Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Lefty Question

The kid said she would come home to hunt with me this year. She lives in a slug gun state and as a consequence does not own a real deer rifle. She is a lefty. She expects to use one of mine.

I'd like to surprise her with a rifle. She competes in high power with a Rock River at the expert level. My question is, lefty bolt or flattop AR platform in .308?

I am going through the same process for my left handed son. I gave him the choice of a 7mm-08 bolt gun or an AR in .264 LBC-AR, which I think is the best compromise for std. sized AR platforms. The .308 (.260, 7mm-08, et al) are only available in large frames, which are substantially heavier than the std. frame size rifles.

I am trying to talk him into the bolt gun for weight and size considerations. I am not making him accept the 7mm-08. It just happens to be one of a number of good, short action choices.

He currently has a lefty Stag AR in 5.56 and the .264 LBC-AR upper would be easy to fit to his existing lower. He also has a lefty bolt .22 Savage, so he knows how to use both. If your daughter has a lower she likes, getting her another upper for it would make some sense, too.

For someone with familiarity with AR's only, I might lean toward that solution. Unless you want her schlepping around a 12 pound rifle, I would stick with the std. frame and stay away from the .308 which necessitates the larger, heavier frame.

Fast Ed

Savage makes some very accurate LH bolt rifles, Stag arms makes a nice LH AR rifle. Good luck with her shooting, you're a nice DAD !

I just can't warm up to an AR gun for deer hunting, give me a bolt gun anyday. Here are two good choices if you like blue steel/walnut: http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/left-hand/model-700-cdl-lh.aspx

A LH model 14 or 114 Savage American would be another good choice. For more utility and less on looks the Weather Warrior(16 or 116) is a good hunting rifle and accurate.

270

The Savage seems to carry on a love hate relationship with most people here. You will get a wide range of reviews and comments pro and con. The pros will be mostly that it is very accurate and a high quality firearm for a GOOD price. the Con will be mostly about looks. Its often refered to as "turd-like".

Im very much on the pro side it is, in my option and VERY good rifle accuate and rugged. I have a 16LHSS in .308 with a new modle Redfield 3X9 40mm. I will say the reach to throw the bolt is little long for me (average size guy). That being said I dont know for sure if you can get the Savage LH in a youth model. The only one I know for sure is Remington makes a youth model 700 in left hand and another option is the Browing A-bolt micro in left hand.

If she needs the shorter length of pull of a youth model, the only LH options I know of are the Remington SPS Youth, the Browning A-bolt Micro-Hunter, and Savage lists a rifle/scope package but not rifle only(?).

If standard length is OK, then you also have more Brownings, Remingtons and Savages, Ruger, Weatherby, MRC, Cooper, other customs, etc.

I'm LH and have a Micro-Hunter in 7mm-08, a Tikka T3 stainless in 30-06, and a Ruger Hawkeye in .300 WM but the next deer rifle on my list is a Savage 99 with a tang safety, an old Savage 219, or a Ruger #1.

How about a Rock River Arms 6.8 SPC upper, a couple of mags and a case of ammo. Surprise her with it and tell her to be ready with it by deer season.

I've used right handed bolt guns as long as I've been shooting. Lefties may desire special guns but we don't need them.

I couldn't disagree more...

Once I finally held a lefty bolt action rifle in my hands, there was no turning back!

I guess it all depends on the dependency of the shooter.. I'm LH and shoot RH rifles all the time, since I bought my first bolt action in the early 70s.. I have two LH M70s and they feel really alien to me..

I'd be glad to trade you a right handed rifle(s) for one or both o' them alien Model 70's.

+1

I will also add that as long as lefthanders are willing to buy bolt rifles made for righthanders the manufacturers will continue to offer lefties either limited choices or no lefty rifles at all.

I always wondered why if it makes no difference what side the bolt is on, why aren't RH shooters running around with LH bolt action rifles?

The only right handed bolts I have left are on milsurps, and those are currently being viewed with a condescending eye. Might be time to ship them down the road, if nothing but for convenience.

I hear ya.

The reason they don't is because of the piss poor, pedestrian, and predictable selections the manufacturers foist on us lefties year after year.

It really is frustrating being a lefty.... But, it has probably saved me a lot of money!

Get her a Savage 7mm-08. Slap a Nikon BDC or Redfield Accu-Range on it. Take her hunting. That 7mm-08 is a very nice cartridge, and even with all my .30-06's and 7mm Rem Mags and my .25-06, I'm still thinking about getting one myself.

eclectic,

I'm also one of those who can't warm up to using military type weapons for big game hunting.

If I were in your situation, I'd be looking on gunbroker, guns america, or auction arms for a gently used lefthand Ruger M77 MKII in 270 Win.(blued/walnut version) Managable recoil, classic styling, accurate, 22" barrel, and nice bluing that won't rust easily if cared for properly(wipe it down with oil every now and again-easy peasy lemon squeazy).

You should be able to find one in good to excellent condition for a very reasonable price($350-$500). And for an extra $100 or less you could have a smith tune the trigger, shorten the stock, and put a decent recoil pad on the thing if need be.

This route will give your daughter a classy, lifetime hunting rifle that she will be proud to own. Something that will bring back memories of time spent together with her dad long after dad is gone.

All that for less than $600(economical compared to an AR).

Put a used Leupold VX II 2-7x33 on it(look in the classifieds here for 1 week and you'll find one in like new condition for 2/3rds the price of new) and you're good to go.

You've got plenty of time to make it happen; start looking now and you'll have the rig all set and ready to go by Summer.

Just my opinion.

Leftybolt

I'm going to have to agree with you on this one. I've been shooting right handed bolt guns since I was 12 years old and have 1 left handed bolt action rifle in the safe and the others are threatening to kick its azz out!!!! I feel like a monkey ^%$@#@ a football when I use it. This is something where I'd say the preference may not be formed until you have put way more time into running a bolt gun than you care to admit . By the way, (to the op). What is her preference?? Left or right hand bolt gun????? If she's used to running a left hand bolt then that's what you need to get her. No sense in teaching her bad habbits like the ones I've got

Isn't that the truth and they bump up the cost of a new rifle by a min of $50.00 just because it is a lefty and when (or if) you want to trade it in they offer you less money because it is a lefty. They've got us coming and going, that's why I just buy right handed bolt action rifles anymore. Now my shotguns are a different story.