My son will be turning 16 next month and I was thinking of giving him a rifle. I have a 760 remington '06 that I bought on my 16 birthday and was thinking of giving him that however he is a lefty and the 760 is right handed. Do any of you who shoot left use a right handed rifle?? Any comments welcome.
leftys using right hand rifle
- Thread starter Bic
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themikeman
New member
I’m a lefty I use both but left handed bolt actions are a little bit more convenient. People say that it makes a difference the only problem I have had was with a AR15a1 the shells kept on hitting me in the face other than that no problem. Any 16-year-old kid will be happy with any gun.
Lefties using the r/h rifle
Shot left handed and left eyed all my life, M1s and all, recently got the hots for an 03A3, a Mod. 1917, and a kRAG.
It was a hassle but I have changed to a Righty with those bolt actions, right eye included. I seem to do as well now as if I went back to leftyism. Still shoot pistols and automatic rifles left handed. If the eyesight is equal with both eyes I don't think it is a real problem, maybe for some folks but it works for me.....Try it, maybe it'll work for you also.
Shot left handed and left eyed all my life, M1s and all, recently got the hots for an 03A3, a Mod. 1917, and a kRAG.
It was a hassle but I have changed to a Righty with those bolt actions, right eye included. I seem to do as well now as if I went back to leftyism. Still shoot pistols and automatic rifles left handed. If the eyesight is equal with both eyes I don't think it is a real problem, maybe for some folks but it works for me.....Try it, maybe it'll work for you also.
I shoot right handed with bow and long arms, left handed with handguns. It's rather nice not to have to get special stuff done to the guns. Just ambi safeties on my handguns. I'm left eye dominant, ironically, but shoot horribly left-handed on the long guns. Conditioning is the key. How did he pick up his first rifle? From seeing people do it, I immediately started out right-handed. I've shot right handed ever since, and most likely, will always shoot right handed. You'll have to give him a gun, and see what works best for him.
Remington 760 for Left Hander
Hi I'm a lefty & used a standard 760 as my only hunting rifle for about 18 years. It's really an ambidexterous rifle. It's a fabulous gun for a left hander. I had zero issues. Never was hit by ejecting brass, all the controls easily accessed. Used a right hand 870 too, which has exactly the same controls. Works great for a lefty, wish I had never sold it. Tim
Hi I'm a lefty & used a standard 760 as my only hunting rifle for about 18 years. It's really an ambidexterous rifle. It's a fabulous gun for a left hander. I had zero issues. Never was hit by ejecting brass, all the controls easily accessed. Used a right hand 870 too, which has exactly the same controls. Works great for a lefty, wish I had never sold it. Tim
Bic, I've been a lefty all my life and I've been shooting righties all my life to include a vast number of bolt guns, .22RF on up, and many autos including M1, M14, M16, carbines, etc, and of of course lever guns. I shoot a RH bolt gun (both a Mdl 70 and a slicked up 03) for high power and no problems at all on rapid fire strings. You learn to adapt and overcome. One very distinct advantage when shooting from the 'wrong' side is that you have a visual into the mag and chamber. Safeties, mags, and other mechanical things have never been a problem. In fact a stock 1911 is not a problem for a southpaw either if you know how, including slide release, safety, and mag release. Quite comfortable. That said, I have several LH bolt guns and find them quite a pleasure to shoot, especially the convenience of the bolt handle. But that's not the ONLY consideration. Accuracy is the name of the game. If it shoots good, it's fun. sundog
oh, one other thing. I've had more trouble with stocks and check rests more than anything else.
oh, one other thing. I've had more trouble with stocks and check rests more than anything else.
VirgilCaine
New member
I'm a lefty. Right hand rifles are no problem really. I do have to be careful of autoloaders due to hot brass, but only had a few go down my shirt. Always use eye protection when I can, especially with autoloaders. The only trouble would stem from him being right eye dominant. Safteys can be tricky for a lefty when bird/ rabbit hunting, but practice smooths it out a bit. He'll have a blast!!
MTMilitiaman
New member
If there is a doctor in the house he may be able to tell me if this is possible but I could swear I developed my left-eye dominance over time. During my childhood I can remember shooting right-handed with no difficulties. It wasn't until later in my childhood, ironically about the time I got my first set of prescription eye glasses that my dad noticed I was leaning my head over the stock to aim with my left eye. He bought me a right-handed Model 700 at age 14 for my first hunting rifle. I'll admit I did have difficulty with it. It was my first high-powered rifle and my first rifle with a scope and it lacked the comb to give me a consistant cheek weld. As much as I love that rifle, I've replaced it with a left -handed BDL and I shoot it much better. It wasn't the side of the bolt that gave me the most trouble as I could manipulate the bolt pretty easily--even if my method did require I leave the shooting position and would have been nearly impossible in the shooting sling I use now. I would switch hands, moving my left (firing) hand forward to the forearm and the support (right) hand back to work the bolt, then switch them back for the next shot. It sounds time consuming and complicated, but it took me very little time to get pretty good at it.
