left hand options for long range rifle?

NZVarminter

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Joined
Nov 3, 2005
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Man you guys have so much more choice for factory rifles in left hand than we do here in New Zealand.

The only LH Rems we see are bdl in 243 and 308.

I have just come across a Rem 700 Custom KS Mountain Rifle Left-Hand on a us website. Didnt even know they made one like this.

How do they shoot?, Do they come out of the custom shop?, and do they have a better barrel than the std Rems?

What else could I be looking at in the 270/280 cartridge range capable to 600-700yds?

I'd buy a Cooper Mod 52 tomorrow but they arnt bringing out a LH till later next yr.

Cheers

Grant
 
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There are lots of options, the M700 KS rifles are very nice and very accurate. I had one in 280 Rem. If you can find one in 7mm STW or 7mm RUM they would be very good choices for long range applications. So would the 300's.

I recently picked up a Tikka T3 Lite LH 270Win and it is outstanding. Anyways there are lots of choices out there, Tikka's are available in 270WSM and 300WSM too.

In the early 80's I wanted a 300 Mag, so I bought a Rem M700 BDL LH in 7mm Rem Mag and had it rebarreled to 300WBY.

There are lots of creative things that one can be done.

Good luck.
 
What work do you need to do on the Tikka's

Yeah, the Tikka are an option, but they are very popular, so you cant pick up a cheap one as a doner action.

You can pick up a 2nd hand Rem for nz$800-900. You wont get a Tikka for under $1200.

Ok with a Rem, you have to have the action trued, and put a good custom barrel on. Does the Tikka action need trueing? and is the factory barrel good enough for a genuine 1/2" rifle.
 
If your wanting a Left Handed gun and have trouble getting them down there you might want to pick up a Left handed Savage action. With the Savage actions you can change your own barrels. All you need is a gun vice and a wrench for the barrel nut. You also need something to head space with which you can buy or make your own. Might be worth your looking into.
 
Food for the thinker:

Why bother with a LH rifle? You'll pay more, for more hassle and for FAR LESS efficient & accurate shooting form.....

I have been shooting for 34 years as natural south paw and never once in my life have owned ANY left handed firearm. (but have owned many with amb- safties..)


And I CERTAINLY would not want one in a bolt action for long range work. With me being a lefty, shooting a right hand bolt- the bolt handle is -right there- for my non shooting hand to work, and I do not have to break position or cheek weld to cycle the bolt or load the arm- which of course allows me to constantly be looking across/through my sights at the target while conducting business with the bolt. It really is win-win.

The only thing to watch for is to make sure the RH rifle is in a LH friendly stock- that is make sure if it has an adjustable cheek piece that there are not thumbscrews on the right side of the stock, where your face needs to be. Make sure it is not one of those fancy Monte-Carlo "comb-over" butts as I call them- they just don't work while driving from the other side.

Try it, you'll like it.


Recently I found this was old news to left handed men that have gone before me: Left-handed USMC Sniper CPL. James Rock (issued a standard Right-Hand M40 sniper rifle, circa 1983) comment the following in the book "Trigger Men" ISBN-10:0-312-35456-8. Page 176

[Talking about his first few days in USMC sniper school as a lefty, with a RH rifle}
"Being a left-hander, I discovered during the course turned out being an advantage instead of a handicap. Since the forend of the weapon was normally supported by a sand bag or something similar a lefty can maintain his firing hand on the grip, his cheek welded and his firing position WHILE operating the bolt with his right hand, some thing a right handed shooter simply can not do."

Tres
 
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Due to a botched surgery on my right eye as a child I grew up left eye dominant, I used right handed bolt actions for years, then I came into possession of a left handed rifle, I will not go back!! If I have to spend insane amounts of cash to have the LH rifle I want so be it. I can buy a New unfired LH Rem 700 for a donor and still have a great smith build what I want for 3 grand or less and everybody's happy
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RR
 
I too am right handed but left eye dominant and shoot rifles and shotguns left handed. Shooting prone there is definitely an advantage with a right handed rifle in that you can work the bolt without raising our cheek from the stock. For carry around guns (standing shots) I prefer a left handed bolt.

Savage gets my vote, but Tikka and Browning are also available in left hand.
 
You can get Weatherby Accumark LH in 257 and 300 wby. I have the 300 wby. Accumark and it shoots under 1 inch groups at 100 yards with factory Weatherby 180 grain accubonds. This in my opionion is the closest you can get to a custom rifle that is mass produced. I also owned a LH Browning a-bolt in 300 wsm it also shot well but not as good as the Accumark.
 
If I may add to one of the other previous posts. I am right handed, left eye dominate. I have a couple of precision rifles that I shout regularly. I use a simple principle to determine what action L or R that I will use. If the rifle might be used off hand, say for hunting and is light weight...I use a left hand action. If the rifle is a true long range gun that I will be shooting either prone or support, I use a right handed action. I can cycle the action while maintaining my check weld.

So for hunting I have the following:

LH Ruger Hawkeye in 375 Ruger
LH Weatherby Mk V in 300 Wby Mag
LH Weatherby Ultralight in 257 Wby

For long range precision I have:

RH LTR with AICS stock
RH AI AWM in 338 Lapua Mag

I find this is the right balance and works well for me. The heavier the rifle, the more likely I will use a right hand action...the lighter and more likely to be shot offhand...then left hand action....

I hope this helps a bit...
 
I don't understand where you think a RH action is an advantage, when shooting prone.

On the few occasions that I've taken spotter shots, I've fired, adjusted scope, cycled the action, and still didn't lose cheek weld, after all the rifle is on a bipod with a rear support.
RR
 
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