In reality how dangerous is a right handed rifle to shoot left handed..

[Navarone]

Hello all,

Just wondering about the thread title question. I’m right handed but left eye dominant so shoot left handed…

If you go onto guntrader there’s about 6000 rifles available, if you filter to left handed there’s about 200!!!

So yes, my question is with standard factory ammunition, how dangerous do you think it is to have the bolt pointing towards your face…ie shoot a right handed rifle left handed.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance!

 

[HonestJohn]

@Heym SR20

 

[Jh1986]

I understand your situation, having constantly been in it myself as a left eye dominant shooter.

I've shot right-handed rifles left-handed, and my AR style 22LR ejects right-handed but I shoot it lefty.

Ultimately, I am glad I hung on and waited for true left-handed rifles when it comes to bolt. Working the bolt with the correct hand is just so much easier once you've got a bit and practise in.

I've not exactly been shooting left-handed rifles long but I now find it odd working with any other.

From a safety point of view, I don't think there's anything inherently unsafe about using a right-handed rifle.

 

[nf-fuse]

Do you shoot with both eyes open?

I'm left eye/right handed but I just shoot normal guns. I don't find it makes any difference one eyed so to speak. I know some people shoot with both eyes open.

 

[Tim.243]

Hello all,

Just wondering about the thread title question. I’m right handed but left eye dominant so shoot left handed…

If you go onto guntrader there’s about 6000 rifles available, if you filter to left handed there’s about 200!!!

So yes, my question is with standard factory ammunition, how dangerous do you think it is to have the bolt pointing towards your face…ie shoot a right handed rifle left handed.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance!

It is not dangerous as I have shot RH rifles being LH for 50 years I am also left eye dominant and shoot LH cast shotguns.
Remember the .303 is RH and many a solider would have shot it in the Left shoulder
What is quicker is the cycle time as a RH shooter has to cycle the bolt with their RHand then go back to the trigger.
it is not much but from sticks bi pod or bench then a left hand shooter using a right hand rifle is quicker as one hand only does one opp each. And they are cheaper.

 

[Navarone]

I understand your situation, having constantly been in it myself as a left eye dominant shooter.

I've shot right-handed rifles left-handed, and my AR style 22LR ejects right-handed but I shoot it lefty.

Ultimately, I am glad I hung on and waited for true left-handed rifles when it comes to bolt. Working the bolt with the correct hand is just so much easier once you've got a bit and practise in.

I've not exactly been shooting left-handed rifles long but I now find it odd working with any other.

From a safety point of view, I don't think there's anything inherently unsafe about using a right-handed rifle.

Sounds like you are exactly the same as me…

Thing is because I’m actually right handed I don’t find it at all difficult to work the bolt right handed and because of using sticks I think there’s actually an argument that that was around might be more intuitive as your trigger hand stays on the rifle (I understand that shooting offhand this would be much more difficult and you’d want your front hand to keep the rifle steady into your shoulder)…

I suppose my safety thought was exploding cartridges and cases coming towards rather than away from your face…

 

[Navarone]

Do you shoot with both eyes open?

I'm left eye/right handed but I just shoot normal guns. I don't find it makes any difference one eyed so to speak. I know some people shoot with both eyes open.

I shoot a rifle right eye closed and I’m a diabolical shotgun shot so have no idea what I’m doing (trying to improve)

 

[Heym SR20]

If you look at the design of bolt action rifles, starting with the Mauser 98 and then moving forward to the modern day, they pathways within the action to take gases from a ruptured gas out to the right hand side and away from the shooters face and over the right shoulder.

However if you are shooting a right handed rifle from the left shoulder and you have a case rupture all of those hot gases / burning powder will come straight into your face.

When I was a teenager I was shooting an old Brno mod 2, 22 rimfire with some old, but all that was available ammunition. One of the cases was pierced by the firing pin and I learnt the above the hardway. Fortunately just a 22 lr and I had nothing more than a painful eye for a few days.

As you will appreciate a 22 lr uses about 2 grains of powder running at about 20,000 psi. A typical centrefire cartridge uses about 40 to 60 odd grains of powder at some where between 50,000 and 65,000 psi

I suspect a ruptured primer or case and a major gas leak would have a very different result.

We should of course all wear safety glasses etc. but how many actually do.

If you are left handed, get a rifle that is properly designed and safe for you to use.

 

[Navarone]

It is not dangerous as I have shot RH rifles being LH for 50 years I am also left eye dominant and shoot LH cast shotguns.
Remember the .303 is RH and many a solider would have shot it in the Left shoulder
What is quicker is the cycle time as a RH shooter has to cycle the bolt with their RHand then go back to the trigger.
it is not much but from sticks bi pod or bench then a left hand shooter using a right hand rifle is quicker as one hand only does one opp each. And they are cheaper.

Ahh that’s interesting Tim, didn’t realise you were a lefty.

As you say I think there’s an argument to say these days off sticks/a bipod a right handed bolt is actually more intuitive as you don’t take your hand away from the trigger. I’ve tried both and don’t find either better from the other tbh.

As you say rifles are cheaper as there’s just more of them about in any given calibre. More chance of getting a bargain!

 

[Navarone]

If you look at the design of bolt action rifles, starting with the Mauser 98 and then moving forward to the modern day, they pathways within the action to take gases from a ruptured gas out to the right hand side and away from the shooters face and over the right shoulder.

