I'm left-handed, but I'm right-eye dominant, so I learned to shoot shoulder arms from my right side. My dad started me off on the right side, and it has never been an issue, but I have one son who is purely left-handed and two grandsons who are purely left-handed, so when I was outfitting them, it was necessary to pick bolt guns that work from the left side. Back in the day that was an ussue, but things have gotten better.
If I were looking for a brand-new, out-of-the-box bolt gun today, my choices would boil down to Ruger or Savage. I have nothing against the other manufacturers, but those two have put me in meat more often than the competitors.
On a post yesterday, Sailorcurt was talking about left-hand rifles, and today I took a peek at the current offerings. Wow! Ruger has a bunch, to include left-hand Ruger 10/22 models. Savage has a sizeable collection as well.
When I'm browsing used gun racks, the one I'm always on the lookout for is a left-handed Remington 870. I could probably order one, but it's something that I've always looked for. Along with a Ruger No 1 in 7mm Mauser or in 250 Savage. That would be something to find.
4 comments:
Savage 99s in .250 or .300 Savage used to be a dime a dozen. Once upon a time in a world far far away called 1982.
Good luck finding either of them... sigh
Way back in the day, Remington made the 788 bolt action with a leftie bolt but still threw the bullet case out of the right side. Came in 6mm Remington and.308 Winchester.
Thanks for the mention...sorry I rambled so much in that comment...I do that.
I've always wondered why more industries, and especially the firearms industry, doesn't take left handed people more into account. We make up somewhere around 13% of the population so it's not an insignificant market.
Right handed rifles don't bother me too much. Some lefties complain that semi-autos eject shell casings across their weak side line of vision and it bothers them...but I can't see well out of that eye anyway so it's never bothered me. Bolt guns are the worst because when using it wrong handed, you have to pull the rifle away from your cheek and use your support hand to work the bolt. It's doable but definitely detrimental to smooth operation. I see righties just flicking their trigger hand to work the bolt and never coming up off the scope and I'm jealous. Soon I'll be able to do that too...yea!
Plus the location of the safety and other controls can be a problem in both pistols and rifles. I've passed on many handgun designs because they just weren't conducive to left-handed operation. And a couple of times, I've passed on a particular handgun model I was considering for a carry gun simply because I couldn't find a holster I liked for it in a left-handed variant. I've actually considered getting into holster making on my own just so I can custom make left handed holsters for myself...but the last thing I need right now is another hobby. Maybe after I retire...
Anyway, I hope that Ruger and Savage offering so many models in left-handed configuration pays off for them and they sell a ton. Maybe that would convince other manufacturers that we lefties are a viable market and are worth considering.
Oh...and don't even get me started on scissors...
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