*Purchase done!!!* Left Hand Rifles... Need some guidance!

[tranq78]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

Bob is looking for a .308. Because I told him sternly....

I did tell him it's a really practical do it all short action round. Readily available ammo, with lots of variety. Shorter lighter rifle. Moderate to mild recoil. Kind of that perfect starter rifle.

I have a left handed T3X Lite with stainless barrel in 30-06. If a 308 was available in the store I would have probably bought that. Was last days of Wholesale Sports so selection limited.

For hunting we use 30-06 hand loads but they aren't loaded too hot. At the range I shoot M1 Garand handloads so recoil is mild.

The T3X Lite is a great rifle. In my opinion extremely good value for what you get, even at Cabelas pricing. I see they have the same T3X stainless in left hand I bought and in 308 and 30-06. But then, I'm easy to please so YMMV.

[tranq78]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

You are safe. The -06 is a close second for me, but truly I just like a lighter shorter rifle for packing around.

The Remington 700 SPS is available in left hand in 7mm-08. That's the rifle (in RH) my youngest used to get 2 deer.

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

Before men started drinking White Claw and shooting Creedmore, there was no Covid. Coincidence?

There is no such thing as coincidence my friend. I've never shot a 6.5CM but I really like the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser caliber.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

For the price, the Tikka T-3x is a good choice, and as much as I am not a huge fanboy, the 6.5CM isn't a bad choice in cartridges.

That combination would make a bunch of sense.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by chuck

That combination would make a bunch of sense.

Would you choose it over the .308 at the same price? I have no experience with the 6.5, but know it is a capable round, similar ballistics to a 7mm08.

I wouldn't have an objection to any of those for a 'one rifle hunter'. But I do lean to the .308.

[SageValleyOutdoors]

I myself was in the same boat… left handed, but always shot a right handed rifle… summer of 2020, i finally pulled the trigger on a LH tikka t3 in 6.5CM and mounted a SigSauer scope on it. Absolute best rifle I’ve ever owned.

[Wrongside]

Originally Posted by chuck

If you have time, look at the used market. A LH Ruger 77/Hawkeye, or older Remington CDL or BDL would be a great start. Remingtons are very customizable as well.

If new, honestly, a stainless/synthetic Tikka would not be a bad way to go.

Yup. I’d look hard at this- SS LH M77 MII 30-06. The seller is a good guy to deal with too.

Or a SS LH Tikka T3x in most of the middle of the road chamberings makes a reliable hunting tool, right out of the box. (Get a 6.5CM. It’s fun to shoot, which makes proficiency much more attainable. And as a side benefit, seems to twist lots of old guys up in knots seeing them used successfully. 😉 )

[Dean2]

Well just saw this thread. So first off, my 308 NULA is going nowhere while I still breath.😁 When I croak, it will go to my left handed nephew. So now that we have that cleared up, Melvin is still making guns, problem is it doesn't fit in your budget, they are about 4500 Canadian now. If you ever find a used one, buy it immediately.

If I was looking for an excellent gun in your price range I would look at a used Weatherby Ultra Light, Weatherby MK5, Sako, left hand Carl Gustoff, or a Cooper. If you can find a lh Mesa light weight or light weight fieldcraft they are a great choice but very hard to find used in lh. Tikka actions are all the same length so u lose a bit of the advantage of a short action for 308, 7 08, 6.5 Creed etc. If you look at 30 06, you might just as well get a 7 Rem Mag, the kick is the same.

There are a fair number of other great lh rifles by Blaser, Suaer, Manlicher and other high end European guns but it takes a lot of looking to find one. Hope your search goes well. If you want to chat just pm me, be happy to give u a call.

[Wrongside]

The Barrett Fieldcraft was never available LH, unfortunately.

The Forbes Rifles were, but not for long.

[Twisted Canuck]

But, budget. $2K all in with optics.

[brewster29]

I have managed to collect a nice stable of a dozen lefties ranging from 17 hmr to 375 Ruger (sold the 458 WM) but it has taken about 40 years. These days I would buy a stainless Tikka or a Christensen arms if the budget allowed. I like 7-08 and 280 rem a lot but you can’t go wrong with a 30-06. And whatever happened to the 270?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

The Barrett Fieldcraft was never available LH, unfortunately.

The Forbes Rifles were, but not for long.

Barrett was supposed to bring out a LH version. I never realised they didn't do it.

[Smokinyotes]

I’m as left handed as they come. All my rifles are left handed. If I was a newb starting out I would buy a Tikka T3X stainless synthetic in a 6.5x55 for hunting and target shooting. If I wanted it for just plinking or target shooting I would buy the same rifle in the VarmInt version. I would probably put a swaro Z3 scope on it with the box reticle.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

But, budget. $2K all in with optics.

For a rifle and good glass it can be done new but you can do a lot better with quality used stuff. If you go new the only real choices are Tikka and Ruger 77. Browning might be in the running too but I haven't owned one in 15 years so no real idea what they are like now for build quality and accuracy.

