Gentlemen and Ladies,

Since I'm planning a hunt in 2008 thinking about a new rifle. One problem is that I'm a leftie! My finances will not let me purchase a double rifle, but that would be my choice. I'm planning on hunting buffalo and Kudu, Gemsbuck, and maybe some other plains animals. I own a Remington 700 laminate .338 Ultra mag which has more energy and fps than a .375 but I know of the rules that it has to be a .375 or larger. I still plan on taking the .338.
Now for the big question Ruger has come out with a .375 Ruger which is legal. It has great ballistics. On the other hand the 375 H & H has been around for a very longtime and the availablity of the round in Africa would be easy to get if needed. I will be reloading my own rounds

Only a few people make a leftie bolt any suggestions would be good. I would even consider a 416. A dakota is a little high for me and the others are too expensive. I would consider a used firearm if I could locate one that is why I'm posting here maybe I can find a good one.

Try to find you a lefty Winchester Model 70, either pre-'64 or one of the later Classics (controlled-round feed), in .375 H&H and be done with it. You'll have much better success finding one of these than waiting on getting a LH Ruger in what you want. You would never really "need" another African rifle unless you stepped up to something bigger than buffalo.

If it was me & couldn't find a left handed M70 I would go for something like this & have it rebarrelled to the .375 Ruger or other suitable caliber (Maybe even on of the AR rounds). http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=61953366

I agree with the M70, .375 H&H. Being left handed myself, my first African/Alaskan rifle was a LH M70 .375. They're not common now, but can be found without too much difficulty. This, IMHO, is the essential lefty African rifle. Anything else you buy will augment this, but it's very difficult to find anything else that will fill this niche at the still reasonable price of a M70. It's ideal for your first safari. Keep in mind that if you buy an unused one, you'll have some work to do on it (mounts, trigger, maybe action, bedding) but that's all part of the anticipation process. You won't regret this purchase.

As far as the RUM goes, the .375 will kinda be double-duty. However, it will qualify as 'legal' for dangerous game, shoots like a pussycat and in the M70 is a controlled-round feed. I'm sure the RUM is a nice rifle, but an African battery might be better served with the .375 and a 'light'. Keep in mind that your first trip to Africa is just that ... your first. There's an undeniable magic in that first safari, but you WILL want to return.

My M70 has an 'accurizing' by Hill Country Rifle and is in hard teflon. Both of these processes worked out very well. I'm in the process of building another bigger rifle, but you can bet the .375 will go on any trip I take to Alaska or Africa.

As far as the .375 Ruger goes, we're a ways from actually seeing a rifle for this cartridge 'in the flesh'. It's a pretty good bet that you'd be talking a custom in this caliber since I strongly doubt Ruger will be in any kind of hurry to chamber left-handed rifles in this caliber. The main potential of this cartridge will be in using it a base for others ... a .416. .404, etc.

quote:

Try to find you a lefty Winchester Model 70, either pre-'64 or

I would be willing to buy one of these if someone has one.

Well for the price of a decent double you can get (2) left hand Dakotas. I would go that route.

You can buy my Browning A-Bolt LH 375 HH from me. I bought is second hand myself and you can but it third hand. It is in excellent condition. I have killed everything from Klipspringer to Bull elephant with it. It has never jammed. It is a stainless model with the black composite stock with three detachable magazines and a double magazine holder to go on your belt. I have the Leupold QR scope mounts and the iron sights are already set to 25 yards with 300 grain ammo. I have both the conventional recoil and muzzle brake (unnecessary and all PH's hate them)harmonic tuners. I will consider including my Kahles 1.1-4 30 mm scope in with the deal. It is all you ever need for Africa or Alaska for that matter. I have a Remington 700 LH 338 Ultra Mag too, but have never it used. I will sell it to you since you are going to Africa and because I am done with plains game and I have the Big Seven under my belt (except for darting a white rhino this coming April - I am such a sucker for the African marketing department). After this April I am stictly an Elephant / Buf hunter with perhaps an occassional Zebra or Blue Wildebeast thrown in to keep my PH happy. The flat skins make nice presents. I recently purchased a Ruger 458 Lott in LH that I will use in the future. My next real hunt will be for Tuskless elephant with Buzz Charlton next October. I am intrigued by the new Ruger 375 Alaskan model supposedly coming out in LH this Summer, but for now will stick with my Lott. Please contact me if interested.

