Why are there almost no left handed handguns?

the military would have done something about it for the last 200+ years.

My Uncle told me his Drill Instructors told him at Paris Island in 1948 that if God and Chesty Puller wanted him to shoot left-handed, they would have made him a left-handed Garand. He qualified right-handed, but he said when he got in combat in Korea, he shot left-handed.
 
While about 20% of people are left-handed, about 33% are left eye dominant. Being left eye dominant (duh) but right-handed, I shoot handguns right-handed and sight with my dominant left eye (whether or not my right eye is open.) But I learned over 50 years ago that I shot long guns more accurately shooting left-handed. So - I prefer left-handed long guns (particularly bolt action center-fire rifles) and I don't know what I would do with a left-handed hand gun. :confused:
 
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Pistols aren't a big deal. I wouldn't mind seeing some more lefty bolt rifles!
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+1 to that! I never get one off of the rack when they are on sale. I'm special so they have to order it for me at full price.;)
 
We should all be reasonably (not necessarily equally) proficient with either hand. I'm a righty, but I've found that I can punch the mag release on my Taurus 92 easier with my left index finger than I can my right thumb. And it's got the ambi safety.

I don't think the eye matters hardly at all, assuming they both focus. I grew up shooting rifles and shotguns right handed and therefore using my right eye too. Decades later when I got into pistols, I discovered I am left-eyed. I wasn't interested in un-learning to close my left eye to shoot, so I still close the left, even when I shoot left-handed. (It does cause a little side-flip as a result.)
 
Making a true left hand pistol is a lot of work and expense for a manufacturer. It is a complete mirror image gun with everything in reverse. Nothing is interchangeable between the two versions.

They have been made in the past and with the price point of today's "quality" pistols...it may happen again.

What are the opinions on doing a left hand 1911..that would permit mfg in 9mm, 40, 10mm and 45acp versions ?

Desired features ?
 
Because most shooters have at this point in their lives learned to shoot "right handed" guns, and switching would be more trouble than it's worth.

I shoot left handed, and drop magazines with my strong (left) hand middle finger (on semi-auto pistols).

Slide stop, same thing. You adapt to use your strong (left) hand trigger finger. Easy on a 1911, not so easy on others (Glock, XD, etc.). But once you adapt, it becomes second nature.

I own a Springfield Armory XD, with an ambi mag catch. I still use my strong (left) hand middle finger to drop mags. Why, you ask? Because it is the same motion for almost all pistols (HK and the others who use the mag catch lever are the exception to this rule, but do not disprove the rule, as they are also ambi and I find myself using the strong (left) hand middle finger for this process.

Revolvers are a different story, but once you get used to a system, it's really hard to change, and really, why bother.

Think about it, the first gun you shot wasn't yours, was it? Most start using someone else's gun. And since most people are right handed, odds are you start on a right handed gun.
 
Im left handed and if they made a left handed gun I wouldnt know how to use it.
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It's true. I bought a Remington 700 CDL LH, because I thought it would improve my ability, being left handed.
Quite the opposite. I was slower, and the bolt operation just felt foreign to me.
It wasn't comfortable at all, and I eventually sold it.
The only issue I have with RH pistols are the slide catches on some semi-autos.
Most safeties and mag releases, I've adapted to, rather well.
 
The reason there aren't more left handed guns is purely monetary. There's not enough money in it to justify the cost. Would you pay another $200-$300 for your lefty gun over the righty model? Probably not, else you'd be in here asking "Why is my gun more expensive than yours?"

Here is an interesting approach, this is kind of looking at it from a theoretical stand point but most left handed people are left brain people and are more artsy/creative. Shooting and hunting animals doesn't appeal to the creative crowd much. Think about the people you know who are real creative, are they into hunting or shooting?

Just because 15-20% of all humans born are lefty doesn't mean that same statistic equates to 15-20% of shooters are lefty. I'd be willing to bet that the percentage of lefty shooters is smaller due to the trend I mentioned in the previous paragraph. To get a good representation the NRA would have to pose the question or some other very large sanctioning body to get a good idea of the whole gun crowd but that is an interesting statistic I'd like to see.
 
