Can a Lefty use a Righty Cap Gun?

[Dave Rosenthal]

Hello again to all. As you may have read in my previous post, I'll be running the Sharpshooter station at a Boy Scout Rondy here in NJ.

Problem is I only have right-handed cap guns and some of the scouts may be left handed! Since ML double barrel shotguns have 2 hammers, one on each side, I was wondering if there is any big difference in the location of the nipple on the 12 ga. vs. the trade rifle? Of course all of the scouts will be wearing eye protection that covers half of their faces anyway.

Since it's a Rondy, I really don't want to even have to think about using one of those *&%#&^ line type rifles.

Am I O-K with the eye protection for a handfull of Lefties, or should I be making a call-out to my friends to let me borrow a lefty hammer gun?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Assistant Scout Master Dave

 

[Gren]

Well I am a righty thats shot a lefty flintlock for years with no ill effects. Just dont overprime the pan as a lot of people do. As for a cap gun I have no idea. I would think it would be fine if the kids are wearing saftey glasses.

 

[twotoescharlie]

left handed, been shooting right handed firearms for close to fifty years, no problems.

TTC

 

[No Deer]

left handed, been shooting right handed firearms for close to fifty years, no problems.

TTC

:hmm: then how do you explain the handle (twotoescharlie)? :rotf:

 

[paulvallandigham]

I am LHanded, Dave, and you will have no trouble using eye protection for ALL the kids, and having them shoot the right handed guns. If you know someone who has a left handed gun that you can borrow, please do so. Left handed kids face enough discrimination that they will be pleasantly surprised that they can find a LH rifle in our sport. It just might make them get interested in traditional BP shooting as a recreational activity.

When I was a kid, I was saving up money to buy a left handed recurve bow, when the sporting goods store stopped stocking them, and had only RH compound bows on display. When we asked the clerk if he had any LH compound bows, he looked at us as if we were from Mars. I stopped shooting B&A then, and went to being interested in guns, where there were a few makers who made LH guns.

Today, there are a lot more LH rifles avaiable. ABout 20 years ago, a friend who was clerking in a sporting goods store dragged me into shooting bows again, by GIVING me an used LH compound bow he had set up to shooting fishing arrows, so we could hunt carp together.

Personally, I am still sore at the bow makers for discriminating against me all those years ago, and I have no interest in buying a compound bow, even now that they are available in LH. Don't ever think that discrimination of any kind doesn't leave scars.

 

[George Holton]

The only problem may be Prime eye or strong eye, I cant close my righr indepeendent of my left,and keep left open, a glasses patch works. Bob

 

[twotoescharlie]

No Deer,

product of home ownership, (lawnmower accident)

TTC

 

[alwaysshootin]

I shoot lefthanded, and until recently it was mostly with a lefthanded Renegade. I recentlypicked up a Bobcat in .36 cal that is righthanded. I noticed cap spray on my right wrist just below my hand. It was very itchy! I think I will buy a pair of sweat bands and put them on my right wrist to catch the cap splatter when firing. The irritation only lasted a few minutes after the shooting session, and left no marks, but everytime I fired the gun, it would itch uncontrollably.

 

[Slamfire]

See if you can get hold of an underhammer and some long sleeved shirts. :winking:

 

[TexiKan]

I have been shooting a right handed Hawken for over 30 years and have adapted to it. It does look a bit funny having the cheek piece facing out, and as another had noted, once in a while, the percussion cap spray will hit your right wrist.

For us lefties who have had to adapt to many right handed items, it isn't much of an issue. Reaching over a little further to cock the hammer back is a slight stretch more than for a right handed person.

Recently I obtained a left handed flint and I am anxious to try it out! A true left handed gun!! I wish my Hawken was left handed but I've learned to live with it.

For a left handed person using a right handed gun, it isn't easy using one of the brass cappers.

The annoyance can be similar to turning a cork screw or a door knob.......for a RH person, they turn the wrist clockwise. Left handers would *prefer* to turn to the left but we have learned to turn some things, like a cork screw, to the right.

TexiKan

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Thanks everyone for all of your input. The instructors will be the ones doing the capping, so we won't have any holes in the roof of the covered range :nono: :shake: :shocked2:.

I'm planning on going to Cabella's on Monday morning to get a second powder measure, a CO2 ball discharger, Co2 bottles, etc.

The list of stuff I'm bringing will fill-up the Explorer for sure!

Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks again everybody.

Dave