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Hey forum, Robert from Oregon. New to the site, and new to muzzleloading. I just purchased a 1777 French Dragoon from MilitaryHeritage. I wanted to learn what I could before taking the first shot and losing an eyebrow. I have lots of questions, but the most important one is.....I'm right-handed, but left eye dominant, and shoot rifles/shotguns lefty. Do I need to retrain myself? Or will I have a slightly burnt face for the rest of my life? Also is there an unwritten rule that every person/video/podcast has to sign off with 'keep your powder dry'? Asking for a friend.
I am ambidextrous for most things in life. I shoot a pistol right handed and a rifle left handed. I am left eye dominant. I throw a football, rock, cowpie etc with my right hand. If I do it with my left hand I look like a 12 year old girl throwing a softball wrong handed. I have comfortably fired right handed flintlock rifles without issue. I have a few custom lefthanded flintlock rifles/fowlers that make it easier for me but all in all it's not such a huge difference either way. Most of us that are like what you described are very flexible with left/right handed rifles so I don't think you will have much issue.
 
Hey forum, Robert from Oregon. New to the site, and new to muzzleloading. I just purchased a 1777 French Dragoon from MilitaryHeritage. I wanted to learn what I could before taking the first shot and losing an eyebrow. I have lots of questions, but the most important one is.....I'm right-handed, but left eye dominant, and shoot rifles/shotguns lefty. Do I need to retrain myself? Or will I have a slightly burnt face for the rest of my life? Also is there an unwritten rule that every person/video/podcast has to sign off with 'keep your powder dry'? Asking for a friend.
welcome from north carolina
 
Same as you, right handed and left eyed. ALL my black powder rifles are right hand and no issues. The issue is flinch and once you learn yer not gonna burn yer face off its just as easy as a cap lock (and 3x the fun!). Not gonna matter one way or the other. I will say I have owned a few left hand BP rifles and being right handed I could NOT get used to dealing with loading etc. Not to worry.
 
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Welcome from the OR valley.
I am right handed and left eye dominant. I shoot flintlock rifles left handed. I can't hit anything when I try shooting right handed.
Handguns I shoot right handed but sight with my left eye.
To answer your questions, I still have my eyebrows and have not burned my face.
Thanks for the message, Polecat Tom. I guess I wont know until I try. I'll let everyone know how it goes.
 
Welcome from the Portland area.

Elmer Keith in his book Six Guns says it's not difficult to shift from a left to right eye dominance. He says how to do it, but since it's not a problem for me, I don't recall how he says to accomplish the change.
 
Welcome from the Oregon coast. While I've never tried to fire a ML on my support side I have shot unmentionables support side with no adverse outcome.
 

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