Flintlock Southpaw

Hi All,
I'd like to try my hand at a flintlock but I shoot left-handed. Any need to worry about the pan flash when my face is on the same side? Thanks for any help.
CZ

Track of the Wolf has some lefty GPRs on their used gun site.

I'm a lefty and have shot right handed flintlocks, nothing to worry about. If your having one made then of course have it made for a lefty.

I think I'd go "cheap" before diving in but your comment that I would have nothing to worry about is all I have to hear, thankyou.

there's really little danger of hurting yourself, shooting a RH flint gun LH.
The issue is all that action happening in front of you.
It's a stepping stone for any cap gun shooter to become comfortable with the flint action, easy enough, but nun the less an acquired habit.
Most LH'ers have become used to adaptation to RH stuff, just keep in mind it could be just a little longer time and struggle to reach that real comfort zone, IMHO necchi

I had a lefty smoothbore built, and a righty rifle built...the rifle is right hand lock, but stock is fer a lefty,,,I don't have any problem left or right handed locks...don't go too cheap, a bad flintlock will be very ummm,,testing??? :wink:

About the last thing you want to have to cope with is a "cheap" or even inexpensive flintlock. :nono: They are a miserable thing to have to live with. And their resale value is somewhat lower than a bottle of warm mule whizz. :v

Russ T Frizzen said:

About the last thing you want to have to cope with is a "cheap" or even inexpensive flintlock. :nono: They are a miserable thing to have to live with. And their resale value is somewhat lower than a bottle of warm mule whizz. :v

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IRRC... that bottle of warm whizzz can be used to brown yer barrel..... so it might just be worth more than a cheapie...

If you need to shoot a right-hand rifle, you should still be fine. But I strongly encourage you to get a large pair of shooting glasses to start out with. There's something subconciously comforting about having a nice big shield between the pan and your eyes as you are getting used to it.

Since nobody else has mentioned it, it's also a good idea to shoot a few sessions of no powder at all, just the flint and the frizzen. You can concentrate on followthrough, sight picture, and the all-important "Gee, this thing hasn't killed me". Then a few sessions of priming powder only to get used to the fire in the pan. THEN load and fire for real. You'll be a better shooter for the drills.

If you practice good shooting form. Concentrate on the the target, Let me say that again, eyes on the target, breath control and trigger control. You'll end up scratching your head wondering if you saw the flash in the pan or not.

Hockeyref said:

Russ T Frizzen said:

About the last thing you want to have to cope with is a "cheap" or even inexpensive flintlock. :nono: They are a miserable thing to have to live with. And their resale value is somewhat lower than a bottle of warm mule whizz. :v

Click to expand...

IRRC... that bottle of warm whizzz can be used to brown yer barrel..... so it might just be worth more than a cheapie...

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Now that's a valid point for sure! :rotf:

I'm a lefty, and the first time I ever shot a flinter some years ago, I got a chard buried in my face just below my right eye. Scalpel, stitches, the whole works. I've since picked up a couple of righty flinters of my own because I just liked them, but I NEVER shoot them without glasses. Of course, I never shoot the lefites without glasses either.

If you want to get a production lefty flinter I'd go with one of the various Lymans. They're less than custom or buildyerown, especially if you can track one down used. And they're very reliable and accurate. If you don't like the various styles, there are currently a number of used lefty custom flinters at various prices and a used Lyman Deerstalker 54 cal flinter ($325) at The Gun Works. I've dealt with them on a number of occasions and they're really nice folks and I found their condition ratings accurate.

Swampy said:

If you practice good shooting form. Concentrate on the the target, Let me say that again, eyes on the target, breath control and trigger control. You'll end up scratching your head wondering if you saw the flash in the pan or not.

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Couldn't of put it better myself. :thumbsup:

I shoot my wifes right hand .40 all the time no problems.If your the type that keeps one eye shut -one open. its probably even safer cause the lock is being "worked" in front of the closed eye,as opposed to the lock firing right in front of the left eye.but If your having one made, go left so the cheek rest is right and your not putting the cheek against the patchbox.there ya go my 2 cents worth

CharlesZ said:

Hi All,
I'd like to try my hand at a flintlock but I shoot left-handed. Any need to worry about the pan flash when my face is on the same side? Thanks for any help.
CZ

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If you have a long or bushy beard the flash will set it on fire, that happen to my friend Possum when he shot my right handed brown bess left handed.

I would suggest getting or making yourself a flash guard to deflect the flash upwards to protect your neck and face if you do get a right handed flintlock.

I'm a lefty, too.
If you shoot any right-handed muzzleloader left-handed, be sure to wear shooting glasses!
I have half an eyebrow over my left eye because I shot an original old, right-handed percussion rifle left-handed. The nipple blew out and the fire scorched my face and eyebrows. Luckily I was wearing shooting glasses! I have no idea where that nipple went to. At least it didn't hit me.
There are left-handed flintlocks available. The popular Lyman GPR can be had in a left-hand version in either percussion or flintlock. Caywood firearms of Arkansas makes some left-handed versions, also, as do several other makers. I have a left-handed Caywood fowler, and am very happy with it.

all good info. I shoot flinters both left(lyman's) and right handed...I find I sometimes get a flash burn,minor one, on my right wrist from a righthanded flinter, especially if I don't get the wrist directly under the gun. It is not a problem in the 6 or 7 months when I have a cuff to cover the area, but in tee shirt weather, I wear a buckskin cuff I made for the purpose..Hank

I appreciate all the comments but when Brown Bear talked about a "chard" getting buried in his face and a scalpel and stitches.... well I started feeling something warm and moist running down my leg. When I said "cheap" I just meant I wasn't going to have a lefty built just yet. My intersts lie in military shooting replicas. I was thinking Brown Bess but in all fairness--all those rifles were manufactured for right-handers so to have a lefty Brown Bess would be historically cheating, wouldn't you agree?
CZ

I've shot right handed flint and percussion guns for years and only recently built and bought left handed guns, I do have to say that the lh guns fit better, but beyond that there is not much difference in shooting, you should wear glasses when shooting any gun. I'm an advanced firearms instructor for a federal agency and I can tell you that many a medical bill has been dodged with the proper eye wear even with modern guns. It only takes one time and your eye is gone forever.

CharlesZ said:

I appreciate all the comments but when Brown Bear talked about a "chard" getting buried in his face and a scalpel and stitches.... well I started feeling something warm and moist running down my leg. When I said "cheap" I just meant I wasn't going to have a lefty built just yet. My intersts lie in military shooting replicas. I was thinking Brown Bess but in all fairness--all those rifles were manufactured for right-handers so to have a lefty Brown Bess would be historically cheating, wouldn't you agree?
CZ

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A couple of coincidences here. The flinter that did the damage was a Bess that belonged to a friend. And one of the righty flints I own today is a Bess.

But hidden between the two guns is some wisdom and experience.

The friend's Bess was a cheap knockoff from India, and he barely knew more about using a flinter than I did. Proper mounting of the flint and loading probably would have spared me the blood loss.

My own flint is a Pedersoli. Lots more money, but lots more reliable. I have had no problems or wounds with it using the things I learned about Besses and flinter shooting here at the site.

In your boots, I'd go ahead and get the righty Bess, but it would be a Pedersoli rather than a cheaper import. I'd also learn how to set it up and shoot it.

And I'd be wearing shooting glasses with a flinter, no matter the model and maker, right or left. There are prior discussions here on the site about period correct glasses if they're required where you're shooting. Not as good as larger safety glasses or goggles, but better than shooting with ho eye protection at all.