Shotgun Question?

[huntazido]

I'm looking for a left handed over/under for my son who will be turning 15 very soon. I've been looking at cabelas and sportsmans warehouse here in Phx area but they aren't able to tell me who makes a left handed model. He really likes the savage model 512 but can't seem to find out if they make it in left hand model. I tried to call Savage but they are closed for 3 weeks in the summer.

Can any of you recommend a good left handed over/under preferably 20 ga, single trigger, and around the $600 mark? Thanks

 

[O_S_O_K]

I might be taking the bait here but oh well, just trying to help.

Over and under shotguns are ambidextros, aren't they?

Am I missing something?

Buy him the Savage and both of you can shoot it!


"The problem with quotes on Internet Forums is that it is often difficult to verify their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln

 

[PCPython]

+1

 

[whitwell_56]

I shoot left-handed and I thought the same thing.

 

[huntazido]

That is what I thought too and that is why I was looking into O/U's. The salesman at Cabelas brought it to my attention that the thumb release that breaks the gun open is made for a right handed person and there is such a thing as a left handed O/U.

I suppose he could learn to work around it but it is awkward.

 

[TOPGUN]

First I've heard of that in all my years. Just because the lever that breaks the gun open has to be pushed to the right like most are made shouldn't make it for right handers vs left handers to shoot it.

 

[sageadvice]

I do know that Browning Citori make a left handed over under. As i recall, they even come with a left handed palm swell. Good luck with it!

Joey

 

[OutdoorWriter]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-15-11 AT 03:21PM (MST)[p]Here ya go:

http://www.browning.com/products/ca...ontent=citori-625-sporting-left-hand-firearms

http://www.browning.com/products/ca..._id=013&type_id=406&value=008B&cattype=013406



TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

 

[huntazido]

Thanks writer but I was looking for something in the $600 range. If these are my only options my south paw son is going to have to learn to shoot with the savage 512.

 

[nickman]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-15-11 AT 07:31PM (MST)[p]Dang........I didn't want to be the guy!

Shotguns are not ambidexterous.

They have a thing built into the stock refered to as "cast on and cast off". This means that the stock is bent away from the shooters face to lessen recoil effect.

If a lefty shoots a shotgun made for a righty, he will take a serious beating to the side of his face....same with a righty shooting a left handed shotgun.

There are very few shotguns made with "zero" cast. And fewer made in left handed version. priced under $600......sorry.

I guess I should tell you how to check.

Place your shotgun on the floor, standing up. Tip it back toward you, trigger side up, and look down the length of it at the heel of the pad and you will clearly see that it is not straight. It will likely turn to the right, beginning where the stock attaches to the action.

"What's good for me, ain't necessarily good for the weak minded"

 

[TOPGUN]

nickman---You know I knew that and being the old fart that I am I completely forgot about cast. I'm not sure that it would beat the snot out of you like you said, but I'm mad at myself for not thinking more on this question before I answered!

 

[YukonDall]

TG.......DONT FELL BAD, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN HANG WITH THE NICKMAN ON A INFORMATIONAL/KNOWLEDGE BASIS. THE MAN HAS A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE/ INTEREST & A MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP......DONT KNOW HOW THE OLD GEEZER DOES IT ??????.......YD.

 

[nickman]

Well......"beat the snot out of you" is a relative term.

Bleeding may not be an issue for some, but I would rather not. Attend any registered trapshoot in America and take note of all the bandaids, face cream, moleskin pads and whatever...

Obviously, I am not talking about an afternoon quail hunt. A case of clay targets and 15 shots will definately put a knot on your face, if the cast is opposite to your needs.

After about the 20th shot, you might as well give up and go home because, no matter how much you think it isn't bothering you, your body will NOT allow your brain to override the pain and you won't be able to keep your head on the stock......which is the number one criteria for sucessful shotgunning.

YOU CANNOT LEARN TO SHOOT A SHOTGUN THAT DOES NOT FIT YOU!

But hey, I only have about 63,000 REGISTERED trap targets, 3 years on the Navy skeet team and 2 years of assisting junior Olympic hopefuls at Colorado Springs.....lots of people know more about it than I do.

