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

[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/fi...thetic-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