To go left-handed or not

[TarponStalker]

Have you tried shooting right handed with the stock on your left shoulder?

Sorry but I'm not understanding what you mean. Can you please explain?

 

[TarponStalker]

I know a shooter at Friendship that built sights that were offset so he could shoot right handed and sight with his left eye. He shoots very well with that set up.

I wonder if I met him at the Brushy Creek shoot in Ga? I talked with a fella that had a right handed Flintlock rifle, but had built some sight "brackets" which put his sights 3 or 4 inches to the left of his rifle. This allowed him to shoulder the rifle right handed, but use his left eye to aim.

 

[TarponStalker]

Get a pellet rifle or pistol. Shoot left handed for a few minutes every day if you can. Shooting a flintlock left handed won’t hurt you but wear glasses! Wear a sleeve of leather on your right wrist shooting a percussion. Or get an Underhammer!

I never thought about trying a pellet gun. That's a great idea.

 

[1sgt]

I wonder if I met him at the Brushy Creek shoot in Ga? I talked with a fella that had a right handed Flintlock rifle, but had built some sight "brackets" which put his sights 3 or 4 inches to the left of his rifle. This allowed him to shoulder the rifle right handed, but use his left eye to aim.

He is from Ga. He is an inspiration to anyone who is having eye problems to keep trying. I had cataracts in my right eye so I tried to shoot left handed. It felt awkward. I finally had cataracts removed from both eyes. Much better but not perfect. A wider blade on the front sight helped me for open sights. Peep sights helped and I use peeps in matches that allow them. Sometimes I can win the over 60/70 matches but he wins in those matches too. Keep trying until you find what works for you. good luck.

 

[longwalk]

Have you thought about trying peep sights? Bullseye red fiber optic sights for3/8 dovetails

 

[1General_Grant]

Sorry but I'm not understanding what you mean. Can you please explain?

I mean holding the gun right handed but instead of placing the stock against your right shoulder you place it against your left shoulder.

 

[smokepolehall]

I am a south paw, all my life i have shot R Handed guns. Hot cap fragments wear a glove & long sleeve. You sure can do it.

 

[1General_Grant]

I made you an illustration

 

[1General_Grant]

View attachment 319102

 

[TarponStalker]

I made you an illustration View attachment 319103

Ok. I get it now. Haha I'm not sure I'm flexible enough to do that anymore.
Thanks for the great illustration.

 

[1General_Grant]

Ok. I get it now. Haha I'm not sure I'm flexible enough to do that anymore.
Thanks for the great illustration.

np

 

[No Answers]

My wife is right handed but left eye dominant. Also she is farsighted and wears glasses with progressive lenses. She found that shooting left handed, although awkward, works the best for her. Although normally doesn't score real high, once she placed 2nd in the women's trail walk at the Heyyawanna rondy.

 

[stephenprops1]

I'm sorry for my long sob story but please bear with me.
Three years ago, I was in an accident that ultimately caused retina damage in my right eye. Ever since then I have had a tough time shooting my Flintlock rifles or any rifles for that matter.
Any vertical lines are always distorted. A especially the front sites on my rifles. The doctors tell me it will never get any better. No matter what I've tried when I shoot sometimes the front site is there and sometimes not. I can see parts of it, but I cannot always tell if I'm looking at the top of the site or not.
This has been very frustrating since I used to be a pretty good shot. Not so much anymore.
About a month ago, a friend talked me into trying to shoot left-handed. After about 50 shots with an open sighted.22 rifle I started thinking maybe I could learn to shoot left handed. I could see the front site clear as day.
I then tried a left-handed shot with my .54 percussion Plains rifle. Those cap fragments were hot against my right wrist.
I'm actually afraid to try shooting my right handed flintlock rifles left-handed because I don't want to damage my other eye.
I have a friend of a friend that has a left-handed Flintlock rifle but he's about 300 miles from me. I want to try a few shots with it to see if I can actually shoot a flintlock rifle left-handed very well. Every day I pick up one of my rifles and practice holding it left-handed to try and get used to it. However, is not just aiming the rifle but everything that goes along with hunting and shooting left-handed. Not only looking through your left eye but pulling the trigger with your left finger and even the stance of your feet when shooting left-handed is different. Even sitting in a tree stand with a gun laying across your lap, the opposite direction feels strange.
The other option I've been considering is selling one of my current rifles to raise funds and buying a Kibler Woodsrunner. My theory is the woods Runner has a shorter barrel and possibly I could see the front sites a little better with my right eye.
My two long guns both have 42 inch barrels. One is a John Armstrong style rifle that I built years ago and the other is one of Jim Kibler's early colonial rifles from about 10 years ago.
My thought would be to get a WR and then immediately replaced the front site with the thickest blade I could get. I have no idea if this will work.
Maybe I'm looking for an excuse to buy a new rifle? I'm trying to do anything I can so I don't have to give up a hobby that I love so much. Never take your eyesight for granted.
At 64 years old, it's gonna be tough to change from right handed to left-handed shooting, but I'm sure I could do it if I put my mind to it. But I'd rather not.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my story. Ideas will certainly be appreciated.

I'm going to start another thread to see if anyone near me in central Florida has a woods runner that might be willing for me to come look at just to see if it might work before I buy a new one.

