Folks,

Most of us left handers are not fortunate enough to have a LH bolt action rifle. I wanted to ask you gentlemen, if any of you are lefties, what is the best method you have found to recycle the bolt? There was a very useful thread sometime back about the various techniques to reload a double rifle....along those lines.

Regards

Esskay

I'm a lefty that owns a few right handed bolts.. I just bring the rifle down just a bit and then reach over the top and work the bolt. But in doing that, you lose your sight picture and have to then reacquire. And that can cost you.

Finally bought a lefty Win M70 in .375 to add to the lefty guns I already own. Still getting used to working that lefty bolt in rapid succession on this gun.

I am not a true lefty but am left eye dominate so I shoot left handed. I have been picking up some left handed bolt actions (375 H&H, 375 Ruger and 450 Ackley) because whatever method I used to cycle a right handed bolt took extra time. The best and fastest way I found was to use my left hand and just reach over and cycle the bolt. But this also meant having to take the gun away from my eye so I would have to totally resight the target.

My carry rifle is a left handed action but my other rifle is a right handed bolt and I just bring my right hand back from the forend and cycle the bolt.

Admittedly it's considerably slower than having the bolt on the correct (left) side but I make up for it by cycling my carry rifle pretty damn quickly when necessary.

David,

What I have found is that with a scope on, you really have to "lower" the rifle , to be able to reach over and work the bolt with your left hand. I've been trying out an alternate method which works quite well, especially with a rifle that has some recoil! Ride the recoil - you will lose the sight picture anyway, as the rifle recoils and moves up...use your Right hand to work the bolt..and then slide it forward to bring the rifle back down on the target. Has anyone else tried this? For me this is significantly faster than dropping the rifle and reaching across and over with my left hand to recycle.

Shakari,

Thank you Sir! And I thought I was crazy. Lol

quote:

Originally posted by Esskay:
David,
I've been trying out an alternate method which works quite well, especially with a rifle that has some recoil! Ride the recoil - you will lose the sight picture anyway, as the rifle recoils and moves up...use your Right hand to work the bolt..and then slide it forward to bring the rifle back down on the target. Has anyone else tried this? For me this is significantly faster than dropping the rifle and reaching across and over with my left hand to recycle.

Obviously a case of great minds thinking alike!

Shakari,

Thank you . Also, just fyi, I know you hold the 404J in high regard. Am looking at, haggling over, an original Jeffery 404, manufactured circa 1908, with perhaps 50-75 rounds through it. Will send you details if you like....if all goes well then my first safari next year, with that rifle and the GSC 320 grain HV bullets

I have tried using my right hand to cycle the bolt but for me it seems that I lose some stability in handling the rifle and a few times I jammed the bolt. The same seems to happen to a friend of mine that shoots right handed, when he shoots my left handed rifles using his left hand to work the bolt.

But we are all different and do what works best for you is the best advice I can give. Well except for getting a left handed rifle which you will have to look for but they are out there and not too expensive in some cases. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Esskay:
Shakari,

Thank you . Also, just fyi, I know you hold the 404J in high regard. Am looking at, haggling over, an original Jeffery 404, manufactured circa 1908, with perhaps 50-75 rounds through it. Will send you details if you like....if all goes well then my first safari next year, with that rifle and the GSC 320 grain HV bullets

Don't haggle.... just buy it because if you let it go, you'll always regret it! and yes, I'd love to see some pics/details etc. Thanks!

David,

Practice man, practice!

Shakari,

quote:
Originally posted by Esskay:
Shakari,

Thank you Cool. Also, just fyi, I know you hold the 404J in high regard. Am looking at, haggling over, an original Jeffery 404, manufactured circa 1908, with perhaps 50-75 rounds through it. Will send you details if you like....if all goes well then my first safari next year, with that rifle and the GSC 320 grain HV bullets Big Grin



Don't haggle.... just buy it because if you let it go, you'll always regret it! Smiler and yes, I'd love to see some pics etc!


Shall I email you a description and the pics? Or would you like me to post here?

