# left handed hand gun



## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

Hey guys need a little help here I'm looking at getting my first hand gun and I'm looking at the ruger vaquero stainless 45. And one major thing I thought of is does it need to be a left handed gun? I am left eye dominant and shoot shotgun lefty and rifle righty. Since I'm new to handguns I'm not sure if I should look at a left handed handgun or if it didn't matter?


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## fulch (Apr 2, 2013)

Most pistols are ambidextrous. Check on Ruger's website


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

It don't matter on a wheel gun one bit.

So are you right or left handed ?


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

I'm actually ambidextrous myself


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm hetero.........Are you ambi on all things or just when it comes to shooting

So how dd you come to shoot shotguns and rifles with different hands. (only a right bolt to learn with)


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

You can still shoot right handed even if your left eye dominant and leave both eyes open. Just cant the handgun a little to the left and you will be able to pick up the sights with your dominant eye.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

handguns can be shot from either side equally well

a single action may be easier for a lefty as the loading ports are usualy on the right side of the gun

which for a right hand shooter to reload they have to switch hands or learn to load my crossing their left hand over the top of the gun

just learn to shoot from your weak side

that being your right side if your left eye dominant

i think anyone who uses a hundgun should be proficiant in shoot ing frombith the strong side and weak side

if the time comes and you need to use a hand gun to protect you and yours,you may not be able to pick which side of cover your

going to be shooting from

i myself always shoot from both sides,and can do it almost equally well from either side

also taught my wife to shoot from both sides too

it just takes a little practice and some ammo


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

i started shooting riffle and always had trouble looking down the scope and found out i was left eye dominant so instead of switching to left hand shooting since i was stubborn kid i learned to shoot like prairiewolf said with both eyes open. however i couldn't do that with my shotgun so i eventually switched that to left handed, which is how i ended up shooting shotgun lefty and rifle righty


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## OHIOOutdoors2 (May 1, 2013)

Heck I shoot "right handed" pistols lefty and have never had a problem. I, unlike you, shoot both shotguns and rifles lefty though.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I'm assuming the primary purpose would not be self defense, because of the single-action choice. I'm also assuming it wouldn't be for hunting, because of the fixed sights. So, what is the purpose?


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

this gun is going to be my side arm for hunting and the gun i use for concealed carry


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

you can carry what ever you want

but a single action is not an ideal carry weapon

ther are other revolvers that would be much better for both purposes than that one

not that it isnt a good gun,cause it is

but nit an ideal carry weapon

you should carry a handgun that doesnt need "extra" steps to put it in action if the situation arises

not that revolvers arent good for carry,but i myself prefer something with a little more than 6 max rounds available to me if i need to rely on

the gun to save me and my loved ones

i carry a sig sauer p250c in .45 acp

mag holds 9 + 1 in the pipe,its double action only

but i am very good with it

i will be switching it out for a single action sig sauer 1911 .45 just as soon as i can afford the one i want

like i said carry what you want,also what your comfortable with

jm2cw


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

i see where your coming from on that one thing i look at is that with the revolvers there's a lot less to worry about like if there's a miss-fire i don't have to eject the cartridge and cock it again, i don't have to worry about jamming as much cause if it jams in a revolvers your royally screwed, also i don't have to check if my clip is in all the way, but the main thing is i just love shooting revolvers they're so old school and i think its awesome! i can see the down side of having only 6 rounds but i think the main thing is what you said before carry what you want and what feels natural to you


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

also like i said

there are better options in revolvers that will fill both of your needs

hunting and carry

ruger makes a really nice revolver in the gp100 series,comes in .357 mag

this comes in barrel lengths of 3" , 4.2" and 6"

the six inch is only a half inch longer than the longer of the vaquerro in 45 colt

it can be fired single or double action,and loading is much quiker if you were to use a speed loader

a speed loader can load all 6 rounds at once vs a single round ata time with a single action style revolver

.357 mag can be used for hunting most large game and makes a heck of a defensive round to boot

i had one ofe these many years ago,very accurate and dependable revolver

only problem i had with it was that the wife could shoot it better than i could lol

just giving you something to think about

would rather a person that wanted a revolver for carry,carry a double action over a single action

if for no other reason

if the time comes to have to put it to use and you need to reload it

reloading is much much quiker,especialy in a high stress situation

but as always,carry what YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

yeah i've been looking at a lot of ruger revolvers they make some nice guns


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

Some of the best

The wife wants me to get another gp100

But that's gotta wait untill I get a new 1911
Got my priorities ya know


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

If the gun is going to do double-duty - self-defense and hunting - a single-action with fixed sights is a poor choice.

A single-action revolver would be fine for hunting but it should have adjustable sights. In fact, the triggers are better by design.

A single-action for self-defense is better than no gun at all, but there are better choices in double-action revolvers.

