Southpaws
 

I have an elderly freind that due to macular degeneration, has almost completely lost sight in his right eye. He is a lifelong hunting enthusiast, no intent of giving up what we all love doing, and has decided to try and switch
to left hand shooting.
The idea came up to try and find a left hand rimfire gun, something that will offer up cheaper shooting, while building up the muscle memory to make the switch.
I cannot believe the lack of left handed rifles of any kind out there!
Any one else on the forum been through this, and can someone offer an idea on where to find a left handed bolt rimfire?

Savage MK II comes in lefthand.

https://alflahertys.com/savage-mark-...r-rifle-50701/

https://www.dantesports.com/en/savag...btvs-left-hand

https://www.dantesports.com/en/savag...ii-g-left-hand


P&D lists 3 lefty bolt .22’s as well.

Tikka tx1 comes in left hand and is smooth. I think they are around $800.

Cz had options but not anymore unfortunately.

Chipmunk, Savage, used CZ 452 (there are even still a few new ones floating around) Tikka, used Walther, Browning T Bolt (had 3, sold them all, was never real happy with the accuracy for such an expensive gun) Anschutz, Cooper in ascending order of cost.

Savage m2 in .22lr, 93 in 17hmr and .22 magnum
Tikka t1x - I've seen lefty's in 22lr and 17
CZ 452's and 455's
There's also the straight pull browning T bolt

A few options - if you can find them

Colin

I am a left hand shooter and shoot right hand rimfire rifles. Pros and cons to this but it works well for me. A CZ 457 synthetic would be a good choice if you are willing to go this route; lightweight, accurate, smooth bolt and around $500.

That works but the whole point is for him to be able to shoot a left bolt 22 cheaply to see if can can get comfortable shooting lefty after being a righty his whole life.

I bought the boss a left hand savage mark II. She hasn't had a chance to shoot it yet. It didn't break the bank and they are known to be decently accurate.

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I sold my Anschutz 1416 lefty because my lefty Savage MK ii ($204.99 at WSS) was nearly as accurate and I don't feel bad beating it up...yeah it's not quite as smooth but will shoot one ragged hole at 50 yds with Eley sport ammo.

I invested the difference in a 1975 Marlin 336 T which would now sell for about twice what it cost me...

lefty transition
 

This is an interesting concept. I would think that if one was to transition from R to L or vice-versa, the action should change sides as well (if bolt action). Otherwise, cycling the action would be more clumsy.
I am R handed, but when I got into hunting a few years back tried to shoot 10% of my gophers L handed as practice. I have shot 2 deer in the last 5 years L handed as that was the best way to make the shot in that moment. Made me thankful I had practiced, but I didn't need to cycle the bolt quickly
Could the shooter also consider other action types? A lever action or semi-auto? I am unsure if a semi-auto would eject the hot casing into your face if firing L handed?
I wish him good fortune switching over!
Vance

My son's a south paw, started him out on my right bolt 22 and it was painful watching him trying to cycle the action, and my semi kept shooting brass at his face. He now has a lefty 22 and 17 Savage's that he loves (and I hate, the goofy action drives me nuts). I'd grab him one of the Savages, there should be some on the classifieds.

If your friend has mobility issues, plus learning to shoot lefty then adding in a righty action would not be something I'd recommend having tried to shoot my son's lefty's.

I have a Savage MK11 left hand bolt, I paid $275 at Cabela's a few years ago. Very nice rifle for the price and pretty darn accurate.

The boss is a lefty. I can't stand watching her cut veggies. She has a few Japanese knives that are razor sharp and watching her cut and chop with her left hand freaks me out.


I think I paid $260 for the Savage mark II. I paid almost double for the scope. The bolt is a little floppy compared to one of our CZs. But for a basic .22 I don't see it as an issue. It still locks up nice and snug. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...28a1ced897.jpg

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I'm left handed and shoot many right handed bolt rifles on my left side. I have shot 69 head of big game, including 3 wolves from one pack and never felt handy-capped. I cycle the bolt with my right hand while keeping the but of the gun on my left shoulder.

I shoot left handed also. one nice thing I found is when shooting from a rest, hunting or at the range you don`t have to take your eye off the target. I`ve found follow up shots on game to be quicker with a right hand rifle. It felt strange at first but a little practice and it becomes second nature.

Left
 

I do the same thing with no problem.

left hand savage mk11 .22 probably the best .22 iv ever had. was only $280, ten round mags are nice also

left hand savage 93 .22mag also a awesome rifle takes heads off gophers, almost boreing to shoot as no chalange to hitting stuff.

Same, although I would like to buy a left-handed rifle to see if it works better than what I'm doing now.

If it doesn't, oh well, then I have another rifle in the stable... Heh heh...

Southpaw
 

The late great African PH, Harry Selby, shot left handed using right hand bolt action rifles.
He said he could not get used to a left hand bolt action.

If it was so good to shoot right handed rifles with your left hand, how come we never have a discussion about right hand shooters shooting left handed firearms.

If it was soo good to shoot left handed rifles with the right hand. All the right hand shooters would be shooting left handed rifles…. But they aren’t!

For probably 99.9% of the shooters. They will be best suited having a rifle with the proper handiness.

Amen

Just watch a right handed shooter try to use a left handed gun. Truly hilarious yet they all think we should jut adapt, though to be fair lots of lefties advocate the same thing.

The one place you do see some right hand guys shooting left port, or left port left bolt guns is benchrest.

Never shot a left handed gun and see no reason to in a bolt.

Southpaw
 

Truly hilarious is nonsensical.

All my rifles are left handed, my rimfires are left handed, my shotguns are left handed, even my AR is left handed..I do have one rifle that is left bolt right port. There is only one thing I do right handed and that’s because of where the toilet paper roll is mounted. :)

southpaws
 

As much as I appreciate all the "I use a right hand gun" feedback, I am still looking at options to aquire a LEFT hand bolt gun for my friend. There has been a few good sources pointed my way, and I thank you, everyone who was good enough to post up a link. Anybody else know where they might have a LEFT handed rimfire IN STOCK?
Not afraid of spending money on a good cause, but not sure I want to go Anschutz good!
I even went so far as to price a left handed bolt and barrel for my blaser R8 (Anschutz looked economical at that point:sHa_sarcasticlol:). So far, savages have been the only horse in this race!

I would check and see if Bashaw sports or Barton’s in GP have anything left handed.

Try P&D

http://www.p-d-ent.com/firearms

Exactly, Dean.

When I was in P&D scoping out a gun for Tirebob, and I tried to cycle the lefty that he bought, I could barely get the action opened and closed.

It's not that easy.

Gutpile,

P & D indeed does have three models of lefty's in stock. Here is the link to the page.

http://www.p-d-ent.com/firearms/21-r...non-restricted

Your friend has a difficult transition to make, and you make it sound like the hardest thing is that he doesn't have a left handed rifle. I'm a lefty, and the only reason I have a couple left handed rifles is they were available in the model I wanted, and ir seems to me to be a better idea not to have the loading port lined up with my non shooting eye. I don't have any lefty rimfires and wouldn't buy one.