Can a lefty use a right-hand 870 without harming himself?

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Left_Hand

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Okay, I know that title could leave me open for many funny replies.

I'm getting ready to buy an 870 12 gauge for home defense. I am left-handed, but a right hand 870 feels fine to support and aim, with my left hand on the trigger. I haven't had a chance to shoot a shotgun since I was a teenager, some 40 odd years ago. I don't remember having trouble with shells hitting me nor do I remember having any trouble with the pump action, but I never pumped and shot several shells in a row. If I use a right-hand 870, are there any problems I should worry about, like powder or heat burns from shells? I recall getting right forearm burns from a semi-auto 22 rifle I had.

I'm aware of the more ambidextrous Mossy 500 safety mentioned on THR posts, but I'm not really worried about trouble with the 870 safety. I may get the 500, but I've read that its action doesn't feel as smooth, and some feel that it won't hold up as well as the 870, not that I will be doing a lot of practice shooting.

Any other reasons for a lefty to avoid getting the right hand 870?
Cost is a consideration. I don't need a LEO model, I need something that speaks loudly, both psychologically, and, if need be, physically. (I do hope to put a Knoxx SpecOps stock on to reduce the kick for my girlfriend and myself, though a 20 gauge is another possibility.)

I'm fairly strong with both arms though my left hand is stronger than my right hand.

Thanks for the help.

Left_Hand
 
I'm a lefty that shoots a righty 870. You'll have no problems. In fact, the right-side ejection port will make reloads straight into the open chamber easier if you ever find yourself in a 3-gun match or something of the sort.

If you want to put the Knoxx stock on it, I would strongly suggest the 870 over the 500. The 500's tang safety will be hard to get at with a pistol grip, whether there is a shoulder stock attached to it or not.
 
I'm left-handed, and I've fired right-handed guns all my life, in all sorts of calibers, and I've never had a problem with any of them.

Shotguns, rifles of all types and makes, pistols, you name it. I've NEVER shot a left-handed gun, and never wanted to. I've never considered it a disadvantage. Never even burned myself on an ejected cartridge, and I wear short sleeves. Don't worry about it. My current shotgun is a Winchester 1300 XTS (pump), and I've fired my father's Remington 1100, both without problems. The ONLY odd side effect I've ever seen with firing left-handed is that shells ejected from a Colt 1911 .45 occasionally bean you in the head. This is the only gun I've ever had do this, though.
 
Same here, lefty whose only fired other peoples lefty guns. I even exclusively shoot right handed bolt guns.

The only thing you may have issue with is stock fit if by chance there is cast built into a rifle or shotgun. Sometimes there is also a palm hump in the grip designed for righties.
 
I'm a lefty and the thing works great. I have 3. I'm not even interested in the left hand version they make. I like being able to see in the action etc. spent shells ejecting have never been a problem.
 
Yes!!

As for the 870 safety, when I shoot lefthanded I use my thumb to take it off and my forefinger to put it on. Big hands.
 
I'm left handed-- I hate the term Lefty BTW, you never hear them call right handed folks righty and lefty was always a bad guy in the movies. Anyhooo, now that my rant is over, I'll say I grew up shooting right handed firearms of all sorts. But as I've gotten older, I've started moving toward left handed weapons. Now that I own a few, I won't go back to my right handed ways. As for the 870, it's fine to shoot right handed if you are comfortable with it. For me, I've switched to o/u shotguns since they are more or less ambidextrous though I don't guess two shells would make for a very effective HD weapon. Guess in that event, I'll reach for my LH Stag AR.
 
I had the safety switched for my 12 year old son. I wanted to simplify his gun handling and it was his gun so for $20.00 it seemed worth it.

For myself I just switched to doubles to alleviate safety issues, but that will open up a whole new can of worms for a lefty.
 
I shoot long guns lefty. When upland hunting I just wrap my forefinger under the trigger guard and press off the safety that way (my hands aren't big mitts like McCracken's apparently). :D

I'd prefer to have the safety switched, but I'm too cheap. :)

I prefer having the charging handle for my autos on the right side, so I can manipulate it with my right hand while hoding the grip with my left. It actually feels like a better system than the righty method to me.
 
Thank you all for your input! You've saved me a good deal of money. Now I can feel comfortable buying a right-hand 870 and spend more money to BA/UU/R.

I must complement JD of AI & P Tactical at: http://www.aiptactical.com/

He also thinks it should not make a difference to most left-handers to use a right hand shotgun. He might have considered me a possible customer for his beautiful left-hand tactical. But he knew it would not be a duty weapon, and he knew cost was a big concern for me. He said he saw no reason I could not use a right hand.

I Commanded a Hostage Rescue team of 12 members and for a time we had 7 right handers and 5 left then for a long time we had 6 and 6 and three of those team members fired right handed 870 left handed without issue while others learned to shoot right as they had their whole lives... no issues what so ever... a lot cheaper also....

Ain't I a great salesman... just talked my way out of a sale....

JD
Click to expand...

Just thought I'd share his ethical and helpful nature with all of you. If you want to see some beautiful tactical 870's, and haven't visited his site, its a pleasure to view. If you want a duty weapon, you might consider one of his models or do his "Build Your Own" approach.

Left_Hand
 
About the only gun I would be skepic shooting lefty is a right handed flintlock. I don't know about all that powder ingiting right infront of my face.
 
About the only gun I would be skepic shooting lefty is a right handed flintlock. I don't know about all that powder ingiting right infront of my face.
Click to expand...
I agree... I also find that suppressed submachine guns blow lots of crap/grit/hot oil back into my face when shooting lefty. I have to shoot those right-handed.
 
The ONLY odd side effect I've ever seen with firing left-handed is that shells ejected from a Colt 1911 .45 occasionally bean you in the head.
Click to expand...

I'm a righty and sometimes my 1911 beans me in the head with shells... :)
 
Quote:
The ONLY odd side effect I've ever seen with firing left-handed is that shells ejected from a Colt 1911 .45 occasionally bean you in the head.

I'm a righty and sometimes my 1911 beans me in the head with shells...
Click to expand...

Rotate or "clock" your extractor ever so slightly to the right or left to suit your shooting.
 
I've had one problem with a right handed longgun being fired from the wrong shoulder. It was a bullpup Mini14...

Never had a problem with anything else. Unless I was shooting wolf. It stinks.
 
Left handed, left eyed and shot RH 870 as duty gun for 25+ years, personal SG also a RH 870- works fine no issues.
 
Most left handed shooters quickly learn to rotate the ejection port towards the ground when cycling the action.
This keeps empties from coming back into your face and they all fall in a neat little pile at your feet if you aren't moving.

Semi-auto guns are the ones that cause problems for left handed shooters.
 
There is /ONE/ reason to get a lefty 870 that I can think of.

But it involves a righty 870, a piece of baseball bat, and Deer Hunter's garage.
 
I've been shooting righthanded guns lefthanded for 40 years and can only recall one unpleasant incident. It was on a turkey hunt in 1986 and when I fired my Remington 1100 at a bird, my right eye was stung by some blowback. It stung a lot and scared me a little, but didn't really injure me.
That was the only blowback incident with that gun or any other.
 
As a lefthander the only "harm" I've done to myself using my RH shotguns over the years is to my left shoulder..

:eek:
 
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