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insight99/lefthanded rifles
stevecrea
Member Posts: 486 ✭✭✭
I am a lefthanded shooter, and I am left eye dominant, as you are.
I started out shooting when I was about seven years old, shooting righthanded bolt rifles, leverguns, autos, etc. I shot them all lefthanded.
You actually have a quite good selection of lefthanded bolt rifles available, especially if you include used rifles, and those that are no longer made.
For example, there are many lefthanded Weatherbys, Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters, CZs, Savages, Sakos, Tikkas, Brownings, Coopers, Kimber of Oregon, Dakotas, customs, and others that I have failed to include.
Although you can certainly shoot a righthanded bolt gun from your left shoulder, you should have the capacity to become even more skillful using a proper lefthanded rifle. The bolt can be worked faster and more efficiently on a true lefthanded rifle. This can be a factor if you are actually hunting live game rather than merely punching paper.
For example, with proper skill and practice, you can quickly chamber follow up rounds without taking your eye out of the scope and off your target if you have a true lefthanded rifle. In contrast, follow up shots using a righthand rifle on your left shoulder will require you to usually block the eyepiece of the scope or sights with your left arm as you cycle the bolt.
With regard to the value of lefthanded rifles, this has been my experience: if you are selling the rifle, you will be told that lefthand rifles are very difficult to sell, as only six percent of the population is lefthanded. Accordingly, you will have to take a discount on the price. On the other hand, if you are buying the rifle, you will be told that the unit is so rare that you will likely never see another like it. Accordingly, the price will be high.
I started out shooting when I was about seven years old, shooting righthanded bolt rifles, leverguns, autos, etc. I shot them all lefthanded.
You actually have a quite good selection of lefthanded bolt rifles available, especially if you include used rifles, and those that are no longer made.
For example, there are many lefthanded Weatherbys, Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters, CZs, Savages, Sakos, Tikkas, Brownings, Coopers, Kimber of Oregon, Dakotas, customs, and others that I have failed to include.
Although you can certainly shoot a righthanded bolt gun from your left shoulder, you should have the capacity to become even more skillful using a proper lefthanded rifle. The bolt can be worked faster and more efficiently on a true lefthanded rifle. This can be a factor if you are actually hunting live game rather than merely punching paper.
For example, with proper skill and practice, you can quickly chamber follow up rounds without taking your eye out of the scope and off your target if you have a true lefthanded rifle. In contrast, follow up shots using a righthand rifle on your left shoulder will require you to usually block the eyepiece of the scope or sights with your left arm as you cycle the bolt.
With regard to the value of lefthanded rifles, this has been my experience: if you are selling the rifle, you will be told that lefthand rifles are very difficult to sell, as only six percent of the population is lefthanded. Accordingly, you will have to take a discount on the price. On the other hand, if you are buying the rifle, you will be told that the unit is so rare that you will likely never see another like it. Accordingly, the price will be high.