G19, G26, M&P9, M&P9c, Shield--lefty seeking advice to add to .38 Special

[Broadus]

I realize that there are lots of lefty threads. I've read through quite a few while searching, but I have a couple of twists in my situation that I haven't seen.

I've had a Charter Arms Undercover .38 Special for some thirty years and am looking for a second handgun. I would really like to buy two instead of just one, but a second one will have to wait.

I was initially thinking about the S&W M&P Shield, but perhaps I can get a more concealable holster for my .38 Special for the time being and buy a larger gun primarily to keep at home. BTW, I'm taking the CWP class this Saturday and I've heard it takes up to a couple of months in SC for the permit to be issued.

I've considered buying something like a S&W BodyGuard .380 or Ruger LCP, because I'm usually in dress clothes, and leaving the .38 Special at home, but I'm not sure that's the best idea for my forthcoming purchase.

I'm looking at 9mm's, with one reason being I want my wife to learn to use it and a second that 9mm cartridges are more budget-friendly-for -practicing than .40's.

Oh, and as the title says, I'm a lefty, but my wife is backwards and shoots with her right hand. Something that would work well for both of us would be great. I didn't include the Ruger SR9c in the title, but that gun looks pretty ambidextrous and was pretty comfortable and accurate when I shot it.

Concealability would be a bonus but not the primary consideration, or so I think at present. Right now I'm probably leaning towards the Glock 19, perhaps the 26, or maybe the M&P9c.

I guess that's enough rambling. A lot of this is new to me, so any advice or perspective is much appreciated.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[txron]

The only thing that I would recommend is to get a gun that has an ambidextrous mag release. Other than that, pick the gun the you and your wife shoot the best and feel comfortable carrying. Some of the semi's have mag release buttons that you can switch from 1 side to the other, but if you (lefty) are going to share with a righty, then I would go with something that has the ambidextrous release. I shoot the XD9 service model, but you are set on the glock or S&W models, my preference would be the G19 or the S&W M&P 4" barrel since I like the "larger" carry guns. The larger guns like the 19 over the 26 might be easier for you wife to control the felt recoil if better than the G26 or the M&Psc/shield.

[Broadus]

Thanks, Ron. I appreciate your adding the Springfield. I hadn't thought about it. I've just listed the ones about which I'm aware or have fired but gladly appreciate perspective about additional handguns.

[Dooger]

G19

[sioux565]

The Walther PPS has an ambidextrous magazine release. It is a great, high quality gun! I love mine in .40!

[wondering]

I'll echo what I said on an earlier thread...

For mag-release and slide release/lock I would recommend keeping them righty and making it part of your training to use your left-hand to release the mag and train to always slingshot to load the pistol. (This is one reason that I'd be leery of Kahr's if you are a lefty as some Kahr's recommend using the slide release to load). I would train using right-handed mag and slide release because not every pistol will have ambidextrous or lefty controls available and these actions can be done outside "the heat of the moment".

But with thumb safeties if you want a safety....I would get ambidextrous safeties and would strongly discourage otherwise as you will need to be able to disengage the safety during your draw and it is basically impossible to practically disengage a righty safety with your left hand.

[MJB_17]

The Glocks and the M&Ps have reversible mag releases but aren't technically ambidextrous since you have to take the gun apart to switch it. The SR series truly are ambi, there are mag releases on both sides. Another thing to consider is that the Glocks only have a slide release on the left side, whereas the M&P has a release on both sides. The M&P9c is smaller than the G19 but bigger than the 26, the SR9c is roughly the same size as the G19 but feels 'chunky' with the safeties on both sides. You really can't go wrong with any of the options though.

[High Altitude]

I own all those pistols in your post title.

You can't go wrong with any of them.

If I could only keep one, it would be my gen4 glock 19, but if I could only keep my M&P I wouldn't exactly be complaining.

Pick the pistol that you personally like the most based on intended use, they are all good to go.

