Left Flint Right?

[Sean Gadhar]

I have never held a left hand flint. But as I was looking at a photo of one, I started thinking:

Thumb on the same side as the lock, flash on the other side from dominant eye, priming should work. I'm sure there's a down side. Without one in my hand I can't see it.

Has any Righty shot a lefty flint much? If so how did you find it?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Actually, I've had the chance to shoot a long rifle that belonged to my step-son a bit and found it kind of strange, at first, but soon got used to it. Randy was born left handed but the school system tried to 'knock' it out of him. Now he usually uses his right hand but still writes and eats left handed. As for the rifle, it was a bit disconcerting to have the pan flash on the 'wrong' side but found it no less or more dangerous to my shooting than a right hand lock. See if you can't find someone locally who has one and give it a try, it's interesting and fascinating!

 

[satx78247]

As a southpaw, I'd just like to find a LH Tennessee Mountain Gun for something less than "highway robbery".=======> ALL of the ones that I've seen for sale were either "junk" and/or $$$$$$$$$$.

yours, satx

 

[blackdog of vt]

There are several original lancasters with right handed stocks and left side locks so somebody thought it would work out too.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have never held a left hand flint.

That could be because they are a little bit scarce.
The left hand flints come from Australia. The right hand ones from England.

 

[bpd303]

LOL ya everything is backwards "down under".

 

[chazz1975]

I am a lefty that shoots a right handed flint gun, and the biggest problem I have is getting powder burns on my right wrist from the ignition of the priming charge. Not enough to deter me from shooting. I have just acquired a left handed flint rifle from a family friend and it is enjoyable to shoot. Still like my right flint rifle for some of the memories it invokes. I enjoy them both, and like I said the powder ignition burns are not deterring me enough to quit shooting the right handed gun left handed. Both of my "rock locks" are 45 cal long rifles. The flash from the right hand gun being right in front of my eye does not bother me.

 

[BrownBear]

I'm a lefty with both right- and left-handed flinters. There's some adjusting to do when shooting for sure. Fired a friend's righty flinter with a mal-adjusted flint, and it shattered into my face. Shooting glasses saved my right eye, but it took weeks for the cut below my right eye to heal--- after the doc cut out the big ole flint flake.

One thing I REALLY notice in moving back and forth between the two. Priming a flinter from the wrong side is a PITA. Lots easier done from the same side as the hand holding the horn. In field carry on hunts, I've also had the frizzen pop open from carry with the lock on the same side as my body.

Small details, but practical insights.

 

[robinghewitt]

You could try a flint double. Truth is there is no real difference so long as you remember not to shoot from the hip. Ouch! :thumbsup:

 

[pargent]

Could give ya all a clever retort but yus wouldn't get it :rotf:

 

[Kapow]

:cursing: Hey. That's not very nice! :td:

 

[satx78247]

In the days before "safety glasses", I wonder how many flint double-barrel fowling gentlemen were soon "minus an eye"?

yours, satx

 

[robinghewitt]

I wonder how many flint double-barrel fowling gentlemen were soon "minus an eye"?

The best eye remover I know is the Hall rifle.

If you survive your first shot with this gun, you take aim, close your eyes then pull the trigger.

The touch hole is in the bottom of the pan and points up at the bottom of the frizzen which directs the blast straight back in your face.

Despite this minor problem it is surprisingly accurate and the most affordable of the breechloading flinters :thumbsup:

 

[Don Steele]

Not hard to understand why such a rifle would be quite affordable. One imagines large numbers of one-eyed highly motivated sellers. :haha: :haha:

 

[robinghewitt]

It is also butt ugly, probably my fault I keep meaning to replace that top jaw and screw.

 

[Don Steele]

Thank you for posting that picture Squire. I'd like to see more of your "butt-ugly" rifle. :wink:
Over the course of several hundred years of firearm development...a lot of designs that made it into use in their time, did not become part of the broadly known history.
Thanks again for sharing.
On the topic...I'm a "lefty" that shoots a right hand flint. The only issue I have had was when I got into a REALLY BAD position on the bench while testing loads and managed to put my right forearm out in front of the vent. :td: :td: Upon taking the shot, once I got the resultant bleeding to stop, I found I now have a pattern of black spots imbedded in the skin of my forearm to remind me to be more careful. :redface: :redface:
Shooting offhand presents no problems at all.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Having to put out forearm fires was not a response I was expecting :shocked2: good thing I asked :grin:

When he was vary young 8-9 my son asked what a switch hitter was. I explained ambidextrous. Next thing I know I get a bunch of calls from school, that there's something wrong with my son :shocked2:

He can still do most things write, shoot, turn a wrench etc. fairly well with his left :grin:

 

[Alden]

It is also butt ugly...

What is WRONG with you? First you subject your unloved Jap matchlock to sensory deprivation experiments and now the Hall is butt ugly!?

It is beautiful, in every single way, so please don't bring it down...

And John Hall was the inventor of the assembly-line with interchangeable parts, what you lot called "The American Method" at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. So...

Send me the poor matchlock as well as the Hall flintlock. The latter has a mate in my collection waiting to spend some quality time complementing and complimenting each other!

 

[robinghewitt]

What is WRONG with you? First you subject your unloved Jap matchlock to sensory deprivation experiments and now the...

Hold on one cotton picking moment, I say.

I have a wife to explain what is wrong with me and she does not need any help or encouragement.

Now you get back on topic and show us pictures of your Hall like you know you should.

 

[robinghewitt]

I'm a "lefty" that shoots a right hand flint. The only issue I have had was when I got into a REALLY BAD position on the bench while testing loads and managed to put my right forearm out in front of the vent. :td: :td:

That's what I did. I was having a bad day with a little 24 gauge. I decided to take one from the hip because I had tried everything else, unfortunately it was the left hand barrel.

Don't worry, the powder burns and bits of clothing embedded in your flesh eventually fade after a year or two :thumbsup: