Lefty Rifle Advice

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jonny18

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I'm wondering what rifles other lefties are using out there, because it seems there is not nearly the selection. I would be using it for black/white tail deer and if I'm lucky on a draw... moose. Being able to mount a scope is not essential as I usually hunt well within 100 yards (tree stand). I'm also on a fairly tight budget and will likely be buying used. Just at the info. gathering stage.

Thanks in advance!
 
as a lefty, you can't do better than a remington 760 or 7600. no disadvantage at all. 400-600 with scope. 270, 308 or 30-06 versions will be all you need. they come with open sights, so you won't need the scope anyway.
 
Being able to mount a scope IS essential because iron sights on most rifles are difficult to find
and of poor quality.
Tikka ,Browning ,Savage ,Ruger ,Zastava and Remington got your back.
Used LH rifles aren't all that common on the used market, that tends to keep prices up.
 
My safe is occupied by LH Remington and Ruger bolt actions, Marlin lever actions and a couple of right hand pump shotguns. A little off topic from your original question, but Browning and Ithaca make a couple of really nice bottom eject pump shotguns that fit lefties quite nicely. Mossberg, although ejecting on the right side have made their controls left friendly, and Remington makes a couple of dedicated left hand shotguns.

Jeff270 has pretty well rounded out the manufacturers. Price wise, new lefties will sometimes cost you a hundred bucks more than the right hand version, and they are harder to find. I have never felt I paid a premium for any I bought used. You do have to be patient but deals do occasionally surface. If you are looking for a specific chambering that can be a pain. Most of the lefties you find on the racks in gun stores will be in .243 Win, .270 Win, 30-06, or .300 Win mag., any of which would do fine as a deer rifle. Tikka is one of the most left friendly manufacturers and offer many different chamberings in left hand, but my guess is you would have to special order anything other than the most popular chamberings.

Older Remington BDLs and Marlin levers come equipped with useable iron sights. Most newer bolt actions don't, but all are easily scoped.

I grew up shooting my fathers right handed bolt action rifles. I got along quite nicely and it is an option, but I do find I prefer a true left hander as a hunting rifle.
 
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wapitiwhacker said:
I grew up shooting my fathers right handed bolt action rifles. I got along quite nicely and it is an option, but I do find I prefer a true left hander as a hunting rifle.
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I'm currently in the same situation. All the guns in the family (mostly Dad's) are all right's. I get by with it, but it gets annoying at times and would like a true lefty. Nothing says 'buy a lefty' when your plinking with a semi-auto .22 and the shells are smacking your face!

Thank you all for your comments! There is obviously a great community here. Going to check out Tradex, and some of the other manufactures suggested. The idea of a bottom eject shotgun is appealing but it's hard to convince the wife on just one gun... 2 would be even more challenging. :p
 
jonny18 said:
The idea of a bottom eject shotgun is appealing but it's hard to convince the wife on just one gun... 2 would be even more challenging. :p
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Rome wasn't built in a day. It's funny how sometimes these things just appear one day down the road.;)

If you haven't already. Apply for access to the Equipment Exchange and take a look in the Sporting Rifles thread. I don't know what your budget is, but there are a couple of M700s in the $650 range and a couple of 760's' (as LarryG recommended) a hundred dollars less. All in decent deer/moose calibers. You'll also notice that if you do a search on "left hand" you will come up with as many WTB as you do WTS. So you know you're not alone. Good luck.
 
On a tight budget, consider a single shot break-action such as the H&R Handi-Rifles (also branded N.E.F. if you are looking at used stuff) and Rossi, Baikal, and there was a Savage model (219, I think) that pops up in the used market from time to time.
 
I have and have used the following left handed rifles. Winchester classic sporter in 7mm mag, Remington 700 BDL in 7mm mag, Ruger in 7mm Mauser (custom built), Savage 110 in 280 Remington (custom built), and a Browning A Bolt Medallion in 280 Rem. Guess you could say I'm a 7mm guy. The most accurate of the bunch is the Remington, The least accurate is the Winchester, never could get it to shoot inside 1 1/2 inches. The slickest shooting and best handling is the Browning, and it is very accurate as well. The Ruger is heavy and only so so as far as accuracy is concerned. The Savage is stainless and plastic and shoots very well and is my go to rifle when the weather stinks. And by the way, I love the 280 Remington round, great round that will IMHO perform with anything ever derived from the parent (.06) case. If I had to get rid of all but one, I would keep the Browning.
 
The great advice keeps coming!

wapitiwhacker said:
Rome wasn't built in a day. It's funny how sometimes these things just appear one day down the road.;)
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If I did that I think the misses would be after me! :p :runaway:

I've been leaning towards the Remington 700's and haven't written off the Browning A-Bolt either. I've got to get myself in a store and find out how they feel.

I'm not keen on the idea of a break-action but depending on the budget (if I get approval ;) ) I may have to lean that route.

Thanks again guys!
 
Tikka or savage trophy hunter on a budget. Also have a zastava 300 win mag in left hand. On a budget savage trophy is hard to beat.
 
Shooting left with a backwards rifle doesn't matter. It's how well you can shoot that backwards rifle. You could look into a lever action or any left handed bolt action(Savage or Remington) if you're that concerned.
Ejection isn't really an issue when hunting. You won't be getting into any fire fights with Bullwinkle. You usually only get one shot before Bullwinkle or Bambi are gone.
If that .22 is ejecting into your face, something is wrong with it or how you're shooting it. It's stock may be too short for you. Been shooting everything possible(including MG's and SMG's) for eons with no empty ever coming anywhere near my face. An M1 Rifle clip did go straight up and back down hitting the brim of me lid, once, but never an empty case.
 
There is some selection out there as has been mentioned by other posters. With availability what it is right now... And your first gun and all, I might suggest a Zastava in 6.5 X 55. Recoil isn't too bad and it's good for deer and could be used for a moose. They come with a wood stock, cheek rest and open sites. Nice combination for a starter. If you do a Savage, lean towards a gun that does not come with a scope package because those package scopes aren't the best. The rifles are fine but the scopes are low end. It's just something offered to get guys out shooting quickly. It would be a better option to buy the gun and scope separately. Typically the scopes that start off at $300.00 and up are better then the ones coming with a package.
 
sunray said:
Ejection isn't really an issue when hunting. You won't be getting into any fire fights with Bullwinkle. You usually only get one shot before Bullwinkle or Bambi are gone.
If that .22 is ejecting into your face, something is wrong with it or how you're shooting it. It's stock may be too short for you.
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But what about Zombie invasion? (just kidding) Very true on the firefight comment, it's an action preference for me. Plus I like to target practice in the prone position quite often, and having to move about in-between shots is annoying after a while (not very fluid of a motion). Not to mention the (minimal) risk of back fire depending on the ejection system of the gun in use.

The .22 in question is a youth so yes the stock is to short... (its just a fun gun)
 
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