[ejes]

Glock Gen 4's have mag releases you can move.

[ActAppalled]

I'm a lefty as well. Of the guns that you mentioned, I've shot the Glock 19, M&P 9c, Bodyguard, and I own a full size M&P 9. I looked at the shield but I didn't feel comfortable switching off the safety with my left trigger finger. The Bodyguard I shot did nothing for me, but then again I don't have much interest in .380s. The Glock 19 is a good gun, but I have the same problem that a lot of people have. It felt like a 2x4 in my hand and every time I went to line up my shot I was staring at the top of the slide. The M&P series fits my hand like a glove, points naturally, and shoots better than I do. I would go with the M&P 9c if it were me.

This is one reason that I'd be leery of Kahr's if you are a lefty as some Kahr's recommend using the slide release to load.

I have a CW9 and have no problem loading with the slide release using my left trigger finger. Kahr uses a rather large combination slide stop / takedown lever that is further forward on the frame than a lot of guns and I'm able to make it work with very little compromise in my grip.

[CJ_mp40c]

The M&P full size and compact, the mag release is only on one side but can be easily moved to either side (30 second deal, if you take your time). The shield can not be moved and is only on the left side of the gun.

[Broadus]

Like Wondering said, it's doubtlessly better to keep the mag release on the right side if it is switchable for my wife's sake.

I appreciate all the thoughts and welcome additional ones.

[nontechguy]

Yep. G19. (gen 3, so not reversable anyway) Just practice with the mag release. I don't use the slide release. I prefer the slingshot aproach.
Virtually all of my carry guns either have no external safety or are revolvers, which obviously don't.
And yes, I'm left handed too.

[ccw9mm]

Ambidextrous features can be really valuable, if you're faced with wanting to ensure ease of operation by both a lefty and a righty.

Myself, I'm a lefty. Have only owned a couple of ambidextrous pistols. All the others have been traditionally configured as though for a right-handed person. But I've found one thing to be true about all of them: so long as the controls are large enough to be easily reached and manipulated by the fingers of my left hand, then all's good. I learned that way, just to deal with how all pistols seem to be configured. But I've come to be most comfortable that way, simply using my lefty fingers on a traditional righty-configured pistol. But that's just me.

Examples:

• H&K P2000SK -- Ambidextrous magazine release lever, and ambidextrous slide stop/release lever. Both are easily reached. For me, the mag release is a bit hard to press, but that's more to do with the angle/strength involved given the length of my fingers and the size of the gun. No other pistol has this issue with me, and I suspect someone else without the same-sized fingers would have similar issues.
  
  
• CZ P-01 / CZ 2075 RAMI -- Traditionally placed mag release and slide stop/release, on the left side of the frame. But they're both so well-positioned, big and easily manipulated that I find it doesn't matter they're not on the side where my thumb is. I just use my index/middle fingers accordingly. Works very well.
  
  
• Glock 19/26 -- Traditionally placed mag release and slide stop/release, on the left side of the frame. Trouble for me is that the factory-sized pieces are so tiny and tougher to manipulate. Reach is fine, but I tend to have a hard time pressing them reliably well. The "extended" after-market variants help, but in the case of the extended mag release it cuts into my fingers a bit. Everyone will be different, based on finger placement/size in relation to the controls.

So, it depends on what will work for both your own lefty fingers/sizing/strength and your wife's righty fingers/sizing/strength. The only way to really know is: try them all out. We can suggest options here, based on our own experiences, but likely you both will think of those same guns differently once they're in your own hands.

Good luck on the search.

[wondering]

CCW9mm-

Was your Glock 19/26 a Gen 4? The new larger mag-release on the Gen 4 is easy for me to manipulate with my left-hand (and it is still on the left side of the grip i.e. mounted for righties.).

ActAppalled-

I have never handled a Kahr, but I have a Beretta 96 with a true slide-release on it and it seemed a lil awkward to manipulate...enough so that I wouldn't want to have to do that in a heated moment.