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Posted: 9/25/2001 10:46:33 PM EDT
[#1]
I shoot long guns left handed and handguns right handed...sorta' strange huh!
I would teach the lefty to shoot right handed guns...as they are the most common. Shooting right handed guns left handed is easy to adapt to if you start with them, and she will be able to figure out what is comfortable for her. I can shoot about anything, but a bullpup type rifle...as the ejection port really hurts!..hehehe The AR is a very nice weapon to shoot left handed...the built in brass deflector on the uppers now make burnt arms a thing of the past as the cases fly away. Also, the AR can be adapted with a ambi safety switch and ambi mag release...I don't use them on my AR...as I have adapted a shooting style with a stock AR. Teaching someone to shoot left handed should be no more hard than teaching them right handed...you also might want to teach her both right and left, but let her pick what is more comfortable. Again, I would not get left handed guns / weapons as in an emergency setting the most common are right handed if she needed to "pick" one up in an emergency. Just let her adapt to a right handed firearm while shooting left handed.....okay I have went on enough...hope this helps... medcop |
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Posted: 9/25/2001 10:59:15 PM EDT
[#2]
My daughter is a lefty and I tried to teach her to shoot right handed w/ a rifle(much easier to get right handed and make the sight correction than to find a left handed rifle). After about 5 min of her hitting nothing, I noticed she had her right eye closed and was trying to shoot right handed with her left eye. Once corrected, she has been almost outshooting me for a few years now. A lefty CAN learn to shoot righty.
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Posted: 9/25/2001 11:02:29 PM EDT
[#3]
Personally, I have 2 lefty sons, but I'm going to teach to shoot righty. I find it uncomfortable to have super hot rifle case coming out of the ejection port and whizzing past their heads. I have seen people get painful burns from these hot cases when shooting lefty. Nothing is more discouraging than getting hit by hot rifle brass.
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Posted: 9/25/2001 11:08:34 PM EDT
[#4]
Speaking as an instructor and armourer for my extended family (ranging from 5'0" to 6'3" (me) and I am the sole southpaw!) Let me give you some tips...
1) Train your children on right-handed weapons - but teach them as lefties. This is important to them. Also, take a few minutes to confirm eye dominance before training begins. 2) I have found that my left-handedness comes as an advantage when training, as I can provide an example much like looking in a mirror. Use the same method when teaching your daughter. 3) Slowly convert your weapons to ambi contrls - but don't hurry! She may someday need to use something that has not been converted, and having the training on right-handed weapons could save her life... 4) Failing that, if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, email me and we can arrange training for her when you feel she is ready (provided I haven't departed fr Arizona by then...) Being left-handed myself and being surrounded by "righties," I have developed a great deal of paitence as a trainer and teaching a lefty would be a welcme change! FFZ [email protected] BTW - even if you're not local, feel free to email me if you have trouble and I will do what I can to help you out... |
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Posted: 9/25/2001 11:14:04 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted: I am Right handed/Left eye dominant. Creates a few minor problems, especially with a shotgun. I have never had to teach a lefty to shoot. AFARR I'm left handed/Right eye dominant, but do not have stereo vision. Its weird what leftys will do as a lefty or do as a righty. Just about everything I do is lefty, except for boxing, My stance is righty, but I just jab with my left. I say left them shoot how they feel comfortable. I never had a problem with dominance until I tried shooting clays. Pistols and rifles, I close my right eye so dominance doesn't matter. I'm going to try and learn to shoot shotgun right-handed, to see if my scores improve. Quoted: 2. When they graduate to centerfire rifles and shotguns, are there any that work WELL for both lefty and righty's? The AR should work, but I believe that I have seen a lefty upper for it at least once. AFARR I wouldn't bother with the lefty upper for the AR. The one I saw was a butchered standard upper. Just get one with a deflector and you'll be fine. I shoot right-handed bolt guns lefty with no problem. AK's, FAL's, and my M1's are no problem shooting. Operating the safety can be a nusance. The only real problem I have is with my shotgun. It's a Beretta with the button safety in the trigger guard. I alway seem to engage it when shooting. On a shotgun, I would recogmend one with a tang safety. I don't remember any firearm I have shot thowing brass into my face, so that shouldn't be a problem. The only time shooting lefty was a problem was when I went to Front Sight for the Free Subgun Class. While shooting the M11's, my eyes would tear up from the burnt powder gases during the long bursts, thats it. |
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Posted: 9/25/2001 11:23:06 PM EDT
[#6]
Well I'm a lefty and it is not bad to be a lefthanded shooter. I had my share of brass go down my neck and sleeves in the Army. I was even a M60 (no deflectors on those) gunner for most of my time in the Army. It was a pleasure pain thing for me. Now the have those brass deflectors for the sissies :) on the ARs. I would just be happy they are interested in shooting.
