LH or RH bolt gun?

V

Vern Brink

New member
For a left-handed shooter w/a bolt gun. Right eye dominant, shoots handgun w/right hand and uses left eye to shoot long guns left-handed.

What would the advantages/disadvantages be with:

A left-handed bolt gun?

A right-handed bolt gun?

Thanks,
 
I'm a lefty all the way. At a gun store, I picked up a lefty bolt rifle. It was neat, but my hand was reaching for a bolt handle that wasn't there.
My shooting style is too 'set in it's ways' to go with a lefty bolt. A lefty pump might be nice, but no lefty bolts for me.

Sounds like you're confused enough. Just go right.


;)
 
I don't buy RH bolts anymore. There are plenty of LH bolts available now (versus 30 years ago). I shot RH bolts for a long time, but as soon as LH bolts came to market, I switched and haven't regretted it. Just my experience.
JB
 
I'm a lefty, relatively new to shooting. I only make two exceptions to shooting right handed equipment. Ambidextrous safeties on 1911s and AR-type rifles, and no bullpups for me.

I have never shot a left hand bolt rifle, but I don't have any problem operating a standard bolt. The way I operate the bolt feels very natural to me. I would feel odd using a left handed bolt after being used to shooting the way I do. Pump shotguns are the same deal. I see a few when I shoot trap, but I can't imagine using a left handed pump.

I decided early on that I didn't want lefty specific guns or reversed safeties, because it is too dangerous when I am shooting someone else's rifle, or lending mine out. Not the bolt set-up, the safety.

Not everyone agrees, but it works for me.
 
Left hand all the way. I've been using whatever was available and/or whatever I could afford for years. HEck WITH THAT!.

From now on, if I can buy left handed guns or convert them to left hand, I will. Why not?

About twenty percent of the population is left handed, and about one percent of guns (or anything else) are made for us.
It takes me about five minutes to sell a lefty at gun shows- and that is usually to dealers, because they know they can get a premium price for them.

Get what feel right to you. Browning, Remington, Ruger, and others make lefties these days.

Imagine a grizzly running full speed at you. What side will you instinctively shoot from? I can manage quite well from either side when target shooting or plinking, but instintively I'm a lefty with long guns.
 
Atticus, left-handers account for between 12-15% of the population of the US and most western nations. A good rule of thumb is 1 in 8.
 
Actually, RockJock, if you add in the right handed, left eye dominant folks like me, the LH firearms market is about 20%. I shoot all long guns LH but pistols RH. After a few years, it became completely "natural" for me.;)
 
I am a lefty who has always used "righty" bolt rifles. Like Yankytrash said, I would have quite a problem reaching for the left hand bolt, when deer hunting. Repetition...Repetition....Repetition
 
I am lefty, shoot handguns and rifles lefty. I've never tried a LH bolt, but would not want to anyway.
The way I see it, I'd rather keep my trigger hand where it belongs and move my right hand off the forearm to operate the bolt. Keeping a consistent grip with my trigger hand and moving the front hand just makes more sense to me than constantly having to readjust my proper trigger grip.
YMMV :)
 
Interesting. I recentlly swore to myself no more (rh) bolt rifles-

I'm ready to explore the field of lefties.:) Can't decide on a caliber to start with. (.22?)
 
I'm just like F4GIB: right-handed with a dominant left eye. Shoot handguns (and do everything else) RH. Long guns are LH (thought I can get by pretty well from the other side as well). All my rifles are RH. I've found that I can drop my right hand from the stock and work the bolt while maintaining my grip with my left hand. Easier for me than reaching over the top (ala the sniper in "Saving Private Ryan"), and I can hold on-target better.
 
Question for the RH, left eye dominate, or vice-versa:

I realize you get used to shooting that way, but do you find it hard to pick up a new gun, say a sighted-in friend's gun, and hit the target? Aren't you shooting way off to the left or right?

I just wonder, because I have a friend that shoots WAY off to the left, and he's right-handed. When I say "to the left", I mean he hits trees 20yds before the target, 5' to the left of the firing line. Of course he learns to compensate, but I don't feel that's the right answer to his problem.

Could his problem be his eye dominance? Wouldn't a left eye dominant right-handed shooter have a tendency to swing that rifle to his left? We've been trying to figure out his problem, and never thought of eye dominance.
 
Yankytrash, that's me - right eye dominant (but not strongly); handguns right-handed (both hand and eye), long guns left-handed (hand and eye). I've never understood the "shooting off to one side" phenomenon. No matter where I shoot from, I close one eye and line up the sights. If the sights are looking where the barrel is pointing, how can the bullet go anywhere else?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top