Hey guys - After 50 years of shooting right-handed, I'm forced to switch sides and start shooting left-handed. Unfortunately, I've suffered some damage to the optic nerve in my right eye, due to the inherited disease, glaucoma. I've tried to figure a way around it, but have come to accept the fact that I need to begin the difficult task of replacing most of my long guns. I've been searching the web for what's offered by the major manufacturers, and have certainly learned one thing - left-hand shooters get screwed when it comes to available off-the-shelf options!
Now I turn to you, the mistreated and forgotten left-handers, for guidance. My needs are pretty basic. I'm a shooter/hunter that treats guns as tools, and don't really need any custom or collector pieces. As a farmer, I carry and use guns on a regular basis. My current long guns are from Howa, Ruger, and Remington, just to give you an idea of what I'm used to shooting. I think it would be best to dip my toe in the lefty water and start with a rimfire (.22 LR, .17 HMR, or .22 Magnum) and possibly a smaller caliber centerfire for varmints and pigs, maybe up to .260 Remington. For currently offered rimfires, I'm looking at the CZ 452 as a possible option. Centerfire - maybe a Ruger American?
Also, I should mention that I know I could shoot my right-handed guns from my left shoulder. However, for maximum protection of my good (left) eye, I really want the loading port facing away from me in case a primer or cartridge fails. When the reality is that you only have one good eye, you want to do everything possible to protect it from damage. That includes wearing eye protection whenever I'm shooting any type of firearm, or doing something as simple as pruning a tree!
Please PM me if you have any words of advice, have anything for sale, or know of somewhere I should be looking.
Thanks for reading my sob story, and for any help you can provide as I undertake this difficult exercise.
Rich
