Left Hand Varmint Rifle

A

aaronhaaland

New member
Hello,

I am looking for a LH varmint rifle, either .22-250, .220 Swift or .223 WSSM, haven't made up my mind yet. I am not real interested in a Savage or Remington. I am considering a Cooper, but the stocks don't fit me real well, prefer the stock on the Kimber LongMaster VT but isn't offered in LH. Could I have someone make a LH stock like the Kimber for a Cooper rifle?

I heard a rumor that Sako was going to be making their 75 action in LH .22-250, is there any truth to that? How about the Weatherby Super Varmint Master, will that ever be made in LH?

Sorry for all the questions, but would appreciate any information on LH varmint rifles.

Thank you.
 
Welcome to the board!

As far as the Weatherbys go, they only make two LH rifles and that is Ultra LW and Accumark. Don't think you will see a LF SVM for a while if ever.

Cooper's are good rifles but you are looking at a single shot rifle. Cooper should be able to put any stock you want on his rifle,if you have the bucks.

Before I would spend the kind of money you are talking about,I would build a custom one to what you want.
 
Howdy Aaronhaaland. Have you ever shot a lefthanded action before? I am lefthanded and bought a Sav. mod 12 in lefty action and I do like it but I will not buy another lefty again. Reason is comfort, quickness, and ease of loading. You might try a lefty if you do not have one. This is my experience.
 
L-O - As You probably know I'm gifted with the ability to use both my hands as you are (being left handed in a right handed world makes it essential to be able to use both hands very well). I was going to mention the very same thing that you did but pulled back a bit. From the bench I do not believe that I could effectively use anything other than a right handed rifle. With the loading port so open and accessable loading/unloading is not a blind shove and polk situation. So varmint hunting where a bench or steady rest is concerned you are absolutely right, go with a right handed rifle. But in the field things turn around a bit. While I am not handi-capped with a right handed rig I much prefer a left handed bolt rifle. Where quick action is possible it just seems right to have the bolt on the proper side. I guess I'm sayintg that both right hand and left hand rifle ideas make sence depending on the hunting situation.
 
Thanks for the info guys.

I have shot LH actions since I was little, my dad shoots LH. So I think I would have a hard time feeling comfortable with a RH action, at least for hunting.

I am considering a Cooper but would prefer something with a magazine. I know there are a lot of good custom gun makers out there, would appreciate some references for a good one. What would be some good action/barrel combinations to consider (most likely in .22-250)?
 
aaronhaaland,

Your factory options will be a little bit more limited than most unless you jump into a custom rifle. I used to shoot with a right handed action in my 20's, but found that reaching over the scope to cycle one quickly is a lot more time and movement than having the bolt on the left side. Some other leftys just dropped the rifle a short distance and cycled the bolt with their right hand. Either way, it was too much time away from my sight picture. If I had to fire another shot, time was too short for a deer or some other animal gaining some major ground and lead on me by the time it was in the scope again.

Now days a right handed rifle would seem pretty weird to me- I would treat it like a single shot which wouldn't hurt me too much. Many years back you had just about every manufacture offering a short action in left at one time or another. But times have changed again....

-MP
 
Another lefty here. Shot right hands for years, then decided to switch to a left-handed action. Won't go back now. I like Mike Paul's idea of a Remington with a match barrel. The only thing realy available is the VS. Mine shoots great, or yet even better than that! I think to many people are afraid of rebarreling. When they shoot out that factory barrel, they sale, when Mr. Dan Lilja is just over in Montana, just waiting to sale ya a great stainless match barrel. Buy a factory rifle, do a trigger job, save some money, shoot the hell out of it, then replace the barrel with the money you save! One thing about a custom, you will never get your money out of it! But then, thats not why people have custom's made.
 
I sure like the 595 Tikka lefty I traded for but it is 223. Heavy as a planet but sweetest trigger I ever squeezed and the slickest bolt .I swapped a Browning BLR for it . That BLR was the most awkward rifle I ever owned.
 
Good to hear about the Tikka, I shoot lefty, also. But this may be some kind of a record for a thread resurrection on this forum. Getting close to 13 years.
 
Ok for varmint hunting off a bench or bipod I don't mind a right handed rifle I shoot left handed too. Have both rifles left and right. If you have a rest or shooting off a bipod it is actually easier with the right hand to work the bolt just use your right hand and keep your left hand on the rifle were your comfortable. But for deer hunting or were you are going to shoot off hand then the left rifle will work better.
 
Back
Top