Right or Left Handed Bolt Rifle?

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dakota.potts

New member
I'm a gunsmith student at Piedmont Technical College in South Carolina. I'm in machine tool classes and starting the gunsmithing in January of next year (it's coming up fast!)

The final project for the class is an American Sporting Classic styled rifle in .30-06 with one walnut stock made to standard and one synthetic stock made to whatever we desire, from a light hunting stock to a 40 lb benchrest set up. I believe the receiver/action is from Montana Rifle Company and we'll also be receiving a .30 caliber barrel blank to chamber and thread to the receiver.

The instructor will need to know how many left and right handed rifles to order within maybe a month or so, and I'm kind of stuck on mine. I was born right handed and left eye dominant, so I shoot all my rifles off the left shoulder. I don't really have any issue with my semi-automatics or my pump shotgun (other than safeties being awkward on some models). When I'm shooting from a bench or rest, I prefer bolt action rifles with a right hand bolt. It allows me to quickly cycle rounds without removing my trigger hand and I find it comfortable. From any other position, though, I really struggle with them (especially with a scope). I don't really have a hunting rifle, and the .30-06 would be a perfect rifle for many types of hunting use, so I could see it getting used in the future for that purpose. If I were hunting, I think I'd want a left hand bolt so I could cycle rounds a little quicker if need be.

I'm just debating back and forth now which one I should choose.
 
"...I shoot all my rifles off the left..." If that feels right, don't stop.
Your issue is more about what you plan on doing with the rifle when it's finished. Sell it or keep it. Easier to sell a backwards bolt rifle than a proper left handed rifle.
And that's how you need to think of a firearm in the gun business. As something you're selling, not as it being your's. Isn't much different than how a rancher sees his animals. Pets, they ain't.
 
It's not something that's being sold, although it could be. The project is intended to be a resume to use to get a job after completion of the school. I'm sure some choose to sell their rifle (and the estimated value of the school project rifles are usually quoted over $2,000) but I wouldn't be unless I had to.

I'm just trying to decide which would be the best use for me because I like right handed bolts from one position and left handed bolts from another.
 
in all truth, I'm an ambi shooter, i can shoot either way or on either eye

i have buddies who are lefty and righty so , choose what feels right to you in terms of use as you have stated it will be a rifle thats for your personal use, and as a resume, you can clearly show it fits the details of its designated owners use and function.

but thinking in terms of a business will also help in the long run, so look at affordability and how you implement the system to function


good luck and hope to see the end result :)
 
My brother is right handed, but left eye dominate. He struggled with shooting well for years until I urged him to learn to shoot left handed. It is easier to retrain the body than the brain. It took a little while to see improvement, but after a few months of shooting from the other side he surpassed what he had done for years trying to shoot right handed.

Over the years he has struggled with the same question. Handguns aren't a problem. He shoots an 870 shotgun with no issues. He tried pump, semi-auto, and lever action rifles, but simply prefers bolt guns. He tried one left handed bolt gun, but he was so used to working right handed guns that he sold it and simply uses right handed guns from the left side.

But I think your case is different. There are very few options available in left handed bolt guns and he just didn't like any of the options. You have a chance to build the gun you want. In your case I believe I'd put together a really nice custom left handed gun.
 
Thanks everybody. Truth be told, I don't see myself becoming a custom hunting rifle maker or getting into small repair shop style gunsmithing as a business. My heart is really in battle rifles, military weapons, semi automatic handguns, things of that nature and more on the production side (namely CNC). The rifle is a project I look forward to that all gunsmith students do in their 4th semester of gunsmithing as the school is more centered on classical gunsmithing. I will enjoy it, but I don't plan to be making this type of firearm as a production model. The .30-06 American Sporting Classic is a requirement with criteria to be followed right down to barrel contour and wood selection for the nosecap/grip cap. I even asked if I could do mine in a full Mannlicher stock and in another chambering such as 7mm Mauser and was told the wood stock had specific criteria and that the cost of ordering different caliber barrels and multiple reamers per student necessitated everybody use the same caliber.

So production questions aside, I just need to settle the bolt throw for personal use. Seems like right handed suits me for bench shooting and left handed for offhand or hunting positions. The left handed would also be something unique and somewhat rare, as was pointed out earlier. I think I'm learning towards left. I'll shoot it off the left shoulder regardless, the other way around just feels wrong now.
 
I'm right handed, Drafted into the Army 1966, couldn't see out of my right eye do to a condition called a lazy eye blindness. Was shooting from the left side, was asigned to the 9th Inf. 11B went to VN 1 yr tour 67-68. I shoot benchrest only with a Rem 700 trued 308 bolt action, running the bolt with the right hand comes very natural to me , no big deal.
 
I am right handed and left eye dominant. I've been shooting long guns left handed for over 60 years and don't regret it. Almost all of my bolt action rifles are left handed and they are definitely my preference for hunting. I also shoot left handed compound bows.
 
As a lefty, a lefty bolt gun makes a huge difference on follow up shots when hunting.

I think you have chance to make a rare, cool lefty gun.
 
Also left handed - except for milsurp guns, I've never been much of a bolt action fan but now have 2 bolt action hunting rifles (.270 & .300 WM) 1 is lefty the other is righty.

What I like about left handed bolt guns is they are easier to use with a hasty sling.

If you're going to use this gun to show off your work - I'd go with a right handed gun as more potential employers are right handed than left handed.

Regarding not wanting to do traditional smithing. Weekend before deer season a couple years ago I watched the owner of the local gun shop have a line of guys waiting for him to mount and bore sight scopes to their rifles. No need to be a gunsmith, for that, but is sure is an easy way to make some dollars at least one week per year.

I think I'd enjoy going to gun smithing school. Already work on my guns and have built 5 AK's from kits - the hard way (w/o tooling).
 
I naturally shoulder a long gun left handed, yet I am right eye dominant. For years I've always just shot right handed long guns left handed while closing the right eye. I finally bought a left handed bolt action rifle just a couple of years ago as a bucket list thing. I've always managed to hit targets with a scoped rifle but I think I have a good excuse for not being a better wing shooter.
 
A thought

Follow-up shots with a bolt gun are rare, except in wide open spaces. Where I hunt, there are green fields cut out of the woods, so a deer is only a couple hops away from cover. I started using RH bolts after cervical surgery, so I would say that you should fashion what you're comfortable using for the most important first shot.
 
I'm left handed and like most things. I just learn to deal with a right handed world. I don't even buy my percussion rifles left handed. Now these guns may never be sold, but I would hope they are passed down and owned with pride by you kids and grandkids. Odds are they will be right handed. Just something to think about.
 
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