Left Handed Shooters

[grif684]

I am a lefty as well, and sometimes think it has advantages, such as hitting a mag release with my middle finger and never having to adjust or readjust my grip to do it, and dumping empties from a revolver and reloading, especially with a S&W revolver, it seems totally natural to hit the thumbpiece with my left thumb as I push the cylinder open with my right thumb and push the ejector with my right index finger, then reload with my dominant hand, since you are now grasping the gun with your right hand, as far as safeties, I guess when you do it backwards from day one, it doesn't seem backwards, even a semi auto pistol, I have always used my trigger finger to operate them, slide or frame mounted....

 

[gregintenn]

Another lefty here. I've noticed that it looks awkward to me to watch another left handed person do certain things.

I grew up shooting right handed guns, and a left handed gun would be just as odd to me as it would to you. The only left hand gun I ever bought was a Thompson Center Renegade muzzloader. Those side hammers on a right hand model are right at your nose/eye.

I really like Ithaca pumps and shotguns with two barrels. I also prefer lever rifles, although I have no problems operating a standard bolt action rifle. I feel no handicap with revolvers, and most pistols, although I have gotten pretty proficient at installing ambidextrous safties on 1911s.

 

[4506517]

I never think about it. I don't feel handicapped at all. For pistols I use my middle finger to drop the magazine and for rifles I use my right thumb and grip the magazine with my four fingers. I have proven to myself during qualifications that it is just as fast, and sometimes faster, than folks doing it right handed with the thumb. As with anything related to shooting, it is all about practice.

 

[Tenn2]

Everyone is born right handed but the great overcome it. Larry

That may be so? But, just remember we lefties are the only ones in our right minds!!

 

[Dmaxboy08]

lol im left handed and shoot with the left eye as well. I was 7 when I got my first BB gun and 9 when I got my first .22 rifle. I have never had a problem dealing with the shell ejecting out the right side of the gun. My biggest issue is with handguns that the safety is on the left side of the gun. To me, its weird to see RIGHT handed people shoot lol

 

[walkin jack]

I think we all just have to adapt to what we have/how we are. My I'm right handed and left eye dominant. More than one Marine Corps DI has threatened to clean my clock for shooting a long gun off my left shoulder. Finally, about 5 years ago, I trained myself to shoot off my right shoulder.

My son is a south-paw and he looks awkward to me when he is shooting but he shoots a lot better than I do. I say, to each his own.

 

[JJEH]

I'm right handed but shoot strong- and weak hand. My problem when I shoot left handed is, that I still aim with my right eye.

At least, for true left handed people, there are solutions out there. Like the Cabot Southpaw.

Cabot Gun, an American Gun Company | The South Paw 1911

I don't know who else offers LH handguns.

 

[cougar14]

Two interesting facts:
1. Around 11% of all people are LH. This has remained about the same for recorded history.

2. The accidental death rate for LH folks is much higher than for righties. Somehow, Nature is replacing those lost souls in order to maintain that ratio.

 

[montegomx]

my only complaint is that some nice bolt action rifles are not made as a lefty, and the cailbers are most limited to the standard 30.06,270
and 7mm magnum calibers. otherwise the only problem i ever had was
my colt ar-15 used to spit hot shell casings down my shirt.











and

 

[Superflywimpy]

I remember the left handed shooters in Bootcamp

They had to have shell deflectors put on their M16A1's to keep from getting brass in the face.

 

[walnutred]

The only firearm that bothered me when shooting left handed was a Belgian flint lock trade musket I bought at a yard sale in the early 70's. On the plus side it inspired me to learn to build left handed flint and caplock long guns. For shotguns I've always prefered sxs 16ga versions so shooting left handed was not an issue. While I enjoy shooting old military bolt guns I don't fool with scoped right handed actions any more. Every caliber I want to shoot these days is available in left hand or lever action.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Lefty here. I shoot long guns right handed, however, as I am right eye dominant. I shoot handguns with my left hand but I'm always confused about which eye to sight with. In the past I've always sighted right eye with handguns but lately Ive been throwing the left eye in there too. any thoughts? Is it a problem to shoot left hand with right eye?