Lefty shotgun options?

[Jpsmith1]

My ancient 870 might have reached the end of her useful field life

I can't get it to pattern worth a chit anymore and that's as good an excuse as any to n+1 on shotguns.

I was eyeing the Stoeger m3000. Seems like a reasonable gun for what I'm doing with it.

 

[SloppyJ]

BPS the OG lefty shotgun.

I ran into a left handed model 1100 the other day but it was an improved barrel.

 

[Jpsmith1]

BPS the OG lefty shotgun.

I ran into a left handed model 1100 the other day but it was an improved barrel.

I'd buy another 870 in a hot minute if the one I bought for my son wasn't hot garbage.

 

[kcm2]

I shoot only over and unders because the safety is where it belongs. Pump and autoloaders need a tang safety.

Franchi makes a light 28 gauge that I bought many years ago for only $800. I've killed a lot of pheasants and doves with it. The only negative is ammo is more expensive.

 

[Raghornklr]

BPS the OG lefty shotgun.

I ran into a left handed model 1100 the other day but it was an improved barrel.

Browning BPS is your answer

 

[Jpsmith1]

I shoot only over and unders because the safety is where it belongs. Pump and autoloaders need a tang safety.

Franchi makes a light 28 gauge that I bought many years ago for only $800. I've killed a lot of pheasants and doves with it. The only negative is ammo is more expensive.

Help me understand the problem with cross bolt safeties. This isn't the first time I've heard someone say something negative about them.

 

[TSAMP]

Do you have a specific action you want? I have started on a BPS as a kid. Have a few lefty O/U guns and one sxs now. There's only a few semi guns out there.

 

[SloppyJ]

I'd buy another 870 in a hot minute if the one I bought for my son wasn't hot garbage.

The older ones with the chrome follower are the only ones to own. I have a few wingmasters in my safe that have been handed down over the years. My favorite being a 16ga. But for a lefty, the bps is the answer.

 

[LookinforDirt]

As a lefty, I hate cross bolt safeties because you have to reach under and around the guard to actuate it. It is slow and awkward. Difficult to get the gun to your shoulder quickly and then pop the safety off. Or press it right as you are shouldering the shotgun all in one motion. Really hard to do if shooting from a blind with a roll or flip top or out of a layout blind. Popping the safety off before shouldering the gun is no bueno. Not quite as bad for upland hunting but I still don’t like it. I have a Beretta A400 Extreme Plus and you can reverse the safety on it (not advertised as a feature by Beretta). Otherwise I couldn’t own it. I’ve lost some range of lateral motion in my left wrist which really exacerbates the issue.

 

[davsco]

is ithaca still making shotguns? hunted pheasant with 12 and 16ga, bottom eject, real smooth action pump guns.

more coin,, but i have benelli LH m2 and sbe2 both are real nice semi auto guns, 100% reliability (sbe needs more than low power rounds,, presumably because it's sprung to handle 3.5").

 

[kcm2]

Lookinfordirt said it perfectly.

 

[EastTX Jess]

I have a lefty Benelli M2 that I hunt with and a Browning Citori O/U for clays. The Browning O/U models are neutral cast whereas most manufacturers cast O/Us right. Another option could be a Weatherby Sorix. They are marketing it as an ambidextrous shotgun. I believe it is right hand eject but the safety and charging handle can be switched to lefty.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Do you have a specific action you want? I have started on a BPS as a kid. Have a few lefty O/U guns and one sxs now. There's only a few semi guns out there.

Ive been a pump guy forever. A semi is kind of appealing. Double have that snob appeal...

I'm kind of open but I'd really like to stay under a grand

 

[Jpsmith1]

As a lefty, I hate cross bolt safeties because you have to reach under and around the guard to actuate it. It is slow and awkward. Difficult to get the gun to your shoulder quickly and then pop the safety off. Or press it right as you are shouldering the shotgun all in one motion. Really hard to do if shooting from a blind with a roll or flip top or out of a layout blind. Popping the safety off before shouldering the gun is no bueno. Not quite as bad for upland hunting but I still don’t like it. I have a Beretta A400 Extreme Plus and you can reverse the safety on it (not advertised as a feature by Beretta). Otherwise I couldn’t own it. I’ve lost some range of lateral motion in my left wrist which really exacerbates the issue.

A left handed cross bolt safety works without all of that nonsense.

You press it with the trigger finger as the gun is shouldering. It's as fast as anything.

Trying to use a "wrong handed" cross bolt in any configuration kind of sucks

 

[Jpsmith1]

The older ones with the chrome follower are the only ones to own. I have a few wingmasters in my safe that have been handed down over the years. My favorite being a 16ga. But for a lefty, the bps is the answer.

No clue how old mine is. I've owned it for pretty close to 40 years, now and it was used when my dad bought it for me.

I'm going to look into a BPS a little

 

[Ringbill27]

I’d look pretty hard at the Winchester SX4. It’s pretty light for what it is and recoil is pleasant. I can’t really tell the difference in recoil between the 3” and 3.5”. The only reason I’d replace it is when they come out with a SX5.

Mine has made it through 6 duck seasons now and just keeps running. A surprisingly the finish is still looking pretty good. I’ve had to misfire through out the years due to being submerged at just over 0 degrees. But that’s why I always have solvent in the blind bag.

I’m not a lefty.

 

[juju]

Did you shoot the 870 particularly well? If so, look at Franchi Affinity. BPS or Ithaca for a used pump. If you always fought the 870, Winchester pumps. Used pump > Stoeger.

I'm not recommending a Mossberg, because while it's superior to the 870 in function, I have no idea what sort of beast they actually fit well for wingshooting.

None of my LH shotguns fit like a Remington. So recommending them does no good to someone who shoots an 870 well. Also none of my shotguns have the safety in the econo spot. Learning a better way is as objectionable to a practiced shooter as to a pig being hauled away from from slop.

 

[MOLC09]

Ithaca 37. Always made in Lefty

 

[juju]

Help me understand the problem with cross bolt safeties. This isn't the first time I've heard someone say something negative about them.

Cross bolts are the 6mms of safeties.

The primary function of a behind the trigger cross bolt safety is to be cheapest to manufacture.

In front of the trigger guard is better by a lot, but it's still not ambidextrous. Also, unless made correctly, being shielded, it's prone to be pushed to fire unintentionally. If you want a safety there, it should be Garand style as on an early Auto-5.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Browning stopped making the BPS a few years back so need to look around to find one.
CZ makes a nice O/U 12 gauge left hand model with screw in chokes and the stock actually has proper cast to it. Heck of a buy. Not sure what the current price is but I bought one a couple of years ago for about $625 on Gunbrokers.