Shitching to left hand

hickorynutk@win · 11-01-2009, 06:35 AM

Found myself in the hospital two weeks before opening day of deer season. long story short, ended up with a pacemaker in my right shoulder, so now when I can get back to the woods, I'm going to have to shot left handed. Iv'e tried a couple of left handed shots in the past because of the way I was sitting in a tree but found it uncomfortable at best. Any one else have to make this change from one hand to the other? This is a permanent deal so I'll just have to learn how and live with it. Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated .

Sav .250 · 11-01-2009, 07:13 AM

If it`s permanent then all you really need to do is ....practice. I`m a natural lefty and due to circumstances have shot several deer ...righty.
I might add that I do shoot a few rounds from the right side every time I`m at the range...........just in case.

It may seem awkward at first (shooting lefty) but hang in there and you`ll do just fine. Good Luck.

SwedeSteve · 11-01-2009, 04:58 PM

Just practice bringing the gun up a lot, and then get lots of practice at the range. Shoot what your normal hunting distances will be.

oklahoma hunter · 11-01-2009, 05:35 PM

practice is the only way.....its akward at 1st but you get used to it......it was easy for me because my dad is the one that made me start shooting lefty because im left eye dominant...........so im now able to shoot right or left handed with a rifle, pistol, or shotgun....i stick with lefty on my bow

DaTeacha · 11-01-2009, 07:34 PM

Look on the bright side -- now you get to go shopping for a whole bunch of new guns in left handed actions!

Seriously, I think we all need to practice a lot more at shooting from the off side, whichever one that might be. I had surgery on the left hand for carpal tunnel last spring, leaving that hand out of service for several weeks. I am working on P.T. to try to avoid rotator cuff work on the right shoulder, but leading up to that I was forcing myself to shave, brush teeth, etc. with the left one. Sure seems awkward, but practice makes it doable. You gotta want it, though.

It sounds like you're up to the challenge. Which eye is your dominant eye? Quite a few righties have their left eye as the better one, as I do. That might make it a bit easier. Practice, practice, practice.

hickorynutk@win · 11-02-2009, 04:19 AM

I'm right eyed but with a scope, I don't think it will be a problem.

G. Green · 11-02-2009, 06:42 AM

From the firearms angle gunhandling and marksmanhip bring home game. Great thing is you can get lot of great practice without even going to the range by dry firing and mounting the weapon. Just practice bringing the rifle up from different positions and dry firing it a bit. Doesn't hurt to dry fire most modern firerarms, but you can get some snap caps if you want. I set the kitchen timer for 15 or 30 minutes and if I start getting fatigued and sloppy and teaching myself bad habits I stop.
The best shooters in the world spend hours dry firing working on breath control, trigger control, sight alignment and positions. If you'll do that you may be pleasantly surprised to find you shoot as well southpaw as you did righty.

texnmidwest · 11-02-2009, 07:49 AM

It is uncomfortable at first to switch hands when shooting. When I was in high school I got tired of missing all the time and switched from Left handed shooting to right handed shooting for rifles. It was awkward but it forced me to think more about what I was doing and take my time. After a little practice i started hitting the targets. Broke me of a bad flinch. Now I can shoot equally bad with both hands!

nathangdad · 11-02-2009, 08:25 AM

but I would certainly go with one of my favorite calibers which happens to be the .243 Winchester.

quietman · 11-03-2009, 12:12 AM

Having to switch too. Eye dominance has changed

Lots of dry fire practice helps.

Friend of mine's shotgun coach told him righties that shoot leftie are usually steadier because their right arm is stronger than their left. So there's a plus side for you.

You might also want to look at a 308 or 338 Marlin Express. Equivalent ballistics to a 308 Winchester and 30-06 respectively.

They come in 22 and 24" barrel lengths, blued or stainless.

Shell ejection pattern will keep them away from your body when the lever is smartly operated.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...ss/default.asp

hickorynutk@win · 11-03-2009, 07:32 AM

I shoot a jap 7.7 bolt action. Not to woried about working the bolt, it's only supose to take one shot anyway.

11-01-2009, 06:35 AM	#1
hickorynutk@win Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Box Springs Ga. next to Fort Benning Posts: 82	Shitching to left hand Found myself in the hospital two weeks before opening day of deer season. long story short, ended up with a pacemaker in my right shoulder, so now when I can get back to the woods, I'm going to have to shot left handed. Iv'e tried a couple of left handed shots in the past because of the way I was sitting in a tree but found it uncomfortable at best. Any one else have to make this change from one hand to the other? This is a permanent deal so I'll just have to learn how and live with it. Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated .

11-01-2009, 04:58 PM	#3
SwedeSteve Suspected Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Anchortown, Alaska Posts: 23,549 Images: 1	Just practice bringing the gun up a lot, and then get lots of practice at the range. Shoot what your normal hunting distances will be. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

11-01-2009, 07:34 PM	#5
DaTeacha Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: near Funk, Ohio Posts: 2,913	Look on the bright side -- now you get to go shopping for a whole bunch of new guns in left handed actions! Seriously, I think we all need to practice a lot more at shooting from the off side, whichever one that might be. I had surgery on the left hand for carpal tunnel last spring, leaving that hand out of service for several weeks. I am working on P.T. to try to avoid rotator cuff work on the right shoulder, but leading up to that I was forcing myself to shave, brush teeth, etc. with the left one. Sure seems awkward, but practice makes it doable. You gotta want it, though. It sounds like you're up to the challenge. Which eye is your dominant eye? Quite a few righties have their left eye as the better one, as I do. That might make it a bit easier. Practice, practice, practice. __________________ Teach NRA -- If you're reading this, you should be a member. United, We Stand.

11-02-2009, 07:49 AM	#8
texnmidwest Some People's kids.... Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 6,978	It is uncomfortable at first to switch hands when shooting. When I was in high school I got tired of missing all the time and switched from Left handed shooting to right handed shooting for rifles. It was awkward but it forced me to think more about what I was doing and take my time. After a little practice i started hitting the targets. Broke me of a bad flinch. Now I can shoot equally bad with both hands! __________________ never pass up a bathroom, never waste a ** , and never trust a fart.

11-02-2009, 08:25 AM	#9
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 5,164	I'm not so very sure there is some easy explanation but I would certainly go with one of my favorite calibers which happens to be the .243 Winchester.

11-01-2009, 07:13 AM	#2
Sav .250 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central Fla. Posts: 561	If it`s permanent then all you really need to do is ....practice. I`m a natural lefty and due to circumstances have shot several deer ...righty. I might add that I do shoot a few rounds from the right side every time I`m at the range...........just in case. It may seem awkward at first (shooting lefty) but hang in there and you`ll do just fine. Good Luck.

11-01-2009, 05:35 PM	#4
oklahoma hunter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma Posts: 60	practice is the only way.....its akward at 1st but you get used to it......it was easy for me because my dad is the one that made me start shooting lefty because im left eye dominant...........so im now able to shoot right or left handed with a rifle, pistol, or shotgun....i stick with lefty on my bow

11-02-2009, 04:19 AM	#6
hickorynutk@win Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Box Springs Ga. next to Fort Benning Posts: 82	I'm right eyed but with a scope, I don't think it will be a problem.

11-02-2009, 06:42 AM	#7
G. Green Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NE OK Posts: 464	From the firearms angle gunhandling and marksmanhip bring home game. Great thing is you can get lot of great practice without even going to the range by dry firing and mounting the weapon. Just practice bringing the rifle up from different positions and dry firing it a bit. Doesn't hurt to dry fire most modern firerarms, but you can get some snap caps if you want. I set the kitchen timer for 15 or 30 minutes and if I start getting fatigued and sloppy and teaching myself bad habits I stop. The best shooters in the world spend hours dry firing working on breath control, trigger control, sight alignment and positions. If you'll do that you may be pleasantly surprised to find you shoot as well southpaw as you did righty.

11-03-2009, 12:12 AM	#10
quietman Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 50	Having to switch too. Eye dominance has changed Lots of dry fire practice helps. Friend of mine's shotgun coach told him righties that shoot leftie are usually steadier because their right arm is stronger than their left. So there's a plus side for you. You might also want to look at a 308 or 338 Marlin Express. Equivalent ballistics to a 308 Winchester and 30-06 respectively. They come in 22 and 24" barrel lengths, blued or stainless. Shell ejection pattern will keep them away from your body when the lever is smartly operated. http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...ss/default.asp Last edited by quietman; 11-03-2009 at 12:16 AM.

11-03-2009, 07:32 AM	#11
hickorynutk@win Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Box Springs Ga. next to Fort Benning Posts: 82	I shoot a jap 7.7 bolt action. Not to woried about working the bolt, it's only supose to take one shot anyway.