I suppose I could have adapted, but these days I don't think I should have to. I think if I spend the same amount of money on a rifle that the rifle should accomidate me as well it is accomidates right-handed shooters. I pay the same amount of the same money, I feel I have every right to expect the same amount of service and comfort from the product.
Also I have never had problems with shells hitting me in the face from rifles or most of the handguns I have used. The only time I ever had a shell hit me in the face without first deflecting off a wall or other object was when I limp-wristed my dad's .44 Mag Desert Eagle. I also find that most pistols are fairly easy to use left-handed and can ever favor lefties. I prefer to manipulate the mag release with the index finger of my firing hand and do it this way on every pistol model I have ever fired or held, including my USP which has an ambi mag release. I also have become quite adept at using my firing hand index finger to manipulate the slide release. The only time this is a problem for me is on the SIGs, in which case it is mounted too far to the rear for my index finger to reach. On the SIGs, the decocker is fine for the left index finger but on any thumb levers, such as the 1911, I insist on it being ambidextorous.
I suppose I could have adapted, but these days I don't think I should have to. I think if I spend the same amount of money on a rifle that the rifle should accomidate me as well it is accomidates right-handed shooters. I pay the same amount of the same money, I feel I have every right to expect the same amount of service and comfort from the product.
Also I have never had problems with shells hitting me in the face from rifles or most of the handguns I have used. The only time I ever had a shell hit me in the face without first deflecting off a wall or other object was when I limp-wristed my dad's .44 Mag Desert Eagle. I also find that most pistols are fairly easy to use left-handed and can ever favor lefties. I prefer to manipulate the mag release with the index finger of my firing hand and do it this way on every pistol model I have ever fired or held, including my USP which has an ambi mag release. I also have become quite adept at using my firing hand index finger to manipulate the slide release. The only time this is a problem for me is on the SIGs, in which case it is mounted too far to the rear for my index finger to reach. On the SIGs, the decocker is fine for the left index finger but on any thumb levers, such as the 1911, I insist on it being ambidextorous.
There's probably nothing like the look on a kids face when he lets that first one go. not to mention the "Holy Crap" Things went very well and I think I just lost my 760. After seeing that smile I can hardly wait for this fall in the stand with him. Thanks for all the replies fellas.
I shoot both right and left handed on long guns; slower with my left, naturally. Bows and handguns are right only for me, though I want to learn to shoot handguns lefty as well. I used to be left eye dominant as well, but that was actually fixed with prescriptions and I now use my right eye.
I need to ask all the righties who say lefties should just use right-handed guns...
how many RIGHT-HANDED shooters do you see with LEFT-HANDED guns?
I have seen absolutely ZERO!
Get the kid a left-handed bolt gun, or an ambidextrous action like a lever action.
And yes, I'm left-handed.
how many RIGHT-HANDED shooters do you see with LEFT-HANDED guns?
I have seen absolutely ZERO!
Get the kid a left-handed bolt gun, or an ambidextrous action like a lever action.
And yes, I'm left-handed.
MTMilitiaman
New member
Actually, I've sat in front of a mirror for hours contoring my face and concentrating my damndest to change eye dominance or at least be able to close my left eye and not my right with no effect. It may be possible to train the body to do such things but I am pretty sure it involves chemicals or shock theropy. And the point is that I shouldn't have to learn to shoot right handed. I am paying the same amount or more for my rifle as you are and I should be able to shoot my rifle with the same amount of comfort as you shoot yours. There's no excuse for us lefties not to have a decent selection of rifles and handguns available to us and the companies that do offer a decent selection I am sure will find themselves rewarded for it. It is a competitive marketplace. Gun manufactures are forced to sell a product that last several generations to a very limited consumer base. Excluding 10 to 20 percent of this base makes no sense at all.
oneeyeross
New member
Shot left handed all my life
with right handed guns. I could never justify the expense of left handed rifles. They are few and far between.
Now, I reach over and work the bolt without trouble. I can do it reaching over faster than my kids can do it with their right hands...Of course, they haven't really learned to cycle the bolt without dropping the rifle down yet.....
with right handed guns. I could never justify the expense of left handed rifles. They are few and far between.
Now, I reach over and work the bolt without trouble. I can do it reaching over faster than my kids can do it with their right hands...Of course, they haven't really learned to cycle the bolt without dropping the rifle down yet.....
Yep. I'm right handed with a old right eye injury. Simply put, I can't see clearly out of my right eye, so I shoot long guns and bows left handed. Savage is the best buy out there for right or left hand shooters. I have a Rem 7400, and reversed the cross bolt safety to use it left handed. The 7400 throws the brass sideways to slightly forward, and I haven't had any lefty issues with it. I see the sentimental value and reasons for giving him the 760. Go for it.
Well boys, he's extatic about it, and it works just fine for him. Soooo I believe its a done deal, only catch is that I told him is that it dosn't get sold. Hopefully he can pass it down to. Only for the sentimental part not because I think its some sort of classic. Thanks for your comments folks.
Bic
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