Was wondering if anyone on here shot a right handed flinter left handed? How horrible is the lock going off infront of your face? I have shot percussion hawkens and its not much of a problem other than my arm catchin a few sparks from the cap. Just wonderin what its like with a flinter. Im right handed but left eye dominant so if push comes to shove i can still shoot right handed and deal with it. Just wantin to hear from those who have delt with it before.
Shooting left handed...
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Grizzly Adams
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The first flinter I ever shot was a righty gun and it didn't bug me a bit. The flash is hardly noticeable when you're concentrating on your target and sights and I wouldn't be too concerned with the flash hitting your face either. I have never actually even shot a left handed percussion gun before yet I own a couple right handed ones and shoot them fine.
Grizzly Adams
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Sure thing! It never hurts to ask, and this forum is the best place to do it :thumbsup:
The main thing is the flame (blast) out of the flash hole, just be sure your arm is below it or have a long sleeved shirt on. Years ago I shot my friends left hand flinter right handed and got stung by the flame on my forearm.
jamesthomas
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I'm a lefty, and I have shot a right-hander a few times, enough to know I wouldn't want to do it all the time :td: It may be fine for a few shots but when it comes right down to it, I'm not going to spend my money on a right-hand flintlock.
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Gotta really watch for flint flakes in your face when you do it. I had several righties before I finally got a couple of lefties. Never had a single chip in my face from the lefties, but it's an everyday thing with those righties. When a flint shattered on a bud's rifle I got one piece just below my right eye that was big enough (and deep enough) that it took a stout pair of tweezers to pull it out, and probably should have had a stitch or two installed. Bled like an eyebrow cut from a hard left.
I still have those righties and I still shoot them. But NEVER without shooting glasses.
I still have those righties and I still shoot them. But NEVER without shooting glasses.
This is just a couple hundred more if you're not stuck on a long rifle.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/487/2/LYMAN-GPR-50-FL
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Big yes sir on them glasses!
Dixie Gun Works has a lefty Hawken for just a few more that's almost identical.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_186_190&products_id=3491
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Being lefthanded I own both types. I have no trouble shooting a righthanded rifle. Actually your nose seems to block the flash more with an opposite handed rifle. A lot of castoff might be a problem with an opposite handed rifle, but the absence of a cheekpiece would offset some of that. I've been shooting flint since 1978 and never had a flint chip hit me. I've never had my arm burnt except when shooting a RH caplock. Also when you go to sell a rifle there are more customers for a RH rifle.
I too am right handed and left eye dominant. A few years ago I developed floaters in my right eye, and while they have been removed, I have since shot almost exclusively left handed (except for pistols, and my Brown Bess).
A couple years ago I found a left hand flinter and it's been my go-to rifle since. Shooting a right hand rifle left handed CAN make you a better shot, if you concentrate on the sights and trigger control so much that you ignore the action/distraction of the lock.
Eye protection will help you ignore the distraction, and is also important if you are squirrel hunting. If you have a failure-to-ignite when aiming at a squirrel way up in the tree, the priming powder will obey the law of gravity to fall downward, and the law of Murphy as it falls into your left eye. So you'll also learn to avoid failure to fire occurrences.
A couple years ago I found a left hand flinter and it's been my go-to rifle since. Shooting a right hand rifle left handed CAN make you a better shot, if you concentrate on the sights and trigger control so much that you ignore the action/distraction of the lock.
Eye protection will help you ignore the distraction, and is also important if you are squirrel hunting. If you have a failure-to-ignite when aiming at a squirrel way up in the tree, the priming powder will obey the law of gravity to fall downward, and the law of Murphy as it falls into your left eye. So you'll also learn to avoid failure to fire occurrences.
I'm a lefty and started out back in the 70's with a second-hand TC Hawken. I felt comfortable with that first flintlock, but couldn't hit the side of a barn with it, and seemed to only scare whitetails enough to have them trot off in another direction as the smoke cleared and I opened my eyes. 
It eventually dawned on me that I was flinching so badly at the flash in front of my face, I was never going to approach any reasonable level of accuracy! I bought a second-hand lefty rifle from Brad Emig at Cabin Creek, and the rest is history, as they say. I now have left-handed rifles and a fowler for all seasons, and we eat venison and/or turkey on special occasions. :thumbsup:
Bite the round ball, and spring for a left-handed long gun. You will never regret your decision. Best wishes and always aim small to miss small. :hatsoff:
It eventually dawned on me that I was flinching so badly at the flash in front of my face, I was never going to approach any reasonable level of accuracy! I bought a second-hand lefty rifle from Brad Emig at Cabin Creek, and the rest is history, as they say. I now have left-handed rifles and a fowler for all seasons, and we eat venison and/or turkey on special occasions. :thumbsup:
Bite the round ball, and spring for a left-handed long gun. You will never regret your decision. Best wishes and always aim small to miss small. :hatsoff:
I agree. Shooting many types of right handed guns left handed has never been a problem. Shooting right handed flint locks left handed is just a really bad idea. All of my flinters are left handed and I have switched all of my percussions to left now as well. Outside of availability there is just no downside to shooting the properly set up left handed gun. As far as resale, there may be less left handed shooters but they are always looking for guns. I have never had a problem selling any left handed rifle that I wanted to move.
The Lyman is a reasonably priced choice in lefty, both flint and percussion, if you are tight on funds and there are lots of used customs that show up for sale as well.
Hold out, save your pennies and get the correct sided lock. You will be very happy you did.
The Lyman is a reasonably priced choice in lefty, both flint and percussion, if you are tight on funds and there are lots of used customs that show up for sale as well.
Hold out, save your pennies and get the correct sided lock. You will be very happy you did.
I'm a lefty shooter also... love bp shooting to the point of making any corrections necessary....
