Has anyone switched sides?

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PropellerHead

New member
Sorry this is not a political or Second Amendment question, but rather a strong-side / weak-side question.
I have shot left-handed all of my life, and am getting ready to purchase my next rifle. I'm interested in an accurate, long-range rifle and am trying to decide if I should go with a left-handed or a right-handed rifle.

I know that a lefty can shoot a right-handed rifle, but I feel that the risk of injury is unacceptable to do this with any regularity. I intend to reload, and since I'm not absolutely perfect, I don't want the bolt opening pointing at my face in the event of an overpressure round.

The key to all of the above is: has anyone had any experience with retraining themselves to "switch sides"? If so, were you able to attain any degree of accuracy with the "new" side? I have very good vision in both eyes, so that won't be a big factor. I am on a budget, so a custom built left-handed rifle would be nice, but is not possible at this time. I was planning on buying a Savage, but going with a right-handed gun could open up some more options. (No Savage bashing please, I've heard all of the arguments before.)

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

advTHANKSance
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I freak several of my friends out -- I switch hands at RANDOM when I'm shooting, even between stages in a match!

I'm left handed, right eye dominant, so I have more than my fair share of ambidextrous ability.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
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Dead

New member
I can shoot, and play pool either left or right handed, though I am better right handed. Still pretty damned good lefty too!

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Dead [Black Ops]
 
C

Cougar

New member
Prophead,

I shoot long guns left handed and pistols right handed.

The reason? I am cross-dominant. I am right handed, but when I was a kid, I could not close my left eye independantly so I learned to shoot my pop gun (do they still make those?) left handed. (Yes, I know that you should keep both eyes open, but try telling that to a little kid!)

It never bothered me to shoot left-handed with a right-handed gun. In fact, I don't think I would be comfortable with a 'lefty' gun. Oh, I can shoot a right-handed gun right-handed now, but I am still better with a long gun shooting southpaw. I shot NRA Expert in the junior NRA/DCM programs and was undefeated club champ for the four years I shot junior division -- left-handed! I also was asked to join the Ohio State University rifle team as a walk-on after taking rifle marksmanship as a Phys Ed elective, but that's another story.

The selection of left-handed guns leaves a lot to be desired. That, along with the fact that a left-handed gun will cost you a premium as well! You can get anything you want in a right-handed gun. Another factor to shoot right-handed guns... I don't know of any main battle rifle that is available in a left-handed version! Think about that one! One person in seven is left-handed. The Army gets one out of seven recruits that are left-handed. Since they don't have any left-handed guns, they all either learn to shoot right-handed or they shoot the right-handed gun left-handed!

There are advantages of shooting a right-handed bolt-action gun left-handed. Lee Harvey Oswald was supposedly able to get off his shots as fast as he did because he shot a right-handed gun -- and he shot left-handed! (this is the Warren Commission finding, if you believe that sort of thing!) Think about it for a minute... You have the forend of the rifle on a rest and you can flip the bolt with your right hand while your left hand stays on the grip and finger on the trigger!

I shoot pistols right-handed because that is my stronger hand since I'm naturally right-handed. The left eye thing isn't the factor with a pistol that it is with a long gun. I shoot pistol very well also! When I go shooting with my buddies, the loser has to buy the pizza afterwards. I don't have to buy all that often! I can shoot pistol almost as good left-handed as I do right. I really don't have much of a problem with 'weak hand' stages in a match!

Beware of the cross-dominant shooter -- he has two trained trigger fingers! :D


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Remember, just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you!
 
J

Jeff, CA

Guest
You can add me to the list of genetic freaks, er, crossed-up shooters. I shoot a handgun right handed, long gun left-handed. Why? I don't know - that's just the way I am (write left, throw right - go figure). I don't seem to have a dominant eye, but it's harder to close my right eye than the left - and it sounds like I'm not the only one.

I won't try to dissuade your fear about blowing up an overpressure round, but I've found the one place where I can use a right-handed bolt action is in slow, deliberate fire from a bench or rest. You can work the bolt and load/unload with your right hand, right in front of you, where you can see it. Personally, I would take advantage of the better availability of righty guns if this were my purpose. All bets are off for field shooting, though - then it's lefty or lever.

I did experiment with shooting long guns right-handed, and it just wouldn't work. It was like trying to write with the wrong hand - just not natural. I realized I was doing to myself what lefties had been forced to do for centuries - conform to a right-handed standard. None for me, thanks.