Now holding a writing implement, I'm all screwed up like a football bat. No Slack! |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 12:24:58 AM EDT
[#7]
FreeFireZone - agreed wholeheartedly - RH weapons, but have them shoot lefty. Let them shoot the side they wish and I would certainly advise that they use the dominant eye if it's comfortable for them.
warlord - nobody ever died from hot brass [:D] and there is no way that brass is going to hit their heads with a deflector unless they are in some REALLY funky shooting position. Don't worry - let 'em shoot lefty. Tate |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 1:09:15 AM EDT
[#8]
I'm right handed but shoot rifles left-handed and handguns right-handed. I've never owned a left-handed rifle, nor have I ever shot one. And I've never had any sort of problem.
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Posted: 9/26/2001 1:23:39 AM EDT
[#9]
But in case you're interested.... DPMS makes a good lefty upper.
Teach them the basics however they feel the most comfortable (as a righty or lefty). After that they can switch with practice to all forms and methods of shooting. Let us know how it turns out and what you've decided. Thanks |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 2:57:52 AM EDT
[#10]
My father, over the last few years has finally
gotten interested in firearms. He's made some pretty good choices too, all on his own. One of his latest purchases was a Remington 700BDL in .17 Remington w/ Leupold (sp?) glass. He asked me help him get started shooting, so with much enthusiasm I ran over there and started going over the basics with him. I found he has a problem I don't know how to overcome. He's right handed, left eye dominant, and above all else, he [b]can't wink!!!![/b]. He's totally uncomfortable shooting left handed & isn't interested in trying. What do you do with somebody like this???? |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 3:03:16 AM EDT
[#11]
This is a lefty bashing thread, and should be locked up! [;)]
Hey, you seen me shoot a AR, even the 50's lefty. As long as you have a brass defector, it should be fine. c-rock |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 3:27:17 AM EDT
[#12]
I would suggest you base the training on eye dominance, especially considering her age. As you know, cross dominance shooting is a pain in the ass. I am left handed. right eyed dominant, but I shoot pistols left handed, because I am uncomfortable, I feel that I do not have proper control of the weapon with my right hand. If I hand trained right handed as a kid this would have been easily overcome.
My AR is no problem left handed, with regards to brass ejection. My Sigs are no problem left handed, with regards to manipulation of the controls, it's all in the thumb. I would also suggest that if you get her any centerfire bolt action rifles, get them left handed, if she ends up shooting left handed. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 3:34:26 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted: My father, over the last few years has finally gotten interested in firearms. He's made some pretty good choices too, all on his own. One of his latest purchases was a Remington 700BDL in .17 Remington w/ Leupold (sp?) glass. He asked me help him get started shooting, so with much enthusiasm I ran over there and started going over the basics with him. I found he has a problem I don't know how to overcome. He's right handed, left eye dominant, and above all else, he [b]can't wink!!!![/b]. He's totally uncomfortable shooting left handed & isn't interested in trying. What do you do with somebody like this???? An eye patch or glasses with a lense blacked out. Another old pistol shooter's trick is to put a small piece of scotch tape on the lense of the glasses, just enough to cover the non-dominant eye's field of vision when sighting in. Allowing equal light to both eyes is said to improve the focus ability of the sighting eye. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 4:14:00 AM EDT
[#14]
Oh! Handed! So much for my idea of making her read some Adam Smith and Ayn Rand and killing her if she wasn't conservative after that!
