Thinking about building an AR-15 rifle with a lefty ejection port configuration? Whether you’re left-handed or not, it actually might make a lot of sense. Here’s what you need to know about the prospect so you can make a better informed decision.
The Obvious Benefit
For right-handed shooters, the ejection port is on the right side of the rifle. This is so arranged so that it is ergonomic and intuitive for a shooter to inspect the ejection port on the right side, as well as to easily reach and manipulate the charging handle, whether the rifle is a rear-charger or a side-charger.
For a left-handed shooter, the paradigm is flipped, and obviously the outfit would be a whole lot more ergonomic, not to mention more intuitive to use, if the ejection port were swapped over to the dominant side.
But you probably didn’t need to read this to get it. If you’re a lefty and here for that reason, it just makes sense.
What’s slightly less obvious is that there are some selling points of a left-ejection port even to a right-handed operator.
Beyond the Obvious
Right-handed shooters aren’t all in universal agreement on why a lefty ejection port can be better, but there is a consensus that there is potential value there.
Some shooters have said that when shooting off a benchrest, it’s more ergonomic to have the ejection port on the left-handed side. They generally agree that a right port is better for speed, but that’s rarely an important factor when benchrest shooting.
By the way, the potential benefits to a right-handed shooting of flipping conventional aspects of the rifle build are not relegated to the ejection port. Placing the charging handle on the left-handed side is better for some shooters as well.
This enables the user to keep his or her hand on the fire controls while removing only the support hand, sliding it back on the handguard to reach the charging handle on the left side.
Rear vs. Side-Charge
Of course, the location of the ejection port is only one aspect of rifle customization; another bigger part of this picture that home builders often customize is the charging handle configuration and orientation.
While most AR-15 uppers are designed to accept rear-charging handles, there is a small subset of them known as side-chargers which are designed to accept a side-charging handle.
These are associated with even greater benefits than simply building with a receiver that has the ejection port on the other side.
Side-charging uppers are more ergonomic, allow the user to maintain a solid grip on the fire controls when manipulating the action, and don’t require the shooter to break the cheek weld when working the action, either.
The basic design of the side-charger eliminates the need for an ejection port cover and forward assist, simplifying the overall action, too.
And if that weren’t enough, most side-chargers have a lot more room over the upper for larger optics – among many other benefits.
The bottom line: if you’re going to go through the effort and expense of building a custom rifle, make it the way you want, even if that includes building with a side charger or an upper with a left-handed ejection port.
Where to Get Parts for a Build with a Lefty Ejection Port
Looking for a side-charging AR-15 upper or an upper with a lefty-ejection port for your next build? Get it online at Gibbz Arms, where you can also learn more about the relative virtues of building a side-charger. Visit their website to learn more and contact them if you have questions about their parts specifications.
