Before all the madness, before all the fear, I ordered a Modern Sporting rifle. Why? They are great for target shooting, they have a ton of options for customization, then can be very accurate, and they can be used for a multitude of situations by law abiding citizens. They also are a lot of fun to shoot.
But where does that leave lefty? Well, we can go along and shoot a normal AR-15 left handed and hope all the brass gets deflected properly (I know, when is the last time the brass deflector not deflect brass away from you?). Or you can look toward Rock River Arms or Stag Arms for a left handed version of the AR. Both make great rifles, but there are a few big differences between the two companies philosophies on how to make a left handed rifle. Rock River Arms makes a true left handed AR-15. Left side ejection port and bolt carrier group, right side safety selector and bolt catch, and an ami mag release and charging handle. I even believe the twist is opposite conventional barrels. However, their uppers and lowers are only compatible with their LEF-T equipment. This is why I chose to go with Stag instead (their wait time was months, as opposed to weeks with Stag Arms).
So I went with the Stag Model 2L+ (Plus Package)
Right out of the box, this looks like your standard AR-15, but a little different. The lower is a standard Stag Arms lower, which is 7075 T6 aluminum with type2 hard coat anodizing, plastic A2 grip, standard charging handle, right side safety selector, but a left side bolt catch, right handed mag release, and a collapsible stock.
The upper is where all the left handed goodness comes into place. You’ll notice the dust cover flips up and not down, that way it doesn’t interfere with the bolt catch (the lower is a standard right handed lower). The RRA LEF-T flips down. Anyhow, it has an A2 front sight, but with the sling attachment on the other side. The bolt carrier group is reversed to eject the brass properly, but that is about where the different pieces end.
I went with the plus package to get the the following upgrades:
- 4150 barrel steel chrome lined
- 1 in 7″ twist rifling
- HP/MP tested bolt and barrel
- M-16 Bolt carrier
- Heavy buffer assembly
- M4 feed ramps
- Extra USGI magazine
I really only wanted the 1 in 7 twist and the extra mag sure helped out at the time when there were no extra mags available.
As for shooting, I think it shoots pretty good. I am new the AR platform, and don’t have much to compare it to. So to sum up the shooting experience, I place a loaded magazine in the magwell, it stays in, I close the bolt, it loads, I pull the trigger, and it goes bang. Repeat until empty. So far I’ve put a couple hundred rounds through the rifle, and I’ve encountered no problems with the rifle. It shot everything well, and I am learning to shoot it better. The only malfunctions I’ve encountered have involved my brass catcher blocking the brass from full ejection.
As for it’s left handed ability, I am very pleased. Since the bolt catch is on the left side, I can manipulate it with my left hand naturally. I replaced the standard charging handle with an AXTS/Rainier Arms Raptor Charging handle. So all of that is done on the left side. I’ve heard that since the dust cover flips up, Magpul B.A.D. Lever will block the dust cover, and is not recommended. I think this is the same for The Troy ABR.
All in all, I have a lot to like about this rifle, with nothing to complain about. It seems like Stag Arms makes a quality product, and the price is right. They also do sell a left handed .22LR conversion kit. But I took that money and bought a .22LR bolt rifle.