The Battle of Being Left Handed

krbogert

krbogert

New member
I've been in the market for an over/under shotgun for a long time now and have yet to "pull the trigger". I've gotten a lot of input from tons of different people.. It's pretty hard to find a left handed (cast on) o/u on the shelf to hold, fit, & feel and even harder now with the current market. I've shot RH guns a lot throughout my life and don't really care that much but I'm buying this as kind of a celebratory/milestone/gift to myself shotgun to keep the rest of my life, I thought I'd try to get one that was actually left handed.
Top contenders right now:
Beretta Silver Pigeon
Benelli 828U
Browning 525

It appears benelli and browning both make them specifically for left handers. Has anyone ever bought a left handed beretta? From what I can tell is that Beretta does not send them from the factory but if you just cough up some more money you can get the stock swapped out?

Any lefties out there that have gone through this?
 
Colesgun.com. Coles does a lot of Beretta authorized repair work. You may be able to convert an OU to lefty, including stocks. If memory serves me, they also convert some guns to double triggers. You should go to their site and nose around or even give them a call regarding that Silver Pigeon.

If you can find a gun with no cast, you could just get the stock bent...+/-$200? But first spend the money to get a gun fitting. Then get the gun and have the stock bent.
 
I thought the benelli was "neutral" out of the box, but came with a shim kit to get the right fit. I suppose it ends up the same.

One of my sons shoots left handed, so I went through this for him several years ago. I ended up with a standard, used citori 525. It's very close to neutral, but there is still some cast. I looked at, but didn't buy, a Beretta 69? that had been order as a leftie. Very nice looking gun, but more than I wanted to spend. The takeaway is this: if you get a model or two "above" the silver pigeon, I think you can order a left-handed beretta from the factory. But it might be cheaper to buy the silver pigeon and just replace the stock.
 
Colesgun has been mentioned quite a few times in my research.. I suppose maybe I need to just give them a call and ask them all my questions.

I thought I'd be able to avoid going through getting a stock bent out of convenience sake but that might be the solution. I think you're right on the neutral stock on the benelli but the action lever comes lefty on their left handed version I think.

I'm not familiar with a Beretta 69. or do you just mean the 690 action/series? I looked at the 694 and the ultraleggero. One seeming too heavy and more sporting/clay specific and one almost too light and not quite balanced? But again, have a hard time finding even a right handed one to pick up and hold.

Thanks for the info!
 
It was a 69(something). Maybe a 692, but it was about 8 years ago, so I'm not sure. IIRC, it was a field model. Coles has a great reputation for Beretta, but I've never done business with them. This gun I'm remembering was at Michael Murphy & Sons in Wichita, KS. He's also a big Beretta guy.
 
Oh okay. I guess I'll continue to keep my eyes out, maybe one of these days just call Coles and see if they can get something started for me. I'd just like to find one to hold and look at before ordering haha.
 
The Benelli comes with the shims to adjust however you want. The Brownings are great guns but heavy. Unless your built funny, you'll be fine with a neutral cast gun.
 
Rogue Hunter said:
Colesgun.com. Coles does a lot of Beretta authorized repair work. You may be able to convert an OU to lefty, including stocks. If memory serves me, they also convert some guns to double triggers. You should go to their site and nose around or even give them a call regarding that Silver Pigeon.

If you can find a gun with no cast, you could just get the stock bent...+/-$200? But first spend the money to get a gun fitting. Then get the gun and have the stock bent.
Click to expand...

Gun fitting? To be honest I didn't know that was a thing.. Where can I do that? Who does these? What's that cost?

I've always just been told feel it and see if it "fits" you, aka comfortable to mount etc.
 
birddude said:
The Benelli comes with the shims to adjust however you want. The Brownings are great guns but heavy. Unless your built funny, you'll be fine with a neutral cast gun.
Click to expand...
The browning was my initial first pick but I know people that have these so I've gotten to feel them and they are heavier and just feel clunky to me. Still exploring other options.
 
krbogert said:
Gun fitting? To be honest I didn't know that was a thing.. Where can I do that? Who does these? What's that cost?

