Left-hander with right-hand bolt-action?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mitlov

Member
Joined
May 14, 2013
Messages
661
I'm a southpaw and find myself kind of wanting a Mosin-Nagant as my first rifle. I love the history, and the low cost of both the rifle and the ammo are also huge selling points. But I'd written it off for a while because of being a southpaw. However, I've recently heard of southpaw learning to work RH bolt-actions reasonably well, and I found some videos on YouTube that almost made it look easy with the right technique.

Anyone here done this? Is this a stupid idea or reasonable?
 
A friend of mine has shot RH bolts as a lefty for years. He never had a problem. In fact he is quite fast working the action where his left hand never leaves the pistol grip.
 
My brother is right handed, but left eye dominate. He made the switch to shooting lefty when still a teen. That was 30 years ago and he shoots right handed bolt guns just fine. Some stock designs don't work well,but working the bolt fast can be learned.
 
I'm a southpaw. I loved my Mosins (not enough to keep from selling them, though). I have trained myself to shoot RH bolt actions, but once you've handled a good LH bolt action, you won't want a RH bolt action except for milsurp collections.

There are a few LHBA rifles on the used rack at my LGS, and they cycle so much more naturally than forcing yourself to adapt to a RHBA. Too bad they are all in the wrong caliber, otherwise I'd be getting one.

Straight handled bolts are easier to use lefty than bent bolts, IME.

What Readyeddy said about never leaving the pistol grip is spot on, as long as the rifle is supported. If shooting offhand, it can become a bit of a juggling act.
 
Last edited:
As others have said, It's not really a big issue. I'm right handed but my youngest son shoots left and we have some LH bolt guns. I actually prefer them on the bench but they are a bit clumsy for me working the action off hand. Not unusable though.
 
Mitlov said:
I'm a southpaw and find myself kind of wanting a Mosin-Nagant as my first rifle. I love the history, and the low cost of both the rifle and the ammo are also huge selling points. But I'd written it off for a while because of being a southpaw. However, I've recently heard of southpaw learning to work RH bolt-actions reasonably well, and I found some videos on YouTube that almost made it look easy with the right technique.

Anyone here done this? Is this a stupid idea or reasonable?
Click to expand...
While I am right handed I shoot left handed and have for my entire life. Considering I am 65 and started with my first rifle at 8 that is quite a few shots. :)

It's automatic and has been since I started shooting. Automatic meaning when I pick up a rifle it instinctively goes in the left shoulder. While I have a few left handed bolt guns shooting right handed bolt guns just comes natural and operating the bolt has never been an issue. There is no thinking about it after doing it for a short time. The body and brain simply adapt and it becomes autonomic. While being right handed I am left eye dominant, so I adapt.

Ron
 
Only have 1 LH bolt gun. Easy to do - hold gun in LH at the wrist and work bolt with right hand. Seems easier for a LH person to work a RH bolt gun than the other way around.
 
I'm a lefty with a C+R collection. Not many years ago, getting a LH bolt gun was pretty much an expensive custom quest; so shooting RH guns was a common compromise. These days there are quite a few options available, so that compromise shouldn't be made for a modern gun you intend to put a high round count through. However, if you're into collecting mil surps, and you're more into owning some history than plinking, don't let it stop you.

The thing with most bolt rifles is they are designed in the event of a Kaboom to blast overpressure gases /case ruptures out of a hole in the side of the receiver or barrel opposite the shooter. That's a safety feature if the gun is used as intended. If a RH gun is being held lefty, that gas blast and brass shrapnel are aimed right at the inside of the shooter's right elbow or bicep.

Of course, if the gun is in good condition and the ammo trustworthy, the likelihood of a kaboom is quite small... but IF it were to happen, you'd be worse for the wear.
 
I'm a lefty here also and I shoot right handed bolt actions just fine. Right handed actions are what I grew up shooting so its what I know. Never had an issue with them. Only left handed rifle I own is a Stag Model 3 AR-15.
 
The of ease operation for a bolt action rfile was designed for the population dominated right hand world. But since it doesn't seem to make much difference in operation sequence then lets produce all rifles left handed and lets hear what the right handed majority has to say about that.
 
Hangingrock said:
The of ease operation for a bolt action rfile was designed for the population dominated right hand world. But since it doesn't seem to make much difference in operation sequence then lets produce all rifles left handed and lets hear what the right handed majority has to say about that.
Click to expand...
um... what?

Its a bolt gun. If I was running a speed match or something it might make a difference, but most of us here don't put our lives on the line with a bolt action.

Its really not a big deal. Especially for those of us that grew up shooting the right handed bolt.
 
Corporal Agarn
um... what?

Its a bolt gun. If I was running a speed match or something it might make a difference, but most of us here don't put our lives on the line with a bolt action.

Its really not a big deal. Especially for those of us that grew up shooting the right handed bolt.
Click to expand...


It may not make a difference to you but to others it does make a difference in across the course rapid fire stages. There is enough of difference that most major rifle manufactures make left hand usage firearms. If there was no difference or market the manufactures would not be producing left-hand user firearms.
 
As a lefty I've tried to use a right handed bolt gun twice but ended up selling both, a lever,semi-auto or single shot is all I'm interested in owning now.
 
