help me make a choice.

C

Coot_Commander

Inactive
So I am in "need" of a new rifle. I currently own a .308 savage lever action that is a family heirloom and after dragging it through the cactuses on an antelope hunt this year and scratching it, ive decided I don't want to do that anymore, besides it kills on both ends and isn't much fun to shoot. I own several ARs..... So I would like something between a .223 and a .308 that I can take down a whitetail with that is a bolt action. I wouldn't mind something of an "off" caliber like a .257 Roberts but I'm going to throw that final wrench at you....it has to be left handed. Any help or suggestions on caliber and who makes them.
 
Savage Model: 11/111 Trophy Hunter comes in lefty . As for caliber 243 , 260 , 7mm-08 with the 260 Remington being what I recommend to you . It will have manageable recoil and plenty of power . If I read your Post right you have a 308 Win . If so in a pinch you can size down your 308 brass to 260 and vise versa because they both use the same parent case .:cool:
 
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That's perfect. I do reload my own so things like that are very helpful. I guess another way I could phrase this question is......if you were left handed and wanted a bolt action rifle, owned a .308 and a .223 and wanted something in between and had $1,000 in your pocket what would you get?
 
Join the 6.5mm cult, the mid ranged 6.5s have considerably less recoil then your 308 and hit just as hard at range with some world class external ballistics. Mine baby is a Tikka T3 6.5x55, but that is a very hard rifle to find even in right hand, a left hand Savage 16 6.5 Creedmroe would be much easier to find and probably every bit as good. Do some research on the ballistics and you will see what I mean the 6.5s rock!
The 260 is an awesome member of the 6.5mm family too, Tikka chambers it as well and they are easier to find right then 6.5x55s right now.
 
As for caliber 243 , 260 , 7mm-08
Click to expand...
All of these have the same parent case (308) I would go with 243 or 260. I have a 243 and 7mm-08. They all get the job done. Pick the one you can find components for easily.
 
7mm-08 is a fine hunting caliber too, but unless you are going with the light 120gr bullets it is not significantly lower recoil then the 308 he already has. Now mind you with 120gr Pro Hunters and H380 my 7mm-08 is a flat shooting sissy kicker, but at that point it has absolutely no advantage over my 6.5x55 which has a vastly higher BC at the same weight.
I own or have owned all of the above, the 6.5mm (aka .264 cal) is the most versatile with a 308 sized case.
 
+1 on the 6.5x55SE, it is more powerful than the .257 & .260, while recoil is mild.
Second choice would be the 7mm08, followed by .260 or .243.
Tikka make excellent L/H models in all these calibres, that are accurate staight out of the box.
 
So I think we all agree. Either a Savage or Tikka rifle, in a necked down 308 case (243, 260, 7mm-08) 6.5 Creedmore or if you can find one 6.5x55. Any of those should be a delight to shoot and serve you well in the field.
For the record my next bolt rifle will be either a Savage or Ruger in 6.5 Creedmore, it is the perfection of the modern centerfire cartridge. Sharp shoulder and long neck like the Swede and fits into a modern standard short action like the 260 Rem. Shoots as fast and flat as a 270, hits harder then a 25-06 at range, and recoils like a 243, there is simply nothing bad you can dream up to say about that cartridge.
 
So after little more research thanks to you guys I've got a new idea and wanted to see what you think. So if I read it right I should be able to buy a savage 7mm-08 and by simply purchasing a .260 barrel I could have both guns?
 
Throw another vote towards the Swede

It's hard not to shoot a swede well.
It's a pussycat of a round that makes a mockery out of bullet energy calculations.
 
