Switching sides

[rjtfroggy]

? For anyone who has gone from right to left or left to right when shooting off of a bench how successful were you?
I either have to try and switch or not shoot again this year. Reason being my rotator cuff repair was a complete failure and now it needs to be replaced (March 4th) and that means no right handed shooting until around October, meaning missing another season of BR.
I also have 2 rifles with new barrels to make up loads for and even though the weather sucks right now it will be getting warmer soon, so I'd like to get a head start.

 

[Will Henry]

If you have to switch, start today, and don't look back. Shooting from the opposite shoulder, from the bench, isn't a big deal. Training your eyes is more difficult. I had to switch over fifty years ago and can't remember it being a problem at all. Of course, I often can't remember what I had for breakfast, so there is that. WH

 

[JoeDuke]

At 79 years of age. macular degeneration hit my right eye about 3 years ago and the target was so distorted and the ten ring obscured enough that I could not tell where to aim. I did switch to left handed. Looking thru the scope was not really a problem but I found the shooting to be a very mechanical process in that i had to sort of re learn how to pull the trigger all over again. I shoot a Seb rest and I rapidly found that I had to aim the rifle and then let go of the seb handle with my right hand before pulling the trigger left handed. Muscle memory was causing me to twitch the right hand when the brain said pull the trigger. That caused me to toss those shote. 9's instead of 10's. mechanically remembering to turn loose of the handle helped that a bunch. I shot that way for a year and did fairly well. Having shot right handed all my life, it took a bunch of time to get somewhat comfortable shooting lefty. Luckly my eyesight improved back to where I could resume right handed. But if it had not, I would still be shooting lefty rather than quit. My advice is to make it work for you. You can do it. Just work on the fundamentals all over again.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Thank you both, and anyone else who responds.
Now I just need to have the weather cooperate. Not likely this week or next looking at the forecast, snow today, freezing rain all day tomorrow and possibly a foot or more of snow at the end of next week.

 

[mmcu]

My experience is for hunting scenarios only and not BR.

I learned to shoot left-handed many years ago. The only reason was that some of the areas that I hunt had a strong tendency for animals to approach from a direction that favored shooting left-handed.

Here's what I learned.
1. In my case, my right vs left eye focus was different and I had to adjust my optics to a "middle ground" focus. In your case, this really won't matter as you won't be switching back and forth.
2. Felt recoil in my hunting caliber rifles was brutal when shooting from the wrong side. Varmint caliber rifles were a non-issue.
3. Handgun / pistol shooting was initially a disaster.
4. Group sizes increased significantly.

The good news is that #2 through #4 above get better with practice, but I've never been able to get truly comfortable shooting from the "wrong side".

 

[hoz53]

Thank you both, and anyone else who responds.
Now I just need to have the weather cooperate. Not likely this week or next looking at the forecast, snow today, freezing rain all day tomorrow and possibly a foot or more of snow at the end of next week.

i have so much better vision out of my left eye i tried it for awhile. was able to do decent pretty quick but i gave that up as i could correct the right eye with a good enough scope and i was so used to shooting right. it can be done though. i saw one guy hanging his head over the butstock to use his good eye from the normal side he shot.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I get right rotator cuff repair on the 7th of March. Later this year when I'm good enough I'll have a reverse shoulder replacement on my left. I am right handed and right eye dominant. My left eye is bad so I have doubts of shooting left handed. If you don't mind why did your repair fail? I'm 65 and have been a concrete finisher most of my life. Hopefully you'll heal quickly and completely.

 

[Steve Donlon]

I get right rotator cuff repair on the 7th of March. Later this year when I'm good enough I'll have a reverse shoulder replacement on my left. I am right handed and right eye dominant. My left eye is bad so I have doubts of shooting left handed. If you don't mind why did your repair fail? I'm 65 and have been a concrete finisher most of my life. Hopefully you'll heal quickly and completely.

Good luck with all that.

 

[powderbrake]

About 3 years ago, I had problems with the retina in my right eye, and was forced to shoot left handed.
The shooting has all worked out OK (not as good as before). Learning to pull the trigger with the left hand is simply a matter of a lot of practice. My cheek lies on the stock differently , so I had to adjust the riser.

Working the bolt with my right hand while shooting left handed is no problem. I had to flip over my rotary table to shoot left handed, and I am gradually getting used to it. I just cannot do it as well as right handed.

So I suggest , just work at it a while at first, then do your load development.

 

[rwj]

In today’s world, the thread title had me a little concerned!

Providing that you can use your right arm to cycle the bolt, you may well discover that shooting left handed is an advantage. Once you’re setup on target, your left hand never has to leave the rifle/trigger. I shoot this way simply because I’m left eye dominant.

Best wishes on the next shoulder procedure!

 

[rjtfroggy]

I get right rotator cuff repair on the 7th of March. Later this year when I'm good enough I'll have a reverse shoulder replacement on my left. I am right handed and right eye dominant. My left eye is bad so I have doubts of shooting left handed. If you don't mind why did your repair fail? I'm 65 and have been a concrete finisher most of my life. Hopefully you'll heal quickly and completely.

The Dr. doesn't have an answer to that question, he thinks it may have had a second unseen tear. So much for the laparoscope surgeries where all they see is what is in front of the camera lens.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I certainly will pray for your surgery and recovery. That's a shame another tear may have been missed. My MRI's on my left shoulder is very revealing. I don't have a tear under 30mm, my largest to 40mm and all my laterals have tears. My bottom lateral is 90% torn. Full of osteoarthritis. I'm pretty much done for the year unless I put the left off until after September when we normally go shoot pdogs.

 

[Bugs]

Speaking from experience, you might be pleasantly surprised with how quickly you can regain use of your shoulder. I had mine done in September and could easily shoot something that doesn't generate much recoil (like a 17# dasher with a brake) in December. I did use a sissy pad.

 

[jghoghunter]

Speaking from experience, you might be pleasantly surprised with how quickly you can regain use of your shoulder. I had mine done in September and could easily shoot something that doesn't generate much recoil (like a 17# dasher with a brake) in December. I did use a sissy pad.

I thought you always used a sissy pad! LMAO

 

[SteveOak]

Good luck sir

 

[ggshoots]

My uncle switched several times for varius reasons. First was realized he was left eye dominate, second was began having problems with his left eye and last was due to physical issues. He always competed in Bullseye shooting and always adapted doing very well. Also switched with rifle and bow.

I constantly watch my son when we are shooting. One time he will be sitting at the bench right handed, the next time he will be shooting left handed. He started doing that just trying to figure out what was most comfortable but has always kept shooting some left handed as time went on. I had told him to keep doing it incase he ever had to do it because of physical reasons or if in the military.

If you stick with it you can do it.