In a word, yes. I have a friend that is left handed. he's always want a .375 H&H, just to have and shoot. I suggested a ruger #1, but he was leery about whether you could get off a fast second shot, should it be necessary. I took him out in the desert along with my #1B in .300 Win. mag. and demonstrated just how fast one could be fired with a little practice. he tried it, liked it and is now the happy owner of a #1 in .375 H&H, his "heavy plinker" he calls it. The slightly higher left sidewall of the action hasn't been a problem for him.
My #1A in .270 seems to prefer 150 gr. bullets, for whatever that may be worth.
Paul B.

I am planning to buy a Ruger Number 1A in 270 Winchester for my 14 year old son this summer. He is left eye dominant (right handed) and has learned to shoot rather well left handed with his Ruger 10-22. The Number 1 seems to be perfectly symmetrical in design. This would make it easy for me to help him sight in(I shot right handed) and would keep me from having to bring a "backup" rifle on our hunts together.
I see no reason why the Number 1 could not be sighted in and used by both a left and right handed shooter. I have considered several straigt stocked bolt actions (including Ruger), but think it is not the safest to shoot them "wrong handed."

Any comment appreciated.

As you may have noted I am currently working with a #1, the B version and would think your choice a good one, but think the 1B a better choice in the .270 Win do to the extra 4 inches of barrel length and attendant velocity potential. Regardless, the #1 is very ambidextrious, but I don't tink that a perfect zero would be interchangable for a right and a left handed shooter combo. Don't get me wrong, I think that the rifle will shoot well to either side, just that our bodies are opart of the shooting system once recoil commences in the field positions. For practical purposes there shouldn't be much difference, but I'm a bit of a stickler for accuracy and absolutes... enjoy the rifle, they are great.

i am left handed and have several number ones and threes. they are no problem for lefty's.

This idea is OK IF you both see the sights the same way! My son and I used to use the same rifles occasionally, and there was about 4" difference in our respective zeroes @ 100 yards. If I zeroed the rifle, it would shoot 4" high for him, and if he zeroed it, it was -4" when I shot it. More proof of the old saying "no-one else can zero your rifle for you."

All,

Thanks for the replies.
I do have a T/C contender already that I am making a left handed thumbhole stock for. I have also considered the T/C Encore. We are heading to Namibia next summer for a plains game hunt, so we are looking for something more than is available in a T/C Contender barrel.
We will probably go ahead with the Number One in 270 Win. We already have an extra Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8x scope to use on it. We will load up some 150 grain Partitions and see what happens from there.

Why not get the kid a left-hand bolt-action of his own instead of making him use YOUR backup rifle?



George

George,

Good point. We have considered getting him his own bolt gun. The search began looking for a left handed bolt action rifle in 7mm-08, not many out there. Our search for his first big game rifle just somehow progressed to the Number One and 270 Win. My son has been activly involved in choosing "his" rifle. He really likes the Number Ones. I have other rifles I can/could use as backups. The thought of using his rifle as my backup is a secondary thought at best. If I would go out today and buy him a rifle, without his input, I would get him a Sako 75 Left hand Hunter in 270 Win.
The last thing I want to do is get him a rifle that I want more than he does.

Well, if that's what he wants, then all is well; just don't make the mistake of projecting your wants onto him (he won't say anything, but the gun won't ever hold that special place in his heart ).

A lifelong lefty,
George

George,

That is one of the really diffulcult challanges in the whole process. He is rather consistant on letting me know if he doesn't agree with any of my suggestions, and that's with everything, not just firearms.
I do appreciate the reminder. The final choice will be 100% his, least he wants a Barret 50 cal for plains game.

The Ruger #1 is as ambidextrous as any gun can be... Should be the answer to your problem. It's also very accurate and arguably the simplest, strongest and most durable rifle ever made.

Strong and durable it may well be, but you'll loose an argument if you insist on including "simplest." The No. 1 is one of the most -- if not the most -- complicated single shots ever made. It has more parts in it than many repeaters! A rolling block, an 1885, a Hepburn, etc. all have far few parts than the No. 1, and the very simplest single shot actions have 1/4 the number of parts.



The No. 1 was obviously made for functionality, not for simplicity. It cycles almost effortlessly; it has a strong ejector; it gives reliable ignition; and it safely handles gases from a ruptured case; few single shots deliver all these together. This makes it a fine hunting weapon, so long as you don't have to take it apart in the field because you dropped it in a soupy puddle of mud.



I respect the design, but simple the Ruger most certainly is not.