Does anyone else just shoot right handed rifles? I've never had an issue shooting them from the left side.
I do. Never an issue..
Off the bench, we have an advantage shooting right handed rifles. I'm surprised more of you guys don't understand that. Was at a shoot earlier today and proved that point.
Exactly,
a RH action is far better for a Lefty off of a bench or rest. And vice-versa.
A surprising lack of understanding and experience to think otherwise. Here is why it is true:
A lefty using a LH rifle from a bench or rest or bi-pod is on the
wrong side of the rifle and if you try both methods, you realize one LH/LH (LH shooter /LH action) is like
a comedy of errors regarding efficiency from a bench or rest or bi-pod compared to a a LH shooter using a RH action.
I'm a lefty and every BR or Varmint gun I own is RH because it is a much faster, more efficient and convenient process of operation.
All my rifles shot standing are left handed because you must be able to support it with the right hand while cycling it.
Bold claim: Off-hand shooting is the only advantage to the LH/LH combination. I dislike shooting LH rifles from a bench for these reasons.
Many right handed BR shooters that have custom rifles use a left hand action for the same reasons (and vice versa).
The reasons:
FOR A LEFTY USING RH ACTION FROM BENCH OR REST:Left hand on wrist provides optimal hold/leverage/grip for bolt operation. Otherwise with LH/LH you have to shift your left hand to the bolt and the right hand to the forearm or scope to keep the rifle from twisting while operating the action.
That's the first comical part. I've watched many RH/RH shooters struggle with this for hours on a bench. It adds up if you do it 100 or 200 times a day.
Since you're already on the right side of the rifle, the one has a perfect, effortless bird's eye view of the chamber
versus a LH/LH feeling, groping or peering to locate the LH chamber since you can't see it as you're on the wrong side of the rifle and the scope blocks what little view and access you might have.
That's the other comical part, the reach-around, look-around, or blind feel since with LH/LH you're on the wrong side of the port.
A repeater mitigates the loading aspect (although you are still feeding it blindly with poor access) but not the cycling aspect.
So why is this only known by top BR shooters and (heretofore supposedly) lefties?
My take: Lefties had little choice and had to learn both ways.
RH friends that have tried my LH rifles from a bench quickly acknowledge the ergonomic and logistical advantages, but old habits are hard to change and they are less "ambidextrous" than lefties so they struggle on.
For example lefties use RH scissors effortlessly. If you handed a righty LH scissors, they would probably stab themselves...Tom
