What's everyones thoughts on a lefty shooter using a right handed gun, still shooting left ?
I have a feeling everyone can still 'learn' to shoot a different handed gun but would it make a big difference to how accurate it would be ?
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What's everyones thoughts on a lefty shooter using a right handed gun, still shooting left ?
I have a feeling everyone can still 'learn' to shoot a different handed gun but would it make a big difference to how accurate it would be ?
As long as the stock isnt a dedicated rh style without cheek piece or palm swell it will make no difference. Look at Ian McCallum for inspiration.
Be ok as long as stock is straight, not cast for right hander
More likely to have cast if under / over or sxs. Most autos i have picked up are fairly neutral with out shim kits etc
Been doing it for yonks. Love having the ejection port right in front of me. Bought several lefty rifles a while ago, and love the bolt on the far side but would have loved the ejection/loading port on RH side.
Im using ambi stocks or dedicated LH thumbhole stocks on my RH rifles. Works great. LH rifles is not all that common so I had to learn to make a RH rifle work. Dedicated RH stocks on a rifle makes it a pain to shoot though.
I've only got one issue - over the last few months some Range officers became a little over zelous in regards to "cone of fire" and having the gun in your shoulder when closing the bolt - something thats not always possible shooting a RH rifle from your left shoulder(except if you like smacking yourself in the face with a boltshrout).
I'm still using RH rifles - just learned to aim, lift head, close bolt, lower face, acquire target, send it.
Quite good when shooting at the range because the port is right there to single feed rounds into the rifle.
Standing or kneeling, it needs a bit of upper body strength to hold the rifle level while working the bolt, because you end up using the support hand to do so. I find this is a bit slower (or requires a different technique) vs using a lefty rifle which is very natural.
Most of us lefties learnt on RH rifles - just because that was about to learn on.
Not an issue for most of us - also have a mate who is right-handed but Left Eye dominant so shoots Leftie. Actually gives you more options. LH feels easier overall and with long actions you may need to break your cheek weld which is a pain (or eat your hand)
Never been an issue for me. But occasionally I find a rifle I really want and it's RH only (less than 15% produced in LH options) being able to shoot both is an advantage in those cases.
Bit other way but when I got my shoulder rebuilt I shot all my guns left handed as the recoil hurt to much, I shot just as well as I did with my right, it just felt weird.
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This is for shotguns guys, if auto you may cop a shell to the nose :D
I have only 1 lefty gun out of all of mine and all my rifles have always been shot left handed for decades (being I'm a lefty). From the AR semi , 22 semi , 22 mag semi , shotty semi and pump , lever actions etc no issues at all . You get used to cases shooting across in front of your eyes ..... can be a bit intimidating with 45/70 and shotty to start with .
The only problem is fast follow ups on right hand bolt actions as the hand supporting the front of the rifle is the one used to work the bolt . My 338 also has a right hand stock with the cheek swell on the wrong side for a lefty but again I don't find that an issue as it is not sharp edged on the off side as some of them are .
Some would say lefty shooting is the right way.... ;)
I'm a lefty (yes, I'm "special" :P)
For prone, using a ambi stock, right bolt is no problem.
If you want to shoot from non prone positions and be able to manipulate the bolt, left bolt would be an advantage, but not essential.
Like most lefties I started with right bolt rifles. Have slowly been converting to left bolt as they became more common.
I shoot FTR left handed on a RH rifle as my RH son & I share rifles.Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyraz
My stocks don't have thumb holes and are essentially ambidextrous.
As @ebf said there's no issue shooting prone from a fixed shooting position on a range.
Our Savage .223 has an ejector that would throw cases down the sleeve of my shirt, my Barnard .308s don't have ejectors.
Barnard do a dual port action for target rifles.
As long as you can correctly and repeated line your eye and your sights you can shoot accurately lef thanded on a right handed action.
I’m the opposite - I’m a lefty and when working the bolt I use my ‘trigger’ hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pommy
Get some nasty bruises on the outside edge of my left hand when working a Lee Enfield bolt.
Of course with the Finnwolf there’s no issue!:thumbsup:
Have shot righthand auto's left handed for many years, only ones I've had a hassle with hot shells and blowback were H&K 22 MAG and .223, Savage in 17HMR and Brno 22 mag. Never had a problem with 12 gauge semi's or Browning centerfire semi's.
Thanks heaps for all the info team.
But, talking about shotguns sorry. My bad for not lack of detail.
Looking at o/u and piss all left handed ones out there for a beginner.
Kilwell have a few Lefty O/U's but they are around 2700 ish. Have you considered putting up a "wanted" flyer at the local gun club.Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyraz
I shoot with a couple of lefties I will ask them if they know of anything available.
Other wise there are cheaper lefty shotguns (again see Kilwell website) which would get you started.
For shotgunning it will depend on your eye dominance. I am a left shooter, but right eye dominant. If I have both eyes open I tend to shoot behind the target. If I close my right eye, I mostly hit the target. After that the only difference is that some guns have a cast in the stock.
Shooting a right handed gun bent to the left is a pain in the chuff for me. You have to look for something left handed ie less common and more costly. Or guns without a cast which seem to be cheaper guns. Unfortunately some Autos also have a caste!Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyraz
@kellyraz - have you checked your eye dominance yet? No amount of practice will overcome being cross-dominant. I'm in the same situation as May BE above. I tried to get to grips with shotguns as a slightly built youngster shooting left-handed but just couldn't get it sorted. After I'd lost the love for the shotty my optometrist told me to invest the time to learn to shoot right-handed as it eliminates the problem of having to shut an eye, and back in the late 80s there were sod all left-handed riffles about so it was a win-win. Thousands of air rifle pellets later I did learn to shoot right-handed so it feels totally natural now.Quote:
Originally Posted by May BE
Relatively recently I got to have a go at a few shots at clays down the line - shot right-handed as is normal for me now and what a difference. I could actually see myself getting back into shotguns and clays again.
Forgive us if we're teaching you to suck eggs here - it's good to bring it up as I've seen quite a few inexperienced shooters doing weird things trying to get a sight picture through a scope. When I get them to do an eye dominance test it often explains it - they're just trying to look with the dominant eye, even if it's not the same side they've shouldered the rifle on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steelisreal
Thanks heaps for this info. I am like the fella above, right eye dominant, shoot left shoulder, once right eye closed shoots not bad. might have to consider the right shoulder.
I'm happy to be told to suck eggs haha one way to find out how things work and there seems to be a lot of experienced people on here with ways around.
Thanks again everyone.
Picking up on this thread my 8yr old son is cross dominant - right handed left eye dominant. He’s starting to get keen to move beyond the 22 but struggles to get view through the scope without me covering his left eye. From what I’ve read here sounds like I might be better to try him shouldering the rifle on the left shoulder rather than to try training him to use his right eye?
bakail or lambers will see you right,there is not much cast on them.older bro is lefty as is bro in law....Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyraz
I right handed,right eye dominant BUT as young fella learnt to wink (thinking of gals no doubt) so I can shoot lefty easy enough,I just shut right eye. I often semi close my left/offside eye any way so its no biggie.
the lever options sorts rifles....
dont rule out a single barrel either....
you will use less ammunition and kill just about as many ducks... trust me on this one,even using pump or semi its usually a single that goes down...the multiple bird hits are great and make you fell like superman,but the singles soon add up.
there are times whe nI still take the single for a walk....and with one of them in hand,I seldom miss.
Yes thats worth trying, it might take some practice. While it's possible to shoot with a scope, open sights are just about impossible to shoot right handed if you are lefty eye dominant.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake77
of use a pair of old sunnies with sticky plaster over left eye.or a dot covering most of glass.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake77
we tried for ages to get BIL to shoot right..but left it is. my wife is right handed and keeps trying to use left eye...drives me nuts.
not if you can wink..... I can shoot open sights left eye/left handed...usually happens out window of ute on farm when bunny goes back behind where I CAN SHOOT right handed.Quote:
Originally Posted by 300CALMAN
My old man is right handed, but used a right handed rifle to shoot left handed in Africa. Never missed. If it works then go for it. Also learning on a new sided orientation would allow you to negate any bad habits your favoured side may have. Plus, shooting lefty on a right handed firearm or visa versa allows your non trigger hand to be free to reload and in theory be ready for a follow up shot quicker
You can get stocks that enable you to shoot left hand with dominant right eye and vice versa.
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I shoot left handed with right handed guns/rifles. Never tried a left hooker so can’t be sure if I would be better. I subconsciously get around any problem by having straight stocked non bolt types of rifles, Contender and rolling block. My semi shotgun does throw the empties across and near my face and this is a concern. I did have close call with a bolt rifle when a dodgy reload blew powered brass out of the gas port on the receiver. A case that was way past its best. Anyway, tiny bits of brass blasted out some need up in my face. No damage to me or the rifle, but it was a surprise.Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyraz
Shotgun fit is everything, all top clay competitors will have had this done.
Get your shotgun fitted I had this done when I came to the uk.
Basically my gunmaker heats the stock with a red lamp and bends it. I’m talking wooden stocks. Not sure who dose this in nz but I went from being a very average shot to rather good. Wish I’d done this right from the start.
Here’s a bit on it https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/al...t-gunfit-83927
I’ll put up a pick tomorrow of the cast on mine……it’s a lot you will have a laugh:thumbsup:
Hope this helps.
In the mean time I dug this up from a great day out back in 2016.
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Don’t know if you can see it in this photo.
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I’ve tried to line the join in the floor with the rib on the barrel to show how much cast is on the stock.
Get the stock bent the cast needs to be correct or your pushing shit up hill.
