South Paw, is it really a problem?

t_102

t_102

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I have a friend who wants to get into the shooting sport and was asking me about left handed guns and it's availability. Me being a right handed person don't really know much info to answer him. However, it got me wondering, here's a question for all of you southpaws:

How hard is it to adapt into using the right hand to pull the trigger, and shoulder the gun on the right side?

As a right handed shooter, I understand how awkward it may be to use my left hand and should it on the left side. However, I feel like if I did this from the start, it shouldn't be a problem. Also, if you look at CQB courses, they teach to use both side of the gun to shoot depending on whether the cover is on the right side or the left side to minimize exposure, and people do get good at it. Isn't this proof that if a right handed person can shoot with his left side, then it shouldn't be hard to have the left handed person to shoot normal right side guns? From the beginning?
 
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t_102 said:
I have a friend who wants to get into the shooting sport and was asking me about left handed guns and it's availability. Me being a right handed person don't really know much info to answer him. However, it got me wondering, here's a question for all of you southpaws:

How hard is it to adapt into using the right hand to pull the trigger, and shoulder the gun on the right side?
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I'm a lefty and don't have a problem with right handed guns I just shoot them left, except for bolt actions which I don't care for anyway. If buying a shotgun Mossberg make several models that have ambidextrous safeties. Semi Autos aren't a problem, I used to worry about the brass ejecting across my field of view and maybe hitting my face but it never has happened so far and I always wear safety glasses
 
Oh and you should shoot with whatever eye is dominant, IE if you're left eye dominant but right handed shoot left.... My wife discovered she could not hit the broadside of a barn shooting right and she is right handed, but she tried left and bingo she was hitting targets no problem, we realized she is left eye dominant.
 
Bolt actions are the only thing that require adaptation, and it isn't hard. I can fire my Mosin with no problems, and there are right handers who have trouble with the action on those. Pistols and semi auto rifles are easy. If your friend can't adapt he probably shouldn't be shooting anyway. Or be walking around.
 
Left hand operation of a right hand bolt is super easy if you have it benched or are using a bipod, left hand never leaves the trigger area, left eye stays on target as your right hand cycles the action freely.

All I use is a pinky finger to cycle the bolt back and a open palm to return into battery.
 
ARs can be very lefty-friendly with a few parts. Ambi-safety is the real essential (I thumb off, index finger on). Ambi charging handle is a nice to have in CQB, but not essential. Bolt release works with left index finger, and I use my right thumb to drop the mag. For speed add a KAC or Norgon Ambi mag release.

The only AR uppers not lefty-friendly are the old style A1s without the brass knocker, a lefty may catch brass with his forehead/shoulder. Any new AR will not have this issue.
 
The only thing he may have an issue with is some bullpups. Otherwise tell him to save his money and buy a right hand gun. There is no reason to waste your money on a left handed gun. They are harder to find, cost more, parts are impossible to find, the parts cost more and there is less selection.

Shawn
 
Corry said:
Oh and you should shoot with whatever eye is dominant, IE if you're left eye dominant but right handed shoot left.... My wife discovered she could not hit the broadside of a barn shooting right and she is right handed, but she tried left and bingo she was hitting targets no problem, we realized she is left eye dominant.
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That's funny you mentioned that, some old friends came up to visit not long back. Took to the range with my A1 style AR15. Two of them were hitting steel easily at 200 meters from the prone except my one buddy who couldn't get a ring no matter how hard he tried, out of curiosity tried the dominant eye test with hands extended in front and a space between the web of thumbs. Turns out he was right handed but left eye dominant.

Got him back in prone shooting left handed and he hit the gong 9 out of 10 shots better than the other two who were ringing it pretty easily all day up to then! lolol

Great advice Sir.
 
Grove said:
Left hand operation of a right hand bolt is super easy if you have it benched or are using a bipod, left hand never leaves the trigger area, left eye stays on target as your right hand cycles the action freely.

All I use is a pinky finger to cycle the bolt back and a open palm to return into battery.
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I was just gonna say the same thing. with bolt guns the problem you run into with a right hand gun is shooting multiple shots from un supported positions. but make you shot count and you don't need a follow up shot and if you do with practice you can manage. now on to the pistols and tactical stuff. I have no problem at all with any pistol and actually prefer shooting them left handed do to the controls and the safety factor. I always power rack my pistols instead of using the slide lock. lil slower but I know ill never miss the button. also the mag release is nice to I use the middle finger on my left hand to drop the mag. I prefer this because it forces my trigger finger out of the trigger guard making it a lil safer, less chance of an accidental discharge. now on to the tactical rifles. when doing drills with and ar15 my right eye is able to always glance at the action requiring less gun movement to observe a malfunction. ex ample I don't have to roll my gun over to observe the failure I can just procede with my malfunction drill. I have and ambi mag release and safety on mine. make my reloads a lil quicker and safer. I operate my bolt catch with my trigger finger. all my right had has to do is put a mag in. hope this helps a little bit. I just finally after 20 years of shooting got my first left hand bolt gun and it is actually a little weird I keep reaching for the bolt with my right hand haha. let your friend fondle your guns in a safe manner so he cant see what works and doesn't work. only about %17 of the population is left handed and I bet only %10 percent of guns are left handed.
 
I've got a lefty bolt action .22 and while I do love it, I've never had a problem with with my Mosin, or any other right handed bolt gun. All the semis I've ever shot have never caused any issue (that said, I've never fired a bullpup), and I love my levers. Us South paws excel at adapting to this right handed world we live in, we do it every day, all day. From the right handed written language to those damn scissors and can openers we have to try and operate.
 
"...adapt into using the..." You don't adapt to doing anything. You just shoot the way that feels correct.
"...just shoot them left...bring him in to the fold sir..." Exactly.
"...right handed but left eye dominant..." Bit more complicated, but not a big deal.
 
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