I was in the Westley Richards Bozeman store last week and had the opportunity to examine an exquisite, yet odd, WR 500NE. It was a fairly new rifle that had been made for a left handed shooter. The triggers were the standard front/right barrel, rear/left barrel but the top lever pushed from the Right to the Left to open the action. It was very odd at first but once I got used to it, it was MUCH FASTER AND EASIER to open with a thumb push from right to left than the "NORMAL" way of left to right. The manager said that he had played with it quite a bit and actually preferred this rifles setup. I would have bought it on the spot but sadly I had accidently left my wallet with $87K at home. Just a thought, but, other than "we have always done it this way" why don't more "right handed" actions open in this more ergonomic direction?

I can only imagine an awkward motion for a right thumb to push in the opposite direction from where it is usually oriented (meaning to the right). That is the reason we push levers to the right; practical anatomy and ergonomics, not tradition.

As a lefty I can testify to the more natural "push" by the thumb to open a normal double rifle or shotgun. It's so natural that when Butch Searcy and I discussed the double in .375 flanged magnum he is building he argued for putting the front trigger to the left and the back trigger to the right, but encouraged me to leave the top lever to be pushed to the right.

Must say that I agree with JCS that pulling the lever to break the gun is not as ergonomic as pushing it. That said, maybe I'm just used to pushing it....

Regards, Tim

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
As a lefty I can testify to the more natural "push" by the thumb to open a normal double rifle or shotgun.

Count me in - best thing ever that happened to us lefties in this odd right-handed world .

Mate, the word "odd" does NOT belong in the same sentence as "WESTLEY RICHARDS"...

"Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still"...»Age quod agis!«

quote:

Originally posted by mouse93:

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Carney:
As a lefty I can testify to the more natural "push" by the thumb to open a normal double rifle or shotgun.

Count me in - best thing ever that happened to us lefties in this odd right-handed world .

+2. I specified all my doubles open by pushing the lever to the right. Perfect for us lefties.

I am a lefty and pushing the lever with your left thumb is really natural. Last year I handled a true left handed boss 12 side by side with lever going right to left to open. Lovely gun, but now really pity all those poor right handed shots who have to make do with pulling the lever towards them.

Well, when I push the lever with my right thumb, I have my index finger to the right of the stock, so I am pushing together with the thumb opposing the rest of the hand. That's why they call it an opposable thumb. Now if I push away from me with the right thumb, what am I pushing against? Not arguing, just asking. Interestingly I remember recent post from someone wanting to know how much force was required to cock a K gun. Similar problem perhaps, nothing to push against?
Peter.

I am a lefty MD. My doubles and my shotguns open with the opening lever in the "normal" way. I think it is much easier than a "left handed" double would be. If I ever go to Westley Richards (not likely...) and order a double, the opening lever would open in the usual way.
When I push the lever open, I extend and block my thumb, and "push" not only with the little (intrinsec) muscles of my thumb, but also help, and very much, with the muscles of my arm and forearm. It is much easier. When a rigth handed person opens the lever, the force is made only with the long and short flexors of the thumb, two relatively small muscles.
I do not know why the lever was begun to made in the "usual" way, but it would be much more ergonomic if it was made as a "lefty" lever.
You can make this test: Learn to open the lever with your left thumb, as if you were left handed. And then, open your favorite double (better still if it is a little bit tight) say one hundred times in a quick row, first with your right hand and then another hundred with the left. And verify then which one of your hands is in better shape.

If memory serves me, this was the same gun that George Caswell offered for about 56k! Ah, the English!

Right handed rifles have the lever pushed away from the shooter as that way affords the most leverage, whether you use your whole arm to make the thumb "push" the lever to the right, or use the "opposing" thumb concept and squeeze it open with your fingers resting against the right side of the stock (as stated above). I can see how (and I did your experiment) that if the lever operated to the left, you would place your thumb on the stock and squeeze with your index finger curled on the lever. the force is roughly the same and even if it were easier, retraining millions of right handed shooters who have used right moving top levers would be a problem. For left handed people, they can do whatever they want.

I can see how (and I did your experiment) that if the lever operated to the left, you would place your thumb on the stock and squeeze with your index finger curled on the lever. the force is roughly the same and even if it were easier, retraining millions of right handed shooters who have used right moving top levers would be a problem. For left handed people, they can do whatever they want.

Well, dpcd:
I see you did not understand a single word of the "experiment". Hope the right side of your left index finger is not very sore. You should have pushed the lever to the right just with your left thumb. It is really easy with a little practice.
And, please, write about lefties with little respect. We are a repressed minority, you know.

Oops, I didn't do it that way because how can a right hander PUSH with his left thumb when the left hand has to be holding onto the foreend? None of my rifles will open by themselves with barrel weight alone; you have to force them open. So, using the left thumb, for a right hander won't work if you plan on holding the rifle by just the grip and expect the barrels to fall open. Or maybe I still don't understand. I do respect lefties; my mother shot long guns left handed and pistols right handed.

I am a lefty and I've had dozens of doubles that opened left to right. I bought a true left hand gun once and the opening lever was very natural from the first use. Unfortunately that particular AYA shot the left barrel 18 inches to the left of the right barrel so that gun went down the road. I can use the right opening guns just fine, but if I ever get another true lefty that shoots right I'm keeping it.