Left handed revolver?

Hey All,

It's an interesting question but I have never seen or heard of one myself. I have always been a left handed shooter, left eye dominant. Growing up I always shot right handed firearms and never really thought twice about it. It wasn't until a few years ago that I started purchasing guns specifically for left handed shooters. First purchased a REM 700 bolt action 22-250. Then I built a left handed AR chambered in 7.62x39.

When it comes to pistols, I purchased several autos that were "Ambi" for this reason but eventually sold or traded them all off and only kept my Colt commander and my Hi Power. This past year or so I caught the revolver bug and can honestly say that I enjoy shooting these more than any other pistol. Growing up my father had one real pistol, apart from some black powder ones and a few .22's, and it was a 6" model 19-5. So that was all I was familiar with when it came to pistol shooting.

Basically I rediscovered the beauty and shootability of smith and Wesson wheel guns in particular and have since purchased a couple and I'm sure will be buying more. Next on my list... a model 19, 4".

Still, despite the fact that I seem to shoot way more accurately with a revolver, I am at a disadvantage being left handed. So naturally it was just a matter of time before I asked the question, does or has Smith and Wesson ever made a left handed revolver? If not, why not and does anyone else make one that you know of. I would like to have one made one day if that's even possible, and I understand that the market for us south paws is limited and probably not worth it to the manufacturers. Still I'm curious and it would be cool to own one.

On topics like this it is dangerous to say "never" as some firearms history expert will likely prove you wrong.

I would say that I doubt that any mainstream, modern revolver has been produced with features intended to be more left handed friendly. Don

Any Colt Single Action Army. That's a slippery slope though.

You could also say Ruger and other single actions, but hey. It was not unknown to here in my youth that the Colt SAA was made the way it was because Samuel Colt was lefthanded, but since he died 11 years before it came out, that's just one of those good stories.

How are you at a disadvantage as a left hander shooting a revolver? Any reload, left or right handed, requires a switch to the other hand . . .

(That Sam Colt rumor, along with one about John Browning being left handed, are not exactly proven)

I think Charter Arms has made a DA revolver with the cylinder swinging out to the right. Some say a Colt Single Action Army or other revolver that operates similarly is also made for left-handed people.

Bullet Bob said:

Any Colt Single Action Army. That's a slippery slope though.

You could also say Ruger and other single actions, but hey. It was not unknown to here in my youth that the Colt SAA was made the was it is because Samuel Colt was lefthanded, but since he died 11 years before it came out, that's just one of those good stories.

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Not trying to be argumentative but wouldn't it be fair to say that the position of the loading gate is more righty friendly? Don

I'm a rightie but for several years I have been shooting both left and right. I have gotten so that I can shoot just as well Leftie as rightie. I don't feel there is any disadvantage to the actual shooting Leftie. Of course the loading and unloading are set up for righties but the important part is the shooting and the loading/ unloading can be accomplished Leftie without too much problem.

Toblerra said:

Still, despite the fact that I seem to shoot way more accurately with a revolver, I am at a disadvantage being left handed.

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ridgewalker said:

I'm a rightie but for several years I have been shooting both left and right. I have gotten so that I can shoot just as well Leftie as rightie. I don't feel there is any disadvantage to the actual shooting Leftie. Of course the loading and unloading are set up for righties but the important part is the shooting and the loading/ unloading can be accomplished Leftie without too much problem.

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Agreed, the disadvantage is when it comes to reloading since I have to switch hands twice. Move the revolver to my right hand to unload then back to my left to shoot.

Too late for me!
I have shot revolvers for so long, that the hand switch - reloading sequence is so ingrained - I wouldn't want to even try to change it now.
You can teach an old dog new tricks, but they need to be tricks that you really need to learn.

DonD said:

Not trying to be argumentative but wouldn't it be fair to say that the position of the loading gate is more righty friendly? Don

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Have to agree with Don on this point. However going back to the same era as the Colt 1873 all one need to do is look at any of the S&W break tops to see a revolver that is totally ambidextrous.

Concerning Toblerra's request for a truly left handed version of something like the model 19 the problem will be the cost of the forging die for the frame. That alone would likely cost something in the range of 50,000-75,000 dollars to have made. Now I will concede that S&W would make these dies in house so on the face of it it may appear less costly. However once you factor in the cost of overhead, insurance, workman's comp, administration, and equipment I expect the real savings would only be in the 5 to 10% range. If he really wants a one off left handed revolver I expect that it would be a lot less costly to have the frame CnC machined from a solid billet of steel. Perhaps if he offered to pay 25,000-30,000 dollars for one S&W might build a left handed model 19 for him.

scooter123 said:

Have to agree with Don on this point. However going back to the same era as the Colt 1873 all one need to do is look at any of the S&W break tops to see a revolver that is totally ambidextrous.

Concerning Toblerra's request for a truly left handed version of something like the model 19 the problem will be the cost of the forging die for the frame. That alone would likely cost something in the range of 50,000-75,000 dollars to have made. Now I will concede that S&W would make these dies in house so on the face of it it may appear less costly. However once you factor in the cost of overhead, insurance, workman's comp, administration, and equipment I expect the real savings would only be in the 5 to 10% range. If he really wants a one off left handed revolver I expect that it would be a lot less costly to have the frame CnC machined from a solid billet of steel. Perhaps if he offered to pay 25,000-30,000 dollars for one S&W might build a left handed model 19 for him.

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I wish I were that rich lol! Concerning the break top revolver. I had a Webley as a matter of fact but the lever was still on the left side of the frame and required a hand switch for me to engage it.

I seem to recall that Korth made one like that, but I would not care to bet on it.

Scooter hit it. The break tops were (and continue to be) truly ambi.

Hard not to love a Schofield!

Product: ARCHIVE: Engraved Model 3 Schofield

The 8mm French Lebel Revolver opens to the right.

As a lefty, I have no issues working a typical Colt, Smith or Ruger. In fact, the Lebel (I own one) and Charter Southpaw seem extremely awkward to me.

I don't know about left-handed revolvers, but I thought this video might help. Left-handed revolver reload starting at 4:30.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXUwI_d8JlA[/ame]

Muss Muggins said:

How are you at a disadvantage as a left hander shooting a revolver? Any reload, left or right handed, requires a switch to the other hand . . .

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Not entirely true. I'm right-handed and use the Michael deBethencourt method, which doesn't switch hands.

I am a left hand revolver shooter,, I wouldn't even know how to use a left hand revolver now.. Charter Arms makes a left hand revolver (I have seen them)

Decades ago when I was in the Boy Scouts and went to camp, I was sent out with another scout and was instructed to come back with a left hand smoke shift. We wondered around the camp all night asking if anyone had a left hand smoke shift. Needless to say, we came back empty handed. To this day, I am still searching for a left hand smoke shift, but I am starting to think that the unicorns are hiding them???

Southpaw | Charter Arms

Here it is Gents, the unicorn

ContinentalOp said:

Not entirely true. I'm right-handed and use the Michael deBethencourt method, which doesn't switch hands.

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I've seen that one and worked with it. Doesn't he primarily focus on snubbies? Several fine motor skills needed there. Lotta people don't like it because it takes more than their index finger to move the cylinder out of battery, but if it works for you, that's all good.

I don't believe it gets any more ambidextrous that this.