Thread: Lefty shooting right

For shotgunning it will depend on your eye dominance. I am a left shooter, but right eye dominant. If I have both eyes open I tend to shoot behind the target. If I close my right eye, I mostly hit the target. After that the only difference is that some guns have a cast in the stock.

Originally Posted by kellyraz

Thanks heaps for all the info team.
But, talking about shotguns sorry. My bad for not lack of detail.
Looking at o/u and piss all left handed ones out there for a beginner.

Shooting a right handed gun bent to the left is a pain in the chuff for me. You have to look for something left handed ie less common and more costly. Or guns without a cast which seem to be cheaper guns. Unfortunately some Autos also have a caste!

Originally Posted by May BE

For shotgunning it will depend on your eye dominance. I am a left shooter, but right eye dominant. If I have both eyes open I tend to shoot behind the target. If I close my right eye, I mostly hit the target. After that the only difference is that some guns have a cast in the stock.

@kellyraz - have you checked your eye dominance yet? No amount of practice will overcome being cross-dominant. I'm in the same situation as May BE above. I tried to get to grips with shotguns as a slightly built youngster shooting left-handed but just couldn't get it sorted. After I'd lost the love for the shotty my optometrist told me to invest the time to learn to shoot right-handed as it eliminates the problem of having to shut an eye, and back in the late 80s there were sod all left-handed riffles about so it was a win-win. Thousands of air rifle pellets later I did learn to shoot right-handed so it feels totally natural now.

Relatively recently I got to have a go at a few shots at clays down the line - shot right-handed as is normal for me now and what a difference. I could actually see myself getting back into shotguns and clays again.

Forgive us if we're teaching you to suck eggs here - it's good to bring it up as I've seen quite a few inexperienced shooters doing weird things trying to get a sight picture through a scope. When I get them to do an eye dominance test it often explains it - they're just trying to look with the dominant eye, even if it's not the same side they've shouldered the rifle on.

Originally Posted by Steelisreal

@kellyraz - have you checked your eye dominance yet? No amount of practice will overcome being cross-dominant. I'm in the same situation as May BE above. I tried to get to grips with shotguns as a slightly built youngster shooting left-handed but just couldn't get it sorted. After I'd lost the love for the shotty my optometrist told me to invest the time to learn to shoot right-handed as it eliminates the problem of having to shut an eye, and back in the late 80s there were sod all left-handed riffles about so it was a win-win. Thousands of air rifle pellets later I did learn to shoot right-handed so it feels totally natural now.

Relatively recently I got to have a go at a few shots at clays down the line - shot right-handed as is normal for me now and what a difference. I could actually see myself getting back into shotguns and clays again.

Forgive us if we're teaching you to suck eggs here - it's good to bring it up as I've seen quite a few inexperienced shooters doing weird things trying to get a sight picture through a scope. When I get them to do an eye dominance test it often explains it - they're just trying to look with the dominant eye, even if it's not the same side they've shouldered the rifle on.

Thanks heaps for this info. I am like the fella above, right eye dominant, shoot left shoulder, once right eye closed shoots not bad. might have to consider the right shoulder.
I'm happy to be told to suck eggs haha one way to find out how things work and there seems to be a lot of experienced people on here with ways around.

Thanks again everyone.

Picking up on this thread my 8yr old son is cross dominant - right handed left eye dominant. He’s starting to get keen to move beyond the 22 but struggles to get view through the scope without me covering his left eye. From what I’ve read here sounds like I might be better to try him shouldering the rifle on the left shoulder rather than to try training him to use his right eye?

Originally Posted by kellyraz

Thanks heaps for all the info team.
But, talking about shotguns sorry. My bad for not lack of detail.
Looking at o/u and piss all left handed ones out there for a beginner.

bakail or lambers will see you right,there is not much cast on them.older bro is lefty as is bro in law....
I right handed,right eye dominant BUT as young fella learnt to wink (thinking of gals no doubt) so I can shoot lefty easy enough,I just shut right eye. I often semi close my left/offside eye any way so its no biggie.
the lever options sorts rifles....
dont rule out a single barrel either....
you will use less ammunition and kill just about as many ducks... trust me on this one,even using pump or semi its usually a single that goes down...the multiple bird hits are great and make you fell like superman,but the singles soon add up.
there are times whe nI still take the single for a walk....and with one of them in hand,I seldom miss.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Picking up on this thread my 8yr old son is cross dominant - right handed left eye dominant. He’s starting to get keen to move beyond the 22 but struggles to get view through the scope without me covering his left eye. From what I’ve read here sounds like I might be better to try him shouldering the rifle on the left shoulder rather than to try training him to use his right eye?

Yes thats worth trying, it might take some practice. While it's possible to shoot with a scope, open sights are just about impossible to shoot right handed if you are lefty eye dominant.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Picking up on this thread my 8yr old son is cross dominant - right handed left eye dominant. He’s starting to get keen to move beyond the 22 but struggles to get view through the scope without me covering his left eye. From what I’ve read here sounds like I might be better to try him shouldering the rifle on the left shoulder rather than to try training him to use his right eye?

of use a pair of old sunnies with sticky plaster over left eye.or a dot covering most of glass.
we tried for ages to get BIL to shoot right..but left it is. my wife is right handed and keeps trying to use left eye...drives me nuts.

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

Yes thats worth trying, it might take some practice. While it's possible to shoot with a scope, open sights are just about impossible to shoot right handed if you are lefty eye dominant.

not if you can wink..... I can shoot open sights left eye/left handed...usually happens out window of ute on farm when bunny goes back behind where I CAN SHOOT right handed.

My old man is right handed, but used a right handed rifle to shoot left handed in Africa. Never missed. If it works then go for it. Also learning on a new sided orientation would allow you to negate any bad habits your favoured side may have. Plus, shooting lefty on a right handed firearm or visa versa allows your non trigger hand to be free to reload and in theory be ready for a follow up shot quicker

You can get stocks that enable you to shoot left hand with dominant right eye and vice versa.


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Originally Posted by kellyraz

What's everyones thoughts on a lefty shooter using a right handed gun, still shooting left ?
I have a feeling everyone can still 'learn' to shoot a different handed gun but would it make a big difference to how accurate it would be ?

I shoot left handed with right handed guns/rifles. Never tried a left hooker so can’t be sure if I would be better. I subconsciously get around any problem by having straight stocked non bolt types of rifles, Contender and rolling block. My semi shotgun does throw the empties across and near my face and this is a concern. I did have close call with a bolt rifle when a dodgy reload blew powered brass out of the gas port on the receiver. A case that was way past its best. Anyway, tiny bits of brass blasted out some need up in my face. No damage to me or the rifle, but it was a surprise.

Shotgun fit is everything, all top clay competitors will have had this done.
Get your shotgun fitted I had this done when I came to the uk.

Basically my gunmaker heats the stock with a red lamp and bends it. I’m talking wooden stocks. Not sure who dose this in nz but I went from being a very average shot to rather good. Wish I’d done this right from the start.

Here’s a bit on it https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/al...t-gunfit-83927

I’ll put up a pick tomorrow of the cast on mine……it’s a lot you will have a laugh
Hope this helps.

In the mean time I dug this up from a great day out back in 2016.

Don’t know if you can see it in this photo.

I’ve tried to line the join in the floor with the rib on the barrel to show how much cast is on the stock.