Are there any automatic pistols manufactured that eject on the left? Shell placing seems to be descriptive of firing position in crime scene investigation, revolvers leave no shells, so does this mean that unmoved shells are to the right of the shooter’s position?
Sure. They aren’t very common, but I know Walther and Sig build (or built) them.
I assume they’re rare?
I had a shell ejected from the dude firing next to me, land under the collar of my shirt.
Shells are hot. Hurt like F—!
Almost every automatic anything ejects shells to the shooter’s right.
A few, like the Steyr AUG, are actually convertible- with a minor change, you can select whether it ejects to the right or to the left. (This is almost a requirement, as the “bullpup” design puts the action under the shooter’s cheek.)
The FN P90 and the Calico 9mm eject straight down. Brass piles at the shooter’s feet.
A company called Randall once made a perfect mirror-image of the ubiquitous Colt .45 auto that was, and still is to an extent, popular with lefthanders who can find one. Naturally, it ejected to the shooter’s left.
However, as to the OP, yes, the investigators can be nearly 99% certain that if they found the brass shell, the shooter stood somewhere to it’s left.
Shells, even though most ejectors go to the right, can land most anywhere. Nothing like getting a shell in the forehead. As said above, they are hot. Also, they bounce around a bit.
I thought that most gun manufactures can provide a lefty ejection version of most of what they sell?
(although at a higher price, I’m sure…and I’m thinking this is probably only with rifles…)
I might be thinking of that steyr aug conversion tho…
?
D.
My brother is currently at Ft. Benning, Georgia, for the Infantry Officer Basic Course. He has also been a private in the reserves while he completed his degree.
He told me that the US army had an ejector deflector to allow left-handers to bounce the shells to the left to solve this problem.
You can bet the army wasn’t going to buy a bunch of specialized equipment that couldn’t be grabbed by an unwounded comrade and made usable toot sweet.
http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/uppers/
Go about 1/3 down, and look for A2. I don’t entirely get how they work, though.
Cardinal -
I think I get it…the little pyramid knob thing deflects the casing forward rather that directly back and to the right…that way it doesn’t hit the lefty in the nose…
Pretty simple solution, first time I’ve seen it…
D.
Cardinal, you’ve got it right. This type of add-on accessory is sometimes called an “ejection port buffer” and is available for several firearms. On the H&K 91/G3, the buffer redirects the spent casings so they fall right at your feet instead of about 50 away. The buffer also prevents the brass from being beat up during the ejection process - this is beneficial for those who re-load.
Doc Nickel, was that 1911 you refer to called, “The Portsider”?
Daylon, yessir, many gun manufacturers offer left-hand versions of their bolt-action rifles. And Savage offers a bolt-action “pistol” in rifle calibers with the bolt on the left side; this makes sense even if you are right-handed, because you will be operating the bolt with the left hand with holding onto the pistol grip with the right hand.
There are several firearms on the market (typically, semi-auto rifles and carbines) that provide a means to change many of the controls and functions from one side to the other. For an example of this feature in a brand-new gun, check out the Beretta CX4 Storm.
You can bet the army wasn’t going to buy a bunch of specialized equipment that couldn’t be grabbed by an unwounded comrade and made usable toot sweet
Cardinal,
You overestimate the good ol’ US Army. With respect to the M-16 anyway. While a reasonably accurate and user-friendly weapon, the sights need to be adjusted for the individual user. If you grab someone else’s rifle and head to the firing range (or battlefield), you’re probably not gonna hit very much unless you’re right on top of it. :rolleyes:
The ejection port buffer is also a bit twitchy and almost always works properly. I’d hate to have to rely on it in combat.
Oh, all these people come in with experience and stuff, and go off and ruin a perfectly good theory.
With proper technique you won’t see a lot of variatoin in POI from shooter to shooter with a rifle. Some with a handgun but even then it’s not enough to worry about.
I don’t know 'bout that, Matchka. Give me a barn @ 100 yards, and a properly sighted-in rifle, and I’d probably do ok. 
Really, though, wouldn’t customization only be important for the marksman?
Peace,
mangeorge
Ok, I sent this thread’s link to my brother, to get some more experience in here instead of my speculation.
I swear by all dat’s holy, mon!
You grab your buddy’s M-16 and, if you’re a decent marksman you’ll shoot your normal good group…just not in the bull’s eye until you adjust the elevation and windage on the front & rear sights.
My guess is that it has to do with the location of the rear sight being a good 2 or 3 inches above the barrel as well as the innumerable positions you can put your head behind the rear sight and still get a sight picture. I agree with you, Mangeorge, I can shoot the dickens out of my buddy’s hunting rifles, scope or open sights, no matter who does the bore sighting. But ya can’t do it with an M-16. Enlist & you’ll see what I mean :). But we’re getting away from the OP which was about handguns, and I blame society.
I disagree, Matchka. The M-16 does need to BZO’ed for the weapon, but the same weapon can be used by others. The variation in rear sight aperature is so minute from individual weapon to individual weapon, there is no way in hell you would tell the difference. A sight picture is four parts, Mark 1 Mod 1 eyeball alighned with rear sight aperature aligned with front sight post aligned with target. For a given rifle-to-target orientation, there is one and only one place to put the eyeball and get the picture.
Major UncleBill, USMCR
Expert Rifle and Pistol rating
Yessir, UncleBill, I agree with you on the iron sights and newer telescopic sights. In older 'scopes, the reticle appeared to move around in the tube. Regardless of the vintage, if I hold my Mk1, Mod1 eyeball in exactly the same position as the person who “sighted in” the 'scope/rifle combination (including the same eye relief), I should get the same sight picture. The problem with 'scopes is that there are no multiple datum points to use as a reference for all shooters.
Right you are on scopes, most likely. I have used them so rarely (except FPS games) I have no real knowledge to speak of.