'S - safeties? we don't need no stinking safeties! (Actually there are three, but it wasn't as funny.)

I had a thread a while back discussing the merits of fully ambidextrous handguns. I look for ambi features when I am considering a carry gun. I absolutely WILL NOT use work-arounds on a self-defense tool. Either it works in either hand, or I will not buy it.

As far as your situation goes, I am of the opinion that if a firearm has a safety, use it. If it is designed without one, well that is a different story.

[Patria Povo]

If you carry a gun that doesn't have a ambidextrous safety do you ...

I only buy handguns with safeties (and mag release, if possible) that can be operated with my left hand.

[Agave]

I wouldn't carry a DA/SA gun with a safety engaged, but on my 1911 with a standard safety, I've trained a bit disengaging it with my left thumb. I wouldn't want to be forced to, but I can.

[Keltyke]

If you carry a gun that doesn't have a ambidextrous safety do you carry the gun safety off or do you learn to manipulate it some other way?

I don't. If I carry a gun with a thumb safety, it must be ambidextrous. However, both my carry pieces have trigger finger safeties, so for me, the point is moot.

[kb2wji]

The XD's have ambi mag release, but no manual safety. Just a grip safety and a glock style trigger safety (whatever that thing even does LOL) I'm a lefty, but trained righty. I carry righty, but its nice to be able to operate and shoot weak hand just as well. I find the mag release the more important ambi part. I love my XD. Just food for thought.

[Knightrider]

What about you lefties? If you carry a gun that doesn't have a ambidextrous safety.....

I dont carry a gun that doesn't have a ambi safety unless I can add it to the gun. I already know that when I get my 1911, I may have to spend some money on adding a safety on the right side.


When it comes to guns, lefties are SOL. Even if the gun doesn't have a safety, the gun is still made for the right handed shooter. I have conform to it including reloading my little 5 shot. Also, I just can't roll into a gun shop and buy a holster, it has to be ordered. It sucks being a lefty in a right handed world

[Rexster]

While it does not address the question directly, I am a lefty who carries my primary handgun on my right hip. Pulling a trigger is caveman simple; my more dextrous left hand does such skilled tasks as loading and running the slide. Of course, there is more to it than that, such as my natural tendency to lead with my left side while fighting, anyway, and in my occupation as a police officer, I want to keep my holstered weapon turned away from an adversary.

I learned shooting with a 1911, and never liked the bulkiness or lack of sturdiness of ambi safety levers. This reinforced my right-handed carry. My plan for an injured right hand was to carry on the left side with the thumb safety disengaged, hammer down. I never injured my right hand or arm bad enough to actually implement that plan.

Nowadays, my go-to handguns are SIG P229 pistols, which are wonderfully ambidextrous, actually favoring lefties just a bit, and revolvers, which work quite well in either hand.

FWIW, my first blade defense instructor, Bram Frank, is a lefty, and he uses his defensive blade in his right hand. I am not sure which hand he uses for his Glock.

[AKsrule]

Lefty here I have only two handguns that are SA only and have a manual safety , one 1911 and a .22 auto.
I do not use or carry them for self defense.

ALL my other pistols are DA/SA or "trigger safety"

[jeephipwr]

I dont understand how the majority said to carry a SA/DA with the safety on. That was the entire intent of DA first shot when designed so that when the safety was off, it would take a much greater intent to manupulate the trigger.

I am a lefty and I only use a safety on my SA guns. My Beretta 92 is always carried with the safety off, hammer down.

[Chevyguy85]

Cant comment about the lefty part but as far as my 2 pistols that are DA first pull I carry both with the safeties off hammer down and my .357 has no safety so to speak. as long as you follow proper gun handling you won't need the safety.

can't comment on your pistol but one of the major reasons my buddy, who is a south paw, bought an m&p is b/c it comes fully ambidextrous, or i believe it does.

good luck :)

[PiperLambie]

I am a lefty, and my EDC currently is the previous generation FNP-9, so DA/SA no safety, with ambi decocker. I've trained myself to use the index finger for the mag release. I will not buy a gun for EDC unless it is ambi or has no external safeties.

FWIW, my first blade defense instructor, Bram Frank, is a lefty, and he uses his defensive blade in his right hand. I am not sure which hand he uses for his Glock.

I am also from the Bram Frank school of defensive blade, and am the same way- edged weapons I manipulate with the right hand, and I shoot with the left. It really is a nice versatility to have IMHO...

[dgreen]

ok, lefty here that is carrying a gun that was bought long before i even thought about ccw. it was bought as home defense and on a budget. the gun is a PA63. i got my ccw not long after my daughter was born. now being a lefty and having a gun for right handed shooters has been a bit of a hassle but i realy like the gun. so anyways, when my daughter came into her toddler years, i carry her on my left side when she needs to be carried. this got me thinking how can i reach my gun and carry my kid with the same arm. (i had a left side holster for cc.) i learned to shoot with my right hand. practice practice practice. i am can now grab my gun with either hand and hit the target just as accurate. i now cc on my right side and wil probably continue to do so even after she is to big to carry and have the extra cash for a better cc gun. i now feel everyone can and should learn to shoot with either hand just as accurate as your natural strong side. because when the shtf, you never know what will happen. your strong hand can become disabled in some way during an altercation and you dont want to have a bunch of stray rounds when your life is on the line.

[ChuckAZ]

A few weeks ago I made a post asking if people thought it was OK to carry a SA/DA pistol (PT145) with a long take up with the safety off. Much to my surprise the majority said no. Now I am faced with the same question now that I have started carrying my PT709 again which has the added benefit of having a trigger safety unlike mt PT145. I'm 99 percent sure I will carry the 709 with the safety on but it kind of got me to thinking. What about you lefties? If you carry a gun that doesn't have a ambidextrous safety do you carry the gun safety off or do you learn to manipulate it some other way?

Dont listen to most people.. They are afraid to carry just DA/SA.. All the Sig folks do it, heck the beloved 442 and 642 ect are all DA pulls no safety. My rule is for my DA/SA pistols, the DA pull has to be over 8lbs and I consider that safe, it takes a heck of a lot of pull and a long distance to make a bang. Its not going to be like some accident such as a 1911's 4lb trigger.

Plus your holster should be covering the trigger guard either way.

But I usually laugh at the folks who wont carrying a DA/SA pistol with no safety or no safety on. Most of them have a 442 they carry and they are making a double standard.

Glocks are like 4.5lbs of pull.. no safety.. To me I consider that the most dangerous gun of them all. lets not start a war but thats just my opinion.

[AzB]

Ambidextrous here, but I sometimes carry my PT 709 in my front left pocket. I leave the safety on, and if I'm in an area or situation that is iffy, I stick my hands in my pockets, turn the safety off, and grip the handle. I look nonchalant, but I can get that thing out and ready very quickly.

My main guns are all ambi. I'm looking at the new FNX 40 for a .40 cal option.