Sniper - WWII

imagine_74714

imagine_74714

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I don't know if this is the proper place to post this question, and if it isn't please remove it.

I have seen Saving Private Ryan perhaps 5 or 6 times. One thing always bothered me. Private Jackson, the sniper of the squad, is left-handed. When he handles his rifle, he cycles the bolt with his left hand, seemingly quite awkward motion as his left hand must be placed over the rifle to accomplish this.
My question is, was this the stadard rifle handling method of the day for left-handed soldiers? Assuming it is, then Americans at the time didn't have firearms manufactured for left-handed soldiers? (and is this still true today?)
It's a silly question, but just wanted to ask if anyone knows...
 
imagine_74714 said:
I don't know if this is the proper place to post this question, and if it isn't please remove it.

I have seen Saving Private Ryan perhaps 5 or 6 times. One thing always bothered me. Private Jackson, the sniper of the squad, is left-handed. When he handles his rifle, he cycles the bolt with his left hand, seemingly quite awkward motion as his left hand must be placed over the rifle to accomplish this.
My question is, was this the stadard rifle handling method of the day for left-handed soldiers? Assuming it is, then Americans at the time didn't have firearms manufactured for left-handed soldiers? (and is this still true today?)
It's a silly question, but just wanted to ask if anyone knows...
Click to expand...

There were no left handed soldiers.......;)
 
I'm willing to bet you can could all the Left handed or Left-Right chanageble issued rifles in the world (exculding millitary Single shots) with the fingures on one hand. :)

Dimitri
 
That may have been the way lefties cycled the action, and no, they did not have rifles back then for left handed soldiers. As for today, as far as I know, there are no left handed sniper rifles in any armies of the world. Many service rifles today can be fired left handed, but not all. The British bullpup is an example that can only be fired right handed. Our C7 can be fired left handed as I think that's the main reason for the case deflector on the right side.
 
I am left handed and I can't figure out why you right handed guys want to take your hand off the grip and your finger off the trigger when you cycle the action!
 
Worse yet, is the scene in the belltower, at the final battle. He takes like 8 shots with his Springfield.

I guess it's one of those special prototypes that has a high capacity 10 round magazine.
 
Lee Harvey Oswald was a left handed shooter - according to an Israeli reconstruction of the Kennedy assasination that was the only way he could fire fast and accurately enough to make the shots on the moving car, or at least it was a left handed Israeli sniper who was the only one who could.
 
OK I can't take it anymore.
Your hands have nothing to do with the way you shoot.
It's the dominant eye thing that determines if you
shoot wrong or right I mean left or right.
 
i am a lefty. i find that if i shoot from bench with sandbags or bipod, it's easier to operate the bolt with my right hand, but if i don't have any support, i have to hold my rifle with my right hand, which leaves me only my left hand operating the bolt. so, for practical reason, i like to shoot with my left hand operating the bolt.
 
I've never heard of, much less seen a left-handed milsurp. The philosophy of militaries is that you can learn to shoot well (enough) right-handed regardless of dominant eye. Completely impractical to issue right and left-handed. Imagine in battle that your rifle becomes unserviceable and you are handed the only available rilfe which is for the "wrong" hand.
 
I'm a dominant left hand left eye shooter. With right hand bolt actions, its rather easy to fire somewhat rapidy. (Tho I can shoot left or right hand with a handgun no problem.)

Upon firing, I twist rifle counter clockwise (to my left) with my right hand and cycle the bolt with my left hand while keeping the stock planted in my shoulder, then rotate the rifle closewise back into position and fire.

farmnut said:
OK I can't take it anymore.
Your hands have nothing to do with the way you shoot.
It's the dominant eye thing that determines if you
shoot wrong or right I mean left or right.
Click to expand...
Actually I beg to differ, as I cannot shoot a rifle worth s**t when planted in my right shoulder and being supported with my left hand. Using either eye I just cannot shoot right.
 
Left hand...

I am right-handed and right-eye dominant and I find actuating a Finn M-91 Mosin-Nagant bolt easier with the left hand, keeping a firm grip on the stock and buttplate held solidly at the shoulder Sitting at the bench or from a rest).
Actually, the straight bolt on the Mosin helps a lot for this: put your hand across the action, place two fingers under the bolt and lever the bolt with the side of the hand against the action. This opens the bolt and cocks it. Then snap the bolt rearwards and it ejects smartly. Slap the bolt forward and it's ready again.
Fast.
PP.:)
 
PerversPépère said:
I am right-handed and right-eye dominant and I find actuating a Finn M-91 Mosin-Nagant bolt easier with the left hand, keeping a firm grip on the stock and buttplate held solidly at the shoulder Sitting at the bench or from a rest).
Click to expand...

I concur with PP. As a lefty, I find the straight bolt of the Mosin nice, because the left handed reach over isn't as far as a bent bolt. With my 1903 I have to turn it off my shoulder sometimes to actuate the action, thankfully the Springfield action is smooth and slick and its not too bad.

But in regards to lefties in the military, there were lots, but generally being right handed was held to be superior. There were no special left handed milsurps, when you went in to basic and learned the right hand way, no matter what.
 
Having observed some lefties shooting RH bolt guns, particularly the Enfield, the best way for them to get rapid followup shots is to cycle the bolt with the left hand, leaving the right hand in place on the stock.

I've seen a RATHER skilled individual fire 10 aimed shots in 30 seconds this way....he won the University Cup at CFSAC a few years back.

NavyShooter
 
My grandfather served overseas from 39-46. He was a lefty and used both the Lee-Enfield and K98k in combat. He pulled the trigger with his right hand and cycled the bolt with his left hand, but also rested the rifle on his left shoulder.

It's awkward, but it's the way he always shot, even for years after the war hunting deer etc.
 
Left handed soldiers are normally trained or at least were to use right handed equipement. I am left handed and left eye dominant but have learned to shoot off my right shoulder and eye because of what I was exposed too when learning to shoot. The only exception seems to be picking up a handgun, which naturally goes in my left hand and uses my left eye. I have seen many lefties operate right handed rifles from their left sides. But when you are taught from day one a rifle goes on the right shoulder, that is what you do when you pick one up even if it's a single shot or whatever out of habit. Most left handed shooters I have seen can shoot to some degree off of either shoulder, just because you learn to use your right out of necessity.
Right handed pistols and holsters are still common issue, this is where I have found the most trouble of all, not any rifles. The contols are on the wrong side of most issue pistols.
 
Skippy said:
He pulled the trigger with his right hand and cycled the bolt with his left hand, but also rested the rifle on his left shoulder.

It's awkward, but it's the way he always shot, even for years after the war hunting deer etc.
Click to expand...

I can't even picture how the hell you would do that!

All you lefties... just buy a damn LH rifle!!! :D
 
canucklehead said:
I can't even picture how the hell you would do that!

All you lefties... just buy a damn LH rifle!!! :D
Click to expand...

Its pretty slim pickings there. A left hand Remington 700 or Ruger M77 is all that comes to mind off the top of my head.
 
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