Training a lefty

[boarder4life81]

Hi everyone, this may be a silly question but here we go. I'm a righty and shoot with the rifle tucked into my right shoulder. I'm going to start training my oldest daughter, who is left hand dominate, in rifle shooting and gun safety. Any tips on how to approach this? I'm not sure if I should teach her to shoot with the butt tucked into her right shoulder or if it is easier for lefties to shoot with it tucked into their left shoulder. :huh: Logistically I would think it is better for a left handed person to learn to shoot right handed since most of the rifles features (i.e. bolt action/safety switch) are setup for that, but I'm not left handed so I don't know. Thank you in advance for your input.

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[evltwn]

God, you sound like my 3rd grade teacher...gonna teach you the RIGHT way! There are more and more guns lefty friendly...Stag, Savage, yada yada, not to mention pump and lever guns. Teach her in a kind of mirror image of yourself, doing the same things, just with the opposite side.

 

[nitestocker]

im a lefty and shoot a rifle right handed and a pistol left handed i always have

 

[eldbillbo]

My dad got me a right handed bolt action for my first rifle. Back then left handed rifles were hard to find used and at a affordable price, i did not like it cause it took extra effort to eject a shell my dad told me i should practice shooting right handed. It was very awkward for me and i just did not like doing it, because of that, I did not care much for shooting or guns cause i did not like that rifle and it was not until i was introduced to a semi auto rifle several years later that i could shoot left handed with east that i fell in love with shooting.

She can be trained to shoot right handed but it wont feel natural to her and she may loose interest. but i could be wrong every one is different .

and as evltwn mentioned there are far more left handed firearms available now.

 

[2506]

My first rifle was a single-shot bolt action 22. I was so excited to shoot, and so inexperienced, I didn't give a hoot that the bolt was on the wrong side. My first shotgun was a Wingmaster purchased at Kmart for about $200. I ordered a left-handed safety from Remington. Then I got a Savage 99. I never even saw a lefty gun until I got a custom-made Remington 700 for college graduation. Now left-handed firearms are ubiquitous. My point is, if you're into hunting/shooting it won't matter what's on your shoulder. She won't care either. She will care if you make her do something she doesn't like.

 

[XSubSailor]

Determine if she is right or left-eye dominant...that should be a factor as well.

 

[ArgyleAdams]

I'm left-handed but shoot righty because I'm right-eye-dominant, and shooting righty always just felt more comfortable. My dad taught me to shoot. He shoots lefty even though he's right-handed because he's left-eye-dominant.

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[drew]

Determine if she is right or left-eye dominant...that should be a factor as well.

Do this. Your dominant eye can be different than your dominant hand. I'm right handed, left eye dominant. I'm much more accurate shooting left handed.

 

[sheepdip]

a guy I worked with had a sticker on his tool box that said everybody is born right handed, only the best can overcome this affliction.

 

[OEDub]

Do this. Your dominant eye can be different than your dominant hand. I'm right handed, left eye dominant. I'm much more accurate shooting left handed.

Agreed. Shoot with the dominant eye, not the dominant hand. I'm cross dominant as well.

 

[pdx lefty]

Agreed. Shoot with the dominant eye, not the dominant hand. I'm cross dominant as well.

When I'm teaching a new shooter i hand them a rifle and have them point it down range so i can see what feels natural to them. Knowing that they are going to imitate what I'm doing, I'll switch from righty to lefty as needed. As a left handed shooter myself, i am so used to shooting right handed firearms, lefty guns just don't feel right. Pardon the pun.

Lefty.

 

[elsie]

My dad is right-handed and left-eye dominant. He shoots left-handed (rifle butt at the left shoulder) but the bolt actions he uses have all been right-handed that I've seen. He also shoots well enough that rapid handling of the bolt isn't required.

Two options for lefties are single shot, break open actions or a lever action. Semi-autos can be a pain if they're not left-hand actions.


elsie

 

[OEDub]

Another good option is a pump action. That is what my brother & I both used as kids. They are typically right-side eject, but you can quickly manipulate the action easily from either shoulder.

 

[beavertonbuck]

I am a lefty and toy should let her shoot whatever way she is comfortable while also considering what eye is dominate. When I am looking at rifles/shotguns I don't care whether they are left handed unless I am dealing with a bolt action.

However if you are teaching a new shooter you want to stack everything in your favor so if she winds up shooting off her left shoulder tether a left handed gun so hot brass is ejecting into her face.

 

[Box13]

I think eye dominance is the most important thing.You can learn to hold and fire any gun in any manner but you dominant eye is the important factor for sighting in the target and is the most difficult to relearn...

 

[EMP9596]

Do this. Your dominant eye can be different than your dominant hand. I'm right handed, left eye dominant. I'm much more accurate shooting left handed.

I am just the opposite: Lefty with dominate right eye. Much more accurate right handed.

 

[drew]

Do NOT train lefties. They are natures mistakes and should not be trained to defend themselves. Tf they can defend themselves they will live to breed and then the world will never be free of their evil presence. Training them to overcome the natural process of them being weeded out from normal people goes against God's plan. It's in the bible people.

Sounds like you're confusing lefties and gingers.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Sounds like you're confusing lefties and gingers.

No, but gingers are just as bad. Both are a plague on society in their own right. Now if you ever meet a left handed ginger you have to immediately beat them to death with a rock or they will steal your soul.

 

[Boats]

Logistically I would think it is better for a left handed person to learn to shoot right handed since most of the rifles features (i.e. bolt action/safety switch) are setup for that. . . .

If she is left eye dominant, all training to shoot as a righty does is set her up for physical confusion, especially running a bolt. If you must teach a southpaw on a right handed bolt action, don't teach them to do it right handed, let them do it left handed. This way you avoid creating muscle memory that is forever harnessed to the "wrong" eye and shoulder.

A true left/left person operating a right handed bolt gun operates the bolt from over the top with their firing hand.

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[boarder4life81]

If she is left eye dominant, all training to shoot as a righty does is set her up for physical confusion, especially running a bolt. If you must teach a southpaw on a right handed bolt action, don't teach them to do it right handed, let them do it left handed. This way you avoid creating muscle memory that is forever harnessed to the "wrong" eye and shoulder.

A true left/left person operating a right handed bolt gun operates the bolt from over the top with their firing hand.

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I gotta admit, as a right handed/right eye shooter, this technique never crossed my mind. It is so simple that I'm sure figuring out if she is left eye or right eye dominate will be more difficult.