J
jbear
Guest
for the shooters that are left handed. How many use a right handed bolt action rifle? How many use a left and what are your feeling about the ones you use?
elks96
Long Time Member
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I am a left handed shooter who was given a right handed gun at first... I never knew the difference and always shot a right handed gun until I met my wife. She was left handed and bought her first gun as left handed. I started shooting it and since I have bought my hunting rifle as left handed.
Needless to say I will eventually be phasing out my right handed rifles for lefts.... It is much nicer, I am better at staying on target between shot, better access to safety, etc.
I did fine and never thought anything of it until I changed over...
Needless to say I will eventually be phasing out my right handed rifles for lefts.... It is much nicer, I am better at staying on target between shot, better access to safety, etc.
I did fine and never thought anything of it until I changed over...
Tristate
Long Time Member
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- 8,890
I started shooting a right handed rifle also. I bought my first left handed rifle when I was 16 with my lawnmower money. Since then I have bought all lefty rifles and one lefty shotgun. Lefty rifles are nice but I love my lefty shotgun. No more powder in my face and eyes especially with birds straight above me.
P
petethefishman
Guest
Im left handed. I shoot mainly left hand actions. I do own and shoot occasionally right hand action rifles but prefer the leftys.
I have never had any issue with any that I own. Ruger, Rem and Savage...
It really makes little difference in the grand scheme of things. But I do prefer the left hand actions.
I have never had any issue with any that I own. Ruger, Rem and Savage...
It really makes little difference in the grand scheme of things. But I do prefer the left hand actions.
Paul_Crawford
Long Time Member
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- 3,578
Ditto NECALI. pc
I'm right handed, but left eye dominant. Since I was young, I have always been given right handed bolts, since everyone older than me in the family is right handed. Maybe, I have just adapted, but I have been afraid to try a left bolt. Never had an issue shooting right handed bolts left handed. Does that make sense? 
Lots of rights and lefts there, now I think I am dizzy.
Lots of rights and lefts there, now I think I am dizzy.
elks96
Long Time Member
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- 3,819
>Shoot left handed with a right
>hand gun. Always have and
>don't want to fork out
>the extra money for a
>lefty.
I have always been able to negotiate my lefty rifle down to same sticker price of the right on a new gun.... Now It does tend to be that left handed used guns are more expensive than right handed...
>hand gun. Always have and
>don't want to fork out
>the extra money for a
>lefty.
I have always been able to negotiate my lefty rifle down to same sticker price of the right on a new gun.... Now It does tend to be that left handed used guns are more expensive than right handed...
J
jbear
Guest
Ya my problem is the cost and the selection of guns that are left handed.
BIGJOHNT
Long Time Member
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- 5,185
My dad is a lefty . All of his kids are right ! His decision was to buy rifles the where ambidextrous . What I mean buy this is he has Browning semi hunting rifles, semi shot guns. For those not liking semi guns. There is the Browning BPS shotguns that load from the bottom and eject from the bottom.There are others. He also has a few right hand bolt guns. He feels that by doing this he can pass them do to his children.
Just another thought on your lefty problem. Sorry for your disabilities . ;-)
Just another thought on your lefty problem. Sorry for your disabilities . ;-)
S
scottyboy
Guest
I am a lefty too..
I have shot both right & left handed actions most of the time, but I have phased 99% of my righty guns outthe last 6yrs or so.
In fact, I have one righty gun remaining in the safe. A custom 300WSM built for me by MG Arms that I have a hard time parting with (shoots like a laser).
All the rest are now built on lefty Winchester and MRC99 CRF actions.
The hardest part about being a lefty is finding the actions. Hard to come by..
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DRSS
I have shot both right & left handed actions most of the time, but I have phased 99% of my righty guns outthe last 6yrs or so.
In fact, I have one righty gun remaining in the safe. A custom 300WSM built for me by MG Arms that I have a hard time parting with (shoots like a laser).
All the rest are now built on lefty Winchester and MRC99 CRF actions.
The hardest part about being a lefty is finding the actions. Hard to come by..
------------------
DRSS
elkhunter49
Active Member
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- 272
I just bought a left handed Browning X bolt. There is no difference in price for a left handed model.
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jbear
Guest
Was the browning X bolt a black synthetic stock? That is what I am looking for but all I can find on their web site is wood stocks for left handed shooters. what caliber did you go with?
L
LongRangeBangin
Guest
I'm a lefty shooter and shoot both left and right hand rifles. I don't think one is easier then the other when it comes to shooting. I try and stay away from certain stocks with elaborate cheek plates that drop off sharply on to the right side of the stock.. Shootn them lefty are tough on my cheek. One that comes to mind is my bros Norma mag.
E
elk_horn
Guest
I'm a lefty but have always shot right handed rifles .....I allways thought it would be easier to sell a right handed rifle.....so all my rifles are right handed.
whitwell_56
Active Member
- Messages
- 348
I am right handed, but left eye dominant. I have never owned a gun with a left handed action, and don't have any problems with the ones I have.
I have several guns with the safety mounted on the tang. These are a little to use.
I have several guns with the safety mounted on the tang. These are a little to use.
sambo3006
Active Member
- Messages
- 353
For fast second shots a LH bolt will be far faster than a RH bolt for a lefty if used properly, simply no way to get around that. I've weeded out all the RH bolts from my collection, no regrets.
