Original Left Handed flintlock guns?

[Eterry]

When I was in Basic training in 1970 they taped a piece of cardboard on my m-16 as a deflector but when I got to the 82nd Airborne I never bothered with one. Every once in a while a hot shell would bounce off my face
Shot R.handed muzzleloaders left handed for years before I got a lefty.

I too started in 1980 with a RH Kentucky rifle, but leaned heavily towards pumps and lever guns in modern weapons. Most of my muzzleloaders are RH.
In 2018 I finished my first LH muzzleloader, an Early Lancaster, from scratch with the help of a great friend.
I bought a LH 14 Bore cap gun and really like it.

 

[bpd303]

I used to have an FN Mauser that was customized and ambidextrous, could be shot either left or right handed. The bolt handle was on the right hand side with a cheek piece on the same side. The left side of the stock had no cheek piece. I gifted it to the officer who took my place as Lt. when I retired and he fell in love with it the first time he saw it years before then.

 

[Rudyard]

Enclosed is a left hand lock for a sporting gun which began has a flintlock and is percussion conversion by Patrick of Liverpool
Feltwad

View attachment 309503

I had a left hand locked gun bought of old Bulmer in York It appeared to be made useing a French loot double guns lock.plain serviceable gun it had the long anti chamber plug I used to prime it with fine powder then the courser charge . One day decoying Woodies I take a shot at an incomeing but the charge barely cleared the barrel I'd ommitted the main charge .Nothing to do with it being a dolly handed lock just memorable .21 Pounds it cost me . I figure you knew old Bulmers selling service in York . Regards Rudyard

 

[Feltwad]

I had a left hand locked gun bought of old Bulmer in York It appeared to be made useing a French loot double guns lock.plain serviceable gun it had the long anti chamber plug I used to prime it with fine powder then the courser charge . One day decoying Woodies I take a shot at an incomeing but the charge barely cleared the barrel I'd ommitted the main charge .Nothing to do with it being a dolly handed lock just memorable .21 Pounds it cost me . I figure you knew old Bulmers selling service in York . Regards Rudyard

Now we are reminisce yes I often visited Bulmer.s shop in Lord Mayors Walk in the 1960,s really old shop if I remember right the shop front window with gun parts which were scattered among old cameras and guitars' . Upstairs were the guns which ranged from militaria sporting guns and pistols one ting I do remember was the banister on the stairs which consisted of barrels from old punt guns ,I also bought a lot of sand castings of lock parts
Feltwad

 

[Rudyard]

Now we are reminisce yes I often visited Bulmer.s shop in Lord Mayors Walk in the 1960,s really old shop if I remember right the shop front window with gun parts which were scattered among old cameras and guitars' . Upstairs were the guns which ranged from militaria sporting guns and pistols one ting I do remember was the banister on the stairs which consisted of barrels from old punt guns ,I also bought a lot of sand castings of lock parts
Feltwad

You where favoured I never got up stairs I bought a 50"long barrelled 12 bore very massive at the breach evidently a pre used barrel. The Farmer who's land I shot on once remarked "Wi can see thee comin afore wi can see thee " in his broad Derbyshire accent only way I could carry it was level or muzzle up I think it was a sort of Magnum thinking Ide been to the US and paid him in Dollars he had accounts in $ US great character his sand casting if rough where about the only ones then offered I bought a bundle of Martini rods 6 pence each still got two left Memory lane all right.
Regards Rudyard

 

[Coinneach]

There was no thought about making a left handed musket because you were not actually aiming them in the first place. I doubt if in the 18th century most European soldiers even knew if they were left or right handed dominant. For that matter I don't know of any modern army that issues left handed long arms.

The Australian Army issued the Steyer Assault rifle 5.56 with a configuration that enabled an easy alteration between Left and Right use.

 

[Coinneach]

When I was in Basic training in 1970 they taped a piece of cardboard on my m-16 as a deflector but when I got to the 82nd Airborne I never bothered with one. Every once in a while a hot shell would bounce off my face
Shot R.handed muzzleloaders left handed for years before I got a lefty.

We Aussies carried the FN SLR 7.62 rifle, and Officers, Signallers; Forward scouts and Dog handlers carried the M16's.
As a left hander I still have a narrow scar on the right side of my right eyelid from the M16 spent shell ejection I used, its no big deal only a tiny sliver scrape really and easy enough to get use to.

 

[Eterry]

"Let he without sin cast the first stone"...
Guys I'm as guilty as the rest... but let's go back to discussing flintlocks... before someone reports ME.

 

[Hammond79]

I found a LH rifle attributed to J. Cooper. Looks like a post 1800 gun. Picture below and link to the NRA website.

http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-g...ed-pennsylvania-kentucky-flintlock-rifle.aspx

 

[Rudyard]

I found a LH rifle attributed to J. Cooper. Looks like a post 1800 gun. Picture below and link to the NRA website.View attachment 313918
http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-g...ed-pennsylvania-kentucky-flintlock-rifle.aspx

It looks well ,the lock looks English they're is listed Birmingham, Joseth Cooper Rock & Co but 1638 /63 no other J s .But a James Cooper of Stratford on Avon listed 1827/ 1863 only J s I found in Bailey & Nies listings Might be either Regards Rudyard

 

[Hammond79]

It looks well ,the lock looks English they're is listed Birmingham, Joseth Cooper Rock & Co but 1638 /63 no other J s .But a James Cooper of Stratford on Avon listed 1827/ 1863 only J s I found in Bailey & Nies listings Might be either Regards Rudyard

There also appears to be an American firm out of NY B&J Cooper that made flintlocks from 1801-1831 according to the site below (last photo). Not sure if that's the same maker? Added another couple J. Cooper locks for comparison too.

https://www.dogsanddoubles.com/2017/10/this-weeks-good-guns-powered-by-gunsinternational-com-141/

 

[Rudyard]

I should have said the Lock looked English No UK maker would have made that style of rifle unless for export . The gun above looks nice .
Rudyard

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I bet if the gun maker was left handed - he made himself a left handed gun. This would only make sense.

 

[Sun City]

I shoot off my left shoulder because my left eye is the Master eye. I don't want a left hand FL! I want it on right side because it's right there where I can do what's needed without turning the rifle cattywampus to do what's needed. Just wear a long sleeve shirt to prevent getting a few grains of powder blown onto the right arm!