Shooting Question for Lefties

[soccerhawg]

My daughter is left-handed and wants to start shooting. Unless specifically setup for left-handed shooters, most guns are just made for right handed shooters. I would like to hear from any of you that are left-handed, or know someone that is, and know what you do about shooting. I am looking at getting her a left-handed rifle but I am wondering if it is really necessary.

Also, any insight into shooting handguns as a leftie is also appreciated.

 

[orlean1]

there are several you tube videos that provide techniques for us lefties to manipulate a right handed gun. also a lot of guns are coming with some ambidextrous controls giving some relief.

 

[Fireshot]

When it comes to a rifle, it may be more appropriate to determine eye dominance. If she is right eye dominant, shooting right handed would be simple to adapt to. If she is left eye dominant then it may be more of an issue for bolt action rifles. Semi-auto or pump action are less of a problem.
As to pistols, I have a S&W Shield. The most annoying thing is the mag release. With a little practice, I have learned to use my trigger finger to press the mag release. When holstering, I set the safety until seated then I keep the safety off as the holster protects the trigger and it is ready to fire when drawn during a threat.
Finding a gun with ambidextrous mag release and safety is a better solution but not necessary. I chose my carry gun based on many factors despite the lack of ambi controls.

We live in a right handed world because left handed people are superior at adapting.
: the left half of the brain controls the right half of the body & the right half of the brain controls the left half if the body. Therefor, left handed people are the only people in their right mind.

 

[Pir8fan]

My daughter is left-handed and wants to start shooting. Unless specifically setup for left-handed shooters, most guns are just made for right handed shooters. I would like to hear from any of you that are left-handed, or know someone that is, and know what you do about shooting. I am looking at getting her a left-handed rifle but I am wondering if it is really necessary.

Also, any insight into shooting handguns as a leftie is also appreciated.

I learned to shoot long guns right handed because there were no left handed guns when I was growing up. I didn't like the casings ejecting right in front of me. For handguns, I either get pistols with ambi safeties or no safeties at all.

 

[safeingeorgia]

I have a JR Carbine .40 S&W . The bolt and ejector side are switchable. Set up in an AR platform. Light recoil. Fun to shoot. Less expensive then bigger calibers. I love mine.

Sent from my Z796C using USA Carry mobile app

 

[jtg452]

Where long guns are concerned, I second the idea of establishing which is her dominant eye before buying a gun. It's easier to learn to shoot a gun with only 1 side but shooting long guns with one side and pistols with the other isn't unheard of. The added benefit is that it makes it easier to learn to shoot with either hand (especially pistols) since the non dominant hand has already learned trigger control. I've been doing it for about 30 years. My father taught me to shoot right handed with long guns. When I learned to shoot a pistol, I learned left handed because that's my dominant hand. I'm left handed- so left handed that the only things I normally do right handed are shoot long guns and use scissors (and that one only due to a 1st Grade teacher that still thought that everyone should be right handed). You need the dominant eye to be lined up with the gun more when shooting long guns that pistols. With a pistol, you can adjust your stance to shift it over in front of the proper eye. When using an Isosceles or some variant of it, you just shift the gun to one slide slightly instead of having it line up with the eye on the side that's holding the gun. I'm lucky in that I only have a very slight eye dominance. A little squinting is all I need to do to focus when shooting with my non dominant eye.

 

[BFP53]

I shoot rifle, shotgun lefty and use my right hand for pistol and left eye for aiming, i can shoot pistol left handed also but i seem to have more control using right hand. My rifle and shot gun are right handed guns and have no issues with the shell ejections since they do eject from the right side of rifle, shotgun and rifle are both pump action.

 

[POP CHARLIE]

My grandson is left eye dominant so I started him with a single shot rifle. The rifle is a newengland fire arms 22 break action it can be fired right or left handed, they also make the same thing in a shotgun. When he is ready for a shotgun with more than one shell in it browning and ithica both make bottem eject pumps. Handguns I'll start with revolvers and go from there.Good luck and be safe.

