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Thread: Newly left-handed shooter: Buy LH rifles, or learn to use normal ones?

  1. #1
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    Newly left-handed shooter: Buy LH rifles, or learn to use normal ones?

    I've recently lost, I'd estimate, 50% of the vision in my right eye due to a detached retina. I've always been cross-dominant, so handguns are no problem, but I learned and trained long guns right handed, closing the left eye when necessary. But shooting right-eyed is no longer feasible for me.

    So, like the title says: In my situation, would you buy left-handed guns (or swap safeties etc to LH), or use normal ones and learn the work-arounds?

    I've always called left-handedness a birth defect. I suppose this is my penance.

    Thanks for feedback

  2. #2
    Site Supporter gringop's Avatar
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    Life long left hander here.

    I've always shot normal "right handed" guns but added ambi safeties to the rifles and pistols that can take them. I currently only have one bolt action rifle (.22) but I don't try to run it fast, don't care that I have to somewhat dismount it to run the bolt.

    None of my ARs or PCCs bother me with their right ejection, if I had a bullpup I would definitely switch it to left ejection.

    The only situation where I would consider buying/using a left handed gun would be for a precision bolt rifle setup that needed the action to be worked quickly and smoothly. I don't shoot anything like that.

    Gringop
    Play that song about the Irish chiropodist. Irish chiropodist? "My Fate Is In Your Hands."

  3. #3
    Member That Guy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cacafuego View Post
    So, like the title says: In my situation, would you buy left-handed guns (or swap safeties etc to LH), or use normal ones and learn the work-arounds?
    I'm a left-handed shooter with interest in most things that go bang, whether modern, classic or downright obsolete. I would say the answer to your question is "it depends", but as a general rule I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to buy whole new guns. It all depends on what sort of guns do you have and how you shoot them. You can shoot almost all rifles left-handed (some bullpups and stock designs excluded), especially if speed of weapon manipulations are not a big issue. All of my semi-automatic, pump and lever action long guns are either stock right handed models or have at most minor modifications to enable me to run them a little bit better (I did switch the stock safety in my 6920 the right way around, and swapped to a Geissele maritime bolt catch since I can reach that more reliably with my hand size than the stock bolt catch). You can run a right handed bolt action gun left handed, but I personally prefer having the bolt handle on the correct side of the gun, to the extent that I bought a left-handed gun. I do find it helps when shooting rapid fire or multiple rounds from the prone. But I can shoot a stock Mosin from the prone just fine as well, I just need to break down my shooting position a bit more than with my lefty Ruger Scout in order to reach that bolt handle.

    I would suggest you try your current guns in dry fire and on the range, and go from there?
    IDPA SSP classification: Sharpshooter
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  4. #4
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    As an aside regarding bullpup rifles: Tavor and X95 both can swap ejection port to the left side and a KelTec RDB bullpup has downward eject so no issue there.

    So those might be decent options if you were looking for a bullpup.

  5. #5
    We have several pistol caliber carbine shooters at our idpa matches. When they have to shoot around the left side of a barrier, they move the stock to their left shoulder but hand positions do not change. So I am thinking that should work for you too.

  6. #6
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    LH but have shot the standard 'RH' configuration in ARs, Ruger PCC, 10/22, Mini-14 and a Winchester 1300. Never had an ejection problem. Am I a touch slower than if I had a lefty, I dunno. Only concession to LH was ambi safety on a 1911. Glock pistols - no problem running it with my forefinger.
    Cloud Yeller of the Boomer Age

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cacafuego View Post
    I've recently lost, I'd estimate, 50% of the vision in my right eye due to a detached retina. I've always been cross-dominant, so handguns are no problem, but I learned and trained long guns right handed, closing the left eye when necessary. But shooting right-eyed is no longer feasible for me.

    So, like the title says: In my situation, would you buy left-handed guns (or swap safeties etc to LH), or use normal ones and learn the work-arounds?

    I've always called left-handedness a birth defect. I suppose this is my penance.

    Thanks for feedback
    I had to do the same thing in my early 20s associated with eyesight issues. I switched to shooting my long guns with my left hand. Most people on the range assume I'm left handed, unless they can see my pistol. For bolt action rifles, I buy left handed guns. I've lost the skin from the top of my left hand too many times running the bolt on a right handed rifle in my left hand. Anything semi-auto, I use the right handed configuration, but make the safeties/charging handles as ambi/lefty as possible. I am particularly fond of the complete ambi lowers from KAC or Radian for ARs.

    Optics when you only have one eye can also be challenging. As can vision correction, especially with presbyopia (middle aged eyes)

    It takes practice. I shot like shit when I first started. (Some would argue that I still shoot like shit. They probably aren't wrong) I'm now in the position where some nerve damage in my right hand may force me to try and learn to shoot pistols in my left hand. That's going to be really challenging, but at least I get to go shooting.

    So, to answer your question, with what I did, I relearned everything lefty, and changed my guns. But, I only have personal guns, not anything issued, and I can make whatever changes I want.

  8. #8
    If you'e got the coin, why suffer?
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  9. #9
    I am left handed and cross eye dominant. Not LE or otherwise.

    I keep all my tactical type semiautomatic guns right hand configuration and work around it given I may have to pick or use the standard configuration. Pistols are ambidex.

    Now my sporting guns I have in left hand configuration. A left hand bolt gun and Benelli shot gun for hunting.

    One consideration is age and expected time remaining to adapt. Your mileage may vary.

  10. #10
    Hoplophilic doc SAWBONES's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn E. Meyer View Post
    LH but have shot the standard 'RH' configuration in ARs, Ruger PCC, 10/22, Mini-14 and a Winchester 1300. Never had an ejection problem. Am I a touch slower than if I had a lefty, I dunno. Only concession to LH was ambi safety on a 1911. Glock pistols - no problem running it with my forefinger.
    As another southpaw who's had lifelong practice in adapting to a predominantly-right-handed world, I've had the identical experience.
    "Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
    And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
    I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman

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