I've done some lefty pistol shooting (one-handed, simulated hit on right side), and it's worked pretty well.
 
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Ed Brunner

New member
I can shoot a rifle either way. I am right handed, but learned to shoot a rifle at an early age and couldnt close my left eye and leave my right open. Probably brain damage.
At some point I realized that I could close my left eye only, but was satisfied with my left handed shooting. All my rifle reflexes were left handed.
Went in the army and became a righty with no problem. The reflex thing takes a while, but I wouldnt think you would have any problem as you have goodsight.
I had a training NCO who was a nationally ranked rifleman and I told him I could outshoot him lefthanded. He didnt like it when I said it and he liked it less when I did it. ;) But he was a goodfellow and he got over it.

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You have to be there when it's all over. Otherwise you can't say "I told you so."

Better days to be,

Ed
 
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mussi

New member
Oh, there are lefty SIG 550's going 'round in the Swiss Army, as well
as Stgw57 (SIG 510) and the K31, the latter both shooting 7.5x55mm.

There are also lefty SIG P220 pistols in 9mm doing their rounds here,
so where's the problem. With an M-16, one doesn't forcibly need a
lefty version. With a Steyr AUG, you have to change the bolt and the
switch the ejection port, but else, it's not so much of a problem.

I'm a right-handed shooter myself, though we have to train left-handed
with handguns in the Swiss Army.
 
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C.R.Sam

New member
I am neither handed and bad eyed so, like Mike, I switch around a lot. Try to keep my handgun skills tuned for either side. When shootin around a barricade, a lot less of you is exposed if you use the outboard eye.

Lot of fun usin two targets and primary gun on one and back up on the other, gets easy pretty quick.

Interesting....to me the FN FAL is a left handed gun since the charging handle is on the left. If usin the same eye as shoulder, shouldnt be any more danger from shootin a righty gun lefty and vice versa.

Sam...my favorite 9mm is the 9X32R
 
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Satanta

New member
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by C.R.Sam:
I am neither handed and bad eyed so, like Mike, I switch around a lot. Try to keep my handgun skills tuned for either side. When shootin around a barricade, a lot less of you is exposed if you use the outboard eye.
[/quote]

Same here...basically I'm left handed but anything except writing I can do right handed as well. Only thing I dislike about shooting a right-handed weapon is when the grip is molded or cut so it's for righties.

My Mak90 was like that...had to recut the thumbhole so I could shoot it either handed.

I would not worry too much about shooting a right gun lefty-unless it's an older gun that is not in good shape. Then I wouldn't shoot it either way. :)

One minor concern is having the ejected shells bouncing off your forhead or winging past your ear. ;)



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Satanta, the Whitebear
Sat's Realm: http://SatantasRealm.tripod.com/Entrypage/entrypage.html

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O

oberkommando

New member
CR Sam So is the HK-91.

When shootin around a barricade, a lot less of you is exposed if you use the outboard eye. True but you will have to shoot off hand depending on side so you should be competent of else weigh you ability off hand with you risk of fire, another words if you are no good at off hand you might as well expose a little more and shoot strong.

Have been closing left eye for years with handgun but was told at frontsight to just cant head and shoot both eyes open, will switch to this and if have to shoot around barricade I will switch back to one eye and use the outboard. Sometimes having crossed wireing is a blessing and other times....
 
P

PropellerHead

New member
Wow! Thanks for all of the replys! I do currently shoot an AR15 (not the lefty version), and have shot the M14, both without any difficulty. My main concern about safety is with a bolt action, the opening in the receiver is pointed right at my face when I'm shooting a right-hand rifle left-handed.

The other concern, as Cougar mentioned, is that with a rest, I know that I can be very fast with manipulating the bolt, but from a sitting/standing position, it becomes very slow. Anyone remember the sharpshooter in "Saving Private Ryan"? Look at the contortions that he had to go through to cycle the bolt.

As far as eye dominance, I am left-eye and left-hand dominant. I think that this is one of my concerns. While I am able to consiously able to shift which eye I'm concentrating on, it is hard to close my left eye and keep my right eyelids relaxed. I know, I know... I'm supposed to keep both eyes open.

Anyway, thanks again for all of the posts. The next time my friend takes his rifle to the range, I'm going to put some rounds through it right handed and see what happens. :)
 
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