8 Great Left Handed Shotguns

Gone are the days of putting up with spent hulls flying in front of the face of left-handed shooters or struggling with odd palm swells and backwards controls. Though several companies offered left-handed variants for many years, they were few and far between, often requiring special order.

While this is far from a complete list, the following choices represent current-production southpaw-friendly shotguns that are readily accessible, including pumps, repeaters, single shots, and doubles.

Winchester SX4

The newest addition to our list – freshly announced at SHOT Show 2022 – has us enthralled. Winchester’s proven line of gas-driven autoloading shotguns now includes several models built for southpaws. Left-handed variants have been added to both the 12- and 20-gauge families. The SX4’s Active Valve Gas System cycles a wide array of loads without adjustment.

That drive, plus the company’s Quadra Vent ports for cleaner operation, equal less felt recoil in a reliable platform. The left-handed options can be had in many configurations, including wood, synthetic, and camouflage furniture to suit everything from hunting to clays. Winchester’s SX series of shotguns have long marked an ideal balance between quality and price point.

RELATED: Winchester SX4 Review [VIDEO]

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon

One of the most revered production over-unders accommodates left-handed shooters. Beretta’s Model 686 Silver Pigeon is a sporter’s dream and moonlights for upland hunters, too. Not much needs to change on an O/U like the 686 other than the furniture, and Beretta does exactly that. The oil-finished walnut pistol-grip stock reverses for a left-handed version.

The same slim, laser-engraved receiver, dual conical locking lugs, tang safety selector, and single trigger remain. Gauges include 12, 20, 28, and 410 bore, each with a 3-inch chamber and trio of barrel lengths. While left-handers are more difficult to find, they do exist.

Browning BPS

The Browning BPS is one of very few on this list that need not be built specifically as a left-handed variant to work well for lefty shooters. With the ejection port at the base of the action, the usual hang-ups are eliminated with Browning’s standby pump-action shotgun. Further, very few models show any grip swell that would hinder opposite handers.

Dual steel action bars mean the gun is durable. In addition to a reputation for reliability, BPSs are quite well-balanced guns. Given the longevity and array of model variants, there’s literally a BPS for every style of shooting and hunting. Whether shopping new or used, there’s no shortage of Browning BPS pumps on the market in almost every gauge, finish, barrel length, and price point.

Tristar Viper G2

Specialty guns – which is the category where left-hand variants usually fit – are generally more costly than their mass-produced right-handed counterparts. That’s hardly the case with self-proclaimed value expert TriStar Arms. Its Viper G2 family of gas-driven semi-automatic shotguns are plentiful, affordable, and available in more left-handed versions than almost any other brand. There are wood, black synthetic, and camouflage choices built to cover everything from sporting and waterfowl hunting to home defense.

Further, the G2 is far from the company’s only lefty-friendly choice. Double lovers or upland hunters will gravitate to the side-by-side Bristol and any number of the company’s O/Us – though not built for southpaws – will suffice.

Browning Left-Hand Citori 725

Sporting over-unders often show a significant amount of palm swell, cast, and other metrics specific to righties. Browning turns the tables with their lines of Citori 725 shotguns built specifically for lefties. These Citori's are fast-swinging over-unders built specifically with a left-handed stock fit, left-hand top lever, and all the other features that continue to make the 725s a sleek success.

This represents the most serious sporting option for left-handers from a production model on this list. Southpaws will want to check out the Citori 725 Trap, Sporting, and High Rib Sporting, with adjustable combs and ported barrels available on several models.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3

Benelli has a track record of being more accommodating to left-handed shooters than most of its competitors over the years. One of our top picks is the latest generation of the company’s venerable Super Black Eagle family. The autoloading guns, with their inertia-drive action, have built a reputation with waterfowlers in the harshest conditions.

The choices center around the 12-gauge chambering, with either black synthetic or Realtree Max-5 furniture, a magnum 3.5-inch chamber, oversized controls, and the company’s Comfort Tech stock.

Henry Single Shots

While the majority of single shots are southpaw-friendly, Henry’s single shots top the list for several reasons. They’re in current production, have a reputation for superior reliability, and offer shotguns in a wide variety of options. In a specifically accommodating move, they use a break lever that pivots either left or right to open the action. Models are available in either blued steel or polished brass, with choices of 12 and 20 gauge or 410 bore. The guns feature interchangeable chokes, ejectors, American-walnut stocks, a brass front bead, and are designed sans manual safety.

In addition to the above, Henry also produces a 3.5-inch 12-gauge magnum option that’s fully camouflaged as a Turkey gun along with a rifled slug-barreled 12-gauge single. There’s even a single-shot youth shotgun in 20-gauge with a 26-inch barrel and lesser length of pull. Of course, these and every other Henry firearm are made in America.

Franchi Affinity 3

Franchi’s inertia-driven semi-automatic Affinity 3 family is quickly gaining in popularity and now accommodates left-handers. In fact, the company advertising claims the Affinity 3 LH Black Synthetic as “the perfect shotgun for the left-handed hunters seeking an essential ‘no frills’ shotgun.” All controls are on the left, with an oversized loading port and buttons.

The Affinity continues to be built around the Front Inertia mechanics that use a recoil spring housed in the forearm, a move intended to improve balance. The 12-gauge lefties can be had in three barrel lengths, and much to southpaw’s delight, 2022 marks the announcement of a 20-gauge addition to the Affinity 3 left-handed family.