Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

cactusbrew

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Jun 2, 2004
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For all of you lefties out there, do you own and shoot left handed bolt guns or do you shoot right handed bolt guns?

I'm a lefty and have always shot right handed guns. At this point I am pretty quick working the bolt with my weak hand and keeping the rifle in my shoulder with my strong hand.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

I currently own three bolt guns and I am having another built as we speak.

They are all right bolt. I do have a Savage which is right bolt and left load. This may be the best set up ever for a lefty shooting from a bench or prone. Most of my shooting is done either from a bench or prone. If I were buying a sporter style deer rifle, I might opt for a left handed rifle as follow up shots off hand would probably be faster and easier.

CB
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

A lefty that grew up on right bolt, I have tried a few left hand bolts but too ingrained. Like you I give up nothing working the bolt and actually faster than a majority of right shooters. Not breaking purchase with grip, keeping head down and not loosing position. I also use CW turret rotation which to me is natural using right hand.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

I've only owned a couple of LH bolt guns. And until I got a Ferret50 in LH, I was unimpressed. I am now officially impressed. A large part of that may be the increased travel distance of the .50bmg bolt, but it just feels downright natural to me.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cactusbrew</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For all of you lefties out there, do you own and shoot left handed bolt guns or do you shoot right handed bolt guns?

I'm a lefty and have always shot right handed guns. At this point I am pretty quick working the bolt with my weak hand and keeping the rifle in my shoulder with my strong hand. </div></div>

LEFT


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Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

Righty is actually better for disciplines like benchrest, but if you're shooting offhand, lefty is much more preferable. Go for a left handed rifle if you can.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

I got a LH rifle at the advise of others and I'm glad that I did. Since I started with it, I haven't gotten used to a RH action. So I saved myself the trouble of relearning down the line. I have heard people say its nice to be able to see into the port, but I prefer to keep my hand on the rear bag and run the bolt with my left hand. That's just me.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

I am right handed but for some reason have always shot from my left shoulder. Weird right? I have been to afraid to buy a left handed model and do not know anyone who has one, so I just stick with right handed rifles. Works great for me!
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cactusbrew</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For all of you lefties out there, do you own and shoot left handed bolt guns or do you shoot right handed bolt guns?

I'm a lefty and have always shot right handed guns. At this point I am pretty quick working the bolt with my weak hand and keeping the rifle in my shoulder with my strong hand. </div></div>
My brother is a lefty, but like you hes' always shot right-handed rifles. My favorite uncle - an ex-Army guy, is also left handed and he can shoot right or left-handed, but IIRC his bolt guns are left-handed. And my shooting buddy is left-handed and shoots left-handed bolts. He is currently awaiting a lefty Tac Ops X-Ray 51.


Keith
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

No regrets here being Southpaw, no matter what game I'm playing.

30-06...
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.243AI...
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M4...
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.54 Flinter....
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Damon-Howatt....
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Thinkin' there's probably a lefty Mathews speed bow around here somewhere, too.....
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MANIMAL</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am right handed but for some reason have always shot from my left shoulder. Weird right? I have been to afraid to buy a left handed model and do not know anyone who has one, so I just stick with right handed rifles. Works great for me! </div></div>

I'm the same way. Right-handed, but left-eye dominant, so I've always shot left-handed. It makes shooting a pistol sheer hell (for me, at least.)

I've started buying left-handed bolt actions recently. The problem is that you are fairly limited in what makes and models you can get and I've had to get pretty creative on a few. For years I would only shoot lever actions, over/under shotguns and my trusty Browning BPS that I've been shooting every season since I was 11 years old (I'm 34), since it ejects out the bottom.

Not being left handed, I still find it a little awkward to cycle a round on a bolt action and I can't do it very fast. But, hopefully as I shoot more, I'll get used to it. I've given some thought to just taking the leap and getting rightie bolt actions since I can get whatever I want and just figuring it out.

I've heard that the only downside is that you have to take your hand off the rear squeeze bag to cycle the round that messes up your sight picture for a follow-up shot. True?
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tripwire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Thinkin' there's probably a lefty Mathews speed bow around here somewhere, too..... </div></div>

Being a lefty bowhunter is actually pretty great, I've found. There is no fighting over who sits where when you are in a box blind with someone else; and NOBODY ever wants to borrow your bow.
 
Re: Lefties - Left or right handed bolt guns?

Lefty here, have always shot right handed rifles. I have a couple left handed rifles but feels weird to me at this point. I like RH guns from prone or bench, I can keep my trigger hand on the gun.