Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum Any Lefties shotin RH'ed bolt rifles??

This may be a dumb question, but bear with me, because I haven't been around here long enough to know better. But, here goes..

Any other Lefties shooting right-handed bolt action rifles? Me yes, because that's pretty much all I've shot forever or had access to when younger. (If you understand what I'm talking about, a power saw probably feels funny in your left hand). Didn't have any LH'ed uncles.

Plus, nice wrong-handed bolt action's are so hard to come by in good condition, without paying through the nose.

I've been watching Bricktop's posts, and like what he says about the Ruger. or a Kimber Montana, if the LH is an available option. But, I'm not seeing the Kimber's in LH on their website. ??

What I would really like to get is a LH 30.06, maybe 7mm08 in stainless.

Can't speak for everyone but most all lefties have, and still do, shoot right bolt rifles. Most continue to do so because not all rifles are availble in LH such as military (Springfields, Mausers, Lee-Enfields, etc.) or vintage (Pre64 M70s). Times are much better now for left hand choices, Ruger just started selling their low price point American rifle in LH. Their M77 is a good solid choice as is a Remington 700. Savage also offers a good selection. A .30-06 is pretty easy to come by from a variety of makers, the 7mm08 will be a bit tougher. A LH stainless '06 is available from Ruger, Savage, Reminton, Tika just to name a few.

I shoot right handed guns. I have built a couple of Mausers to be lefty guns with right hand bolts. It can be done, it just takes a little skill with a stock to make one fit you.

A left hand rifle has changed the way i see rifles. After shooting one, and then buying one, i have decided to make all of my hunting rifles left handed as i can afford to do it. It is a choice one must make based on what works best for them.

I went jump shooting jack rabbits with a right handed bolt gun. I took forever on the bolt and missed a bunch of shot opportunities. I decided to either get a lefty bolt gun, or use an AR. Those options both work.

I hope this helps you.

Left-handed stainless .30-06 from Savage. This one has a special-ordered 24" barrel from the Savage custom shop. Not a bad rifle.
Bob

I am using four M-98 action rifles with left handed scope safeties, for my wildcat test beds. I found that using Mark X cocking pieces made for their non adjustable triggers, will let you pass a small mini screwdriver blade through the small hole in the saddle of the cocking piece. This way you can disassemble the bolt without the old Mauser three position wing safety standing straight up.

When the bolt is closed and cocked, this hole is behind the rear of the military shroud. Mark X used the F.N. streamlined shrouds, with a corresponding hole through its sides, but this leaves their side safety on the wrong side, of these rifles, for us lefties.

All my bolt guns are right handed. Can't explain why I shoot long guns left handed and pistols right handed other than I am left eye dominant. Never had any problems hunting deer since I usually try and make the first shot count.

I am about ready to try a left hand bolt gun pretty soon though. A stainless action and barrel, probably a custom built rifle.

Grew up shooting right handed bolt actions left handed but when I finally tried a LH action and worked it with the shooting hand the way it should be I was hooked and never looked back. Have had a few RH actions over the last 30 years or so mostly because the particularly chambering wasn't offered in LH but they always eventually got sold.

Currently have a 6.5x55 M96 Swedish Mauser made in 1915 and an 8x57 Model 24/47 Yugoslavian Mauser, both obviously right hand actions with straight bolt handles and open sights. Those can be worked fairly well from the left shoulder by reaching over the top, or dismounted slightly to work them very quickly.

FWIW, that 99 year old Swede with good bullets is about as accurate as many modern day factory rifles.

Like most left handed shooters my age, I started out on right handed rifles. There were a few lefties available or at least cataloged back then but I rarely if ever saw them in gun shops so I bought right handed rifles.

I was pretty adept at running a right handed bolt rifle as a lefty, but in my mid thirties I finally bought my first lefty. What a revelation! It was an epiphany to finally have a tool in my hands that actually worked for me. I didn't realize how much better suited left handed rifles were for me till I tried one. Nearly all of my rifles now are left handed. The only hold out is my old Ruger 77V 220 which is going down the road to finance a rebarrel of a lefty Savage to 220 Swift. I do have a right handed 30-40 Krag and a Sedgley Springfield.

