Left Handed Flintlock necessary?
- Thread starter 41 Colt
- Start date
Boolitcaster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
I understand that the main risk of shooting a right handed flintlock if you are left handed, is the hot gases coming out of the barrel vent.
Your right arm while supporting the fore end could potentially be badly injured/burned if you were inattentive.
- Location
- Ottawa origanally Muskoka
Um have you seen the amount of flames and sparks that issue from a flinters pan during ignition? Do you like your face? Cuz putting your face in its path as a lefty does shooting a right hand gun is risky. Eyebrows,beards,nose hairs fore arms,eyes, head hair/hats all in the line of fire. Not to mention the increased flinching you will do when a hot spark lands on your nose, or flashes right at your eye.
Get some very close fitting eye glasses and try it. Certainly others have, possibly many before left hand guns were very common. I would suspect L hand flinters to be more important than percussion guns just because of the flash and debris. Take the necessary safety precautions, beg a shot from a flinter owner at a range and find out 
Ask your self this over the past 500 years which side of the gun have builders been putting the lock on for right hand shooters? Why is this?
Even if you can shoot a right hand gun from your left shoulder why would you bother, left hand locks, finished guns and kits are all available and come at no premium.
If you shoot/hunt/compete with right hand shooters you will be extra welcome with the left hand vented gun. Lot easier to find room in a blind or fort for a left and right then for two rights.
For the hunter there is a lot less movement reaching from the trigger to the #### if the lock is located on the proper side. maybe splitting hairs on this argument but it is something to consider.
Basically there is no compelling argument why a guy should spend the same money on a gun that puts the vent on the wrong side when he can just as easily get a gun with the vent on the proper side.
Now here is the Brand spanking new never been published left hand insight:
When you carry a right hand gun at trail in your left hand where is the ####? Yep against your thigh waiting to have an accident or waiting to have the frissen brushed enough to spill your prime. Like wise when holding the right hand gun in two hands across your breast as you would while stalking where is the ####? Yep right there trying to get fouled in your possibles bag strap, button holes, shirt pocket, binocular strap etc. When sitting with your rifle across your knees and your hand on the grip where is the ####? Yep resting on your yours, I think you can see that while "shooting" a wrong handed gun is just a matter of glasses and prudence, working/hunting with a wrong handed gun has more implications than the 4 most common internet opinions would reveal ( a search on this topic always reveals the exact same thing but no one ever actually thinks about it) Wait for it cause by the time I am done this post someone will write: What about double barrelled flintlocks...........
The other un considered factor is standing there with a right hand gun held left handed with a FTF. Lots of fun taking a right hand gun off your left shoulder in that situation. No, delayed ignition (beyond prudent hold it down range time frame) is not common or likely, but either are most things we worry about.
Hwally: In the old days, if you were wealthy and left handed or missing your right eye you bought a left hand gun. If you were poor you learned to shoot right handed. Ever see a military firing line with 10 % of the guys holding a brown bess on thier left shoulder? The historic commonality of left hand sporting guns is on par not with the amount of left hand guys but with the amount of left hand guys with money.
yes this topic is one of my pet peeves LOL
Even if you can shoot a right hand gun from your left shoulder why would you bother, left hand locks, finished guns and kits are all available and come at no premium.
If you shoot/hunt/compete with right hand shooters you will be extra welcome with the left hand vented gun. Lot easier to find room in a blind or fort for a left and right then for two rights.
For the hunter there is a lot less movement reaching from the trigger to the #### if the lock is located on the proper side. maybe splitting hairs on this argument but it is something to consider.
Basically there is no compelling argument why a guy should spend the same money on a gun that puts the vent on the wrong side when he can just as easily get a gun with the vent on the proper side.
Now here is the Brand spanking new never been published left hand insight:
When you carry a right hand gun at trail in your left hand where is the ####? Yep against your thigh waiting to have an accident or waiting to have the frissen brushed enough to spill your prime. Like wise when holding the right hand gun in two hands across your breast as you would while stalking where is the ####? Yep right there trying to get fouled in your possibles bag strap, button holes, shirt pocket, binocular strap etc. When sitting with your rifle across your knees and your hand on the grip where is the ####? Yep resting on your yours, I think you can see that while "shooting" a wrong handed gun is just a matter of glasses and prudence, working/hunting with a wrong handed gun has more implications than the 4 most common internet opinions would reveal ( a search on this topic always reveals the exact same thing but no one ever actually thinks about it) Wait for it cause by the time I am done this post someone will write: What about double barrelled flintlocks...........
The other un considered factor is standing there with a right hand gun held left handed with a FTF. Lots of fun taking a right hand gun off your left shoulder in that situation. No, delayed ignition (beyond prudent hold it down range time frame) is not common or likely, but either are most things we worry about.
Hwally: In the old days, if you were wealthy and left handed or missing your right eye you bought a left hand gun. If you were poor you learned to shoot right handed. Ever see a military firing line with 10 % of the guys holding a brown bess on thier left shoulder? The historic commonality of left hand sporting guns is on par not with the amount of left hand guys but with the amount of left hand guys with money.
yes this topic is one of my pet peeves LOL
Last edited:
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
The difference between a left or right handed rifle will be more than just the lock position. There is also the "cast" of the stock to consider. ( http://www.billhanusbirdguns.com/archive08.html )
Not as critical on a rifle as a shotgun but something to consider particularly if you want to shoulder and shoot quickly or use low sights.
Doyle makes some very good points too.
Not as critical on a rifle as a shotgun but something to consider particularly if you want to shoulder and shoot quickly or use low sights.
Doyle makes some very good points too.
my eldest boy is a lefty, I taught him to shoot RH for all of the above reasons. It was frustrating for him at first {he was about 6} but now NP
Just for a bench mark, I paid 160 for mint lefty lyman. Few days ago no one wanted a minty right hand lyman deerstalker for 210.oo.
Price is not a road block unless you are in a big rush.
You might like flintlocks in a more long term way if you start looking at the .58- .62 cal fowlers/smooth rifles. Beautiful guns that will take grouse, moose, etc. Plus they are just darn pretty.
Hate to have another lefty out there shopping for them though I got a parcel of lefties here to arm.
Boolitcaster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Vancouver Island
yeah I just dropped a wad on parts at gunworks around xmas and I have to say Joe and Suzie are about the nicest folks you could ever want to deal with. They are never to busy to make you feel like they want to help and they are knowledgable beyond all get out.
Next week they are getting a check for an Oregon Barrel works barrel.......... and, and
Next week they are getting a check for an Oregon Barrel works barrel.......... and, and
Yeah shooting one is not an issue, But buying one would be like a right hand shooter buying a left hand gun.
I got a safe full of bolt action, lever actions, pumps and used to have alot of semis all right hand guns but I would feel the fool to come home with a right hand flintlock when I could just as easily for the same money get a left hand gun.
Being able to do something does not mean you need to.
X2 what David said, being a lefty , I waited and got lefties for that same reason.Having said that, you don't need a lefty, in fact the top smoothbore shooter in the club that I belong to shoots a right hander ?
Another consideration is the LOP , the closer the touch hole is to your eye
the greater the chance of getting crap in your eye. I remember someone letting their 10 yr old grandson shoot a kids r/h flinter, , even wearing safety glasses, the youngster was having issues.
Cheers nessy.