I'd look for a handgun that fits the bill for self defense first and foremost; you are talking about life and death and compromising is not the way to begin.

It's kind of like a multi-tool: it will do many things but not one of them as well as a specific tool for a given job.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm thinking sneaky and I think alike on this subject. My first carry guns were revolvers, the last one I bough for myself was a Ruger GP 100 (K)I liked it so much I bought my wife one, she still uses it as her carry gun. I have moved on (still have it) to a Sig 1911.

Which model are you looking at Sneaky ? I have the STX.


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

i feel with the fixed sights its all on the shooter. I've out shot people with iron sights vs. scopes, i have used both adjustable sights and fixed sights, and while i do like the adjustable sights a lot of the single actions don't have adjustables. for the double action revolvers, a lot of them have the grips with the hand curves in them and i personally hate shooting with those grips. its uncomfortable and i get never get that perfect hold on the gun. My personal preference on handguns is the old singe action revolvers mainly due to the fact of the simple design. It's like having an old tool that still does the job just fine, if it ain't broke don't fix it.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

I agree with SGB, get what your comfortable with. A Ruger Blackhawk will fit your needs and has adjustable sights. Dillon Precision even makes holsters for concealed carry for single actions. Anyone that has been at a cowboy shoot will see that a lot of people can fire a single action almost as fast as any other handgun, but it takes a lot of practice (2 hands) and besides most self defense shootings wont require more than 6 shots anyway.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

It only takes one well placed shot to get the job done...


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

youngdon said:


> I'm thinking sneaky and I think alike on this subject. My first carry guns were revolvers, the last one I bough for myself was a Ruger GP 100 (K)I liked it so much I bought my wife one, she still uses it as her carry gun. I have moved on (still have it) to a Sig 1911.
> 
> Which model are you looking at Sneaky ? I have the STX.


im thinking either the c3 or traditional compact model

but we will see once i get the money saved up,may change my mind by then lol


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

damn it now i've been thinking about having it a custom gun as a single action revolver with the adjustable pin sights

good side- its gonna be an awesome gun

bad side- its gonna cost more money

i think i will see how the fixed sights do first and decide after that because accuracy is something i'm very picky about on my guns even if its only out to 25 yard i want it precise!


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Whats wrong with a Blackhawk ? single action and has adjustable sights, of course they are a bit larger than the colt single action, new vaquero or clones.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

As long as you are looking at the Blackhawk I'd take a look at the Super model and I'd go with a 44mag. then you can shoot reduced loads or 44 specials, and factory ammo is likely more widely available.You can go as short as 4.6 on the barrel, which keeps it easier to maneuver, although it will have more felt recoil than a longer barrel. My personal preference is still a double action (Ruger Redhawk), it's fairly close to a single action with a few upgrades. You can choose between single or double action and they are easier and faster to reload with a swing out cylinder and ejector.


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

i was looking at something in the 45 caliber cause i still get power but with a little more accuracy. they have it in the black hawk but you can't get the front pin sight on the black hawk for the 45 caliber.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

By pin sight do you mean the blade type like this http://www.ruger.com/products/vaqueroBlued/models.html


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

no i was thinking more like this http://shopruger.com/Hi-Viz-SA-Front-Green-Sight-12009/productinfo/12009/


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

The only reason I suggested the Blackhawk is, he seems set on a single action. I also would take a double action over a single action for defense purposes. Now for hunting it really doesnt matter as long as you have good sights and know where your gun is shooting at different ranges.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

prairiewolf said:


> The only reason I suggested the Blackhawk is, he seems set on a single action. I also would take a double action over a single action for defense purposes. Now for hunting it really doesnt matter as long as you have good sights and know where your gun is shooting at different ranges.


 I agree with Prairiewolf, a double action for self defense, it's not the 1800's...


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I still say with the double-duty criterion, there will be some give and take. But, I'd want adjustable sights for any hunting beyond very short range, because the front sight will cover the target on longer shots. Can't hit what you can't see. Some of the options presented would fit the bill.


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

well yes that does make sense but while i will carry this for self defense and use it for hunting, it is going to be more for self defense while hunting. i don't need something i can shoot distance with that's what my primary gun would be like a rifle or a shotgun. this is more or less a back up gun. i appreciate the input and i still think i will end up going with the single action, but i am still looking and have a few months before i can buy it.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Now, we're getting somewhere. As always, it all depends... Good luck.


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

Is there a big difference between a 4.6 inch barrel and a 5.5 inch barrel on a revolver


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

squirrelsniper said:


> Is there a big difference between a 4.6 inch barrel and a 5.5 inch barrel on a revolver


yup, .9" lol

muzzle jump is going to be more noticable with shorter barrels,plus you lose some velocity with shorter barrels,and to some extent accuracy


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