i've been shooting leftie since i was about 8 yrs old got stung in right eye and lost some sight so i have to shoot lefty which my dad also shot do to losing right eye in korea he lived all his life never owning a lh action i only just bought my first 3 yrs agoat the age of 30 a savage 300wsm and now a rem 700 in 308 norma mag. my question how long did you live with right hand guns before buying a lefthand action

Never!!!! my first high power rifle was a left handed Mauser model 3000 left handed in 30-06.
I still own it and she still shoots dead on and smooth as silk.

The only "right handed" rifle I ever bought was a Remington pump 30-06 as it was easier for me to operate than a right handed bolt. That was in 1973 if memory serves me correctly.

My first two rifles were semi-autos - a Remington 7400 in .308Win. and a Colt AR-15 .223Rem.

My firsr LH bolt-action was a Weatherby Mark V .300Wby. when I was 26, and I still have it.

I have never owned a RH bolt-action.

George

I had the same POS, bought it in 1960, =/- at about age 17. It had a rotten trigger pull, and the forend rattled constantly. I ahot a Springfield 06 for awhile, then bought the first of several M700 LH's. I also had a M99 Savage, lovely little gun!

The only right handed bolt guns in my safes are ones that I bought for my kids, I don't even consider them mine.

My first lefty was a Remington 788 in 308 Win that my mother had to buy for me in 1974 and I still have it.

Remington 700 in 30-06 about 25 years ago. It's been a good rifle and gets a new trigger tomorrow. I now have 4 leftys and as most guns I would like more.

I've never bought a right-handed bolt-action rifle for myself but I'm as Left-Handed as they come - the right side just doesn't work for me.

Why would I? You don't see right-handers buying L/H firearms do you?

I think like most L/Her's here I may perhaps consider a R/H firearm; IF they fit my purpose. Every firearm I've ever purchased has based on suitability for a L/Hed shooter.

Ruger #1's, T/C's and the like are pretty ambidextrous and they're positively O.K. as are the Ruger 10/22 and my service rifle for years the Colt AR-15. Revolvers - Dan Wesson and Colt Single Actions are all emminently suitable for L/Hers as are the Remington series of L/H shotguns, 870's & 1100's.

My first rifle was a Savage L/H 110 because I was too poor to afford a Remington 700; good on me because it is the MOST consistantly accurate rifle I've ever owned next to the Blaser R93; followed by a Remington 788. After that never looked back. Now have a full stable of purpose built lefties - wouldn't have it otherwise.

47 years

What are the chances of a father / son both being right handed and forced to shoot left becuase of a bung eye?

I`m extremely left handed, but have shot right handed rifles off my left shoulder for 25 years. Recently I handled a couple of left handed rifles ( they were Remington CDL`s, nice ) as I never had held a left handed rifle in my hands, and to be honest it was the gumbiest thing I `ve experienced. I expected it to be like - instantly comfortable working the bolt - instead it felt like I`d never held a rifle before.
It felt better sighting the things, but working the bolt was just strange. I`d prolly get used to it though. It`s making my next rifle purchase torture: what to buy? Left or right...

I grew up shooting lever actions cause the feel of a right-handed bolt drove me nuts. Bought my first LH bolt 2 years ago, M77 MII, and love it. Can't wait to find another in a chambering I want........

Actually, shooting from the offside has probably saved my bank account and Visa from ruin......... among other things.

well johnny rev i'm sort of the same only just getting used to the lefty but i have alot of rifles in right hand and expected alot more people too also have the rh guns as there is not alot of options for the lefty.i enjoy shooting the M1 carbine and other military and they were never left being i've been used to only having rh actions i'm actually fairly quick with cyclying the action but that is all i had for many yrs

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny_Revolver:
What are the chances of a father / son both being right handed and forced to shoot left becuase of a bung eye?

I`m extremely left handed, but have shot right handed rifles off my left shoulder for 25 years. Recently I handled a couple of left handed rifles ( they were Remington CDL`s, nice ) as I never had held a left handed rifle in my hands, and to be honest it was the gumbiest thing I `ve experienced. I expected it to be like - instantly comfortable working the bolt - instead it felt like I`d never held a rifle before.
It felt better sighting the things, but working the bolt was just strange. I`d prolly get used to it though. It`s making my next rifle purchase torture: what to buy? Left or right...

one possibility for you is a right-hand action with a left-hand stock. I am finishing (for myself) a LH thumbhole stock with a RH Rem. 700 action, chambered in 30 Gibbs. It's easy for me (Left-handed) to shoot a right or left bolted gun....although with a LH thumbhole, the left-hand grip is easier to maintain, while working the bolt with my right hand.

On my eighteenth birthday went to a gunshow.

Found a complete table of nothing but custom made left-hand rifles for sale at ridiculously low prices. A man was selling the collection for his neighbor's widow. He had no idea what they were or what they were worth. (His personal interest was kit gun muzzle loaders like CVA.)

Had everything from Robert West converted Sakos, Winchesters, and Mausers to Texas Rangers to Weatherbys to Carl Gustav to you name it. Each for $225 which included the scope, usually a Leupold or Redfield.

My first one was a converted Sako Vixen in 222 Remington with Redfield scope (6-18X, if remember correctly) with the most beautiful piece of wood on it. It would and still does shoot.

Hammer

I'm 60, got my 1st LH at 15 (Savage 110 .243), second at 25 (B Grade Rem 1100 Skeet), third and fourth at 41 (Kimber 82 22LR and Kimber 84 .223) so I have 4 in 51 yrs of gun ownership. Along with 200+ RH guns of which maybe 75 are the universal lever, pump or singleshot variety. I just learned to adapt and hit what I was shooting at and how to work a RH bolt off the left shoulder. First centerfire rifle was a .303 SMLE that I restocked and scoped when I was 12. Traded it in on the Savage.

I used to adapt. First rifles (In the 1760' & 70s) were right handed. Then I got into single shot rifles and double shotguns (Ruger #1 & O/U shotguns). That progressed to double rifles & SxS shotguns.

I won't compromise any longer. If it isn't left handed and/or have at least an ambi safety - No Thanks.

There are more options now than ever and I have come to enjoy many of them.

Not much of an estate for my right handed relatives, but who cares????

I've never attempted to use a RH bolt action, nor will I. I'm left handed, and they make left handed guns - it just seems like the natural choice. I do currently own a Winchester 1300 pump that ejects to the right, but it doesn't do it right in my face, so it's not a huge problem. I'm not the most 'flexible' person when it comes to using different guns, so I doubt you'll ever see me trying to adapt to the righty world.