BIGR, I'm right there with you on getting a LH bolt gun pretty soon. I've shot RH bolt guns all my life, and I just want to at least try 1 good LH gun to see how I like it. I like the Kimber Montana 84M's and 8400's in stainless, but from what I've gathered, that is just not going to happen, according to Kimber.

The Rugers are starting to look better and better, and I like how they respond to their customers.

RGK, Thanks for the pictures of a very nice looking setup. Now adding Savage to the short list.

I'm thinking all you guys are enabling... again.

Well, hell yes. I was just out today shooting my right handed Winchester model 70's. Mucho faster off a supported rest than any right handed bastid I know of...Trigger hand never has to leave the grip...

Obviously not enough time spent with a right handed bolt to become accustomed to it. Use your left handed rifles and prosper ..I'm screwed because I am so accustomed to the right handed bolts that it affects every aspect of hunting by switching to a left handed bolt. Trust me, I've tried. The bolt handle of a left handed rifle jabs me in the back when I resort to slinging it over my shoulder/back. I eventually sold my left handed rifles because I felt like a monkey f ucking a football. I have shot far too much with a right handed rifle to change chit now..

It took me one range session to convert. Today my right hand guns are gone down the road. I sometimes challenge my right handed friends to shoot my left hand rifles offhand and chuckle as they struggle with the bolt. Then I tell them that is what lefties have had to fight for ages.

To me its about safety, one bad eye incident and I am very hesitant to shoot a RH rifle any more. You can buy a lot of LH rifles for the cost of one eye!

I own both but once I found my LH Tikka 695 at the Nosler factory store 10years ago on clearance, I haven't looked back. It's a shooter and .300wm can be loaded up/down for anything in North America, except Griz/Brown bears in my opinion. I'm left eye dominant and initially taught RH'd but once my dad saw me looking over the stock through the scope with my left eye he switched me to a LH stance/position and it was just natural... that was 45 years ago and never looked back. I guess I'm ambidextrous in a sense (or just really confused) as I eat, write and shoot LH'd and do everything else RH'd to include all sports. In my case it was virtually impossible to overcome the left eye domination. I've killed quite a few critters shooting RH guns, but my choice is my LH 695 all day everyday.

I used to use RH bolt guns, but bought a lefty about 20 years ago and wouldn't go back for anything (I actually use a No. 1 most of the time).

LH bolt actions are actually pretty easy to come by for a rational price these days.

After reading these posts from all you screwed up righty/lefty guys, I feel better now! I'm right handed but shoot a rifle/shotgun/bow left handed. My father also switched me to LH when he saw me using my left eye to sight my BB gun. That's him in my avatar holding his bayoneted M1 left handed. Don't know if I was left eye dominant at the time, but I'm right eye now and too old to switch. Even though I'm fairly adept at running a right bolt gun from the left shoulder, a left bolt is easier and faster from most field positions where you need to keep one hand on the forend. As bsa mentioned though, off a supported rest a lefty can make a right bolt sing!

Not a rifle I know but I taught tactical shotgun for my former agency and teach it for my current employer. A well practiced lefty can usually beat a well practiced right handed shooter using an 870 on ejection port loads from the side saddle. For a lefty keeping a firing grip and pointed in, it's a little faster and simpler movement to pluck a round from the side saddle and drop it in the open action.

I always have to stop and think my way through the right handed operation of the 870. Most of the students are right handed so I have to teach from that side. Makes me slow down and think about each operation, which is good for the students.

Still would never give up my left handed bolt rifles.

I got into still-hunting deer 20 years ago as a 38 year old lefty using righty stuff. This year I decided to get my first left hand bolt action. It is the 9th bolt action rifle for me and the first one with a wood stock-a Ruger 77 hawkeye 30-06. Got it zeroed with a NIkon Monarch and Federal Fusion 165 grn. Shoots a lot mo better than me.

There are a lot more great choices in left hand rifles now, but back when I was buying guns I always felt that it'd be tough selling left handed guns. I always went synthetic because I felt I would only mar anything wood.