NRA Life Member
Leftys are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!
NRA Life Member
Leftys are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!
ELKOHOLIC
Very Active Member
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- 1,390
LAST EDITED ON Dec-29-12 AT 04:23PM (MST)[p]I am a lefty and have always shot right handed guns. Does not bother me a bit. A small factor was the price. The big factor is my son who shoots them and will some day have my guns that is right handed.
edit. Sambo, I have never worried about the second shot. If I don't have an extra second that it takes I am probably shooting at a running animal anyway. It's the first one that counts.
edit. Sambo, I have never worried about the second shot. If I don't have an extra second that it takes I am probably shooting at a running animal anyway. It's the first one that counts.
What about AR's? Does the semi auto action of the AR eject the shells in your face? I have been looking at buying an AR and was curious if the spent shells cause any problems for the guy shooting the "incorrect" action? It has never bothered me with the 10-22-'s, but never tried an AR.
fuzzyvelvet
Active Member
- Messages
- 537
I am a lefty and have always shot left handed. I couldn't imagine shooting right handed. Seems awkward to me. I shoot a Remington 700 BDL and love it.
magnum300ultra
Member
- Messages
- 74
Bought my first left hand rifle back in the 70's a Savage 7mmmag have never gone back ( I remember it even cost me like $50 bucks more!). My partner is also left handed and always shot with a right hand bolt. Once he started to shoot my 300 RUM in left hand he went out and bought one. Once you get one you will love it. My last two have been Remington 700's.
sambo3006
Active Member
- Messages
- 353
>LAST EDITED ON Dec-29-12
>AT 04:23?PM (MST)
Sambo, I have never worried
>about the second shot. If
>I don't have an extra
>second that it takes I
>am probably shooting at a
>running animal anyway. It's the
>first one that counts.
I hear ya, elkoholic. I agree the first shot should always be a well aimed one. I just see no reason to handicap my ability to deliver a quick second one when left handed rifles are so available these days. Things happen and the first shot doesn't always end up with a dead critter. If I can get off the second shot at a stationary animal before it runs quicker and with less motion then so much the better. A guy just has to go with what he has the most confidence in.
NRA Life Member
Leftys are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!
>AT 04:23?PM (MST)
Sambo, I have never worried
>about the second shot. If
>I don't have an extra
>second that it takes I
>am probably shooting at a
>running animal anyway. It's the
>first one that counts.
I hear ya, elkoholic. I agree the first shot should always be a well aimed one. I just see no reason to handicap my ability to deliver a quick second one when left handed rifles are so available these days. Things happen and the first shot doesn't always end up with a dead critter. If I can get off the second shot at a stationary animal before it runs quicker and with less motion then so much the better. A guy just has to go with what he has the most confidence in.
NRA Life Member
Leftys are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!
ICMDEER
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,998
I'm a die hard lefty. First rifle was a Marlin 336 carbine lever action. When I got old enough, I got all left handed Rem 700 BDL bolt actions. I had them made when there were only 270, 30-06 and 7mm mag options. A guy in Montana (David Gentry) made my 300 Win mag from a 7mm. I also have a 270, and a 22-250 that was made before there were any short action left handed rifles. The magazine is boxed and it only holds 3 in the mag, but that's OK for a 22-250. I also glass bedded all of them into Brown Precision stocks before there were many other synthetics around.
All three of these rifles have served me well for a long time. What I like is they all feel the same, handle pretty much the same and the only real difference is recoil. I've thought about changing, but these are really good rifles and they are my old friends. Accurate, reliable and trouble free. Can't ask for much more.
I tried shooting a few right-handed rifles, but they were slow and awkward for me. Started with left handed and could not do it any other way. My kids will just have to bronze these rifles when I'm gone.......
All three of these rifles have served me well for a long time. What I like is they all feel the same, handle pretty much the same and the only real difference is recoil. I've thought about changing, but these are really good rifles and they are my old friends. Accurate, reliable and trouble free. Can't ask for much more.
I tried shooting a few right-handed rifles, but they were slow and awkward for me. Started with left handed and could not do it any other way. My kids will just have to bronze these rifles when I'm gone.......
I am right handed, but have a dominant left eye. I started shooting at such a young age I simply couldn't master shooting right handed, so my Dad switched me to the left side. I can shoot either way, and typically just shoot right handed to minimize movement if a critter is close and over my left shoulder (that has saved me many, many times hunting turkeys and with whitetails in the woods). It is interesting, when I have time to prepare or when the shot must be taken reflexively, I always shoot left handed.
I have hunted and taken deer with both left and right handed bolt action rifles, but I prefer a left hand bolt rifle for most of my hunting. I am all about making the first shot count (hunt a good bit with a muzzle loader and occasionally with a Ruger #1) but I can remember one time at least where things didn't go as hoped with the first shot (all I can figure is that I must have hit a tree limb) and I hit a deer poorly. Being able to work the bolt quickly and drop the deer before it went out of sight saved the day.
I have hunted and taken deer with both left and right handed bolt action rifles, but I prefer a left hand bolt rifle for most of my hunting. I am all about making the first shot count (hunt a good bit with a muzzle loader and occasionally with a Ruger #1) but I can remember one time at least where things didn't go as hoped with the first shot (all I can figure is that I must have hit a tree limb) and I hit a deer poorly. Being able to work the bolt quickly and drop the deer before it went out of sight saved the day.
