Lefty Rifle for my 11 year old.

[grfox92]

My son is turning 11 on Monday. I recently found out something I wasn't prepared for. If he turns 12 the calendar year of hunting season he is able to hunt that year. I thought I had 2 years before I had to worry about outfitting him with a rifle but that's not the case.

Im a Tikka guy, but left handed Tikkas in .243 (Wyoming minimum for elk) are seemingly non existent.

My next choice for factory would be Browning and they seem to not exist.

Howa doesn't make a lefty.

Now I'm thinking of going places I swore I never would...Savage Axis seems to be readily available almost anywhere. The twist rate sucks a 1:9 so I believe I'll be limited to the lighter 6mm bullets, which would probably be fine for his first couple years.

The other option would be to have him start shooting my .223 AR platform and use that for deer and Antelope and maybe just shoot my 6.5 CM for elk, which will be in a Bravo with and adjustable LOP.

He is recoil shy and I don't want to start him with anything too big, but he needs to work on his shooting this spring and summer if he's going to hunt next year.

Any insight or advice is appreciated.

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[davsco]

https://www.eurooptic.com/tikka-t3x-lite-stainless-lh-65-creedmoor-2433-1-8-rifle-jrtxb482

https://www.eurooptic.com/tikka-t3x-lite-roughtech-tan-65-prc-243-5-8x24-bbl-left-hand-rifle-jrtxrt419

the threaded one you can throw a brake on and drastically reduce recoil

 

[Ringbill27]

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/175392/tik+t3x+hunter+left+hand+243win

They got a make offer option on this rifle. Low ball them and see if it sticks. It’s even threaded.

 

[Dave0317]

I’m not a lefty, but I know a few of them.

Depending on how he plans to use the rifle, I’d consider a couple other options.

For a precision rifle type setup used mostly in the prone or off a tripod, I’ve seen plenty of lefty’s just use a right handed gun. This will also set him up to be comfortable adapting if he ever needs to borrow a buddies rifle or that kind of thing.

Another thing I’d consider, especially at that age, is something like a Henry single shot or similar action types that are basically ambidextrous by nature.

 

[JF0]

Another option would be buy the cheapest left handed tikka you can find with a standard bolt face then pick up a 243 takeoff barrel for around $200. I’m left handed and while I certainly prefer left handed guns, I have a few kimbers that only come in right handed and it doesn’t bother me. Also grew up using right handed rifles as I was the oddball left handed in the family and left handed options were very limited at that time.

A 6 arc barrel for you AR could also be another solution.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Lefty here. Hunted with a right handed rifle most my life.

A pump like the Remmy 760/7600 was a nice starter gun for me, and the safety can pretty easily be swapped to lefty.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

Built a light weight AR. Much more ergonomic with the adjustable stock. Less recoil. Add a can.

 

[SouthernCharm]

Tikka left handed 6.5cm you can add a muzzlebrake or can. I’m a lefty and at 60, finally bought my 1st left handed bolt. It feels weird cycling compared to how I cycle a right bolt while shooting left handed. I think teaching him form and 1st shot counts is more important whether he shoots a left or right handed bolt gun. My other recommendation is location of safety, I like savage and old ruger with center tang, tikka next and really done like the 700 safety. I have big hands and learned how to shoot them all. Bottom safety on Remington 742 and 870 were a pain in the butt. Good luck.

 

[grfox92]

For those of you who are lefty and using a right handed rifle....how is follow up shots for bolt manipulation. I cant imagine being able to run the bolt for a followup shot without wrecking your shooting position.

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[SouthernCharm]

For those of you who are lefty and using a right handed rifle....how is follow up shots for bolt manipulation. I cant imagine being able to run the bolt for a followup shot without wrecking your shooting position.

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Well, I actually hold my rifle tight in my shoulder pocket with my left hand while sliding my right hand back working the bolt then slide my hand forward to shoot. Lots of years of practice. I actually can shoot a right handed bolt as a lefty faster on target than most right handers can shoot. But again, many years of having to adapt, very few left handed guns in the 70s. Don’t care for the ar platform since the case is being ejected by your face and vision.

Need to check to see if your kid is left or right eye dominant. That plays total havoc if right eye dominant while left handed.

 

[grfox92]

Well, I actually hold my rifle tight in my shoulder pocket with my left hand while sliding my right hand back working the bolt then slide my hand forward to shoot. Lots of years of practice. I actually can shoot a right handed bolt as a lefty faster on target than most right handers can shoot. But again, many years of having to adapt, very few left handed guns in the 70s. Don’t care for the ar platform since the case is being ejected by your face and vision.

Need to check to see if your kid is left or right eye dominant. That plays total havoc if right eye dominant while left handed.

He's actually right handed with a strong left eye dominance.

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[rickyw]

Maybe not what you’re looking for, but ruger American predator has some left handed options

 

[SouthernCharm]

He's actually right handed with a strong left eye dominance.

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You can change his dominate eye.

 

[grfox92]

You can change his dominate eye.

How? His vision is much worse in his right eye than his left. Now quite bad enough for glasses but still worse.

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[SouthernCharm]

How? His vision is much worse in his right eye than his left. Now quite bad enough for glasses but still worse.

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Vision and dominate are 2 different things. Hold a pencil with both hands centered on body and point at an object using both eyes. Close left, does object move? Open close right, does object move? Which eye open and object does not move from when both eyes are open is your dominant eye. There is Google and documents on how people change their dominant eye. I would run that by his optometrist 1st though.

 

[grfox92]

I wasn't implying his weak right eye was the determining factor on his dominance. Just that he is right handed, left eye dominant and has weak vision in his right eye.

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[Jpsmith1]

For those of you who are lefty and using a right handed rifle....how is follow up shots for bolt manipulation. I cant imagine being able to run the bolt for a followup shot without wrecking your shooting position.

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I never found a great way to do it well. I always wind up removing the rifle from my shoulder, running the bolt and returning to shooting position.

It was the instance of my first buck running that pointed me to buying my first lefty rifle. He went down fast, but the fear was too much for me

 

[lil' bear]

Lefty here.
There are loads of lefties on gunbroker.
Tons of tikkas
new x-bolts in 6.5 creed.
A few ruger Americans.
Also don't forget about lever actions. The browning BLR is my favorite rifle.

 

[gbflyer]

Don’t get anything expensive is my advice. I built mine a sweet custom. He never liked it. When he was little he liked a Rossi .357 mag we have. Now it’s an AR but really doesn’t like hunting that much anyway.

That Savage Axis Pro 2 is available in a compact version, 12.5” lop, left handed. Get the 6 ARC. I’ve had one in my cart for awhile now. If he ends up going another direction with his pastimes you won’t be out much and easy to resell.

 

[Arcola]

Don’t try to change his dominant eye. Just buy him a lefty. Tikka 6.5 creedmoor or 7mm08 would be my choice. My 10yo has been shooting the latter suppressed for a couple years now and he’s a way better shot than his pops.