Home Forums Hunting & Shooting The Lefty Forum Any Lefties run an M1A?

I've had the bug off and on for many many years. I've never pulled the trigger. Don't live anywhere close to a population of feral hogs.....so I maybe don't have a daily need for the firepower. BUT......I do spend time in the most concentration of black bears in the lower 48 states and some of that is legit Grizzly habitat (no legit fear of black bears....this doesn't need to turn into a Bear Stopping thread). Just thinking a shorter SOCOM or Scout would be a decent "Bumbing Around" rifle. Lotta firepower. Legit 100 yard open sight rifle.

But I am concerned over the op rod being right under the thumb of my right hand. I know of nobody local I could burn a few rounds with. Any experience with lefties running an M1A?

I'm a lefty and I love my Garand.

Had it about a year now. While your grip position is important, it isn't anything major to get around. Buy one and have fun with it!

I had an M1A for quite a few years, ran many rounds through it, never any problem with the op rod and it was no problem for me to work the bolt with my right hand while holding the rifle by the pistol grip with my left.

Only issue at all I had due to my left-handedness was the occasional empty case bouncing off my head or shoulder - I have a 7.62x51 shaped scar above my right collarbone where one stuck and sizzled for a moment.

Be aware that brass has a very short life-span (at least mine did), about 4 loads. I might have been resizing them too much, this was long before I discovered the Campfire and sizing to fit the chamber.


Great rifles. If I were to buy another it would be one of the SOCOMs or Scout as you mentioned, mine was an early Standard which had the selector switch cut out in the stock.

Good Stuff...I am quite surprised by so many reports and videos of shooters stating the M1A eats EVERYTHING without a bobble. I'm an avid reloader and highly doubt I'd run bottom of the barrel ammo just to spray and pray in the gravel pit.....but they seem to cycle very reliably with any ammo. A huge plus. I'd most likely run 150 Partition or similar for Duty ammo

I have a couple. No problem for a southpaw.

This is a good article to read if you are planning to reload for an M1A. While they will shoot just about anthing that does not mean it is good for the rifle. Mine has only seen LC Match and reloads with H4895.

Reloading for the M1A

And as a left handed shooter no issues with iron sights. The op rod handle could be a little harder to reach with a scope.

Yes, that article is spot on. Wish I'd seen it when I started loading for mine.

Don't have an M1A anymore, but it was no problem as a lefty.

Wow, Old School Cool X 3.

ARMS #18 mount MM? I have to get over the reality that this rifle is NOT going to be a tack driver. Have no interest into dumping $4000 into it to make it a sub MOA rifle. Should probably just mount an RMR on it and call it good. But do like the idea of QR rings on a scope mounted as low as possible. Hit two levers and run irons....

Yes that was an ARMS 18 mount.

I never tried to make mine a precision rifle, but I did feed it some handloads with Nosler 168gr BTHP over RL15. It was around 1.5" at 100 yards.

The thing about the M1A is that it really is not the best choice if you are wanting to mount optics. The rail system has too many places to to go sloppy, and the stock geometry is way too low at the comb. You will need a cheek riser of some sort or an aftermarket stock. The AR-10 is so optic-friendly I wouldn't even consider an M1A if optics are on the menu.

Had two rebarreled to 243. Match barrels shot under .75 moa . left handed not an issue. Killed many coyotes with them

Bula Defense started to make a genuine left hand M1A that is compatible with all Springfield products:

Yup, but then some people claim LH ones are really more righty friendly and v.v.

Ran an agency-owned M14 in both semi and full-auto and Garands. No problems.

FIred thousands of rounds left handed thru m1a. Were no issues. Brass did not eject down my neck like withar15 sp1.

[spoiler][/spoiler]Actually have a Hog rig you describe, lefty shooter also. Absolutely no issues shooting either. The only thing to be aware it’s only a 2” shooter at 100 yards. Fine for me. Installed a Sadlak gas piston and Federal Fusions 150’s 1-2”. So soft and easy to shoot. It is heavy and barks quite a bit. Sorry having trouble uploading the pic of my Socom Hog Rig.

I have heard those who own the Socom's talk about how loud they are. A buddy had his Garand converted to a tanker in 308. He's a lefty and it doesn't bother him.

My nephew has one and it is not as loud as a ported AR in my opinion.