I wasn't sure which forum to post this question so I figured I would try here first. Last year I decided to chop of my three middle fingers in a freak firewood accident leaving me my thumb and pinky. Seeing I decided to chop off my trigger finger I have been practicing using my pinky to pull the trigger. While it's certainly doable I can't get the grip I would like and picture getting a case of scope eye. I'm thinking maybe a rifle with a thumb hole stock might be the solution to my problem. And am looking for recommendations, I am leaning towards staying around the 308 caliber that should handle anything I plan on killing. Thanks in advance

What about shooting lefty or making some kind of extension from the trigger that could be pulled or activated by your thumb?

It may be easier to switch shoulders and shoot from your other side. Is that not an option?

My sincere sympathy to you.


I'll have to give this some thot. Nothing good comes to mind immediately.
? hand prosthetic ? maybe. That would take some time to master the feel.

Sincerely GOOD LUCK


Jerry

How about attaching something like a cable camera shutter release possibly using either hand to trigger it

Very Good Idea there nav.


Jerry

I've tried switching shoulders I haven't practiced it to much. My right eye dominant is a pain I am going to work on it some more. I feel I have more control of the gun pulling it tight into my right shoulder.

I hear that. I practice shooting from the weak side and I've done it for quite a while. Never seems to feel 100% natural though, so I understand that completely. Hopefully you can get something figured out that works well. Good luck with it..

I would go to a quality single shot rifle and learn to shoot left handed. We humans have proven we are very adaptable and can adjust to almost any circumstance.

You can do it and let us know if you go that route. Best wishes and good for you for staying in the hunt!

Very sorry to hear about your accident. For sure I would try a thumbhole. Boyds makes a ton of them.

So far the only thing that has really suffered has been my handwriting, that was terrible before I became a lefty though. Thanks for the input

I had two left-handed children so I decided that if I was going to teach them to shoot properly I would have to learn to shoot left-handed, so I bought a left handed CZ 22 and got stuck into it, and it really didn’t take all that long to adapt

Look into what used to be called winter triggers for m1 garands, its essentially pressing down a lever connected to the trigger typically for use with mitts.

I've never heard of these. I would think this with a modified safety would be pretty perfect for what the OP is looking for. Good idea.

Remington has come up with some real doozies over the years...but my vote for the stupidest was the e-tronix. On second thought though, given the handicap you have, with modern components, a visit to radio shack and a little soldering, bingo, voice controlled trigger release. Although, I wouldn't go with "fire"....maybe "Rumplestiltskin".
On a more serious note, I worked with a guy who had his hand and glove go into a logging winch with about the same results as you, he's got a good thumb and the meta carpals, and he modified a sliding safety Mauser Mk X with 2 little pieces of simple linkage to trip the sear with a forward push...so it's kind of like a 3 position slider, safe, off safe, and fire. I haven't seen it but he said it was easier than learning to shoot left handed.

I don't think it's quite that complicated, I'm thinking a trigger with a light crisp pull and the thumb hole stock so my thump will help control the recoil. I've been shooting my 99 in 300 savage the biggest problem I have with that is the trigger pull of the 99. The winter guard is pretty slick based on the youtube video I saw

I have a friend with the exact same problem , he uses a thumb hole stock and trips the trigger with his little finger with no issues, I just lightened up the trigger a bit for him.
Cat

You didn't mention what you plan to hunt, but you don't need anything bigger than a 6.5 Manbun or a 7-08 if you're not hunting dangerous game. In fact a 243 or 6 Creed can handle most of what's in the lower 48 quite neatly.

Given you have a hard time switching shoulders, I'd recommend getting a stock fitted that works for using your little finger.

Not that a .308 Win is a heavy kicker but I’d also recommend a lighter recoiling cartridge. .308 Win is on the heavy side for anything that you’ve going to hunt in NY or surrounding states IMO. That and use a scope with as much eye relief as possible.

I also agree on a lighter recoiling rifle. One reason why the 6.5 Creedmoor is so popular is the light recoil.

Sounds like you may need lots of trigger time to get used to your new situation, so all the more reason to go with a cartridge like the the 6.5 CM.

You can shoot it a lot at each range session and it will get the job done hunting.

The 6.5 is easy to shoot free recoil off of a bench so no worries there.

I have to ask, since the campfire has been getting crazy and crazier in the last 6 months to a year...

Is the OP for real, or just fishing for an answer to a silly question....

No slander intended.....but it sure is a crazy question...

If it was for real, for me... learning to shoot lefty would be the simplest solution....

I imagine it is legit, I know a guy who got into a band saw and ended up with just a pinky at thumb like that at the last place I worked. His nickname ended up being the crab.

My old man lost his trigger finger at work about 15 years ago. They reattached it, but it's basically just decorative; he can't bend it much and has no feeling in it. He didn't lose any others though, so he learned to use his middle finger for shooting.