Nooooo! Jack B. has the right idea. Eye dominance is much more important. If she's even, I don't know what to tell you except that everyone should be ambidextrous with firearms. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 4:23:17 AM EDT
[#15]
I am a right handed left eye dominant shooter myself. I have no problems shooting LH with RH rifles. I shoot AK, AR, shotgun, 10/22, bolt actions all left handed. I have never had any problems. Forcing a child to use the non dominant eye to shoot may deter them.
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Posted: 9/26/2001 4:52:41 AM EDT
[#16]
I am left handed. I have never had problems shooting RH weapons unconverted. In fact, one of my stints in college, when trying out for the ROTC rifle team, some scholarship (ROTC shooting)punk was given the only Anschutz lefty rifle. I had to compete for the right to use that weapon, using a RH Anschutz (very awkward), where I shot 298/300. She will do what is natural for her- just guide her.
For those with counter-dominant eyes, when my grandfather started his slow spiral to death, he went blind in his right eye. We went to a gunstock factory in Springfield MO, and had a stock made for his favorite shotgun. The stock was made with a crook at the wrist that allowed him to shoulder the weapon right handed, but allowed him to sight w/ left eye. Hope this helps, Don Out |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 5:37:30 AM EDT
[#17]
Go with the dominant eye.Im left handed and left eye dominant.I shoot left handed.I'm above average shot with both handgun and rifle.I'm also a NRA instructor and ashooting coach.My 6 year old son is left eye dominant and right handed.He is learning left handed.After a mere 5 sessions he can hit a soda can at 15 yards everytime.As you agen your eye dominance increases.Dont set them up for the dissapointment.A lot of people quit shooting when they have trouble with there eyes.
One more thing I missed out on the Olympics because I leared to shoot a bow righty.I just couldnt see well enough.Almost but not quite. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 1:21:54 PM EDT
[#18]
Here I was thinking you were saying that she was going to be a LEFTY (i.e. - LIBERAL!). I was going to recommend the following treatment:
1) Obtain a good, hard stick. 2) Position daughter within reach of said stick. 3) Beat daughter repeatedly about the head and shoulders. [stick] 4) Repeat step 3) until she begins singing the praises of Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh. [BD] Only kidding, of course.... [;)] |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 1:31:23 PM EDT
[#19]
Whew!.....thought you meant left wing at first.
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Posted: 9/26/2001 1:54:38 PM EDT
[#20]
Bishop, our thoughts were the same !!
I thought he meant the next "Hanoi Jane Fonda." |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 2:02:59 PM EDT
[#21]
C-rock:
Yeah, I've seen you shoot--that's why I want to do it right. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Just kidding!!!--although I noticed you aren't real wild about the Bushmaster M17. I guess I wouldn't be either if I had to shoot a gun designed to throw brass into my ear canal. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 2:12:00 PM EDT
[#22]
I'm a lefty, and I shoot the Ar with no problem.
However, which side you use should be based on eye-dominance, not right or left handedness. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 2:20:00 PM EDT
[#23]
Is there any way to switch a lefty to a righty while they're still young? My fiance being a lefty, I know how hard some things can be. I'd want to give her all the advantages of being a righty if possible. So, can you maybe tie her left hand behin her back for a month to make her a righty? Is this possible? I know it's a brain thing, but I'm sure there are ways of overcoming that...even amputees have to learn to use their other hand.
Any ideas in case this happens to my kids (if I ever have any)? |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 2:22:50 PM EDT
[#24]
I am left handed... and left eyed.
