Right handed to left handed

Zakalwe

I previously posted a thread detailing my intents to purchase an air rifle after Christmas ( funds allowing! ).

I am however lefthanded and wish to purchase a second hand rifle. My chances of getting a second hand rifle in a left handed configuration are slim to none, so I'm either looking at a new left-handed or a right-hander that will convert easily.

I know top of the line rifles like the LG100 only need their pistol grip swapped out, but what about the equipment more suited for beginners? They all seem to have carved one piece stocks.

There's then the issue with action. A lever charged rifle will obviously have the lever on the wrong side for me.


What I suppose I am now looking for is a common right-handed rifle ( not too expensive and probably gas powered) that will convert easily to a left-handed configuration.




Perhaps I should just give up and learn to shoot right-handed? I am after all right eye dominant. Holding things right handed just feels plain wrong though.

Sparks

There aren't too many truly ambidexterous air rifle stocks out there Zak, even with the aluminimum ones, and left-handed stocks are somewhat less common than right-handed ones. You could always try carving a stock to suit yourself if you know much about woodwork, there's no firearms knowlege needed for that, it's just a lump of wood - but if you don't know woodworking, I'd leave that idea alone. Rifles like the Feinwerkbau 60x series did come in left-handed models, but it's just that there wouldn't have been many bought here in that configuration. You could try the UK - they have so many more than we do because of their larger population that they should have a larger second-hand market for left-handers.

As to shooting when cross-dominant, there are shooters who've learnt to do that, but it does take time. Ideally, you should have been started off on your dominant eye, as once you've learnt to use the trigger with the "wrong" hand, you have to unlearn and start over again. If you've been shooting for three or four years or more, that disadvantage may outweigh the advantage (and there is one) in shooting with your dominant eye. I know when I bought my rifles, I chose to stay with right-handed even though I was left-eye dominant because I'd been shooting that way for six years and converting would have taken too long. (You'd also need to get right-handed gloves, jackets, glasses and so on, so it's not just the rifle you need to worry about). Of course, in your case, there's more right-handed gear about to choose from in the second-hand market, so that might also be an advantage for you.