Left-handed firearms
- Thread starter tphenix57
- Start date
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
As a left eye domminant person, I shoot left handedly, however, I am right handed... this is an interesting predicament you might suspect, but not bad at all. I find that almost all guns that are right handed work fine for leftys, with the exceptions of bolt guns and bullpups.
For bolt actions, it is probably easiest to just adjust, but that is a mater of opinion.
For bullpups, most modern ones are ambidextrous in some way or can be converted to left side ejection. Brass deflectors work great to.
For bolt actions, it is probably easiest to just adjust, but that is a mater of opinion.
For bullpups, most modern ones are ambidextrous in some way or can be converted to left side ejection. Brass deflectors work great to.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I am suprized no-one else mentioned the Ithaca M37 shotgun. Much like the BPS, it's bottom feed/eject does not matter too much for RH or LH firing.
If one delves into bullseye target pistol shooting, one will have to make up thier mind regarding right-handed, and left eye dominant aiming. Or the reverse as a matter of fact.
Using the one handed shooting stance of this shooting discipline, it was more natural for myself to purchase a dedicated LH grip for my target piece. And then learned to shoot it in a LH manner. Even though I'm right handed.
YMMV
Trivia: I've personally seen once a TR shooter at Homestead with a RH rifle using expensive, ungainly adapters to his rifle peep sights, front and rear. So that he could use a RH rifle with his left eye aiming dominance. This is financially imparctical for most of us, and he was a talented machinist.
If one delves into bullseye target pistol shooting, one will have to make up thier mind regarding right-handed, and left eye dominant aiming. Or the reverse as a matter of fact.
Using the one handed shooting stance of this shooting discipline, it was more natural for myself to purchase a dedicated LH grip for my target piece. And then learned to shoot it in a LH manner. Even though I'm right handed.
YMMV
Trivia: I've personally seen once a TR shooter at Homestead with a RH rifle using expensive, ungainly adapters to his rifle peep sights, front and rear. So that he could use a RH rifle with his left eye aiming dominance. This is financially imparctical for most of us, and he was a talented machinist.
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- Location
- Lethbridge
Having fired two rounds out of a Type 97 left-handed and catching the brass in the teeth both times, I beg to differ. Wrong-handed? Really?
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
I shoot it left handed all the time. No brass deflector either. As long as you mind not to shoot with your face to far forward it is no problem. The worst I have had out of 300 rounds is like 2 grazing my lip as a reminder.
That's how we refer to it in the army. Just teasing all you lefties, mostly out of pitty. Try not to take it too seriously.A guy in my unit said he was concerned about whether or not the T97 was LH friendly. So I tried firing mine left handed one day. On mine the catridges eject at lest 45 degrees forward and about 30 degrees up. Guess that's just mine though... If yours doesn't jam every 3rd round, I'd gladly trade yours for mine
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...on a serious note, I've seen some LH Ruger Gunsight Scout Rifles before and they're nice! The two at Wholesale Sports disappeared really fast.
My only advice to lefties is keep your Visa ready and jump on any opportunity to pick up a LH rifle that you like. You could also go the custom route but that ain't cheap.
My only advice to lefties is keep your Visa ready and jump on any opportunity to pick up a LH rifle that you like. You could also go the custom route but that ain't cheap.
Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I grew up with right handed bolts, but after acquiring my first left handed bolt, I wondered why the hell I didn't do this earlier. It is sooooo much easier to work a bolt on the left hand side of the receiver. Ask a right handed person to work a left handed bolt and they'll tell you exactly how awkward reaching over the (scoped) action really is. If you want a left handed bolt, do it.
As for cost, lefty bolts do not necessarily cost a whole lot more.
As for cost, lefty bolts do not necessarily cost a whole lot more.
- Location
- Lethbridge
A guy in my unit said he was concerned about whether or not the T97 was LH friendly. So I tried firing mine left handed one day. On mine the catridges eject at lest 45 degrees forward and about 30 degrees up. Guess that's just mine though... If yours doesn't jam every 3rd round, I'd gladly trade yours for mine
Hmm...maybe I wasn't squared off enough and was leaning into it. I'd really like to try one with that brass deflector I saw elsewhere on the forum.
You will quickly find that a lot of companies/vendors do not care to cater to lefties. We are a small segment of the shooting community. But as most users have mentioned already, some rifles and pistols are advantageous for lefties. Some of us have adapted for so long that actual left handed firearms are weird and clumsy.
Ambidextrous pistol controls are very nice and are becoming quite common. I have never used an left handed bolt action, but it felt awkward for me at the shop. I love my VZ58 as it has the charging handle on the right side.
I found that AR-15s are awkward unless they feature an ambidextrous charging handle and have a BAD lever (or equivalent) installed. Some of the more expensive manufacturers make ambidextrous bolt releases in their lowers, but they are much more expensive in Canada (ATRS and KAC).
Bullpups definitely are a problem for lefties. Especially the T97, as there are plenty stories of broken lips and chipped teeth from the T97's ridiculously powerful brass ejection. The IWI Tavor is your best option, but it is in a completely different ball park for pricing. Also, the Kel-tec RFB or KSG would be viable options as they don't eject to the right. Or you could try and find the FS2000.... not cheap or easy to locate.
Ambidextrous pistol controls are very nice and are becoming quite common. I have never used an left handed bolt action, but it felt awkward for me at the shop. I love my VZ58 as it has the charging handle on the right side.
I found that AR-15s are awkward unless they feature an ambidextrous charging handle and have a BAD lever (or equivalent) installed. Some of the more expensive manufacturers make ambidextrous bolt releases in their lowers, but they are much more expensive in Canada (ATRS and KAC).
Bullpups definitely are a problem for lefties. Especially the T97, as there are plenty stories of broken lips and chipped teeth from the T97's ridiculously powerful brass ejection. The IWI Tavor is your best option, but it is in a completely different ball park for pricing. Also, the Kel-tec RFB or KSG would be viable options as they don't eject to the right. Or you could try and find the FS2000.... not cheap or easy to locate.
Being right handed, my left hand stance may not be entirely natural and did feel awkward. I also have optics so my cheek sits a little higher and farther back. Trust me, I was bracing for impact the first time I squeezed the trigger!