However if you are shooting a right handed rifle from the left shoulder and you have a case rupture all of those hot gases / burning powder will come straight into your face.

When I was a teenager I was shooting an old Brno mod 2, 22 rimfire with some old, but all that was available ammunition. One of the cases was pierced by the firing pin and I learnt the above the hardway. Fortunately just a 22 lr and I had nothing more than a painful eye for a few days.

As you will appreciate a 22 lr uses about 2 grains of powder running at about 20,000 psi. A typical centrefire cartridge uses about 40 to 60 odd grains of powder at some where between 50,000 and 65,000 psi

I suspect a ruptured primer or case and a major gas leak would have a very different result.

We should of course all wear safety glasses etc. but how many actually do.

If you are left handed, get a rifle that is properly designed and safe for you to use.

This is essentially what I’m asking.

I suppose in reality how likely is this though with modern produced, bought from a reputable gunshop factory ammunition…

How many case ruptures do people experience I suppose?

It’s kind of like walking across the street you’ve got a 1 in X Chance of being run over etc.

If I can get a lefty then I definitely will…

 

[Smallholder]

We should of course all wear safety glasses etc. but how many actually do.

I'm left handed and always use eye protection when shooting a right handed firearm. I do have some left handed guns but something like a 10/22 or a historic rifle is going to be right handed. The 22 semi-auto seems to be the worst as the humble 22LR is prone to spitting gritty bits out.

 

[Tim.243]

If you look at the design of bolt action rifles, starting with the Mauser 98 and then moving forward to the modern day, they pathways within the action to take gases from a ruptured gas out to the right hand side and away from the shooters face and over the right shoulder.

However if you are shooting a right handed rifle from the left shoulder and you have a case rupture all of those hot gases / burning powder will come straight into your face.

When I was a teenager I was shooting an old Brno mod 2, 22 rimfire with some old, but all that was available ammunition. One of the cases was pierced by the firing pin and I learnt the above the hardway. Fortunately just a 22 lr and I had nothing more than a painful eye for a few days.

As you will appreciate a 22 lr uses about 2 grains of powder running at about 20,000 psi. A typical centrefire cartridge uses about 40 to 60 odd grains of powder at some where between 50,000 and 65,000 psi

I suspect a ruptured primer or case and a major gas leak would have a very different result.

We should of course all wear safety glasses etc. but how many actually do.

If you are left handed, get a rifle that is properly designed and safe for you to use.

Why are all .303s RH with a % of service men/women who used them LH
As usul you are talking bollix

 

[Morkai]

Dominance won't make a difference if you close one eye.

 

[Morkai]

Why are all .303s RH with a % of service men/women who used them LH
As usul you are talking bollix

Because its cheaper and easier to hand out all RH rifles.

 

[Tim.243]

Ahh that’s interesting Tim, didn’t realise you were a lefty.

As you say I think there’s an argument to say these days off sticks/a bipod a right handed bolt is actually more intuitive as you don’t take your hand away from the trigger. I’ve tried both and don’t find either better from the other tbh.

As you say rifles are cheaper as there’s just more of them about in any given calibre. More chance of getting a bargain!

99% All milling machines/drill presses are RH use on the quill feed not LH
The time might be a tiny amount but your hand on a bolt action rifle has to lift the bolt cycle back close the bolt then go to the trigger, my finger only comes out of the trigger guard while I put a second round in.

 

[Navarone]

Dominance won't make a difference if you close one eye.

Agreed to a certain extent but I can’t really get the rifle into my shoulder right handed…it feels so odd. Think it must be down to side of the brain etc.

I could almost certainly teach myself to shoot righty as I’m quite ambidextrous and doing different things with different hands but I kind of feel like shooting alive quarry you owe it to them to be as natural as possible and give the highest percentage chance of an ethical kill you know…for me that’s shooting lefty.

 

[Tim.243]

Because its cheaper and easier to hand out all RH rifles.

Yes I have 3 and and am left handed......... Dads .22 BSA is right hand so I grew up 50 years ago using it

 

[moeggesit]

Not at all. A lot of LH people shoot RH rifles and occasionally the opposite. If it’s uncomfortable choose a different model.

You even get Left handed stocks for Right handed rifles if you want up-(down-)grade

 

[Morkai]

Agreed to a certain extent but I can’t really get the rifle into my shoulder right handed…it feels so odd. Think it must be down to side of the brain etc.

I could almost certainly teach myself to shoot righty as I’m quite ambidextrous and doing different things with different hands but I kind of feel like shooting alive quarry you owe it to them to be as natural as possible and give the highest percentage chance of an ethical kill you know…for me that’s shooting lefty.

Im left eye dominant and right handed, so I shoot right-handed rifles. But, with a bow, I have to shoot a left-handed bow (draw with your left hand).

Holding a right-handed bow does not feel natural at all, its like kicking a football with the wrong foot.

 

[Jagged77]

Ruptured primers come straight back into your shooting eye so it matters not which side you’re on. I’ve had a few, unpleasant, wouldn’t recommend. Never had a ruptured case though. I imagine the bolt will hold fast but gasses would escape all around so slightly more exposer if facing the bolt such as a LH shooter using a RH rifle. Chances of it happening incredibly remote if using a rifle with the correct head space and quality ammo.