Have you considered using a flash guard? I saw this one and others on Dixie Gun Works website. $9.99, plus tax and shipping.

 

[stephenprops1]

Have you tried shooting right handed with the stock on your left shoulder?

I actually have seen a muzzleloader with a curved stock. The shooter shouldered the gun on their right shoulder, but the barrel actually was in front of the left eye. It was not for sale.

 

[Wncman]

I have a close friend who is right handed but due to his vision shoots lefty.
He shoots flintlocks.
You might get one of those cup/shield things . I’ve never used one but a lot of folks do. And wear eye protection.
Best of luck.

 

[Dave James]

Remember, if the left side of the brain, controls the right side of the body,a d the right side of the brain controls the left,it only stands to reason,the left handed side is the only one in their right mind, I am ambidextrous, so mot sure what tha makes me,but the Nuns beat it into me, now with age and eye sight failure , I'm glad to be able to fire either shoulder,,you can do,the 22 is a great way to go

 

[gray fox]

I'm sorry for my long sob story but please bear with me.
Three years ago, I was in an accident that ultimately caused retina damage in my right eye. Ever since then I have had a tough time shooting my Flintlock rifles or any rifles for that matter.
Any vertical lines are always distorted. A especially the front sites on my rifles. The doctors tell me it will never get any better. No matter what I've tried when I shoot sometimes the front site is there and sometimes not. I can see parts of it, but I cannot always tell if I'm looking at the top of the site or not.
This has been very frustrating since I used to be a pretty good shot. Not so much anymore.
About a month ago, a friend talked me into trying to shoot left-handed. After about 50 shots with an open sighted.22 rifle I started thinking maybe I could learn to shoot left handed. I could see the front site clear as day.
I then tried a left-handed shot with my .54 percussion Plains rifle. Those cap fragments were hot against my right wrist.
I'm actually afraid to try shooting my right handed flintlock rifles left-handed because I don't want to damage my other eye.
I have a friend of a friend that has a left-handed Flintlock rifle but he's about 300 miles from me. I want to try a few shots with it to see if I can actually shoot a flintlock rifle left-handed very well. Every day I pick up one of my rifles and practice holding it left-handed to try and get used to it. However, is not just aiming the rifle but everything that goes along with hunting and shooting left-handed. Not only looking through your left eye but pulling the trigger with your left finger and even the stance of your feet when shooting left-handed is different. Even sitting in a tree stand with a gun laying across your lap, the opposite direction feels strange.
The other option I've been considering is selling one of my current rifles to raise funds and buying a Kibler Woodsrunner. My theory is the woods Runner has a shorter barrel and possibly I could see the front sites a little better with my right eye.
My two long guns both have 42 inch barrels. One is a John Armstrong style rifle that I built years ago and the other is one of Jim Kibler's early colonial rifles from about 10 years ago.
My thought would be to get a WR and then immediately replaced the front site with the thickest blade I could get. I have no idea if this will work.
Maybe I'm looking for an excuse to buy a new rifle? I'm trying to do anything I can so I don't have to give up a hobby that I love so much. Never take your eyesight for granted.
At 64 years old, it's gonna be tough to change from right handed to left-handed shooting, but I'm sure I could do it if I put my mind to it. But I'd rather not.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my story. Ideas will certainly be appreciated.

I'm going to start another thread to see if anyone near me in central Florida has a woods runner that might be willing for me to come look at just to see if it might work before I buy a new one.

 

[gray fox]

Years ago I shot a Pedersoli Brown Bess, a gun that sent a hot flash from the frizen pan, to the right. Shields are available to prevent this problem and the one I installed worked very well. A wood working friend had to adjust to left eye shooting so made a stock with a severe right hand offset. It shoot right handed but with the left eye. It looked strange but solved a similar problem to what you mention.

Many diabetics have eye problems that cause horizontal lines to seem wavy. For this issue sometimes viewing with the eye a little left or right solves the problem for a few minutes.

Ken.

 

[sheriff john]

Have a little experience with teaching people with dominant eye/handedness problem. Normally, we taught "keep both eyes open" for open iron sights and shotgun bead, but found some success with going to "keep one eye closed" or blocked. It is apparently an individual problem, but all eventually adapted. The 870 riot guns were all right-handed, pistols varied, some were ambidextrous. My point is ...don't give up. New skill sets take time to perfect.

Some years back, I jammed a knife into my right wrist, severing tendons and nerves. I had five popsicle sticks instead of fingers. As I was still working for the Sheriff's office, I had to learn to shoot not only left handed, but one-handed b/c my right hand/arm was healing. Dry-fire. Exercise. Shot a .22 double-action revolver every day. Eventually (took many weeks), left hand only developed to where drawing, holstering, loading/unloading & shooting were at least to the point I was no longer a danger to myself and other "friendlies". Point is ...a shooter may never get back to a previous high level, but remember ...""normal" shooting took you a lifetime to achieve. Switching is unlearning/learning all over.

 

[snakebit]

Get a chunk of RR tie and a bunch of nails. Using your left hand, drive nails into the wood until you can't stand it, then do it some more. If the eye dominance is an issue, try shooting with a patch. Had a buddy that taught himself to pitch left handed by driving the nails. Find something comfortable for you and get back in the saddle. Best of luck to you. Let us know how your progress goes.