I’d maybe try to contact these people.

https://beadaptive.com/products/

You may find some resources here

https://buckmasters.com/resources/disabled-hunters/Adaptive-equipment

Almost seems to me the most natural way to work it would be some type of lever that allows you to trip the trigger with your thumb when you are gripping the stock

Only when the trigger guard is too small for my cock.

Sorry you chopped them off.

John Kruger is a sporting clays champion. He blew off his three right hand fingers and part of thumb leaving only his pinky with fireworks when he was a kid. He has used his little trigger finger all his life to shoot shotguns and rifles. I'm sure you could also instead of switching everything around. Check it out.

Yes, thinking Kruger used his ring finger, but no matter. He was once the best Sporting clay shooter in the world & was in the top 5 for years.

He had a velcro pad glued to the grip of his Kriegoff, & wore a glove with the opposing velco sewn in the palm of the glove.

Super talent to begin with, but overcame an accident in style.

Wishing you luck & success Irving. A thumbhole stock might work, or the hook & loop might be an option.

It was about 46 years ago that my right hand was crushed in a sawmill mishap. The result was hand on which the only functional digit was the thumb and it only partially. It took me about three months to get real comfortable shooting off my left shoulder and a little longer to train my eyes. Wearing glasses with just a small piece of tape on the lense will help. Since I have always been a competitive shooter, I worked at it. It was a lot harder to get to where I could hammer a nail without risking further injury! GD

I taught myself to shoot right handed you can teach yourself to shoot left handed

I am legit and I haven't let it stop me, I booked this fishing trip to celebrate my 40th birthday before my accident. They asked if I wanted to cancel and I said he'll no I will figure it out. Like I said in my earlier post I feel I have more recoil control using my left hand to pull the gun into my shoulder and help tame the muzzle.

Our Sawmiller neighbor growing up, cut off all his fingers
in an industrial press at his day job.

He twisted his hand and pulled the trigger with his thumb.

Old farmer dude, he only shot a 22, or 30-30.
Probably had a shotgun, never knew of it.

I'd recommend contacting several custom gunsmiths. Perhaps one of them has devised a solution for a similar issue.

Pulled the 6.5 out of the closet (pun intended) it feels really comfortable with my situation working the action and dry firing a couple times. Big no no I know, having the accu trigger I'm going to dial it down and spend some time on the range.

First thing that came to mind was a thumbhole. If needed, you could work the hole forward for a better reach.

I took a Cape Gun to a LGS in Crystal River, the owner, proprietor pulled out a Cape Gun of his own that had no under frame triggers or trigger guard, it was, as the story goes, made for some early 20th Century Austrian that was handicapped in some way, lost use of 'trigger fingers', the smith of this weapon had done a magnificent job of creating 'Thumb Triggers'....... Buttons, if you will, on the upper tang, left and right, that you slid forward with your thumb to fire each barrel.......

And there is this....

https://ironhorsefirearms.com/the-history-of-thumb-fired-guns/

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/7287532

Way back in my moms day, 1929, they forced lefties to be right handed. I guess a shortage of left handed desks.
I’d agree with previous posters that the simplest although not necessarily the easiest would be to learn to shoot leftie. I was trained to shoot with both eyes open but that still means the non dominant eye will have to adapt.

Shooting sling and lighter, lighter kicking rifle could make controlling the gun with your left arm easier. A light trigger should work for your pinkie. Lots of people work bolts with their palm or just the thumb.

I would stick with my dominant eye regardless.

You're thinking of "Llama Bob."

Only you can decide what works, but I would give the left shoulder a good solid try before doing anything drastic. I can shoot pretty well from either shoulder with both eyes open, but that’s because neither eye is strongly dominant, and also because I began shooting left-handed because I had a Daisy 25 pump I couldn’t pump with my left hand while shouldered.

Surprised no one mentioned this yet.

Winchester thumb trigger rifle

Bruce

It was....................

Very interesting conundrum. I am looking forward to seeing how you solve it.

Good luck.

In 1987 I while I was in the police academy I had a firearms instructor that was an incredible shooter. One of my class mates was named Jamie Swoop, he was our lone country boy in the class. The two got to talking which led to bragging about shooting. After awhile of banter instructor stated that he would outshoot Jamie with his own gun!. Jamie claimed the he could shoot Quarters out of the air with a Ruger Single Six 22 Lr. The instructor said he could also shoot coins out of the air. So, the next day Jamie brought his pistol and was indeed shooting thrown quarters out of the air. The instructor also shot every quarter thrown and then ended the competition by shooting thrown dimes in the air. Jamie missed many of the thrown dimes! The instructor finished the competition with a 6 shot accuracy competition fired one handed at 25 yards. Jamie fired his six shots into a pretty nice group. The instructor then reloaded Jamie's gun held the Single Six upside down, pulling the trigger with his pinky finger and fired a 6 shot group the was no larger then a bottle cap! Incredible shooting and he did indeed beat Jamie Swoop with his own gun. This shooting competition was witnessed by my entire recruit class. I learned two things from this event, never underestimate any ones claim of shooting ability and respect the pinky finger!