 

[Fallschirmjäger]

As a right-eye dominant, left-hander, I often have the worst of both worlds. Thankfully, I shoot long arms right-handed otherwise I'd be in a world of hurt. I've found that for handguns it really doesn't matter as long as there isn't a 'righty only' safety.
Revolvers are just plain awkward for me being left-handed, operating the cylinder latch is definitely a two handed operation.

As everyone has said, it's not so much handedness that matters as eye dominance. Either hand can pull a trigger but only the mind sees through the eye.

 

[tcfiero]

I shoot long guns and handguns lefty. I practice my handguns right handed on occasion. I am left handed and left eye dominant. When I shoot righty, I move the gun to line up with my left eye. I have tried moving my ambidextrous mag release to the opposite side and it did not work for me. I use my trigger finger to operate the mag release and the decocker on my guns.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

 

[golddigger14s]

Due to an eye injury I had to switch to left hand/left eye for rifles. I actually like shooting rifles that are considered "right handed". I can keep my left hand on the grip/trigger area, and rack the round with my right hand whether semi-or bolt action.

 

[SigShooter77]

I am right handed and forced myself to learn to shoot left handed. To me, learning to shoot is more than just aligning the sights to the target and squeezing the trigger, it's the ability to remediate any malfunctions, perform reloads and conduct required proficiency drills. The initial awkwardness went away after a few days of practice and I feel that for an M-4/ AR-15 I am proficient in manipulating the weapon from either shoulder. The dominate vs non-dominate eye is a bit tougher for me to master but optics help and if I can, i will use my dominate (right) eye while shooting left handed, especially with pistol, or else I'll squint my right to force the use of my left. That being said, I don't notice a handicap after learning to shoot lefty on the AR-15. That being said, I do make two modifications, an ambidextrous charging handle and safety. I operate the mag release with my right thumb as I am bring my hand back to get a new mag during a reload and I hit the bolt release with my trigger finger.

 

[GHF]

As a lefty, there are a number of handguns - Beretta PX4s and Glock Gen 4 I know of for sure - that have switchable magazine releases. PX4s with safeties are ambi. There may be others. Striker fired guns like Glocks have no safety.

Remember that what fits your hand is the most important thing with handguns.

Remington makes left handed bolt action rifles - I have one. There may be others, but I have not bought a rifle since 1980.

Mossberg shotguns have a tang safety that is ambi.

 

[Crazy bird]

Save yourself , some time ! Get her a TC Contender ,pro hunter . I went through this same thing , glad I went w/ Thompson center . The accuracy you get is awesome ,Love mine the last rifle I ever have to buy !

 

[AndeyHall]

Damn, I came into this thread thinking if find an argument with the "other" kind of lefties haha. I was about to fix the popcorn.

 

[CapGun]

As a lefty,left handed shooter that is, not the mental condition. As far as a long gun there are plenty of left handed models including Stag Arms left hand AR 15s.
As far as handguns go...if the models have a safety I opt for "ambi" safeties. FNH make completely ambi hand guns. That would be slide release, mag release an safety. Even though many handguns have an ambi mag release, as a lefty I always use my trigger finger to drop the mag. No point doing that differently for different handguns. I find using my trigger finger easier and quicker then manipulating the gun to hit the mag button with my thumb as the righties do.
Hope this helps. Just my experience passed on.

 

[CapGun]

Damn, I came into this thread thinking if find an argument with the "other" kind of lefties haha. I was about to fix the popcorn.

Ever hear "Never argue with idiots because you confuse the onlookers." ? Butter on my popcorn please.

 

[timtheref]

I'm a left-handed right eye dominant shooter. My rifles I shoot right-handed as for me sight picture is more useful than trigger pull if I can only have one. I've become very adept at operating my rifles right handed whether lever action, bolt action, or semi-auto. With handguns, I am not a fan of manual safeties such as those found on S&W Shield or similar weapons. I don't mind grip or trigger safeties like on my Springfield XD, because they are completely ambidextrous. I don't have huge hands, so I operate the mag release with my middle finger while leaving my trigger finger along the side of the frame. I find I have better balance that way. For a left-handed daughter, I would recommend the Kahr line of pistols. They are small, easy to handle, and very accurate. I have pistols from several brands, but my Kahrs hold the places of my EDC always.