Left Handed

[john1234]

Hello

I am about to take the plunge and have some clay shooting lessons, having never used shotguns before and being left handed I have some questions.

Is it possible to get a left handed shotgun? Initially i would hope to be able to use one at the clay shooting ground until i see how i get on, but then once I get started and get my licence i would be looking to buy one, which brings me to the question of cost? I have not got masses of money to spend on this hobby, so I would be looking for a reasonable priced gun, and if it is not possible to get a left handed gun for sensible money then I may aswell stop right now. I have shot air rifles in the past and used them left handed, I know that i will not be able to shoot right handed.

Any advice gratefully received.

Cheers

John

 

[Will Hewland]

Left handed guns are out there, not a problem. Shouldn't be a cost premium either.

The MSA headphones have the cut out on the left, so PERFECT for you..

Whereabouts are you. Where will you go for a lesson?

 

[john1234]

I am in West Yorkshire CSC3. I have not decided where to go for my lessons yet, there are a few places advertised within an hours drive.

 

[Will Hewland]

Sorry, not my area, so can't advise. Many on here will know though..

 

[Dean B]

Hello John

Yes you can get left handed shotguns they aren't any more money then right handed guns, you will just have less to choose from if you are buying second , which is your best bet and if go fore beratta, browning , moriku you won't go far wrong

 

[john1234]

Cheers Dab, WHere is the best place to find a secondhand one?

 

[Mr Potter]

Being left handed is not an issue but as a beginner who has not used a shotgun before, you really need to determine which is your master eye. When I started nearly 30 years I was left-handed, well actually I am still left handed, and when I picked a gun up for the first time it went into my left shoulder. Luckily the guy I went to checked and found I had a right master eye, options were shoot off left shoulder and keep right eye closed or learn to shoot off right shoulder and keep both eyes open. As I had never really picked a gun up before it felt pretty strange which ever shoulder I mounted to, had read quite a bit which always empasised the benefits of shooting with both eyes open so I thought I'd try it from the right and have stuck with it.

Now I'm still left handed but if I try and put any gun up to my left shoulder it feels not just strange but impossible! don't even know which way round it should go.

So my advice would be to find out which is your master eye and shoot off that shoulder with both eyes open. If that is the left don't get too hung up on getting a left handed gun, there is so little cast on modern guns I doubt if many shooters could tell the difference, well other than those obsessed with gun fit. I'm firmly in the camp that believes if the stock length is about right and it's not low in the comb you'll be able to learn to shoot with it and if you're good enough you'll shoot well with it.

Mr Potter

 

[john1234]

Very interesting Mr Potter, thanks for your insight, i will bear this in mind and make further enquiries when i have a lesson, hopefully they will have right hand and left hand guns for me to try so that i can see what works for me.

 

[BenW]

Definitely make sure you shooting off the shoulder with your master eye looking down the barrel. I was naturally right handed at everything but shot off the left to suit eye dominance.

You use both arms anyway, and it was a bonus for me having the stronger arm doing all the moving, the other only pulls the trigger.

 

[MX8man]

I would just echo Mr Potter's master eye point. The person who taught me to shoot - Michael Pinker who shot for England and GB - had a young girl pupil with the reverse of your issue as she was right handed but had left master eye. Michael taught her to shoot off her left shoulder. Her name was Vicki Ellis and she went on to become British Women's champion in sporting. Michael made the right call.

 

[john1234]

So I have found a test online to determine which eye is dominant and it has come out that my left eye is dominant. So I am left handed with a left dominant eye, does this mean i need to shoot off the left shoulder?

 

[Dean B]

Yes mate thats good news , so you will be how to shot with both eyes open

you could look on guntrader to get some idear of the guns in your price range, you can narrow your search to just left cast guns

 

[MX8man]

So I have found a test online to determine which eye is dominant and it has come out that my left eye is dominant. So I am left handed with a left dominant eye, does this mean i need to shoot off the left shoulder?

I don't know how this online test works, but the only test which matters is the one where the gun is in your shoulder. I have seen 2 right handed shooters with an apparent left master eye, who when presented with a shotgun on their right shoulder, were able to shoot without any trace of left eye dominance. I have also seen right handed shooters with some degree of left eye dominance - say neutral vision - who were able to train their right eye to take charge.

I f you are indeed left eye dominant and left handed then the position and the way forward is clear but please don't rely 100% on an online test.