Left hand 20 gauge

I'm looking to buy my son a 20 gauge, preferably pump action. Anyone know who makes one for a lefty?

Remington makes a left hand model, but take a look at the Browning BPS. It's a true ambidextrous shotgun. Bottom load, bottom eject and a top mounted safety. I too am a southpaw and shoot a BPS 12 ga. Good gun that's never let me down.

I will second the recommendation of another poster on the BPS if you are looking for a pump. Ithaca (sp?) also makes a bottom eject, tang mounted safety shotgun.

Remington was the only one to make a dedicated pump and semi-auto in left hand.

I am also left handed and don't find the right hand ejection port a problem and in some cases a benefit because it is easier to see if the chamber is clear.

Two problems with right handed guns for lefties:

The stock on many shotguns is not symmetrical, it is offset for right handed shooters. Check the fit to make sure it shoulders well with your eye looking down the rib. My Ruger Red Label fits me like a glove, but my friends Beretta OU does not. My Beretta 390 semi-auto did not fit at first but it has washers that fit between the stock and action and once I flipped around the one installed from the factory it fits well to. My 20 ga Rem 1100 factory stock did not fit me well but I put on the factory synthetic stock set from my girlfriends 1100 (she replaced hers with a youth wood set) and it fits great. As you can see I feel the fit of a shotgun as important as the model you choose. You can have wood stocks 'bent' to fit but this is not a DIY project. Buy one that fits to begin with.

Second comment is on safety's. Many right handed shotguns with the safety in the trigger guard are reversible so it is push to fire from the left side. I thought about doing this on my 390 and decided it was a bad idea. Friends that borrow the gun might be putting it to the fire position thinking they were putting it on safe

If your son is younger than 14 or 15, I would strongly recomend a semi-auto or O/U rather than a pump. Most 20 ga pumps are chambered for 3' shells, so the pump travel is the same as on a full size 12 ga. I have seen alot of 11,12,and 13 year old boys (and a few girls) have problems useing a 20ga pump. They tend to either 'short shuck' it - not bringing the pump flly to the rear, or dont push it foreward hard enough to get the gun to go fully into battery. With a semi or a single triger O/U, once its loaded, all the boy has to think about is the safety, muzzel dicipline, and shooting technique, not manipulating the action of his firearm. JMHO.

You may be making too much of the fact your son is left-handed. I'm a South paw also and have shot Model 12s, Mossbergs and several other right-handed pump shot guns without a qualm - and never been hit by an ejected case.

But to answer your question, I know of no left-handed 20 gauge pumps. Remington makes a nice 12 gauge - see http://www.remington.com/firearms/left_hand/ 870EXPLH.HTM for more info. You might consider Savage's 311 SxS but you'll have to scrounge around at the gun shows and pawn shops since that model has been discontinued for years. I've got one in my safe but it's not for sell.

Sam A. Kersh NRA Patron TSRA Life Member LEAA Life Member Gun Owners of America

Thanks for the replies. I picked up an over/under today for him that appeared to shoulder well for him. I'll find out how well next weekend on some grouse and ptarmigan. Didn't know that you reverse the safeties, I'll keep that in mind when he's ready for a 12 gauge. I did check out Remington and the only left hand model appears to be only available in 12 gauge. A local gun dealer says they used to make the 20 but stopped in the last couple years. Browning unfortunately seem hard to find in Anchorage. I'm sure someone deals in them, just haven't found them yet.

I wouldn't worry about it one bit...I've shot 'right handed' semi-autos and pumps all my life, and never found the empty crossing my sightline an issue. In my opinion, finding a left handed pump isn't worth the search.

If you get the Browning BPS, the shells eject downward. So, it works the same for lefties or righties.

Scott

[lots of snippage]

Ithaca may be easier to find (and probably less expensive) and they make lots of 20ga as well as 12ga. They make a lightweight model that is particularly sweet, IMO. Bottom feed, bottom eject. Safety must be reversed for true left-handed operation, but this is not difficult or expensive.

I have a late 1950's Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 20ga that is by far my favorite shotgun.

Tom G

As someone mentioned earlier, Remington makes a left handed model. However, and this is from a left handed shooter, I would consider just getting your son a right handed gun, and switching the safety over.

I have shot right handed guns all my life, and since no one told me the shells ejecting in front of my face was supposed to bother me, it never has. As a result, I have never been limited in my selection of a shotgun to the few left handed offerings out there.

Regards,

Since we're on the subject, imho EYE dominance is much more important that HAND dominance. Everyone in my family is right-handed, but my oldest daughter is left eye dominant. As soon as she started shooting left-handed, her shooting improved dramatically.