Steve,
I grew up shooting right handed stuff, I still today shoot several handed down rifles that are right handed. As far as cycling the bolt quickly, I would like to see a video of myself doing it because I can't visualize it.

My AR15 sends red hot empties down my shirt half the time. You right handed guys just don't know the sacrifices we southpaws make!!!

Steve

Shakari,

Here you go..I knew I had posted the pics here . I will not tell you the price as I miay want you hale and hearty for my safari next year

Rifle is on deposit, with a 150 rounds of Original Kynoch (Yes the Red n Yellow boxes),,God knows how many of them will still fire lol.

You can email me at shakari3@mweb.co.za or post them if you prefer.... if you do post them, I'd suggest Saeed might possibly prefer you to post them in the Big Bore forum.

quote:

David,

Practice man, practice!

I have several left handed guns now in big bore that I use and love them. I made the decision to get them due to a buff hunt I was on and using a right handed gun and my first shot was not ideal. I all ways felt that if I had a left handed gun I could have gotten a second shot on him before he ran into the brush. We did finally get the buff after tracking him all day.

Nganga,

Left handers being "superior people"...and we have to put up with such inferior equipment!

Shakari,

Sorry...I was trying to post the thread with the pics from the Big Bore forum...sheesh...hang on....

http://forums.accuratereloadin...531031921#8531031921

here we go

quote:

Originally posted by Nganga:
Steve,
I grew up shooting right handed stuff, I still today shoot several handed down rifles that are right handed. As far as cycling the bolt quickly, I would like to see a video of myself doing it because I can't visualize it.

My AR15 sends red hot empties down my shirt half the time. You right handed guys just don't know the sacrifices we southpaws make!!!

Steve

Steve,

I'm a left hooker myself and like you, struggle with those ejecting cases.

And I still want to see that 500 left handed double of yours if we ever get in the same neck of the woods at the same time!

I turn my rifle on it's side using my right hand so the bolt handle is facing up then use my left to cycle the action.
Done right,you can keep your target in view and cycle the bolt pretty fast.
Takes practice but it's worked for 40 years for me!

ironfist

Oh,if you shoot hi-power rifle competition,an M1 Garand can be reloaded fast by a lefty by turning the Garand on it's side and using your left hand to slam a clip in,the op rod will be vertical so it's easy to use your left to close the bolt.

Drove the righties nuts beating them shooting left handed with a Garand!

I'll be in Lusaka in November, fishing pole in hand. (left handed BTW).

Another thing I could never figure out, spincasting fishing equipment is set up proper for a lefty?

But sorry no .500 that trip.

Steve

Steve,

Damn, but I wish I could join you!

Take a shark rod as well and try some croc fishing..... it's fan-bloody-tastic!

don't take any tips from luan who posts here though because he seems to think the idea is to give the rod to the crocs!

Nganga,

I always found that "spinning" equipment was set up correctly for us lefties, but NOT so the baitcasting stuff...crazy world

Yes, yes. I meant that just hand my right brain engaged.

Steve

Ironfist,

That sounds pretty logical. Dang...now why didn't I think of that??? Will have to try it.

Thanks much

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Steve,

Damn, but I wish I could join you!

Take a shark rod as well and try some croc fishing..... it's fan-bloody-tastic!

don't take any tips from luan who posts here though because he seems to think the idea is to give the rod to the crocs!

Yes, I know. They tail walk just like a dang Blue Marlin. never landed one though

I've landed a fair number (biggest was about 2.5 metres) and the thing that always suprises me is that as soon as they're back in the water, they're ready to take the bait again.

They might be crafty hunters but clever, they ain't!

you guy need not talk about hooker like that!!! dadburn southpaws anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
you guy need not talk about hooker like that!!! dadburn southpaws anyway.

Mate, when I said clever they ain't, I was talking about the crocodiles.....

OHHH shit sorry I thought you where talking about my love life you know some one has to keep the girls in high heels and I feel it's one of my duties

I am a right-hander who shoots from the left shoulder, but this has nothing to do with eye dominance (both of them seem to work okay, and in fact I shoot a handgun using right hand and eye). It has simply always seemed more natural to me to use the right hand on the forearm, for whatever reason.

