Any right-handed shooters using a left-handed bolt action "tactical" rifle?

[MCMXI]

I shot my first tactical match this past weekend and one of the range officers, a marine, accomplished shooting competitor and gunsmith, told me that I should be using a left-handed action since I'm right handed. It never occured to me to build a "tactical" rifle on a left-handed action but it does make a lot of sense since opening/closing the bolt would be quicker and the shooting position wouldn't change as much. Any thoughts on this? Anyone thinking of building a "tactical" rifle and considering doing this. How about left handed shooters using a right-handed action? Anyone tried this?

 

[Big_E]

Actually a few days ago that occurred to me. If you have a thumbhole or pistol grip stock then you can move about with the rifle shouldered and use your left-hand to open/close the bolt and use the right hand to hold the rifle shouldered (easier with pistol grip at least but could be done with monte-carlo stock).

 

[hlq]

I'm a lefty when it comes to long guns and have used right handed bolts for most of 40 years. I can't help you with the "tactical" aspect of it but it's never been a problem for me with follow up shots and there are just as if not quicker than most. But between deer, varmint and pinking I've gone through a "few" rounds. I actually just this fall bought my first left hand rifle, a .243 Rem 700 and it actually feels strange to cycle the bolt but I'm getting use to it.

 

[mcwjr13]

I shoot lefty and actually prefer right handed rifles. Buying a lefty usually adds to the price since they have to be ordered around here and I just dont see spending the extra $. Sure it would be nice to have all left handed rifles but my go to rifle is a right hander.

 

[JWF III]

I've been planning on doing this for a while now.It's been several years since I came up with the idea, and it just keeps getting pushed off the stove (not even on the back burner yet).

The idea came to me years after my dad told me a little tidbit of Conspiracy history. Years after JFK was killed, someone did a test to see if the supposed thought of one man doing the shooting was plausible. They set up the situation that Oswald would have had from the School Book Depository Window, had the target at the same distance, and moving the same speed. They also used the same model Carcano, with the same scope set-up. They used all accomplished competition shooters (30 or so), and timed the speed it took them. All but a couple made the shot (accuracy wise), but only a few made it in the same time (or less) than during the assassination. The only ones that made the time (they also each made the accuracy) were each left-handed. The weird thing (or not so weird thing) is that LHO was also left-handed. So they proved that it was plausible that he acted alone.

So years later, when I decided that I wanted to build a long-range "sniper" style rifle, I determined that it would be left handed. The problem is trying to find a used Remington 700 short action, that is left-handed. I've been looking for about 7 years, and still haven't found it (in any condition, much less in poor condition).

Wyman

 

[blitzen]

Aside from the JFK story can anyone please shed more light on this notion. Perhaps in the prone position with the forearm on a rest a person could do ok but I find it hard to support Rem. 700 SPS in .308 with a 26 inch hvy bbl and work the bolt. Have we all been doing it wrong since bolt action rifles were invented?

 

[MCMXI]

Perhaps in the prone position with the forearm on a rest a person could do ok but I find it hard to support Rem. 700 SPS in .308 with a 26 inch hvy bbl and work the bolt. Have we all been doing it wrong since bolt action rifles were invented?

This would be a tactical rifle where the rifle is on a bipod or at least resting on a rigid support of some form. Many rifles that are considered tactical may be too heavy for off-hand shooting anyway ... such as my AI clones. Shooting from a sitting position would be annoying too with a LH action.

I'm a lefty when it comes to long guns and have used right handed bolts for most of 40 years.

So how do you operate the bolt? Do you move your left hand off the palm swell and forward to support the fore end as you open/close the bolt?

 

[blitzen]

1858,

I follow what your saying. I just don't think shooting a prone only tank of a rifle when I think of a tactical rifle. To me you should be able to deploy your rifle sitting, kneeling and standing if needs be. The big .50 cals are another story.