I'm left handed and do almost everything that way. As my dad always tells me left handed people can't do anything right. lol

Anyway, I can deal with the brass wizzing by more closely, I can even deal with the mag release on the wrong side, however I must have the safety on the right side of the pistol. If it's not, and it can't be reversed, then I don't buy it. That's why after receiving my CCW I purchased a SR9c and a M&P40c with ambidextrious safety.
 
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Plenty of Left Handed firearms out there

Savage makes the model 110 in a lefty. Ruger Model 77 can be lefty. Those are the first 2 off the top. Both of these companies have other left handed models as well. Go to their website and look around. Most shotgun manufacturers have models that can be purchsed in LH

Something you might want to look at is the 2010 or 2011 Walmart gun catalog. They list many different models of LH firearms in there.
Until I looked at the catalog I never knew Walmart offered so many guns for sale. I probably would have called somebody a liar if they said there was a Walmart Gun catalog, if I hadn't seen one myself.

DPMS and Bushmaster both have left handed AR platforms. Colt used to make a left handed AR style
IIRC Bushmaster is going to be gone soon, so you'll need to look for them a bit harder.
There are a few custom handgun makers that have LH pistol models.
Find the platform you want to shoot, do a search on Google or Yahoo for it. you'll be surprised I think.
I'm 99.9% left Handed and I've pretty much adjusted to all of my RH guns.

It's only a serious problem when I get out the left handed ammunition - lol.
 
One reason is that I don't think a lot of lefties would actually buy them. The resale on left handed guns is not good.

I'm lefty and this is my experience.

Revolver - not a problem, and it fact I think it makes reloading a little easier even because you are doing the fine-motor-skill actions with your left hand.

Pistol - mag release on the side of the frame - not a problem. In fact, easier because you are using dominant middle finger. I don't use the slide release if possible (pull the slide back), and so if it has an ambi safety that's fine with me. Some are even fine on the left of the gun if they aren't too stiff. I prefer guns without manual safeties anyway.

Bolt actions - this is my only complaint, but there are many other actions, and to be honest, I can still use a bolt action rifle. I just think it's a little annoying.
 
The lessened value of LH guns keeps me away - been a southpaw my whole life and don't find any shortcomings in shooting, loading, handling.
 
I would qualify as a artsy/creative leftie,never wanted to pick up a guitar (40years of playing) or any firearm(enough for a third world country)left handed.My parents both lefties,six kids and only me a lefty.Bat left,throw left(80+mph fast ball as a young man)Both of my adult kids are true ambidextrious.Both when learning to write could switch hands in stride and no difference in their penmanship.The daughter shoots right handed(R.E.D.) and the son shoots left handed(L.E.D.)It is funny how it gets mixed up.3 grandaughters all left handed and shoot right handed.3 paternal grand parents lefties the kids don't have a chance.:confused:
 
1911 with ambi safety is very lefty friendly as is almost any single action.

I think the mag release and slide release are easier to operate with my left trigger finger than my right thumb. Another advantage is that you can do it without changing your grip and while keeping the gun pointed on target. To get your right thumb to do it, you always have to rotate the gun around to the left a little.

Want to see something funny, make a right handed person unload and reload a SAA without taking their right hand off of the grip. Then have them tell you again how nobody makes a left handed revolver.

I know it is older, but the Walther P-38 and P-1 are pretty easy to operate left handed. The heal mounted mag release can be operated either way, but the slide release is easy to reach with your left index finger, too.

For what it's worth. I am left handed, and I shoot everything but a handgun left handed. I normally carry handguns and shoot them with my right; however, I still practice a lot with my left.
 
My WW II P-38 ejects to the left. There have been a couple true "mirror image 1911A1s over the years, Randall made one for a while. Stock GI .45 but mirror image for lefties. Downside? Took a special left handed magazine! And, as mentioned, resale was basically zip.

What we have today, rather than a purpose built left handed pistol is the majority of recently designed service class autos having ambidexterous controls. 40 years ago, having an ambi safety on a 1911 meant getting one installed by a custom shop. Common today.

There are many new guns with only a slide release and a magazine catch, both of which can be worked equally well with either hand after a bit of practice.
 
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