You can borrow money, but you can't borrow time. Go now.

I don't know your budget but I was in a similar predicament, had a 338 Win Mag (left handed) and was going buff hunting. I actually killed a buff with the 338, it was what I had when I saw him, but I ended up building a 416 Rem Mag on a Montana action. The total cost was around $2500 with a McMillan stock and Kreiger barrel. You can save a good bit by getting a barreled action from Montana, I've heard good things about their barrels.
The 416 Rem with a 350 Barnes Tripple X does 2600 fps out of my gun and has the ballistics of a 3006. The recoil is probably a bit more tolerable than your 338 RUM with a good bit more wallop when it hits. The second buff and a zebra I took with the 416 were definitely hurt after being hit with the 416. This may be an alternative.

If you already have a 338 caliber you plan on taking, a 375 doesn't offer a tremendous amount of increase in power (although you desperately need one because everybody does, a 375 that is). A great addtion to a 338 is a 416. The advice for a left Model 70 is good. Those two calibers will have you covered for everything from now on. On my last safari I carried a 338 and 458 and was well pleased. I have also taken a 300 Wby. and 375 H&H which also worked well. The left handed thing does make finding a rifle tough though. Good luck.

Get yourself a nice Ruger Mark II in 7 Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag or 338 in a lefty. Have it rebarreled to the new Ruger 375 or my favorite 416 Taylor, give it good sights and you're good to go. Ruger is now closing out the Mark II models in favor of the new Hawkeye and prices are very attractive. I would think for less than a grand you could have a very nice big bore.

Yes, I would like to hunt with my .338 ultra for buff but the regulations say you can not. The other thing I could rent one from the PH, but the big thing there it takes away my excuse to purchase another gun.

If I find a really good used one i might have it rebarreled for the 375 Ruger. WHo can do the custom work for a rebarrel job, and what about the cost.

I know the 375 ruger is a new cartridge and the availibity in Africa will be NILL, but the 375 is widely used. The 416 is a poosibilty too to get rebarrelled, what is the minimum bolt size or action size for 375 or 416.

Keeping my options open at this point, I thank you all for the advice so far keep them coming the is why I posted on here to get some suggestions.

The 416 Taylor would require no change to the bolt face. I'm not sure about the new 375 Ruger. I wouldn't get hung up on buying ammo in Africa. If your gun and or ammo doesn't show up, you are probably going to be borrowing a gun and ammo from your PH. They are all prepared for that possibility or a gun failure. If you are hunting in South Africa, in some of the smaller cities 375 ammo may not be available. The locals have no need for it. Probably other than metric cartridges the 308 and 30/06 are the only two you have a reasonably good chance of finding. Shops in Africa are not like US malls. They are closed Saturdays and Sunday and open late and close early. I would simply e-mail my PH and ask what he has available as a rental and if it looks OK forget about buying ammo.

Actually, you need to decide whether you want to buy a gun or build a gun. If you're buying something, a M70 .375H&H LH would be the best way to, IMHO. You'll be able to use it immediately, and if you decide you want to build another big bore in the future, you have a very good action for it already. Unfortunately, at the present this is about the only decent option you have in a magnum length CRF Left Handed rifle, and they're still a bit of a challenge to find.

If you have the time, money, and patience to build a rifle, then your options are much more varied. As far as LH actions go, you have the M70 (buy a LH mag ~$7-800 and rebarrel); the Montana (if you can find one); and the Charles Daly '06 length (still around, but you gotta look). There's also some others (WFF Hein, Dakota), but they're also much more $$. The advice given on the Montana barrelled action was sound, but it appears those actions are going to be very hard to find, and the factory may not have any more. It seems a lot of the LH actions are disappearing, and there never were a lot of them to start with ...