 

[hlq]

<blockquote>So how do you operate the bolt? Do you move your left hand off the palm swell and forward to support the fore end as you open/close the bolt?
</blockquote>

No, my left hand does all the trigger and bolt work, and the right hand supports the rifle and never leaves the forearm.

 

[JWF III]

For the speed referred to in the JFK story, all the left hand shooters were doing the trigger work with their left hand. And their right hand never left the bolt handle. Less movement of the trigger hand = more speed.

Wyman

 

[Hoxviii]

I'm right handed and run my right handed bolt guns with my left hand in a similamr manner as to what JWF III mentioned.

I rest the front of the rifle, pull the rifle tight with my right/trigger hand, and reach up and over the sights with my left hand on straight bolt guns, or under and around for curved bolt rifles.

As soon as the shot fires, i'm running the bolt while maintaining a tight grip with my right hand, cheek weld, and sight picture.

 

[MCMXI]

1858,I follow what your saying. I just don't think shooting a prone only tank of a rifle when I think of a tactical rifle. To me you should be able to deploy your rifle sitting, kneeling and standing if needs be. The big .50 cals are another story.

I completely agree with you on this. I could see if a competitor was intent on winning tactical long-range matches where the rifle was custom built for that purpose only and it's never going to be fired offhand, sitting, kneeling or in any other situation where the bipod would be redundant. A left-handed action would most likely be faster for a right-handed shooter but that's too specific for my tastes so I won't be building a left-handed rifle anytime soon. I want my rifles to have some flexibility i.e. jack of all trades but master of none!

No, my left hand does all the trigger and bolt work, and the right hand supports the rifle and never leaves the forearm.

So that's the same as a right-handed shooter supporting the rifle at the forearm using the left hand and operating the trigger and bolt with the right hand ... only your way is harder. Now if you had a bipod, you could operate the bolt with your right hand and your left hand would never have to leave the trigger/palm swell.

 

[KenWP]

I am right handed but have to shoot left as my left eye is dominate. I would not go to a left handed rifle as my left hand is pretty well useless to do stuff like throwing a bolt and such. I have problems useing things like a wrench in it even.

 

[crebralfix]

The reason I use a right handed bolt gun is because I can keep my left finger on the trigger while operating the bolt for very rapid fire. If I need to shoot from another position, then I accept the slower rate of fire from a non-prone position.

Then again, it's a bolt action rifle. I have no illusions about its limitations; it's not an AR-15 setup for CQB. I have set it up for long range shooting, so shooting it prone is appropriate.

 

[hlq]

<blockquote>So that's the same as a right-handed shooter supporting the rifle at the forearm using the left hand and operating the trigger and bolt with the right hand ... only you're way is harder. Now if you had a bipod, you could operate the bolt with your right hand and your left hand would never have to leave the trigger/palm swell.
</blockquote>

I don't disagree that it may be harder, but when I started shooting bi pods weren't very prevalent and I have never gotten around to trying one, I'm more of a sling guy. Again I'm a hunter not a tactical guy and If I jump a buck or get a shot at an elk moving through timber there is rarely time to set up with a bi pod. With a solid rest or bi pod I can see the advantage that using the right hand might have when cycling the bolt but with off hand shooting (which isn't the real topic here) I think it would be interesting to see if it was much quicker.

 

[Zak Smith]

The way for a left-handed shooter to run the bolt fast shooting a right-handed rifle is to retain the firing grip (not "keeping his finger on the trigger", crebralfix- great way to AD), move the left-hand from the support position and run the bolt. The firing grip of the strong hand has most of the control of the rifle in this situation, just like charging a FAL, AR, etc (for a RH shooter).

The only case where this breaks down is when slung up. It is usually the case that if you have the time to sling up, you don't care about saving 1/2 second running the bolt anyway.

All that said, I don't know any RH shooters who buy left-handed bolts for that specific reason. I certainly don't, and I shoot a lot of practical long-range stuff.


............... Larger version of above photo.