Methinks a big part of your recoil problem is that Savage's stock. I have one in .358 Win. and although I have a pretty recoil proof shoulder, I find it slightly uncomfortable to shoot and mine has a decent pad on it.
A cartridge that I've been playing with is the "underpowered" 7x57 Mauser which I improve through judicious handloading to 7-08 levels. No problem in a modern action. Which leads me to the cartridge I think you'd like, the 7-08 Remington. Decent power, velocity and accuracy and in a modern rifle with proper stock, shouldn't bruise the shoulder at all,especially with a good recoil pad like the Declerator. Remington and Savage make left hand guns in 7-08 and if you want to spend some coin go Kimber.
Actually, recoil in a .308 isn't all that bad with a proper fitting stock and reasonable weight, say 7 to 7.5 pounds with a scope, sling and full magazine. If you reload, there's no reason why you couldn'y load it do to around .300 Savage levers and it would still be one hell of a deer slayer. Save the hotter load levels for bigger game.
Paul B.
 
I say forget the bolt action and go with a Browning BLR.

I'm a fellow lefty and made the mistake of buying a lefty 700BDL. I ended up not liking the gun and it took FOREVER to get rid of it!

Think about it. When you go to sell a lefty gun, 3/4 of potential buyers are instantly eliminated. Then, you've got to find a lefty that wants THAT GUN - Make, Model AND caliber. That's a pretty narrow demographic.

Think about this as well: If you need to let someone else shoot it in a pinch, or you want to be able to hand it down to your kids OR sell it someday, it doesn't matter what "handed" they are, same controls for everyone.

Mine is in .270. The other one is .243.

You'll want to check this site out for all the options (including a Takedown model!):

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/finder.asp?f1=003B
 
Coot - These are my opinions based on my experiences. Although I am right-handed I am left eye dominant and switched to left-handed shooting more than 57 years ago. I have never regretted the switch to left handed shooting. In my opinion it is much better to use the dominant eye to look through a rifle scope. When deciding to purchase a new or used firearm, I have never considered the possible future sale of that firearm as a factor in my purchase decision. I have left-handed bolt action Remington and Browning rifles and would certainly consider a Tikka if I was in the market for a new left-handed rifle. Left-handed bolt action rifles are generally a very small share of dealer's inventory. The also a very small share of used bolt action rifles available at gun shows. Although I have three lever action rifles, I definitely prefer a bolt action for hunting, including deer hunting in Missouri and Minnesota, as well as the plains and mountains of western states.
 
lefteye, im in the same boat as you. I am a right hander but my dad discovered I was left eye dominant when I was real little and forced me to shoot that way and now even though i'm right handed it feels as awkward as writing with a pencil left handed to pick up a gun right handed. That's not in questions. I have only bought one gun in my life with the intention to resell and that was an AR because I saw an opportunity to make a buck. Guns are not an investment to me any one I aquire with the intent to shoot will likely die with me but I understand all of your points.
 
As far as the recoil of the 308 goes I haven't ever changed out the pads but ive been told that will make a big difference. I'll get around to it. Normally being an heirloom I sight it in in the fall and shoot a deer with it every year and put her away so its not a big deal. I am slowly getting the opportunity to do more big game hunting throughout the country so I don't want to scratch or hurt that gun and besides this is an excuse for me to get a new gun. If I ever get anything larger than a 308 it will most likely be a 338 Lapua so right now I just want something between the 308 and the 223 that I can take down a deer, goat, antelope, etc with. I think I have settled on the 260 they are just hard to find, but am considering getting a 7mm-08 and swapping out the barrels and then If I decided to go for bigger game I could just slide the 7 08 barrel back on and sight her in.
 
encore whatever you like. 6.5 creedmoor is what i hunt with. next barrel is 257 bob ai , MGM barrel, probably 21" long.:D
and a high plains gunstock in Sapphire Laminate
 
.270 130 grain. I dont own one yet but my buddy has a winchester 270 with a synthetic stock and recoil isnt bad at all. I personally like the classic wood stock look but to each his own. It shoots wonderfully and makes for a great deer rifle/caliber, it will get the job done. + 270 ammo is very common and not to expensive so you can count on finding ammo just about anywhere.
 
Well I made a decision and ordered it yesterday. I actually found a savage model 10 varmint addition left handed in .260 Rem. I originally though I might go with the model 16 in 7mm-08 and switch the barrels but this will save me some money and from the sounds of it get a pretty good gun.
 
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