I've always just been told feel it and see if it "fits" you, aka comfortable to mount etc.
Click to expand...
I've been fitted, had stocks bent, for cast and drop. I wasn't impressed with the results. Guns are like cars, you can spend whatever you want on one. The Berettas are my favorite, they are a little slimmer. If you do a lot of hunting and not so much shooting get an ultralight. If you plan on shooting a lot stick with at least a 7 pounder. I bought one of the first 686 ultralights off the boat. It would be the last gun I would ever part with.
 
birddude said:
I've been fitted, had stocks bent, for cast and drop. I wasn't impressed with the results. Guns are like cars, you can spend whatever you want on one. The Berettas are my favorite, they are a little slimmer. If you do a lot of hunting and not so much shooting get an ultralight. If you plan on shooting a lot stick with at least a 7 pounder. I bought one of the first 686 ultralights off the boat. It would be the last gun I would ever part with.
Click to expand...
Good to know.. They all seem so nice and I'm sure whatever I get I'll learn to shoot it well after some practice.
 
krbogert said:
Gun fitting? To be honest I didn't know that was a thing.. Where can I do that? Who does these? What's that cost?

I've always just been told feel it and see if it "fits" you, aka comfortable to mount etc.
Click to expand...
Whether you have a stock bent or purchase a replacement stock (Coles), you'll want a stock that fit your physical dimensions. It's pretty popular with the sxs crowd, but it's important for anyone that's looking to customize any type of gun. Inquire with gun ranges (skeet, trap, sporting clays), or higher-end gun shops. Don't quote me on price, but +/-$250. Might take 2-3hours.
 
LH Beretta 690 Field 3 from Michael Murphy and Sons. The new Beretta 686 SP is reported to have a neutral stock.
 
Vote for the Beretta, never a problem. The quality remains long after the price is forgotten. Two shot automatic and pretty too.
Dogs like them too, more retrieves. Treat yourself, you earned it.
 
My Father is left handed and shoots a right handed model bolt action rifle for deer and a right handed pump shotgun for birds. Its a complete mickey mouse operation to watch and he's too stubborn to replace them with left handed guns.
 
I know that mickey mouse operation all too well.. especially with bolt actions.

On left handed berettas anyone know if the lever pushes out to open the action (to the left)? Not really a big deal. Just curious if the only thing that makes it left handed is the cast on stock?
 
I'm all to familiar with the struggles of buying a left handed gun. I just went through what your currently dealing with. I purchased a 686 Silver Pigeon. Then sent it to the Coles in Maine and had them change it to a left handed stock. Coles has great customer service and the process is rather simple. I started by calling the store and they explained how everything worked. You pick out one of the left hand wood sets listed on their website and purchase it. You then call the store and give them the order number so they know to hold it instead of shipping it. Next you send in your shotgun and they change it out. You can buy the gun from them which would eliminate the shipping step and make the process even easier. I wasn't aware of Coles at the time I bought mine or I would have went that route. If you go with the 686 SP and Coles you wont be disappointed.

I did look at the 828U. It's a nice gun but I prefer the look and feel of the 686.
 
Cackle Crazy said:
I'm all to familiar with the struggles of buying a left handed gun. I just went through what your currently dealing with. I purchased a 686 Silver Pigeon. Then sent it to the Coles in Maine and had them change it to a left handed stock. Coles has great customer service and the process is rather simple. I started by calling the store and they explained how everything worked. You pick out one of the left hand wood sets listed on their website and purchase it. You then call the store and give them the order number so they know to hold it instead of shipping it. Next you send in your shotgun and they change it out. You can buy the gun from them which would eliminate the shipping step and make the process even easier. I wasn't aware of Coles at the time I bought mine or I would have went that route. If you go with the 686 SP and Coles you wont be disappointed.

I did look at the 828U. It's a nice gun but I prefer the look and feel of the 686.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking I'm going to get this process started here soon. I've heard this several times..
Thanks
 
Cackle Crazy said:
I'm all to familiar with the struggles of buying a left handed gun. I just went through what your currently dealing with. I purchased a 686 Silver Pigeon. Then sent it to the Coles in Maine and had them change it to a left handed stock. Coles has great customer service and the process is rather simple. I started by calling the store and they explained how everything worked. You pick out one of the left hand wood sets listed on their website and purchase it. You then call the store and give them the order number so they know to hold it instead of shipping it. Next you send in your shotgun and they change it out. You can buy the gun from them which would eliminate the shipping step and make the process even easier. I wasn't aware of Coles at the time I bought mine or I would have went that route. If you go with the 686 SP and Coles you wont be disappointed.

I did look at the 828U. It's a nice gun but I prefer the look and feel of the 686.
Click to expand...
The 828us are very good guns with drop out trigger assembly's but a little two modern looking for me. My buddy just bought one. I call it the space gun. I haven't shot it yet. I never even thought about the lever going the wrong way. I can see that could be a problem.
 
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