I'm in the market for a .270 caliber bolt action rifle, however I shoot southpaw. As all you lefties probably already know, we are quite limited to true left hand bolt action rifles. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot better than it used to be, but we still don't have nearly the selection that righties do and when you do find left hand bolt actions, you pay for them. I have done a lot of research and was completely settled on a Remington Model 700 SPS, the outstanding reputation of the Model 700 in an affordable Synthetic Series. Unfortunately, I just figured out they don't make the Series SPS in a left hand. All Remington's left hand Model 700's are wood stocks and I want a synthetic. I've never owned a true Long Range Bolt Action Rifle, only .22 caliber bolt actions. My question to you all: Do I buy the gun I want in a right hand bolt action and teach myself to work the action over the barrel as many southpaws have done for years -or- do I forget about this gun and find a true left hand bolt action rifle???
I'm 60 years old and never seen a lefthanded bolt action so I've never shot one. So shooting a lefty now would be foreign to me. If you are a young person and have shot lefty bolt actions before, save up and go for the wooden stocked gun. By the way, I never thought of reaching over the barrel to work the bolt. I use my righthand. I just tried to do it with my left and couldn't even come close. It would take all day to get a second shot off. Can't teach old dogs new tricks I guess. Good Luck and I'm sure you'll be happy with either.
Shoot it left-handed and work the bolt with the off-hand (i.e. the non-trigger hand). I've seen this done with a Mosin Nagant and was done nearly as fast if not faster than when done right-handed, because he was able to keep his finger on the trigger while at the bench. This guy blew through 5 rounds in about 6 seconds while aiming between each.
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You can get yourself a lefty bolt gun, just with a little more work. I may be wrong, but I think Savage Weather Warrior's come in synthetic and left handed. If nothing else, a gun shop should be able to get you one in on an order.
Savage is THE kindest manufacturer to the cack handed shooter. Remington does some limted rifles, Ruger will look after you to a degree, Tikka and SAKO also come to the party.
I`ve fired right handed guns left handed for the last 25 and a bit years. I recently held a left handed Remington CDL and it was quite simpley the Gumbiest thing ever, for me. If felt great on the shoulder, but to work the bolt was just weird. It would have taken a while to get used to.
ive come to look at bolt actions in 2 basic ways. if you are going to be doing most of your shooting off of a bench, or a bi-pod, the right handed gun is actually more user friendly. if your going to be shooting mostly off hand, the LH rifle is superior.
some models, calibers, options just are not available for lefty's from the factory, so pick your best option and go for it.
while your looking around for a left hand boltaction see if you can find a Ruger m77
I looked at a very nice used one today at a pawn shop. the M77 has been replaced by the HawkEye though they still sell a few M 77 I don't think any of them are 270's in left hand, but you might get lucky if you call around and look for one, and most likely they be reasonably priced because they've been discountinued.
I`m with Lefty, I thought long and hard, and mostly, I`m shooting off a rest, and I want that brass! With a right hand gun, I can SEE it go in, and collect it on the way out easy peasy.
If I want fast cylce times, I`ll buy a lever or a pump rifle.
Cack handed comes from, err, those countries that don`t use toilet paper to put it politely. They `use` their left hand, cack handed.