I have NEVER ever fired a "left handed" gun. You can adapt. Right handed rifles are just natural for me... and I cannot imagine why anyone would try and teach their children backward from their natural inclination. I love being left handed, and I outshoot every single right handed range buddy I go with. Bolt guns are no big deal, except when shooting offhand with sighted follow-up shots. I have fired several AR's with no shell deflectors... and have never been hit by brass. In fact, none of my rifles or pistols have ever been a problem. The only times I get hit with brass in the face/arms, is when the guy on my left at the range slings em my way. Damn proud lefty. |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 3:25:14 PM EDT
[#25]
When I started shooting I naturally shot left. I am left handed. However being that I was very very young. One day while shooting I just changed over. Just decided to. Don't know why except that I tried to lean over the barrel because I am right eye dominant. My father in the beginning just remarked that if I shot that way when I was shooting higher caliber guns I would be walking around with bruised cheeks and black eyes so I guess I took him seriously. To this day I still shoot right. I play baseball, and wright left handed. Play guitar and Shoot right handed. ??/ Lefties are wierd anyway. They are great wing shots when placed on the left side when walking the fields.
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Posted: 9/26/2001 3:36:36 PM EDT
[#26]
I would NOT teach her to shoot right handed.
I am left handed, and whenever I shoulder a firearm on my right side, I HAVE to close my left eye, enable to see the sites correctly. Ditto with a scope. I have a browning gold 12 gauge, that is right handed, I shoot it left handed all day long. never had a problem with doin it.... I can shoot handguns with BOTH hands!! HAHAH Being ambidextrus (sp?) comes in handy sometimes.... |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 4:50:43 PM EDT
[#27]
Don't try to change her. I shoot rifles lefty, because I'm left eye dominent. Never been a problem.
(except for the old AR15's without the brass deflector. Hot brass down the shirt---yowza) |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 5:09:43 PM EDT
[#28]
I too thought you meant leftist, not lefty. I'm so relieved.
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Posted: 9/26/2001 5:27:36 PM EDT
[#29]
Here's the good news...a HK P7 is about as "ambi" as they come for a 9mm.
Here's the bad news...by the time she's old enough to need her own, no one will be able to afford one. Seriously, it might be a blessing; shooting and instructing weak-handed is a great way to get back to the basics in you own mind AND empathize with someone to whom everything feels new and strange. Give it a try. Stay safe |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 6:33:41 PM EDT
[#30]
True enough on the P7--I have one, and am looking towards getting another.
PSP model-- [img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1157297&a=11109695&p=52026292&Sequence=0&res=high[/img] |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 10:28:08 PM EDT
[#31]
Quoted: I'm right handed but shoot rifles left-handed and handguns right-handed. I've never owned a left-handed rifle, nor have I ever shot one. And I've never had any sort of problem. Glad I am not the only one who is like this..hehe. medcop |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 10:59:00 PM EDT
[#32]
I am right handed but left-eye dominant as well. As long as I can remember I have been shooting rifles lefty. I am glad my father didn't make me change (probably because he is the same way). The only righty bolt-action I have a problem with is my Mosin. My Enfields are slick as snot lefty... Just reach over and shuck it. The only time I have a problem with hot brass is when I am firing my 1911A1, and the brass pings off my forehead. [:D] The child should naturally hold the rifle the way that is correct for her. Cheers, Chris |
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Posted: 9/26/2001 11:23:23 PM EDT
[#33]
First off I am a Lefty. Please for your child's sake, allow her to be left handed. As far as teaching her about weapons, allow her to do what comes natural. Uncle same put every right had made weapon they had in my left hand and other then catching a few spent .223 rounds in the teeth, I did fine. I still to this day shoot a right hand made Glock 22 better then 90% of my right handed brother cops with my left hand. Another reason I would discourage you getting any left hand made weapons is simply that there aren't that many around and it will be easier for her to learn to shoot the more common right hand made weapons from the start. Above all, allow her to enjoy shooting. I know that because it was never a matter of how well I did it (until my Army and cop days) my love for shooting and firearms was always pleasurable.
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