Question for lefties with slick-side ARs

[C5rider]

Looking at building a light AR-15 and have been looking at slick side uppers for a while.

I'm a lefty, and I've always wondered if not having the shell deflector would allow the casing to ping off of my head/glasses/nose or ?

Has anyone shot a slick-sided AR with an upper like this one left-handed? and if so, did you need a shell extractor for your nasal passages?
http://palmettostatearmory.com/blem-psa-ar15-slick-sided-upper-receiver.html

 

[Txhillbilly]

I've shot a few slick sided AR's left handed. You can have brass tossed back into you using them. All of mine have brass deflector upper receivers!

 

[1KPerDay]

I have an SP1 and shoot lefty. Never an issue. YMMV

 

[clang]

I was in tbe Army in the 80s, and we were issued H&R M16A1s left over from Vietnam. Without the brass deflector, you would often get hot brass going down your shirt. I still have scars from it.

There were plastic brass deflectors that snapped into the carry handle, but they were rare as hens teeth. I got to use one in basic training, but never saw them again in regular service.

The built in deflector is a must for lefties.

 

[C5rider]

All good info!

Thanks guys. I think I'll go with an upper with a bumper until I learn to go right-eye dominant. Thanks for the responses!

 

[bobinoregon]

I have an SP1 and when I shot some brands of factory ammo with it I would get something like razor cuts on my upper cheek from the case mouths hitting there. Hand loads get around that little issue so if I am shooting factory ammo I run it through my left handed Stag. As far as I'm concerned Stag is the best thing to happen to left handed AR shooters.

 

[taliv]

as a lefty, i would DEFINITELY get the deflector. the forward assist and the port door are optional on a fun range gun, but definitely get the deflector

of course, it will depend on how hot the ammo you're running is as to what direction it ejects.
if you already bought the slick upper and are stuck with one type of ammo, you can tweak the ejection direction by changing buffer weights

 

[vkeith]

Several weeks ago, I bought a PSA 16" 1/9 slick side nitride carbine kit that uses that same upper. I didn't even think about the lack of deflector before I purchased it, and didn't realize it could be an issue for lefties until I read about some issues on the net.

Since the kit was already on it's way, I decided I would give it a try. The kit was on sale for $300 and the completed carbine was $400 total, so I figured I could always sell the complete upper, and go with a regular upper if there were issues without losing much, if any, money.

I have had no issues with brass, debris, or hot gas hitting me yet with ~100 rounds (both XM193 and M855) through the carbine so far. The casings seem to eject out about three feet and back about three feet. I have noticed that it looks like the casings have bounced off the side of the upper because there are little brass colored dots behind the the ejection port.

If you order that upper, or even if you don't, pick up one of PSA's ambidextrous safeties while they are on sale for $15. They make operating the safety so much easier for lefties: safety on with trigger finger, off with thumb. I like mine so much, I ordered another one for my other AR.

Here's a really bad cellphone photo of the dots (sorry, it's all I have), but other than this, no issues so far.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I've got a DPMS upper slick side, shoot lefty. Never once have had brass go anywhere but 1 to 3 o'clock. I shoot 55 and 62 grain. No difference between 16" with carbine gas and 16" with mid gas.

 

[lefteyedom]

Button the top button

When I joined the USAF in 1984, we (SAC SP) still carried original ARs. I mean original first patch of Gen Lemay's ARs...

One learned shooting those rifles left handed to button the top fatigue blouse button !
Hot brass down your shirt dance on the firing line was no fun


I have never need a forward assist, but the brass deflector was a welcome improvement.

 

[Zerodefect]

All good info!

Thanks guys. I think I'll go with an upper with a bumper until I learn to go right-eye dominant. Thanks for the responses!

Don't bother with that.

Slick side AR's are toys. Defensive AR's have the deflector. If you can't shoot left and right handed, then you better hope you'll always will be able to use the same side of cover. And that's just silly.

Shooting around the left side of a wall, do it left handed. Right side of wall, do it right handed. Don't hang your entire head out there in the breeze. I even do that hunting now, less of me sticking out to be seen.

Learn to use both eyes open, right and left handed. It does take some time to get used to it, but once you master it, it's one heck of a tool to have in the tool box.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

or just get this http://shop.redxarms.com/BLEM-RED-X-ARMS-LEFT-HAND-COMPLETE-UPPER-RECEIVER-BLEMLHU.htm

 

[berettaprofessor]

Even with a deflector, I got tired of having the brass fly close to my right ear. I gave that one to my son and went back to left-side Stag uppers.

 

[Reloadron]

I shoot a pair of Colt SP1 ARs and neither is a problem. The brass is ejected across me and has never bothered me or been an issue. That being shooting left handed.

Ron

 

[Dave Markowitz]

AIUI, things like ammo choice and extractor tension influence whether lefties will get hit by brass ejected from a slick side AR15.

Back in the 1980s when I was in Civil Air Patrol I attended a couple encampments at the PA NG base Ft. Indiantown Gap. One year I got to shoot an M16A1 and the other year I shot an XM16E1, both from the left shoulder. We were instructed to button our shirts up all the way and turn our collars inside out to avoid getting brass down our shirts. It turned out I wasn't hit by brass from either of those rifles.

OTH, I used to own an Armalite AR-180B, which used a very similar bolt to the AR15. I constantly got hit by brass from it until I added a deflector. Yet a friend's AR-180B did not hit me with brass.

Personally, if I wanted a slick side upper I'd get one of the detachable brass deflectors.

 

[CB900F]

C5rider;

I built my lefty myself. I used a Stag lefty lower and receiver, consequently the issue doesn't exist with the gun.

900F

 

[Zerodefect]

Even with a deflector, I got tired of having the brass fly close to my right ear. I gave that one to my son and went back to left-side Stag uppers.

Could have just removed a buffer weight or drilled the gas port.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Yes, you can modify a right handed upper to "make-do". But why would you want to when it can be built properly for a lefty?

900F

 

[berettaprofessor]

^^^Exactly.

 

[Elkins45]

I'm a lefty. I wasn't paying attention and bought a slick sided upper.

I won't be making that mistake again. The deflector is a must if you want to keep hot brass out of your eyes, nose, forehead, collar, etc...