I own dozens of right-handed bolt guns, and have never owned a left hand gun. I suppose it is simply years of doing it this way, but my cycling time seems every bit as fast (and often faster) than shooters who shoot from the right shoulder. I simply hold the rifle by the pistol grip with my left hand, lowering it very slightly while using the right hand to cycle the bolt.

My son happens to be a natural lefty. He also shoots nothing but right-handed bolts and cycles them the same way I do. He's has quite a reputation for muffing the first (standing) shot, then aceing the follow up. Once he had two coyotes on an open wheat field at about 200 yards. He missed the standing shot (with a Sako .30-06) and the coyotes of course hightailed it. He then proceeded to drop each of them on the run with the next two shots. I can't say just how fast he cycled the gun, but it was obviously fast enough -- the second coyote dropped within fifty yards of where it started out. On a hunt in Namibia he did much the same thing with a warthog, missing his first shot. Our guide was stunned by how quickly he dropped the running hog with his follow-up.

Bottom line: If you are comfortable manupulating a "wrong side" bolt, it can be worked with speed equivalent to that of a "right-sided" bolt.

Postscript: Shooting a "wrong handed" bolt gun from the bench is MUCH preferable as the loading port is on the same side that YOU are on. You can reach in to retrieve your empties without ejecting them, and more easily place single-loads directly in the chamber. Savage and a couple of custom makers have recognized this with a right-handed bolt which uses a left side loading port .

Stonecreek,

Thanks. Having never had a left hand bolt action I probably wouldn't even be able to cycle it.

Grew up shooting RH bolts and found this worked best for me..

Even the AR is lefthanded:

I made a number of Classic rifles for the late Steve Nelson. Steve was a lefty but grew up shooting a right handed bolt gun at a very young age and was not about to change. I have built at least 1 Legend for a similar client. Perhaps I can get a pic posted of the Legend. I have shared my SCI booth with PH Campbell Smith for some 14 years and Cam also uses a right handed action and shoots off his left shoulder. Having hunted with Cam I can testify that he shoots in this manner extremely well and is very, very fast on the delivery. He rolls the rifle over with his right hand on the forend so the bolt is pointing skyward while the butt is still on his shoulder. Then operates the bolt with his left hand. We ambushed a troop of Baboons one afternoon and the surviving relatives may still be talking about the event.

Both Steve & Cam shot the exact same way and lacked nothing in speed or accuracy. I made our Left Handed Legend pattern to except either a RH or LH barreled action just for this reason.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
Even the AR is lefthanded:

Is that a left handed Remington 788?

quote:

Originally posted by Muletrain:

Is that a left handed Remington 788?

Yep, in 308 Win that I bought new in 1975.

You lucky SOB. I would give my left nut for a left handed 788 in 308 Winchester.

quote:

Originally posted by Muletrain:
You lucky SOB. I would give my left nut for a left handed 788 in 308 Winchester.

I don't have any need for another nut but thanks for the offer.

Sorry to hijack your thread Esskay.

I am left/wrong handed naturally, (deal cards, shoot a basketball etc), but have a problem with binocular vision in the left eye, so have always been right eye dominate. So I write right/correct handed (I CAN write left handed but don't much so it's not nearly as good) and shoot right handed. But I can shoot left handed.

I hardly practice it though, but if I ever developed the need I guess it would be a great excuse for more guns. My 375 at least would be okay, it's a m70, and you can always go this route (echols legend stock, for a correct side action but wrong sided shooter)

thinking back, I remember seeing a springfield (IIRC) converted with some sort of cogs on the back of the bolt, the handle was on the left but it was still a right sided action. anybody seen one of those? anybody have pics?

Red

Steve

Thats a low blow you dont know what a stella 10000 and 600meter of braid cost and the rod if anyone see a croc with my equipment in the olifants river please guys get it back to me there is still a reward lol.

Im also a lefty and i just got my 338 back from sabi and they did a Great JOB ON A NEW LEFT HAND STOCK.

Luan