Gents,

I ran across this ad on another website, and it included a picture, but rather large, so I thought I'd just post a link...

http://www.hallowellco.com/wilbur_j.htm

Anyhow, my question is "how do they do this!"

When I think about how a normal Mauser bolt handle is lifted (counter-clockwise as viewed from the rear) to open the action, I wonder how do they reverse this motion to make the rifle operate left-handed?

How many gunsmiths do this sort of work? What does this modification cost? What are the disadvantages?

Thanks!

------------------
Brian
The 416 Taylor WebPage!

On the rifle shown in the picture the bolt appears to have been modified to rotate clockwise as can be seen by the position of the guide rib with the action closed.
To do this the reciever would have to be reconfigured so that the extraction can was on the right hand side of the receiver and the top of the left hand locking lug raceway cut away to provide clearance for the guide rib. Also necessary would be the recutting of the closing ramp on the locking lug seats.
On the bolt the cocking cam would have to be filled and recut to cam in the opposite direction. It would likely be as easy to manufacture a new rear section for the bolt and attact it to the original bolt body.
Another common (?) method was to cut a gear into the rear of the bolt body and fashion a sleeve into which was mounted the handle with a pinion gear section which rotated the bolt. In this conversion the bolt handle was raised clockwise and turned the bolt counterclockwise.
I have never tried either conversion and looking into my future don't see it happening!
Jack Belk is likely to know a lot more about this than I do. Regards, Bill.

Brian,

They've had that gun for sale for quite a while. If you're interested, make them an offer; they might surprise you and accept.

Converting a Mauser to lefthand for a varmint cartridge strikes me as pointless. It won't be an inexpensive conversion; for the price, you could buy 3 LH 700VS rifles, or 4 LH Savage 'Tacticals'.

BTW, the Zastava LH short-actions should be available by the end of the year

George

------------------
Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!

I can't remember the guys name, but in Portland, Oregon about 20 years ago, there was a smith that made his living converting Mausers to left hand. Made a lot of other parts from scratch also. I remember one of the magazines mentioned him, said it was the best thing ever happened to his business.
Myself, I don't see the sense. Too many good left handed rifles around to spend that kind of money. Yes, I am left handed.