[spoiledsaskhunter]

sounds like the consensus is trending toward the tikka t3 in s/syn.....and i couldn't agree more wholeheartedly. i think for the money they don't make one that shoots better.

wondering why there is not more opinion expressed on glass as, in my opinion, you simply cannot cheap out on glass when putting together a good package. i think you could get the tikka and a really nice loopy scope and be within your budget (or really close). i'd be going loopy simply because they are a really good scope and also because of korth being so close, if you need them.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by spoiledsaskhunter

sounds like the consensus is trending toward the tikka t3 in s/syn.....and i couldn't agree more wholeheartedly. i think for the money they don't make one that shoots better.

wondering why there is not more opinion expressed on glass as, in my opinion, you simply cannot cheap out on glass when putting together a good package. i think you could get the tikka and a really nice loopy scope and be within your budget (or really close). i'd be going loopy simply because they are a really good scope and also because of korth being so close, if you need them.

Exactly right. Barton's has a T3 in .308, put a new VX3 3.5-10 x 40mm on top in Talley rings, and you have money left over to buy a couple boxes of ammo.

But I don't want to be too strong on my opinion.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I found a LH Tikka T3 in .260rem at Bashaw Sports, never regretted that purchase.

LC

[Patrickn]

My oldest is a lefty so I bought him a T3x in 6.5creedmoor and cut the stock down for him. They’re pretty decent rifles for the money.

I also have a brother who is a lefty, and I talked him into buying a custom model 70 in 6mm rem built by Leeper. I think that one came from Wrongside. And he also bought a 375 Ruger from Chuck. He loves both those rifles.

So my recommendation would be to pester all the lefties on this site to sell you one of their rifles 😀

[Patrickn]

And one more thing. My brother had the exact same Ruger as the one in the link Wrongside posted, except in 270. It had a timney trigger put in it and barrel free floated. That gun has been through a lot, and so far has been bomb proof

[brewster29]

So my recommendation would be to pester all the lefties on this site to sell you one of their rifles 😀[/QUOTE]

Ok Tirebob, here's your chance to go big... I would part with my lefty 375 Ruger!

[Wrongside]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Barrett was supposed to bring out a LH version. I never realised they didn't do it.

Yeah. They even had them up on their website. There were a lot of disappointed southpaws when they cancelled.

[Wrongside]

Originally Posted by Patrickn

So my recommendation would be to pester all the lefties on this site to sell you one of their rifles 😀

LoL. Probably the best advice on the thread. Pester chuck tho, I've learnt my lesson selling building, or buying, nice customs and then selling. I think.. <grin>

[Seabass]

P & D in Edmonton appears to have a nice selection of left handed rigs in stock. Tikka, Sako, CZ, etc.

A CZ 557 American in 30-06, and a 557 Lux in .308, were the ones that caught my eye. Especially for the price point and generally they have nice walnut stocks.


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[mediumrare]

Another vote for my lefty T3x.have one in 06 and one in 270.both wood stocks.have owned the synthetic stock versions but I find the little bit extra weight of the wood tames recoil a bit.both extremely accurate with Leupold scopes under the 2000$ budget

[Dick284]

PM sent.

[justsomeguy]

Lefty's are super hard to find, my little guy is ready to graduate out of his 22 and I've been looking for a "target-ish" 223 and a small caliber deer rifle like 243, 7-08, etc for months on the used sites.

My tactic is similar, harass every lefty I know which a collection and watch the buy and sells. Good ones do pop up but don't last long.

[Dean2]

Well for those of you looking for a left hand rifle, I have a Savage Stainless Steel, 26" fluted 1/12 twist barrel, Model 12, 22-250 in a laminated stock, detachable mag, in the buy and sell. It is the last of a long list of rifles I sold over the past 18 months. I am pretty much down to the keeper herd of left hand models. If I find another Zastava in LH either 6.5x55 or 7x57, that I can shave down into a Stalking rifle, like the one I have now, I would pick it up in a heart beat. They are great guns for the price, especially after being trimmed down, took about a pound and a half off this one.

Before



After

[mediumrare]

Whatever u did sure brought out the wood grain nicely!

[Patrickn]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

LoL. Probably the best advice on the thread. Pester chuck tho, I've learnt my lesson selling building, or buying, nice customs and then selling. I think.. <grin>

Well I do have a kid who might need an upgrade at some point, if you ever change your mind lol

[Wrongside]

Originally Posted by Patrickn

Well I do have a kid who might need an upgrade at some point, if you ever change your mind lol

Well, it sounds like he's been given a very decent start by his Dad! I've been doing a lot of my hunting the last few years with a Tikka 6.5CM. They just plain work.

If he starts to feel a need to upgrade, he should just get a Wildcat for his Tikka.

[GWN]

Another vote for the Tikka T3X,

I have and have had several custom rifles, few if any have been more accurate than my Tikkas out of the box, even with handloads. Come in a good selection of calibers as well for us lefties.

Remington was making left hand guns and are starting to turn out firearms again, sadly their website does not show any left hand rifles being made right now. Maybe in the future.

That leaves Savage which has several models in a number of calibers. Savage is picking up their game and is definitely worth a look. I don't know enough about them to comment further.

Custom rifles are fun but not necessary, better to spend your money on something that does what you need now and put the balance towards better glass. You can always upgrade from here.

Whatever rifle you choose I highly recommend the 308 Winchester or something common (30-06, 270 Winchester) and avoid the 7 Remington Magnum or its kin in the T3X, love the cartridge but the rifle is light enough that it has more kick than I want these days, standard calibers are much more fun to shoot.

Good luck and have fun with your search, all the best of the Season to you and yours,