left hand 'battle rifle' 7.62 NATO?

[karhu]

Hi,

I was wondering: Is there some manufacturer that produces battle rifles - bolt action - for lefties, similar to:

- Mosin Nagant
- Mauser K98
- Springfield 1903A3
- Lee Enfield Mk 1

and chambered for 7.62 NATO?




regards,

 

[lionking]

karhu Im lefthanded and have never had a problem working a bolt of my milsurp bolt rifles.Just gotta get use to it.No I dont think there are lefties available.

You could always stick with a semi auto?

 

[LtDave]

AFAIK, the closest you'll be able to come is a left handed bolt handle for a Schmidt-Rubin K-31 in 7.5x55. It is a drop in part that installs in 30 seconds and works great. No other modifications to the rifle are required and the right hand bolt handle can be reinstalled in seconds. The one I bought cost more than the rifle, but was worth it.
I've attached a picture.

 

[lwrnc1963]

As a fellow southpaw I recommend getting a Springfield M1-A. It's ergonomics are about as ambidextrius as they come. If you insist on a bolt gun get an old remington 788 in 308. My lefty 788 will chamber mil-surp 7.62, is accurate enough for most purposes, and the detachable mags (3 shot plus 1 in chamber) are cheap and easily to get. It's also easy to mount a scope on. Synthetic stocks are also available.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

LtDave How much did the southpaw kit cost? I priced a kit from Switzerland and he wanted over three hundred dollars and by the way where is the rear sight?

 

[LtDave]

I paid a little less than $200 for the bolt handle. Standard open rear sight remains on the barrel. I believe there is another manufacturer of left hand bolt handles with a different "bridge" arrangement that allows you to use a target receiver sight. I think that is the one that runs around $300. I've attached another picture comparing the left hand handle I have with the standard one.

 

[karhu]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure if I can get a semiauto. I live in Finland and might be problematic to get the license.

LtDave:
that Schmidt-Rubin K-31 looks great! How expensive are the bullets?

also, could you tell us what is the company that produces the left hand bolt handles?


regards,

 

[LtDave]

I don't know the name of the company that makes the LH bolt handles. I think I found the info after combing the swiss rifle forums. There's a guy that advertises on one of the boards who seems to have access to a lot of swiss K31 parts, [email protected]. If he doesn't have it, I bet he knows who does.

 

[LtDave]

Sorry, missed the ammo question.
Surplus Swiss GP11 (berdan) is running about .30 - .35 cents/round.
Privi Partizan or Wolf (same stuff) can be had for $10/box of 20.
AIMSurplus has both.

 

[LtDave]

I did a little more digging on the swissrifles.com board. The manufacturer of the LH bolt handle is a gunsmith in Basel, Switzerland by the name of Burgin. I believe his version will let you use the diopter target sight or a scope mount as it bridges around the back of the receiver instead of over the top like the one I have. It runs around $300. There is supposedly a plan in the works to make a copy of these in the US, by St. Marie Swiss Products.

 

[karhu]

many thanks for your help LtDave!!

 

[barnetmill]

As stated by an earlier post left hand operation of right handed straight bolt handle military mauser is easy.
I am left handed, but normally shoot right handed. I do shoot left handed to practice with my left side. I have to remember to close by right eye when I do this.

It is no problem to reach over to use the bolt. I have a williams peep sight on this gun (small ring 98 rebarreled to .308), with a scope left handed operation might be more difficult.

 

[44AMP]

alternate idea

remington 788s are long outr of production and the magazines are not plentiful. You might consider a left hand Rem 700 with an aftermarket detatchable mag. Or a Remington pump rifle and the after market 10rnd mags.