Lefties

[Madmyron]

I’m looking for a rifle for my nephew new to hunting/shooting. Before I asked, gpa let him shoot our single shot 410 and it went natural to left shoulder. I’ve talked to a few people that say teach him on RH bolts and he will be fine. LH rifles are more limited but is it a better way to go?

[Dick284]

There are more left hand options out there than there has ever been.
Then there’s the ambidextrous options as well.
Savage
Tikka
Browning
Sako
Remington
Ruger
Weatherby
Zastava
Sabbatti

For bolt guns.

Marlin
H&R
NEF
Browning
Ruger
Remington
Henry

For Ambi’s

As for the get him a right hand rifle sayers, those folks ain’t got a clue!

[Madmyron]

Is it worth buying the left hand rifle For him to learn on? Or let him shoot my RH guns and see how it goes?

[Madmyron]

Only have a 30-06 with Boyd’s prairie hunter stock that favours right shoulder, and RH BLR. Marlin 39a too but all eject right side

[NW Tradegunner]

Which is his master eye?

[Jerry D]

Check eye dominance, have them look through a role of paper towel or toilet paper.

Whatever eye is dominant should be what they shoot, regardless of handiness.

I am rh, but shoot left hand because of eye dominance.

If its better for lh shooters to shoot rh, why aren't all the rh shooters, shooting left hand?





Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk

[curtz]

I'm a lefty but shot right hand guns my whole life, I think a left handed bolt would be awkward for me now. If he's a lefty, start him with a left handed bolt. Like Dick 84 said there's lots of option now a days.

[Lefty]

Eye dominance is the important part of which way you shoot. My wife was slightly more left eye dominate for years and shot left handed. Then she started having issues shooting the past year and then we found her eyes have changed and she is right eye dominate. Tried shooting right handed an although it was awkward for her to handle the rifle right handed she immediately started shooting better. Now she is doing really well and bought a right handed one, and now wants to sell her left handed rifle.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by NW Tradegunner

Which is his master eye?

This.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Madmyron

Only have a 30-06 with Boyd’s prairie hunter stock that favours right shoulder, and RH BLR. Marlin 39a too but all eject right side

Ejection is dang near irrelevant.

Look at a Remington 788 for example, the left hand actions have right hand ejection.

If it’s a case of letting him get some trigger time in, then type or style of action is no big deal, if he is indeed left eye dominant then start looking for left hand friendly options.

[Smoky buck]

I shoot left handed do to eye dominance but I am ambidextrous. I have no issues using right handed or left handed actions except I find a right hand eject annoying for wing shooting. I personally notice the ejected hulls well lining up my next shot. This is not a problem for most

I started with right handed bolt action rifles and pump shotguns but over time I find more comfort shooting break action or lever action. A lever or a break action might be an option if you are concerned about a left or right handed bolt

In my opinion a kid that is new to shooting will adapt to any action but should shoot with their dominant eye

[Flight01]

As said. Eye dominance.
Figure out the eyes. Shotgun should be shot both eyes open so right or left preference when he first shouldered isn’t a big factor yet. If you have a lever action scoped rifle let him try it. Ambidextrous set up and he can decide what works for him. Some kids are right handed and left eyed. Left handed and right eyed. Best thing is he’s shooting and he’s got you looking out for him.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Flight01

As said. Eye dominance.
Figure out the eyes. Shotgun should be shot both eyes open so right or left preference when he first shouldered isn’t a big factor yet. If you have a lever action scoped rifle let him try it. Ambidextrous set up and he can decide what works for him. Some kids are right handed and left eyed. Left handed and right eyed. Best thing is he’s shooting and he’s got you looking out for him.

You’ve got this bass ackwards.
Both eyes open shotgun shooting requires utilization of the master eye, else wise you’ll be pointing across the sighting plane.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I'm left handed, left-eye dominant. Been shooting RH rifles out of necessity (it's all I had, and the rest of the family shoots right-handed).

I can see that there are advantages to investing in a proper LH rifle (apart from not skinning my thumb knuckle when cycling the bolt... D'oh!) So I expect to be purchasing one in the near future.

So, if you determine that he's left-eye dominant, I'm with those that recommend getting him a lefty.

Plus, the kids keep snagging my RH rifles when we go out now. Daddy needs his "own" rifle. Just like when I bought a standard-shift car, no one is lining up to borrow it.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

You’ve got this bass ackwards.
Both eyes open shotgun shooting requires utilization of the master eye, else wise you’ll be pointing across the sighting plane.

bass ackwards is exactly what I experienced back in my army days with the FN...everything was fine until we were doing advance to contact ticky tacks and got gassed....done gas mask and now what...canister back then was on the left cheek...I cant shoot left no more...switch over to right side....cant see..panicking...up....moving....hit the turf...dam nightmare.....now that bass ackwards.

I shot all my bolt action rifles left handed with a right handed bolt....could slid the hand off the for stock and do my thing effortlessly but man when I got hold of my first left handed bolt action rifle...pure heaven.

as indicated earlier to the OP figure out dominant eye and go from there...don't force the young shooter to change etc as the outcome will not benefit the shooter nor you....its about enjoyment...safely.

[catnthehat]

My son is basically left handed but shoots right because that is his dominant eye . He shoots both eyes open with iron sights of scope which is how we realized his eye dominance actually changed when had was about 10 years old !
He started off shooting southpaw with a dominant left eye .
Cat

[James 1]

My son is left handed. I too thought about getting a RHS bolt gun for him. Borrowed one prior to season opener. Went looking for coyotes with him. Found he also carried it on his LH shoulder and realized the bolt was digging in his back. Bought a LH Tikka T3 light and glad I did.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by James 1

Found he also carried it on his LH shoulder and realized the bolt was digging in his back.

That's another problem I have found as well.

[Madmyron]

Thank you all for replies, I did not think of eye dominance rather what felt more natural to hold. Turns out his right eye is dominant. Now to get him out shooting and find something he’s comfortable with. Thanks again