First rifle purchase - Left Handed

[5MilesBack]

I'm LH and left eye dominant and have shot RH rifles my entire life.......I'm 57. In fact, I've never even held a LH rifle. I've killed many elk and deer without ever giving a thought as to what hand the rifle was. I've even killed multiples at the same time when I had multiple tags. It's pretty easy to cycle the bolt with your left hand and still get back on target.....especially if you practice.

 

[Needcoffee]

An observation. I am left handed and half my children are. It is a pain in the butt as far as options on used and new firearms.

But. I purchase master eye appropriate firearms. Why? Safety. If you have a failure of the brass to seal the chamber. Case head failure or something else. The gas vents out the bolt side of the rifle. There is a good reason for that vent hole in the receiver.

If you shoot a right handed firearm left handed and this occurs. There is a good chance of vision loss. Whether you are wearing eye protection or not.

I have never had it happen. But I have one acquaintance that has and he switched to LH rifles after that.

 

[philcox]

300WM is a great rifle. I have a Tikka 300WM (very custom), Tikka 6.5 CM, and a Tikka 30-06. I put a Ross Muzzle Break on my 300WM, and no more recoil than my 6.5CM. With that said, I'd probably do the 300WM (but would def put a break on it).

 

[CRJR45]

Hard to beat this deal . Proof Carbon fiber barrel , .300 WSM or 28 Nosler . Will work for sure .

110 Ultralite Big Sky | Mountain Hunting Rifle | Savage Arms

Savage 110 Ultralite Big Sky is designed for high elevation hunts with a PROOF Research barrel and Veil camo. Exclusively available at Sportsman's Warehouse.

www.savagearms.com

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I’ve got two trips to Alaska for moose

We killed two alaskan moose with a 280 AI this year. I would have felt comfortable with a 6.5 CM or 308 as well. You don’t need a magnum.

 

[yoopshoot]

I’m a lefty here. I have owned and shot many different right handed rifles and harvested numerous animals with right handed guns. With that being said, I did buy my first left handed gun, a tikka t3x 7mm mag this year. I do find it more comfortable working the action with the left handed gun. However, in all the years prior, right handed guns didn’t give me any trouble when it was the moment of truth. Deep down I tried to convince myself I needed the left handed gun just as a reason to buy another gun haha.


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[rootacres]

My dad and brother are both left handed. My bro went with a Christensen Arms Mesa, my dad went with a Tikka T3X lite. Both are good rifles, especially for your first rifle. My dads is a 300 wm. It shoots the Barnes 180 gr TTSX really well.

 

[Elk botherer]

I’ll echo what has been said. I’m left eye dominant and I’ve shot right handed rifles my whole life until two years ago when I bought my first left handed rifle, a Tikka T3x 7mm rem mag and I can’t believe I waited 30 years to try it out. I thought that there was no issues shooting right handed rifles left handed but having the bolt on the correct side now and not having to break the sight picture is pretty sweet. It’s more comfortable, safer, and I’d recommend it. But with that being said, get what you can and get what works for you. Good luck.

 

[Go West Old Man]

Hey all. Looking to purchase my first rifle. I’m left handed, left eye dominant. ……..

First rifle, so you have at least some probability that you may decide in the future that you want something other than your first rifle purchase. Be it a change your mind later for caliber, configuration, feel, weight, barrel length, or whatever , you may want to sell that first rifle & get something else. It’ll be easier to sell a used RH rifle. Listen to the others who have said that they shoot RH rifles left handed. You’d be surprised how many folks do the same. I’m in that same camp too, having been left little choice but to learn to shoot left handed due to a bad arm injury over 40 years ago. Good thing I did, because unflippin unbelievably I broke the same arm again about 6 weeks ago. Bad, but fortunately not as bad as the first time.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Tikka makes a very affordable rifle that shoots really well. I would suggest putting a muzzle brake on a .300 though.

 

[girlwithagun]

I am a LH shooter and spent my while life shooting rh guns. I bought my first LH, Savage 110 Storm 30.06 a few years ago and I shoot better than ever. It's also nice to stay on scope while clambering a new round.

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

I'm left hand, but right eye dominant. I've got remington 7600 pumps and lever guns, but also picked up a browning abolt LH in 300wsm about 20 years ago. Don't buy a right hand bolt which you will shoot lefty, makes no sense. Last month I just picked up a Tikka 270win in left hand and they have them in 300wm if that's your poison. With the great quality ammo these days, I don't feel like I need a magnum, unless maybe hunting griz.

 

[Slugo]

I am a LH shooter and spent my while life shooting rh guns. I bought my first LH, Savage 110 Storm 30.06 a few years ago and I shoot better than ever. It's also nice to stay on scope while clambering a new round.

Hi, I'm also a southpaw and I'm looking to get a 110 Storm as my first LH rifle. What kind of accuracy are you getting with your 30-06? Thank you.

 

[girlwithagun]

Hi, I'm also a southpaw and I'm looking to get a 110 Storm as my first LH rifle. What kind of accuracy are you getting with your 30-06? Thank you.

It's amazingly accurate. Since day one of sighting it in it's been consistent, shooting a tight 1inch group at 100 and 200. I don't really shoot much past that (haven't had too). It's comfortable to shoot and is on the lighter side for trekking. The first LH gun was a Remington 243...I like this gun a lot more especially for the money.

 

[NickKreutz]

Left eye dominant right handed guy here, shot right handed guns my whole life. bought a left handed gun and sold it. i like being able to have my face on the same side as the port. I see posts about it being dangerous and maybe i havent learned my lesson but I dont see it as a huge risk. I like it because if you have a jam or misfeed, you are on the correct side of the gun to look into the chamber/action to clear it efficiently.
When i bought the left handed rifle (A bergara HMR in 6.5) i could run the bolt fine with my non dominant hand, but felt blind running it.
Its also pretty easy to run the bolt and not break your shooting grip if you have the forend supported. pretty easy to make fast follow up shots.

 

[SippyCup]

I’m a lefty, got a lefty brother and 2 of my good friends are lefty as well. 3 of us prefer left hand rifles, one was raised shooting right hand rifles so has chosen to ride with that. Shotguns are a different story, but if you can get a left hand gun I certainly would

 

[Longhorn4life]

If you haven’t bought a rifle yet, get the LH. +1 for a tikka. That said, it’s pretty easy to train yourself to shoot lefty and use right hand to work the safety and cycle the bolt. I’m a lefty, have had both, but now prefer shooting a right-handed bolt left-handed. Keeps my trigger hand on the grip, eye in the scope, and ready for a quick second shot if needed.