Hangingrock said:
Corporal Agarn


It may not make a difference to you but to others it does make a difference in across the course rapid fire stages. There is enough of difference that most major rifle manufactures make left hand usage firearms. If there was no difference or market the manufactures would not be producing left-hand user firearms.
Click to expand...
Okay I'll give you that.

But the guy wants to know if he can use a Mosin. My answer would be 'sure!'

And I gave that answer because I shoot a lot of right handed bolt guns left handed and find it to be manageable.

You post about "well if it doesn't matter so much, why don't we just change it all to left handed?" was a bit of a snicker-ish post so I called it out.

The guy can shoot a Mosin just fine left handed.
 
As a lefty, I've tried for years to learn how to work a right-handed bolt gun efficiently, and just never got the hang of it.

Instead, I own a few left-handed bolt guns, and I'm happy with them. As USAF Vet said, for milsurps it's okay to work a right-handed bolt, but it's not a preference.
 
I'm a lefty, and all my bolt actions are traditional right. I've never known any different.

As I recall, didn't the sniper in Saving Private Ryan shoot his bolt action as a lefty?

Lefties have been forced to adapt for ages. The PC mouse is on the right side. The gear shifter is on the right. The motorcycle throttle is on the right.

Frankly, only in handwriting does my left substantially outperform my right. I prefer to shoot revolvers with a left handed primary dual grip, and right handed if using a single grip (because my left thumb has severed nerves from a band saw accident). I can thumb the hammer better with my right thumb.
 
Hangingrock said:
Corporal Agarn


It may not make a difference to you but to others it does make a difference in across the course rapid fire stages. There is enough of difference that most major rifle manufactures make left hand usage firearms. If there was no difference or market the manufactures would not be producing left-hand user firearms.
Click to expand...
I'm not particularly concerned about a slight reduction in shooting speed. I have no intention on shooting competitively, just recreationally (both from a bench and offhand). So long as working a right-handed bolt-action can reliably and comfortably be done left-handed, I don't care if it's 20% slower (or whatever) than I could operate a rifle with a left-handed bolt.

I'm more concerned about the safety issue that one poster raised, about a kaboom being directed toward you instead of away from you. What do others think about that?
 
Truthfully, you wont want to shoot a Mosin fast enough that a right-handed bolt will matter. The recoil will slow you down.
 
Im a lefty as well and I have shot enough left and right handed bolt guns to say that bolt actions are never going to be fast so I would not worry about that. I developed a technique of canting the rifle to the left and reaching over and cycling the right handed bolt with my left hand. You lose cheek weld and alignment and whatnot that way but I felt that was the best way for shooting off hand. Im not a benchrest or target shooter so it was important for me to at least keep the rifle in the vicinity of my shoulder.

In the end, I shot enough bolt actions to decide I don't like them so I rid myself of all of them except my No 4 Mk I. Im not a precision rifle shooter though. Im a hunter and shooter who does not mind a little imprecision. I only shoot levers if I have a choice anymore.
 
Mitlov said:
I'm a southpaw and find myself kind of wanting a Mosin-Nagant as my first rifle. I love the history, and the low cost of both the rifle and the ammo are also huge selling points. But I'd written it off for a while because of being a southpaw. However, I've recently heard of southpaw learning to work RH bolt-actions reasonably well, and I found some videos on YouTube that almost made it look easy with the right technique.

Anyone here done this? Is this a stupid idea or reasonable?
Click to expand...

I'm LH... I grew up shooting RH bolt guns, in fact the first deer I ever killed, when I was a young kid, was an 8 point buck with what dad called a "7.62 Russian rifle".

I always "reached over" to bolt those RH actions, but FINALLY when I got into my "20's", I bought a LH 700 Remington, and boy did it ever improve my "rifle handling" skills.

Maybe it doesn't matter much to you, but I was always HEAVY into big game hunting and anything that improved my skills to put more meat in my freezer, was and still is, a big plus!

Then there's the fact that I always loved hunting DG, like bear... So having a rifle that "properly" fit me, was and is, a big deal!

SO, if I really wanted to have a mosin, I'd buy one "just to mess around with". BUT, if I was serous about having a bolt action rifle to become the BEST I could be, I'd practice to be that BEST with a LH action bolt gun!

DM
 
I'm left, and I have some left handed bolt guns. But I find that mostly I shoot them off a bench, and for that I prefer a right handed gun. For shooting offhand I prefer a lever or semi.

but for the price of a mosin these days, I'd pass on them altogether and get a ruger american or something similar. Already tapped for a scope, a significantly more accurate gun, and not much more dollars.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

U
  • Locked
  • Poll
New bolt action, left hand or right hand?
Replies
17
Views
740
I6turbo
I
Nathanael_Greene
  • Locked
Left-handed shooters
Replies
20
Views
2K
Andrew Wyatt
A
B
  • Locked
Bolt actions from WWII
2 3
Replies
64
Views
3K
Limeyfellow
L
Z
  • Locked
Left handed bolt action for right handed shooter ???
Replies
12
Views
3K
nvshooter
N
R
  • Locked
Right hand bolt action for left hand shooters?
Replies
20
Views
4K
rangerruck
R
Back
Top