Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default Southpaw config or no?

    Hey all,

    I'm looking into a hunting rifle, like a Ruger American in .308. I have fired a bolt gun on a few occasions, but none recently, and have not owned one before. I'm left-handed, and left eye dominant. My dilemma is whether or not to go with a left-handed rifle, or learn to work the must more common right-handed setup. It seems like being proficient with a right-handed bolt wouldn't be a bad thing, but obviously it would be far less intuitive than just using a rifle setup for my dominant side to begin with. Spare parts might be harder to find for a left-handed gun as well. What do you all think? Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    I am right handed and left eye dominant, and have LH bolt action rifles for hunting. For milsurps and some others I hold RH rifles off the left shoulder as I can't shoot well otherwise. There are more LH options today than there used to be.
    Illegitimus non carborundum est

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    If you're a natural lefty, why would you even consider shooting right handed?

    Just saw this yesterday. $599 Free shipping and no tax. They are a great store and they ship super fast.



    https://www.cdnnsports.com/firearms/...left-hand.html
    Accuse your enemy of what you are doing as you are doing it to create confusion -Karl Marx

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by RockIsland View Post
    If you're a natural lefty, why would you even consider shooting right handed?
    Thanks for sharing that link! Sorry, I should have been clearer in my wording. I would still shoot left handed with the right handed rifle. Either way I'd shoot left handed, just not sure if it's worth getting comfortable with doing it with a right-handed bolt.
    Last edited by BladeOfAnduril; July 25th, 2022 at 12:59 PM. Reason: typo

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by BladeOfAnduril View Post
    Thanks for sharing that link! Sorry, I should have been clearer in my wording. I would still shoot left handed with the right handed rifle. Either way I'd shoot left handed, just not sure if it's worth getting comfortable with doing it with a right-handed bolt.
    I've done it all my years shooting. It's easy enough to shoot and reach back with the right hand to work the bolt while gripping the rifle steady with the left. I adapted because I had access to my father's rifles for hunting. Easier to buy and sell right-handed guns as well.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by RockIsland View Post
    If you're a natural lefty, why would you even consider shooting right handed?
    See quoted below

    Quote Originally Posted by lager1829 View Post
    I've done it all my years shooting. It's easy enough to shoot and reach back with the right hand to work the bolt while gripping the rifle steady with the left. I adapted because I had access to my father's rifles for hunting. Easier to buy and sell right-handed guns as well.
    Yup. As a lefty, shooting a right handed bolt gun from the bench means you keep your firing hand on the gun at all times, and you work the action faster than having to reach over or break your grip. Works from just about any other position, even standing, if you have the upper body strength.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    And eye dominance is one of the most overrated aspects of the shooting sports. People who don*t have a clue make a huge deal out of it, like shooting with the non dominant eye will get you arrested or something.

    You should be shooting with both eyes open. Eye *dominance* is not etched in stone and you can train your eye muscles to switch *dominance*. The hardest part is accepting that you*re going to do it. It doesn*t take very much time or practice, you just need to get off what the *experts* say.
    Crusader's local #556 South Central Asia chapter

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronin View Post
    See quoted below



    Yup. As a lefty, shooting a right handed bolt gun from the bench means you keep your firing hand on the gun at all times, and you work the action faster than having to reach over or break your grip. Works from just about any other position, even standing, if you have the upper body strength.
    That is supposed to be the reason Oswald shot as fast as he did...

    Quote Originally Posted by cdi View Post
    And eye dominance is one of the most overrated aspects of the shooting sports. People who don*t have a clue make a huge deal out of it, like shooting with the non dominant eye will get you arrested or something.

    You should be shooting with both eyes open. Eye *dominance* is not etched in stone and you can train your eye muscles to switch *dominance*. The hardest part is accepting that you*re going to do it. It doesn*t take very much time or practice, you just need to get off what the *experts* say.
    I take exception to this... Do you have any references?
    Illegitimus non carborundum est

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    One of my daughters is a lefty and the other one is a righty but cross dominate with a good left eye. I taught them both to shoot with their left eye but with a right handed gun and they don't have a problem. Even bolt actions. To them its just how you shoot.

    I think eye dominance is extremely important and you should always shoot favoring your good eye. I had all kinds of problems at first training my cross eyed dominant girl. Her groups were all over but when I noticed she would sometimes look over the rifle and try to sight it using her left eye. We figured out the problem and I got her to start shooting left hand. While she didn't like it at first and said it felt awkward her groups instantly improved and a few more range trips shooting left handed and she didn't even think about it. Cross dominance doesn't make any difference when shooting a pistol and keeping both eyes open. You will naturally use your dominant eye. But with rifles and especially shotguns suck it up even though it feels awkward at first shoot left handed.

    .

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Southpaw config or no?

    Quote Originally Posted by gghbi View Post
    That is supposed to be the reason Oswald shot as fast as he did...



    I take exception to this... Do you have any references?
    Ask your optometrist. I was told this years ago, first by an instructor at Smith and Wesson then by my ex-wife*s optometrist when I asked him about it. I*ve suggested it to numerous students over the course of 30 years or so of firearm instructing.

    Some have had good success with it, others not so much. I have noticed more than a few folks that hang out a shingle for *firearm instructor* that have no real experience beyond carrying a gun around a lot and an NRA instructor certificate insisting that eye dominance is the end all be all. It isn*t. It helps to stop closing one eye- especially when shooting with a scope.
    Crusader's local #556 South Central Asia chapter

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