Left Handed Gun for my wife

C

CMichael

New member
Hi All,

I had so much fun at the range Saturday my wife wants a shotgun for her birthday.

It needs to be light. The problem though is that she is left handed. I am having trouble finding a left handed gun.

I want to get a 410 perhaps a 20 gauge.

Browning has a shotgun where the ejection is from the bottom but it's too expensive.

I don't want to spend more than $250.

My wife told me it doesn't matter what the gauge is as long as it's pretty.

Any ideas??

Thanks,
Michael
 
Michael, you are going to have a hard time finding a suitable gun for your wife for $250. I would expect that you are looking at either an automatic or an over/under in 20 gauge for a new shooter. You don't say what size person your wife is, so whether you need a short stock, etc. is unknown. I might suggest that, instead of a shotgun as a gift, you give your wife a "set" of shooting lessons at your local sporting clays or skeet range. Whoever the Pro is who gives these lessons can help her choose a suitable gun. These facilities typically have guns that are available for rent, and your wife could try out several different models while learning to shoot. If she comes up with a favorite, you can start stashing cash now for the next suitable occasion while keeping your eyes open for a used model of the same gun. If Mama is interested in "pretty," she won't like the inexpensive pump guns, and they are about the only new firearms that meet your budget restrictions.
 
I'd recommend a mossberg for lefties. The safety is on the top, so it can be actuated with the thumb. Much less confusing than those trigger housing push buttons. If she is small, try a youth model (shorter stock). I think mossberg has some sort of home defense .410 model that was specifically targeted at women shooters, but I'm not sure its very "pretty", or what purpose your wife wants to use it for. Those short barrelled HD guns might not be the best for clays and such. LAter.
 
Look at Ithaca mod 37 lightweight in 20 ga. You might be able to find a used one for your asking price... nice lightweight with bottom ejection...
 
Thanks for the input.

Mossberg doesn't make a gun for lefties. I called and asked them.

The purpose of it is so we can go trap shooting together.

What do you think of a one shot?

Michael
:cool:
 
"Also, where does one purchase used guns?"

A gunshow would probably be your best bet, but many gun shops, and even pawn shops, might have some used ones. Remington does make new LH 12 gauge Express models, but not in a 20.

I second the Perfessrs recommendation on the Ithaca, look for a model 37 in 20 gauge, and have the safety converted to a lefty. You could do the same with a Remington 870 also, if she doesn't mind right hand side ejection. I'm a lefty and have never had a problem with right handed ejection - only right handed safeties, but... the bottom ejection of the Ithaca is a nice bonus.
 
The Ithaca is a nice piece, and the 20 ga LH 1100 LW is a good starter gun for southpaw women, but...

25 years of marriage tell me the advice about getting her some lessons is the best approach. And, be somewhere else while they're given. Call it masculine intuition. After a few lessons, bite the bullet and get her exactly what she wants. Trust me on this(G)...
 
I went thru the exact same thing about a year ago, and after much looking, lucked onto a Browning BPS that was in beautiful shape, except that someone had cut the stock off with a hacksaw. Haggled down to $225, put 2 inches of recoil pad on it, and just last week she got her first double with it. Problem now is that I have to reload her shells too. There are deals out there, it just takes some time and patience to find them.
 
Yes and no. Side-ejecting guns can spit the hulls at your face, which can be disconcerting...but I've worked my 870 left-handed and nothing hit me. Plus the trigger guard safety is backwards...but I think you can reverse that.

Bottom ejecting guns liek the Ithaca and the Browning are ambidextrous. That way she can use it and you can, too.

If it was me, I'd take her shopping and look at used Ithacas and Brownings. But get the gun SHE wants, not the one you want her to want.

Mike
 
I"m having trouble finding left handed guns. The browning is too expensive for me.

I may get here a right handed pump 410 I saw at Dick's. There is there one that she liked. I think it was a Remington.
 
Just my 2cents, but I would look for a 20 instead of the .410. I love my .410 dearly, but it's a royal PIA to hit anything with. My wife was trying to use it because the recoil was so much easier to deal with, but after 3 times out and not hitting a single clay, she got really frustrated. She now refers to it as "that damned pea shooter" and I'm not even allowed to bring it along if she's with me. Boy, does she hold a grudge.
 
I'm a lefty

I thought I would have problems using a right handed shotgun, i was wrong. I have an 870 express. the shells eject right over my right arm and never enters my vision. the safety was not a big deal either. I think it would be weird to shoot a left handed shotgun now!!!!:D
 
If ejection is a problem, I would get her a nice single shot, O/U, or SxS.
 
Back to your original purpose: "So we can go trapshooting together." I don't think you will be happy with less than a 20 gauge. I have a .410 Remington pump, and I really have fun with it, but it is a 25 yard gun at MAX. You will need 40 yard capability to do much of anything with a trap gun. In terms of left handed vs right handed: I have seen Ithaca pump 20 gauge guns go used for $300, but they are not all that easy to find. The Ithaca is a great design, by the way. For trapshooting, I would be tempted to look at the Brownings in a used gun. They are a good bit heavier than the Ithaca, and that makes for less recoil. Insofar as used guns, check the auction sites like gunbroker.com and auctionarms.com. Another good place for used guns is gunsamerica.com. Gunbroker has both the Ithaca and Browning guns available. Finally, be patient. A suitable gun will show up in time, and you don't want to sour your sweetie on shooting with a really ugly gun!:D
 
With the .410 its the amount of stuff coming out of the barrel (or rather, the lack of it) thats the problem. Different chokes might help a little, but when you get down to it, you're still shooting a .410 ;)

Mike
 
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