When the military used bolt action rifles suppose a soldier was left-handed?
Were they still allowed to shoot lefty? I’m a lefty and no way could I shoot right-handed. You know that sniper (Barry Pepper) in Saving Private Ryan shot lefty. Did you know that?
Tagged with: barry pepper • lefty • saving private ryan • sniper
Filed under: Military Rifles
Sorry, the Army never issued custom lefty bolt action rifles. So you had to adapt by moving the rifle to your left shoulder so you could aim with your dominate eye (usually the left for lefty’s). You would be a little awkward with operating the bolt / trigger with the right hand, supporting with the left. But it works, with practice.
Or adapt your sight angle like these guys
http://www.gunhuntermag.com/Portals/1/ArticlePhotos/08Weakb.jpg
well im just a cadet we were told that if its a bolt rifle they can only allow you to shoot lefty if they have one specially for leftys but other than that im afraid you will need to do it right handed
I shot lefty with my M-16 when I was in active duty. It sucked too because the shells would always come across your face when they exited the chamber. I got burned a few times. I don’t know if they make lefty m-16s or not but they wouldn’t give me one if they did.
They were trained to shoot right handed (it’s really more about eye dominance, some right handed people shoot lefty and vice versa). In theory a man could shoot left handed while still operating the bolt, it just wouldn’t be as stable as a right handed platform.
Back during Vietnam and before that bolt-action rifles were shot right-handed regardless of what dominance you had. Of course no one really had to do it during battle.
Anyone can be taught to shoot righty. Since automatic rifles eject to the right shooty lefty is no more valid now than it was a century ago – unless you like hot shell cases in the face.