As far as calibers go, you're right; since you have a 338 Ultra, a .375 would be pretty much redundant. OTOH, if you opt for the M70 in a factory rifle, you could either live with in .375 (not a bad choice, really) or rebarrel it. I believe the M70 .375 action is kind of an in-between length...not long enough for a .416 Rem as is, but prob excess for a Taylor... but your 'smith should be able to make it work. I looked hard at making a .404 Jeffery from a M70, but opted out because of the amount of action/feeding work required.

Or if you like the ballistics of the .416 Taylor, just get an '06 M70 LH or Daly and rebarrel! That could be an excellent solution with minimum fuss.

LJS is correct; don't worry too much about ammo availability in Africa. If your ammo/rifle don't make it, you'll be using the PH's anyway. Just split up your ammo into two different bags to give you a little better odds . If you're going thru RSA and overnighting (paperwork required), keep in mind that SAPS doesn't like ammo in the gun case. Pack it in two of your other checked bags.

quote:

Originally posted by Redlander:
Try to find you a lefty Winchester Model 70, either pre-'64 or one of the later Classics (controlled-round feed), in .375 H&H and be done with it.

I'll also bid on any left handed pre-64's anyone finds.

I bought the lefty Classic M70 in 375 H&H and I can't see anyone making a better factory rifle than that.

quote:

I believe the M70 .375 action is kind of an in-between length...not long enough for a .416 Rem as is, but prob excess for a Taylor... but your 'smith should be able to make it work.

The .375 H&H and .416 Rem Mag are the same length cartridge. All one needs is a different barrel.

I have just returned from Tanzania and my first safari. I am no expert, but my Model 70 .375 H&H was absolutely everything that I needed it to be. I used it this past spring on a big black bear in Alaska and have knocked down Montanan elk with it. The cartridge is easy to load for and very forgiving. I use nothing but 300 grain bullets, but that's a personal choice. Gun companies are constantly coming out with new cartridges (and rifles too) because that's their business, to sell STUFF. Good look finding some of this new ammunition in Africa if your luggage is lost in transit. If you don't find a Model 70, then there are other actions and makes, but I would not even look back once I bought a .375. Mine is not for sale at any price. It killed everything in Africa that I aimed it at.

338 ultra, I for one want standard ammo or should I say calibers...You will find 375 ammo all over Africa... As for 338 ultra you may find one box somewhere in Africa...
But I say this a Barnes 250 gr will take care of your buf...

Mike

We can supply you with a brand new left hand double rifle in 9.3 over 9.3 by FinnClassic (formerly Valmet) with side ribs fitted and express style sights, for $1700 and you can add a set of 12 ga bbls to that for a total of $2250.

quote:

Yes, I would like to hunt with my .338 ultra for buff but the regulations say you can not

You can use the 338 if you get permission from the PH in advance.....sure it may not be legal but the simple truth is that no one is ever checked and as long as the PH is willing to guide you using the 338 then I'd use it.

It'll be a superb plains game rifle for sure.

Now about that LH Winchester.....there are a few classics in LH in magnum chambering....these are easily converted to 375 H&H or wait until March or so and simply screw on a 375 Ruger barrel.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Call Harry at Hunters HQ. I got my model 70 375 H&H lefty from him awhile back. He might have another sitting around somewhere. I would also considered Montana Rifle. Even with the Model 70 in 375 I'm thinking about a 458 Lott built on one of their barreled actions. There are several choices of gunsmiths that can mount iron sights if you wish. I would imagine a 375 H&H from them would sell easily after your hunt. I also have a 338RUM lefty, my 375 is much more pleasant to shoot. Better stock and less recoil.

Gentlemen,
I wish I did still have some Mod 70's around. They left out like a rocket upon announcement of the closing of Win.
Merry Christmas to all AR's and a healthy '07!

I was in receipt of an e-mail from CZ-USA a while back stating they were going to start offering left hand rifles in 2007.

quote:

Originally posted by odie:
I was in receipt of an e-mail from CZ-USA a while back stating they were going to start offering left hand rifles in 2007.

They've already released 223s and 30.06s and are supposed to release big bores starting mid year.