 

[crebralfix]

The way for a left-handed shooter to run the bolt fast shooting a right-handed rifle is to retain the firing grip (not "keeping his finger on the trigger", crebralfix- great way to AD)

Nope...no AD's. There are reasons to do so which are related to killing, not shooting paper. USMC 8541's trained me to do that. Again, it's not about the game of shooting.

To each his own.

 

[Zak Smith]

Keeping one's finger on the trigger while manipulating the action makes it a lot more likely for the rifle to fire during the process. You didn't say if you intend to fire during the manipulation or not (hence, is it an "AD" or not). Most people do not. In any case, I have forwarded these comments to a former USMC sniper (who is now with 19th SFG). I'm interested to see what he says about it.

 

[Black Dime]

Been doing some research on F -Class rifles. Interested in building a F-Class TR rifle. Have found a number of right hand rifles with left hand ports.

 

[USSR]

...I have forwarded these comments to a former USMC sniper (who is now with 19th SFG). I'm interested to see what he says about it.

Me too. Just doesn't sound right to me.

Don

 

[crebralfix]

I don't see any difference between shooting off the reset with an AR-15/AK/handgun than doing the same with a bolt action rifle. I keep the trigger all the way back until the reticle settles after recoil. Release the trigger forward until it clicks, reload, reacquire, fire. Again, this is for rapid fire. If I'm not in a hurry, then the finger goes back onto the stock for the reloading sequence.

I don't see any reason to use this technique for hunting or competition. It all depends upon the urgency of the situation.

 

[MCMXI]

All that said, I don't know any RH shooters who buy left-handed bolts for that specific reason.

That's what I suspected. The RO (marine) who suggested I build a LH action is a "lefty" and like many, they didn't consciously seek out RH actions, they were forced into using them because there were/are a lot more of them around. That said, they probably realized that faster follow-up shots are possible if you don't have to move your trigger finger/hand off the stock to operate the bolt. I have no idea if the military will supply LH actions (bolt or semi-auto) to those that need them but somehow I doubt it ... maybe for SOCOM types ...

The photo above is an excellent example of the benefit of operating the bolt with your weak hand ...

I'm going to "cheat" at the next match anyway ... I'll be using an AR for the rapid fire stages and a bolt action for the slow fire stages. I'm concerned about ruining the barrels on my .300 Win Mag and .308 Win firing 10 rounds in 60 seconds and 20 rounds in 120 seconds!

 

[Zak Smith]

I don't see any difference between shooting off the reset with an AR-15/AK/handgun than doing the same with a bolt action rifle. I keep the trigger all the way back until the reticle settles after recoil. Release the trigger forward until it clicks, reload, reacquire, fire.

For one, you can't do that on the vast majority of bolt guns since they don't have disconnectors like semi-autos do. If you keep the trigger depressed after you fire and then run the bolt, the striker will follow, and you can never reset the trigger without running the bolt with the trigger all the way forward. The procedure you described doesn't work on a Remington 700, Accuracy International, or Mauser action.

-z

 

[crebralfix]

For one, you can't do that on the vast majority of bolt guns since they don't have disconnectors like semi-autos do. If you keep the trigger depressed after you fire and then run the bolt, the striker will follow, and you can never reset the trigger without running the bolt with the trigger all the way forward. The procedure you described doesn't work on a Remington 700, Accuracy International, or Mauser action.

I don't understand how you can say that it doesn't work when I let the trigger forward until it clicks before operating the bolt. I didn't say "hold trigger back, operate bolt"; I said "release trigger forward until it clicks, operate bolt, fire." I do keep the trigger all the way back while the gun is moving under recoil. Sorry for the confusion.

You have me curious about the striker following if the shooter keeps the trigger back and runs the bolt. It's been a few months since I ran my Savage. I will double check it.

Fun discussion so far!!

 

[USSR]

crebralfix,

Yep, with the bolt open, simply hold the trigger back and close the bolt. The striker will not remain in the cocked position. You now have to lift the bolt to cock it.

Don