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Sidney Smith said:
I'm with you friend. I'm also a lefty, and I will not fire a right handed muzzleloader. We are lucky in that we live in a time when we can find parts and build rifles and shotguns that fit our needs, rather than having to adapt to the right man's world. And to the critics who say they're not historically correct, and have low resale value, I say one thing, I DON'T CARE! I didn't build my rifles to please someone else, nor do I have any plans to ever sell them.

Your rifle looks beautiful sir, enjoy it!!!!
Click to expand...

I'm with you Sidney. I've built 2 LH Flintlocks and don't care to ever fire another RH gun. I too have read all that stuff about why I shouldn't build LH guns and basically I find the reasoning ridiculous.
 
Good morning
Good looking rifle. I enjoyed reading the build and seeing the results.
A .40 would be a very useful caliber and one that for you has the lock on the right side.
Keep at it.
 
That's a very nice rifle......AHEM!...for a LH. Seriously, I like it. For a deer load I like 60 grains of 3F; it's accurate at 100 yards and gives over 2100 fps. That should make a reasonable deer load where the .40 is legal.
 
Eterry said:
I had a member take me to school a few years ago because i want to build a left hand Fowler. He dressed me down pretty well, and finally told me what i should do is build a RH fowler and LEARN TO SHOOT IT LEFT HAND!! He said he's left handed and most his MLs are right handed.
I bit my tongue and didn't say what was on my mind...

I've been hunting with a 58 musket for several years, even though it's a RH. I enjoy the history of the piece, but musket cap shrapnel in my right arm i can do without.
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Yep. this is the reason why I mentioned it. Sadly its many lefty's who have given me the cold shoulder on my choice. I think in many cases these guys don't have the where with all to say the heck with what others consider HC or different, "I'm the one who has to live with this not them"..

And as always to the naysayers I have said, "if you can't walk a mile in my shoes, then don't offer me your misguided advice". I applaud every left handed shooter like the OP who does what makes him feel comfortable, and not what others think should be done.

To those left handed shooters who have adapted to the right man's world and can be happy with that decision, I say "more power to ya brother". But these same people will never experience what it truly feels like to fire a flintlock that truly fits them 100%. Its no different than a right handed shooter trying to fire a left handed gun. Most would come away from the experience saying "something just doesn't feel right". Exactly!

I'd like to hear one good reason why a lefty should shoot a right handed gun, just one that makes sense. The only one I can come up with is limited choice in firearms. That's the only negative I've ever found in creating a left handed flintlock. Historical correctness, and resale value though, aren't good enough answers IMO.
 
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Eterry said:
Ok guys, being left handed has its problems... and shooting a RH flinter is a big E.

So i started withView attachment 9083 a Dunlap's maple blank, a 42" 40 caliber barrel, Chambers LH lock. As my mentor Ken (the gentleman in the white shirt) says " to build a LH gun you just work upside down and backwards. " You add all the parts together, bring to a boil, allow to simmer a few years while LIFE has its way with you, and here's the finished product.

View attachment 9075
Opening day....View attachment 9076
1st cut. View attachment 9077 View attachment 9078 View attachment 9079 View attachment 9080
Sorry about the glare... I'll take more pics soon View attachment 9079 View attachment 9082 View attachment 9081
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I am a lefty and shoot a right hand flint rifle I don't seem to have a issue. by the way your rifle is sweet
 
Howie1968 said:
I am a lefty and shoot a right hand flint rifle I don't seem to have a issue. by the way your rifle is sweet
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Howie, i haven't shot a flint rifle in Years period, and never a lefty.
I built the stock with Cast-on, and my buddy was shooting it right handed and got debris on his face. He switched to left hand until he was done.

Mebbe your right hand flint has no cast, or mebbe it don't bother you.
Im still getting used to it.
 
Very nice. This past week I got very lucky and picked up a J Garner built LH Southern Mountain Rifle in 58 cal with all iron fittings, double set trigger and striped maple stock.
 
Nice rifle. I am a lefty too and much prefer LH guns. I will NOT shoot a right hand flint left handed. Yes, I know there are lots of guys doing it, mostly because they are too cheap or too lazy to buy the proper gun. A person can learn to tolerate almost anything, it does not make it a good idea or the best answer if better options can be found. Left handed people have a higher rate of accidents precisely because the world is so predominantly designed for right handed people. One of the most dangerous tools to use left handed is a Chainsaw and there are no left hand versions of them.
 
Dean2 said:
Nice rifle. I am a lefty too and much prefer LH guns. I will NOT shoot a right hand flint left handed. Yes, I know there are lots of guys doing it, mostly because they are too cheap or too lazy to buy the proper gun. A person can learn to tolerate almost anything, it does not make it a good idea or the best answer if better options can be found. Left handed people have a higher rate of accidents precisely because the world is so predominantly designed for right handed people. One of the most dangerous tools to use left handed is a Chainsaw and there are no left hand versions of them.
Click to expand...

As a teen we used wood for heat, and sold it by the cord. Dad had a Homelite super xl with a bow. I tried to use it left handed... and have a small scar on my right knee to prove it won't work like that.
Most painful injury yet...
 
This is where I'm weird I guess, but I always hit a base ball, played hockey, Golfed, and use a chainsaw right handed......Yet I write, throw, and shoot left handed. Strange. Maybe I'm a hermaphroright!!!!!!! :eek:
 
I’m right handed, left eye dominate. I shoot rifles left handed and always have. I’ve never had a dedicated left-handed rifle and if I shoulder one with any kind of cheek piece it feels strange, like I can’t get my eye over the sights sufficiently. I guess it’s what you get use to.

But anyone advocating a lefty flint shooter should not use a left-handed gun for HC reasons is a poor friend.
 
I built a LH 12 ga shotgun with a 36" bbl lge siler lock , full length stock , no choke. Its a killer on the trap range. A bit much to swing on singles skeet, but not impossible
 
This is my .40 caliber. Rice barrel, LH Large Siler, Davis double set triggers. I built this rifle to hunt turkeys with 15 or so years ago and it's poison on a gobbler. My turkey load is 60 grains of 3fg, .0175 patch with Canola oil, .395 round ball.
I have another as close to this one dimensionally as possible in .54 caliber for deer hunting. I believe in shooting a rifle that fits you, in my case this is a LH rifle. I own 3 LH bolt guns. I'm sorry, just had to mention them in passing to make my point.
SS850104.jpg
 
That's a very nice .40. Here's my one and only with a GM barrel. Shoots great with about any powder charge.

 

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