Shooting Right Handed With Left Eye

[Frizzen]

Don't know if this has ever come up before. But I can no longer see my front sight on my rifle with my
right eye due to Bells Palsy.  So do any of you have any suggestions on how I can shoot bench with my
right handed flintlock. I can see just fine with my left eye. This doesn't bother my pistol shooting, but
I'm trying to find a way to keep shooting my rifle. My neighbor here Richard Dale built a rifle for a guy
like me that had a offset stock so as he could shoot right handed and aim with his left eye. I'm looking
for other ways right now.

[EC121]

If you are bench shooting, a little practice should let you switch sides.    I know a fellow who is righthanded, but due to an eye loss when young he learned to shoot lefthanded.  It looks strange to see him prime and check the flint righthanded then hold the gun out horizontally and walk around the butt to raise it lefthanded.   Offhand might be a bit awkward at first, but muscle memory will soon develope and take over after some practice.

[smokinbuck]

Phil,
I have a similar problem due to macular deterioration.At this point I have gone to underhammer guns or lefties that I built. Before that I rigged up a system of mirrors that allowed me to shoot right hand with my left eye.what I have is on an underhammer but can be adapted to a conventional side lock. I can't post but can send some pics and would be glad to share my ideas for a side lock adaptation with you.
Mark

[Jerry V Lape]

Following World War I the Brits had  wounded veterans with shooting problems.  "Cripple" stocks were made to help those who had lost use of their right eye.  These guns are not real common but there were enough made that I have encountered several over the years.  They were all shotguns as that is mostly what Brits were concerned with for their well known driven bird shoots.  My perception in handling them was they were quite awkward.  A related problem of much greater significance is cross dominance where a right hand shooter has a dominant left eye or vice versa.  Problem something like 10 or 15% have this issue.  In my family I have a son, grandson and granddaughter with the problem.  All of these learned to shoot from the side of their dominant eye and do it quite adroitly after a little practice.  So my suggestion is you should just switch sides.  I have however seen shotguns with an auxiliary rib mounted off to the left side of a right handed shooters gun so that it aligned with the left eye.  This shouldn't be too hard to do on a bench gun.  

[Frizzen]

Mark, please send me what you have. Kwhi43@mediacombb.net.     Thanks

[George Sutton]

Hi Phil, years ago I had a very nice rifle made exactly for what your asking. The offset in the stock was probably in the 6-8 inch range. It was an antique and I never shot it. It was very comfortable to hold. I don't know who you could get to make one. I would imagine the measurements would have to be pretty precise to make it work for you.

After developing macular degeneration in my right eye I started shooting left handed. I've been at it now for a couple of years. I went from being right eye dominant to left eye dominant.

Initially the transition feels awkward, but if you practice, you will get to the point where when your handling a rifle, you'll have a momentary lapse in memory and won't know what shoulder to shoot it off.

The most difficult part is developing the muscles. The mechanics of shouldering the rifle and sight picture come naturally after a short period of time.

It can be accomplished without much practice. You already have all the basics.

I'm at the point now where I have won a few local matches shooting left handed.

The expensive part is the re-tooling. I now have three left handed rifles in the arsenal.

George

[deertracker]

George is being very modest. He's won more than a "few" left handed!

[Frizzen]

George modest?   Na, He's about as modest as I am!

[George Sutton]

I hope that doesn't make us twins