Most guns are designed with right-handed shooters in mind, and if you’re a lefty, you’ve probably been burned by that—literally. From ejection ports spitting brass across your cheek to controls you have to reach over or ignore altogether, not every firearm plays fair. And while some guns are ambidextrous-friendly or at least tolerable, others are flat-out miserable to shoot left-handed. This isn’t about preference—it’s about safety, comfort, and function. If you’re a southpaw, these are the firearms that are likely to fight you every step of the way.
Remington 700
The Remington 700 is a classic bolt-action rifle, but the standard right-handed model isn’t doing lefties any favors. Running the bolt is awkward at best and flat-out inefficient if you’re trying to stay in position between shots. You’ve got to break your cheek weld or reach over the top—not great options when time matters.
To be fair, there are left-handed models available, but they aren’t always easy to find, and they tend to cost more. If you’re a lefty shooting a standard 700, you’re basically working with a handicap right out of the gate.
Beretta 92FS
The Beretta 92FS has a lot going for it, but left-hand ergonomics isn’t one of them. The safety and decocker are both mounted high up on the slide and are right-hand dominant. Reaching over to engage or disengage the safety feels awkward and slows things down more than it should.
Add to that a right-side ejection port that throws brass across your face, and this gun quickly becomes a hassle for left-handed shooters. Sure, it’s reliable and proven—but unless you’ve trained around all the awkwardness, it’s not doing you any favors.
M1 Garand
The M1 Garand is iconic, but it wasn’t built with left-handed shooters in mind. That charging handle and top-loading en-bloc clip setup don’t exactly cater to southpaws. Trying to reload quickly without smacking your thumb or messing up your grip takes some serious adaptation.
On top of that, the ejection path sends spent clips and brass dangerously close to your face. Lefties can—and do—shoot the Garand, but it takes more work and comes with more risk than most folks want to deal with.
KelTec Sub2000
The KelTec Sub2000 has its fans for its folding design and compact size, but it’s borderline unusable for left-handed shooters. The ejection port is right in line with your face if you’re on the wrong side of the stock. It doesn’t just throw brass—it throws it at you.
There’s no ambidextrous version, and the controls aren’t mirrored, either. So if you’re trying to make it work as a lefty, you’ll have to shoot awkwardly or accept the risk of getting pelted. Not a great tradeoff for a gun that’s supposed to be convenient.
IWI Tavor SAR
The original Tavor SAR was built around a bullpup design that puts the ejection port very close to your face—which works fine for right-handed shooters. But for lefties, unless you’ve got a left-eject model, the brass ejects directly into your cheek or your shoulder.
It’s not just uncomfortable—it’s dangerous. Later versions and variants like the X95 offered more ambi-friendly options, but the original SAR out of the box is a nightmare for southpaws. If you’re stuck with the standard version, you’d better wear eye protection and hope for the best.
Mossberg 500 (Standard Model)
The Mossberg 500 has some features that help lefties—like a top-mounted safety—but the rest of the controls aren’t as forgiving. The action release is on the left side of the trigger guard, which makes it harder to hit with your firing hand as a lefty.
And then there’s the ejection—right out the side and back into your line of sight. You can work around it, but you’ll have to train differently and accept that it’s not built for you. Mossberg has left-handed models, but the standard one doesn’t do lefties any favors.
CZ Scorpion Evo 3 S1 (Carbine)
The CZ Scorpion Evo 3 is often praised for its price and modularity, but the carbine version’s ejection port and non-reversible charging handle create issues for left-handed shooters. The brass flies directly in front of your face, and if you’re shooting off-hand, it’s even worse.
Some controls are ambidextrous, but not all the important ones. Unless you’re ready to sink time and money into aftermarket parts or modifications, the Scorpion can be more trouble than it’s worth for lefties trying to run it cleanly and safely.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
