Left Handed Shooter

[smoothy]

I've been shooting flintlocks since the 80's and had never considered shooting a right-handed flinter left-handed. I built a left handed rifle and then a fowler. The few people that have shot my lefties I always made them shoot left-handed. This thread has made me re-consider this issue as I am considering building another fowler. I have only one son out of five that are left handed. Guess everything from here on out will be right handed. Did I see a video of Hershel House shooting a right handed rifle with his left hand and wore no glasses?

 

[uno676]

They have a good deal on an entry level lh in there closeout. http://www.deercreekproducts.net/

 

[AZbpBurner]

I'm lefthanded and had opportunity in the late 60's to fire numerous original flintlocks - all righthanded.

Sure I have a couple of leftahnded flint rifles, but I have more caplocks and muskets that are all righthanded. In fact, one of my righthanded flinters is my "grapefruit slayer" it's accurate to minute of grapefruit at 100 yards...

I see no rational reason not to buy and shoot a righthanded rifle if you're lefthanded. You will miss out on a lot of great opportunities to get fine rifles. Of course, my Mother would disagree. She was lefthanded almost to the point of retardation - if certain things were righthanded, she refused to use them, stating she NEEDED a lefthanded version. Maybe her stubborn inability to try to use certain right handed items led me to be able to use everything, whether lefty or not.

Anyway, it's no big deal for me. I see it this way, if you have a flint double barrel shotgun, one of the locks will "inconvenience" both left and right handed shooters.

You're either adaptable, or self defeating.

 

[irishtoo]

im a lefty and built my own lefthanded flints. i do shoot rights. i find priming the pan to be more natural with a lefthanded gun. also if you shoot a right gun remember there is a rather painful jet that shoots out of the flashhole. i always wear glasses so eye protection is taken care of. irishtoo

 

[ord sgt]

Here is a twist for you to consider...I am a right handed shooter of flinters. My wife is a left hand shooter. I bought a left hand Tennessee flint rifle for her.
Due to a rotator cuff injury, she can't hold the rifle offhand anymore. She always had trouble loading the rifle, 'cause the muzzle was above eye level :haha:
I have shot her left handed rifle from the right side. No problem with the flash right in front of my eyes.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

I am lefty, but right eye dominate. If your shooting lefty, get a lefty gun.

Are you a bit flinch prone. My guess is yes because the dislike of 54. If you are, having a lock arm snap, spark, and flash in the center of your vision field is going to give you issues.

I suggest a 45, incase you want to hunt or do competitive shoots with heavier gong targets.

I target shoot with 45s, but hunt with 54s. However, I can still harvest a deer with my newest 45.

When shooting a.flintlock less is more with the pan powder. Even more so when shooting a rh gun leftie. Take a mildly damp cloth and wipe the flint, pan, and pan roof part of the Frizzens clean and then dry it off with a dry part of the rag. Helps keeping light pan charges reliable.

I got a right handed flintlock when I shoot right handed at the range.

If Goin commercially made guns, lyman is a better choice. Got a great plains LH fliblock in 54 and love it

 

[boxofrocks]

Call Tip Curtis, I bought a LH .50 at Friendship last June - excellent rifle at a great price. And he puts the sights where a 60 year old guy can see them!