Lefthanded Shooting

[Txhillbilly]

I'm right handed/left eye dominant and have always shot right handed shotguns/rifles.I have bought several left handed guns over the years,but still have plenty of right handed ones.
I can shoot right handed/eye,but it is just natural to throw the buttstock up to my left shoulder.
Just let your son shoot however he is the most comfortable holding the firearm,and then he will get his technique down and really enjoy shooting.If you try to make him shoot righty and he's not comfortable,then his accuracy will suffer.

 

[loneviking]

I'm left handed, left eye dominant and my next rifle will be a left handed bolt. This idea of reaching across to operate the bolt is something I just can't get used to. I grew up using a sling and with a sling it's really slow to use the right hand to throw the bolt and then wrap 'over and under' the sling to grab the forestock and shoot again.

As for brass hitting you, I've had lots of that. The worst is my Marlin 22. Accurate, dependable, but I can't take much more than a half hour of being scorched with brass all over my face and front. I'm going to buy one of the Savage 22's that has a left handed bolt and a ten round clip. Not as fast as the semi's, but at least I won't get singed.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Loneviking, why don't you try to rig up a "temporary" fix for your Marlin like the shell deflector on the M16A2? Anything taped near the rear of the ejection port might send the brass in a new, less irritating direction. Then you might come up with a more aesthetic, permanent attachment that could take it's place.

 

[briansmithwins]

Right handed and right eye dominate. I started shooting lefty when some of the stages at our local rifle match were set up so they forced you to.

When I 1st started shooting lefty I was really, really, bad at it. After practicing off and on for about 3 years I can shoot off either shoulder and get hits, either with optics or irons. BSW

 

[federalfarmer]

I am left hand/ left eye and grew up with rightie rifles on my left shoulder. I think I got pretty good at running the bolt, but when I first shot a leftie bolt gun...

Any way I am mostly done dumping the collection and starting over, cost me BIG money and I think it was worth every penny.

Previous answers are right use the eye dominance to determine shooting position.

And shoot often!

 

[cougar1717]

There are a couple of factors that go into this decision, but going by eye dominance is a good place to start.
The decision also depends on use. If you shoot from a rest or bipod, which side the bolt is on matters little. For hunting rifles, I think it matters a lot. For most right handed people, shouldering a left handed rifle and cycling the action feels awkward. I feel just as awkward trying to shoot a right handed rifle.
Availibility is the third factor. In years past, a lot of left handed people grew up shooting right handed rifles because they were the only ones available and they got used to it. Since left handed rifles are widely available, it's my opinion that you should shoot what is most comfortable for you. Any gun shop owner will tell you that left handed bolt action rifles are slow movers. The local gun shop I frequent usually has three or fewer left handed bolts in stock. The reason is that the target audience is small. Approximately 12% of Americans are left handed. Part of those have no interest in rifles. Part of those are right eye dominant and will just learn to shoot right handed. Another part are left eye dominant, but will shoot right handed firearms left handed. Rifle models and calibers are limited somewhat, but Browning, CZ, Remington, and Savage make left handed bolt action rifles.

 

[TEC]

memyselfandi

PS: more to the original question of "how" rather than "why or why not" -- the easiest way for a right hander to become an ambidextrous or left-handed shooter (and vice versa) is to first switch with a pistol, because you can switch your grip and trigger finger without having to change from your dominant eye to sight a pistol. Once you get comfortable with the feel of the grip and trigger pull with either hand, then you can put a rifle in your off-hand and work on sight/scope skills without it feeling so awkward ergonomically when you shoot. At least this was my experience.

 

[oneounceload]

as another LH, I have both guns.....my main rifle is a 700BDL in LH.......my XP-100, though the bolt is on the right side, is actually a LH gun that way.......I also look for ambi pistols like the H&K P7

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Rifle models and calibers are limited somewhat, but Browning, CZ, Remington, and Savage make left handed bolt action rifles.

What rifles is CZ producing in left-hand?

I can specifically remember asking them several years ago if they offered left-handed rifles and they not only replied that they did not, but that they did not have any plans to do so.

 

[jsl3170]

one should shoot with the dominant eye. I'm left handed, left eyed. If I were right eyed, believe me I'd shoot righty as there are some awfully tasty rifles out there for your RH shooters!

 

[bobland]

I'm right handed but blind in my right eye. I shoot a left handed Cooper 52 but shoot all of my hand guns righty. The little bit of Bullseye I shot I did righty because it felt better but also lefty because it was comfortable visually.

I will be getting a center fire rifle soon. It will probably be a righty. Not sure if I will convert it or not. I may use a left bolt on a right port.

 

[ejfalvo]

I was born RH until I had an accident an crushed my left wrist at the tender age of 7. As part of the rehabilitation I had to use my left hand for everything, writing, dominate hand swinging a bat or tennis racket, etc. After a while, I became a LH. Now I am LH dominate inc shooting left handed.

I have never had an issues firing any firearm with the exception of a bolt-action rifle. I tried them all out and bought a Browning A-bolt because the bolt handle was the most comfortable to operate overhand.

If your son is LH he shouldn't have any problem safely using firearms.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I am left eye dominate and right handed and have shot pistol with my left eye and rifle with my right eye for many years. The issue for me is using a shotgun. I think that I will switch hands for shotgunning. I use a superemposed so handedness is not an issue.

 

[ShakyJake]

leftys

hi,
I am exactly the opposite of Oldtrader3. Mostly lefty with R eye dominance. However due to other circumstances I shoot long guns lefty and short guns righty. for some odd reason I prefer my Marlin 39 and Sears Ted Williams 30-30 (Winnie 94). Have no problem with my Marlin 25 though. You did not mention his age, but irregardless I would allow him to go with whichever is most comfortable, leaning toward the dominant eye if possible. Just my nichols worth and it is always great to see father and son/daughter shooting together.
TaKe CaRe
Ted