Should a left hand shooter have a left hand bolt gun?

[Fried Chicken Blowout]

I'm looking at getting a single bolt gun for Elk hunting and other long distance sport shooting. It will be my first and only bolt gun. I have several AR's, all right handed of course, with left handed controls. But should I have a left handed bolt gun for correct functionality? It really narrows down my choices in .300 Win Mag if I try to stick to left handed guns. Unfortunately, they are normally the lower end guns that come in left hand.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this issue?

Thanks

[Ak44]

I would assume you as a lefty would have your left hand on the rifle and trigger, and your right hand could work the bolt. Seems like you would have a faster time reloading working the bolt with your right hand on a right handed gun :confused:

[Fried Chicken Blowout]

That's what I'm trying to work out... There has to be a reason that "right hand" bolt guns have the bolt handle on the right side of the gun. Sure, shooting from a rest or bipod I would be quick on the bolt to reload, but there has to be a reason for a right handed gun having the bolt handle on the right... I'm just missing it.

[El Gato]

my daughter being left eye dominant has always shot long guns left handed... she can work a right hand bolt with her left hand faster than a right hander as long as the gun isn't too heavy for her to hold...

works fine...

might want to look at something like a ruger #1 or a browning hi wall or something more ambidexterious.....

I hunt elk with my hi wall browning in 45-70... not sure I need to shoot it fast... but I can by simply having a cartridge holder on my belt or on the stock...or simply hold two extra rounds in between the fingers of the support hand...

[militarymoron]

i'm a lefty shooter that shoots a right-handed bolt action rifle as there wasn't a left handed configuration that i wanted. the right hand cycling the bolt thing only really works (for me) from the bipod or front sandbag/ruck supported position. that would be the only plus i can see shooting a right-handed bolt action. the caveat is that while i don't have to change my firing grip, i have to break sight picture/cheek weld and move my face out of the way to cycle the bolt or i'll bean myself with the bolt handle hand. so, i'm not sure it's any faster. it's possible to do it unsupported as long as you can hold the rifle up with the firing hand, but it doesn't work well for me.

you can keep your cheek weld better (depending on scope eye relief and how far the bolt travel is) and cycle the bolt when shooting lefty with a left-handed bolt. also, if you ever plan on using a sling as support by wrapping your support arm in it, you'd be much better off with a lefty bolt gun. cycling a right handed bolt with the left hand is cumbersome at best.
the lack of choices kinda suck, but if i were going to buy a bolt gun for hunting more than shooting from the bench or bipod, i'd get a left-handed rifle. just my personal opinon.
but also note that a lefty rifle will be harder to sell if you ever want to.

[mike_f]

I'm a lefty and have shot & owned both right handed and left handed bolt action rifles.

If you are going to use it for something other than shooting paper I strongly suggest a left handed bolt gun. Unsupported follow up shots are much, much quicker for me using a left handed bolt. As MM already said the right handed bolt gun only works well for a lefty when firing when the front is supported by a rest.

You should be able to find plenty of left handed hunting rifles on the used market or custom if you can't find a new one that suits you. Sako, Winchester, Remington, Savage, many customs, etc. If you look for a used lefty bolt gun sometimes you can pick up lightly used hunting guns cheaper than a righty model.

[Fried Chicken Blowout]

Well the last two posts give me the input I was looking for. I had been told to just use a right handed gun, but I knew there was more to the story. I'll keep looking around for what I'm after. If anyone knows of a Savage, or Remington that is left hand in .300 Win Mag that is as "tactical" as they come let me know. I don't want a bottom of the line gun and I'm not interested in wood stocks.

[Fried Chicken Blowout]

So it looks like this might be the way to go? Anybody have any feedback to the quality of the 700 SPS. They appear to be kind of a base level gun. How is the trigger and accuracy out of the standard barrels in these for .300 Win Mag?

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/left-hand/model-700-sps-synthetic-lh.aspx

Thanks

[Militant83]

I too asked myself this question just a little over a year ago and after laying down behind a right handed rifle and shooting and loading. I found a right hand rifle is more productive for a lefty. If shooting from the prone you can keep the weapon shouldered firing hand in place and work the bolt with your right hand. But you will want to get a right hand rifle with an ambi stock on it.

[Alpha Sierra]

Sure, shooting from a rest or bipod I would be quick on the bolt to reload, but there has to be a reason for a right handed gun having the bolt handle on the right... I'm just missing it.
The reason the bolt is on the strong side is because most field shooting is done from positions where the support hand is busy holding the rifle up.

Even when shooting from a bipod it is MUCH faster to use the strong hand to cycle the bolt as the support hand is almost always gipping a bean bag under the butt of the rifle and thus not available to quickly work the bolt.

If you want to see how to run a bolt gun well, look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtI8wDj3aQ

[Tom Russell]

Ruger, Montana Rifle, Blazer, Sako and others all make very fine left-handed rifles. If you shop around you can still find a Winchester M 70 Classic as well. I strongly recommend you go with a left-handed rifle as you will always do better using the dominate hand.

[rat31465]

As a Right Handed shooter...I can actually operate the bolt faster and more accurately on a Left handed bolt gun.
I prefer removing my support hand from the forend for operating the bolt instead of my my firing hand.
Try it for yourself and see if you dont like it.

[Fried Chicken Blowout]

The reason the bolt is on the strong side is because most field shooting is done from positions where the support hand is busy holding the rifle up.

Even when shooting from a bipod it is MUCH faster to use the strong hand to cycle the bolt as the support hand is almost always gipping a bean bag under the butt of the rifle and thus not available to quickly work the bolt.

If you want to see how to run a bolt gun well, look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtI8wDj3aQ


I've never seen anything like that. Quite impressive speed with a bolt gun...

[Alpha Sierra]

I've never seen anything like that. Quite impressive speed with a bolt gun...

Not only that. Watch it again paying attention to the electronic target monitor displaying the shot pattern in real time.

Compare the bolt gunners with the soldier with the G3. While he was marginally faster, his accuracy sucked compared to the shooters using the Sauer 200 STRs.

[yellowfin]

I'm left handed and I shoot either gun about equally well. I have a .30-06 in left handed and a .264 Win Mag in right handed. While some people might think reaching over is a pain, manipulating a bolt is interruptive in the first place. I more or less grab it from the center rather than having my hand all the way over on the right hand side of the gun, so it's almost like it doesn't matter when I'm working with the right handed guns. If you can get a better deal and/or better selection going with right handed, then do it.

[plk1222]

Try shooting first is my suggestion. i thought i would love a lefty stag until i shot it. all ive shot is RH guns and shooting a lefty was awkword. ended up trading it for another RH bolt gun

[gkieser92]

The problem with using the support hand to cycle the bolt is that the thumb of the shooting hand will be in the way. You'll need to get a more pistol-grip type stock. The problem is that most of those are heavy, and you'll already be taxing your grip by taking support hand off of your gun. If you are used to AR-15s you will have an advantage, since all manipulations are done with support hand with shooting hand never leaving the pistol grip.

[bornhunter04]

I'm a lefty and i own a lefty 700 sps varmint in .308, for a base level gun it is a tack driver, there's also a lefty 700 bdl in 7mm mag i've had my eye on for some time. I've put 5 hurried shots in under a 1" group at 100 yards with no problem, i'm considering swapping out the cheap stock for a manners custom thumbhole but just haven't done it, yet.

As far as functioning a right handed bolt gun with your support hand while holding the rifle in a shooting position one thing to consider would be whether or not the bolt will clear your thumb/back of hand. I've held some right handed bolt guns that wouldn't clear my hand, so yes you may be able to work the bolt that way but is it worthy taking some skin with it? Just something to think about, if i was you and had the chance whatever gun i was looking at i would definitely handle it and work the action to be sure this is a non-issue. Also, consider the resell value, it's much easier to unload a right-handed gun.

[BikerRN]

As someone that shoots longarms with his left eye/hand, I would advise you to use a right handed bolt gun.

If you ever end up borrowing a bolt action rifle in a hunting camp, and shoot a left handed bolt gun at home, you will most likely end up polishing the left side of your borrowed rifle when you are trying to load it for real under the stress of shooting that Boone and Crockett trophy.

Don't laugh, or say it won't happen to you. I watched a left handed shooter using a borrowed right handed rifle do this exact same thing. We are creatures of habit and training, and if your time is spent with a left handed gun that is how you will most likely function, even with a right handed gun.

I've found the right handed bolt to be faster for the lefty, using a left handed thumb hole stock, and the most stable shooting platform to boot. That's a custom option, but one I really like for hunting and long distance shooting.

Biker