AR conundrum
I want to semi-customize an AR to better accommodate my left-handedness. However, I want a few things that conflict, and make this a hard decision.
I'm left handed but I want an AR that is ambidextrous (because, I'm already going to be spending money on lefty-parts... may as well go all the way). There are a few ways to solve the lefty problem... but it narrows it down more when I try to make it ambidextrous.
1) I could simply get an ambidextrous charging handle from badger ordnance. However, I'm not a huge fan of the forward assist being in the way when I try to grab the ambidextrous charging handle. I am also more of a fan of traditional charging handles rather than the AR charging handle)
2) Stag Arms lefty upper receiver: Great for a lefty, but puts the forwards assist in the righty's face (and makes you use a proprietary bolt?).
3)S&W upper receiver: Great for lefty or righty. But, I lose the forward assist (big deal? or not?).
4)Or the LAR Manufacturing Inc. OPS-4 ambidextrous upper. Great for either lefties or righties. I lose the standard charging handle. I have to use a proprietary bolt. But, I keep my forward assist capability (just push either of the charging handles forward).
http://www.largrizzly.com/web/guest/ops-4-uppers
The problem is it gets more complicated than that decision. I don't know which rifle I want to use as a "starting point". I can nearly get exactly what I want from Bravo Company, Spike's Tactical, and LMT. However, I really want the LMT LM8MRP.
LMT
I really like the thin/octagonal shape of the monolithic upper. I also like the quick-barrel-change capability of the LM8MRP. I want to eventually get a 6.8 SPC or .300 BLK barrel to throw in it and the LM8MRP would make that switching from one caliber to another much easier. The problem is, its a monolithic upper with proprietary barrels (I think the barrels are proprietary). So, in regards to the first decision. My only choice would be to get an ambidextrous traditional charging handle and the forward assist would still be there. I wouldn't be able to use any other style of upper receiver like the ones I described above.
Bravo Company, Spike's Tactical, and Daniel Defense all offer nearly the same things.
Spike's Tactical
I'm not a fan of either the B.A.R or the S.A.R. rails from Spike's. I would rather get something that is a suitable substitute for the LM8 rails (like the Troy Alpha rails or equivalent). Otherwise, I'm free to make whichever decision I wish as far as upper receiver is concerned. I don't have the quick barrel swapping capability of the LMT, though.
Bravo Company
Again, BCM doesn't offer something similar to the LM8 rails. I would have to get something like the Troy Alpha rails, remove the front sight, get a low profile gas block etc. But, I still have the freedom of using whichever upper receiver I wish.
So, it seems, the decision boils down to: Should I just get the LM8MRP with an ambidextrous charging handle (traditional) or should I get a Spike's Tactical/Bravo Company AR and swap out the rails and upper receiver and just deal with switching barrels around the old fashioned way?
Thanks a lot for any input in advance! I'm pretty stumped.
Sounds like a whole lot of personal preference choices. The military would just make you learn to shoot right handed.
Actually it boils down to which EYE is dominate. I am left handed and right eye dominate. As a kid my Dad taught me to wink with both eyes and to shoot with both hands.
Now after 40+ years of practice it's fairly easy for me to shoot either way even wearing my bifocals.
The Brunton bump on an A2 upper was designed for those who are left eye dominate, my son is right handed and left eye dominate. Talk about a challenge to teach to shoot..
Buy the parts you want, and get help to build your AR the way you want it. ASK lot's of questions from the suppliers, the manufacturers, the folks here.
That way you get just what you feel you want and need.
My next build after I complete my prototype inspired carbine will be an old school retro A1 carbine looking 458 Socom and I have been asking lots of questions lately.
Lastly, the Marines back in 78 just helped me learn to shoot better, but they never tried to make me be a right handed shooter. No decent firearms instructor would do that. Only one who is closed minded and a bigot would insist that it's only done one way!
@Obo2: Yeah. I was hoping some fellow lefties or righties who value practicing shooting off-handed would be able to give me some input as far as what they would prefer. I am thinking at this stage that I will just get a DD complete upper from smartgunner.com and then if I really can't live without the non-reciprocating charging handles on the bolt I will buy the tools necessary to swap out the upper receiver with the LAR Grizzly OPS-4 ambidextrous upper. Well, I'm in the Air Force and for qualifications I can easily use a normally set-up M4. However, I'm maintenance... so I don't see combat. However, for my personal rifle, I want it to be as user friendly as possible :)
@Torquemada055: I'm left-hand+left-eye dominant. Thankfully, I'm not cross-dominant. What is the "Brunton Bump"?