If it was my call, I would find a left handed Remington 1100 or 1187 and go with it. Later, if it becomes a passion, you can step up to an imported Italian O/U, but those prices are going to start at about $1500.

You try to force him to shoot a right hand model and you will quite possibly ruin your "hunting buddy" relationship.

"What's good for me, ain't necessarily good for the weak minded"

 

[sageadvice]

I'm finding that what nickman is saying make total sense and might be the reason i had to give up on a gun i had always wanted.

At one time i was told that i'd make a very competitive competition trap shooter if i cared to stick with all that goes into being tops in the sport. I bought a house instead and because so, felt that i couldn't afford to keep up with the expense's of the game so reverted back to the occasional recreational shooter.

While i was shooting 3-4 days a week and many hundreds of practice birds though, i came to have a sharp eye for some of the beautiful and not so beautiful but functional shotguns out there on the lines. One day a very highly figured custom stocked model 12 trap was presented to me at a price that i jumped at. I loved the looks of the rollover cheek and was a very proud owner until i took her out and ran some lead through her.

Back then, my 17 yd average was between 98 and 99 out of 100 birds. With the fancy stocked mod 12 though, best i could do was about 70, sometimes worse than that. Also, that gun beat hell outa my face after a few rounds. Now I'm thinking that the gunstock maker screwed up the cast and that's maybe why the gun was such a great looking deal. I soon got rid of the thing and went back to my field grade guns where i can still today go straight now and again.

Joey

 

[O_S_O_K]

Well I am glad I chimed in because I learned something new!

Thanks guys and great post.


"The problem with quotes on Internet Forums is that it is often difficult to verify their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln

 

[Lefty280]

what the hell is a 17 yd average? for someone who was shooting competitively you should know there is 16 yds and hadicap which starts at 20 yards.

I've shot lots of O/U and never had a left handed version, with decent but never outstanding scores. I've gone to european autos, Bineeli and Beretta, they come with shims so the cast can be changed to a lefty set-up

 

[sageadvice]

Sorry Lefty, my mistake. It's been a good long time. That house that i bought, instead of further coaching and practice in working up to shooting competitively, was in the SF east bay area, a 1550 sq ft 3 bdr, 2 bath, for $37,500. That was a long time ago and lots of water under the bridge.

I had, before and after that particular period of time, won dozens of fine slab bacons at our local Gun Club, Livermore rod and gun, and had done very well in informal club shoots. Never did shoot a single registered bird. Now i shoot a few rounds a year when back down visiting family and friends.

Joey

 

[brdhuntr]

I'm one of those old FARTS too, infact i turned 65 today. I am righthanded,and shoot left handed. I cut my teeth in the dove fields of central Ca. on a model 12-20gauge and all my guns are left handed, so i'm really ass backward LOL. Not bragging, but i can still shoot 10-Doves with my Citori 12-gauge with under 20 -rounds! Life is good!!

 

[TOPGUN]

Well happy birthday you old fart, LOL! Us old timers (I'll be 64 on 8/16) can still show all these young whippersnappers a thing or two once in a while!!! Shooting better than 50% on those little skyrockets is pretty darn good---congrats!

 

[NeMont]

I went through this with my son. He is a lefty and simply cannot shoot right handed. I bought him a used left handed Browning O/U and had it fitted to him when he was 12. Had a gunsmith cut down the stock and adjust the cast and LOP to fit him. Well that was when he was 5 ft 2 in and 110 lbs of scrawny kid, two and half years later he is 6 ft and 185 lbs and I am again looking for a left hand shotgun for him.

I am going to bite bullet and buy him a Benelli SBE 2, left handed. We hunt waterfowl and upland and the O/U is a PITA to use in a layout blind. So my advice look until you find what works for him, he will have far more success. Buy him a shotgun that will last for at least 20 years and even if you pay more than you $600 budget it will be cheaper over time to get him one that fits him.

Nemont

 

[tx_packmule]

may can get a lefty Baikal.