Author Topic: want to buy a new rifle need help!!! (Read 838 times)

superdown · « **on:** May 23, 2004, 07:11:15 AM »

hi everyone

superdown here just wanted some advice on some choices for left hand rifles just turned 19 yesterday and want to get rifle before hunting season i have remington 700 mountain rifle 270.win righthanded so please give your opinions on some choices. just some preferances . 1.no savages 2.no weatherbys 3. no magnums just so everyone knows i have nothing against savage or weatherby or magnums just that savage has low resale value and weatherby is to expencive for what you get IMHOP also i just don't want the recoil of a magnum rifle. thank you for your help :?

Zachary · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2004, 07:25:32 AM »

Remington has left handed models, and you can still find some Tikka left hand models. If you can find a NIB Tikka left hand, and I think that there are still a few available, then I would take it in a heart beat!

As for cartridges, I don't blame you about the magnums - you really don't need them. I don't know what kind of hunting you do, but a .270 is a great cartridge and relatively light kicking. You could go up to a .30-06, and the recoil wouldn't be much more, AND it is more versitile than the .270.

For deer, I have a strong preference for the 7mm-08. A .308 is also great, but there's just a place in my heart for the 7mm-08. Problem is, it will be hard to find a 7mm-08 in a lefty, while I'm sure that there are much more lefties availabe in the .270 and .30-06.

Zachary

Lawdog · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2004, 10:00:46 AM »

superdown,

My son is a southpaw so I understand your needs. His favorite deer rifle is his left handed Ruger M77 in .25-06. Sound, solid rifle in a great cartridge for everything from varmints to the largest Mule Deer size critter walking. He also has a left handed Winchester M70 that is also a great rifle. Either of these will serve your needs. Both Ruger and Winchester are good reputable companies and will stand behind their products, which is very important if you have a problem with your rifle. Small groups and tight lines to you. Lawdog

safetysheriff · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2004, 11:03:48 AM »

If I was a 'lefty', looking at a deer or black bear hunt, I'd go with that Ruger left-handed in a heart beat. I'd look at the .25-06, but would prefer the .270 in actuality because of its greater velocities and bullet weights. The .270 will hammer a whitetail with a 130 gr' bullet and will do the same to a black bear with the 140 or 150 gr' bullets.

Ruger has customer service that is second to none from what I've seen.

No, I've never had to return a Ruger, but I have contacted their service department for a couple replacement springs for some revolvers (after I'd shortened the originals a little too much for cold-weather reliability) and got no problems out of those people.

Good shooting to you.

bigjeepman · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2004, 11:53:25 AM »

I like Ruger and Winchester rifles myself but I have never owned a Tikka. We all hear a lot about them now and it might just be my next choice.

What kind of hunting do you do? What is the average distance for a shot in the area that you hunt?

Mauser · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2004, 01:07:04 AM »

While there are more left-handed bolts out there than when I was starting out (in the late 70s) the real problem is cartridge availability. Sure the '06 and 270 are great and are all most riflemen would ever need in North America, but variety is the spice of life.

I would answer your question like a few of the responses above: Get a Winchester M70 or Ruger M77 in 270 or 30-06. My gunsmith-a fellow I trust immensely on firearms matters-tells me Ruger is the best American-made factory bolt rifle for the money. Be prepared, however, to spend a little "extra" on it to make it right. Trigger work, bedding, recoil pads, metal finish, action work, are some examples of work I had performed on my '70 to get it to my liking. You can still shoot it acceptably out of the box, but don't shoot anybody's custom or tuned rifle-you'll see what I mean.

One thing you should absolutely not scrimp on is your scope. I would much rather have a good scope on a cheap rifle than vice-versa. Bad scopes have ruined far more hunts than bad scoped rifles.

Good luck with your decision!

Zachary · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2004, 02:08:15 AM »

Quote from: Mauser

One thing you should absolutely not scrimp on is your scope. I would much rather have a good scope on a cheap rifle than vice-versa. Bad scopes have ruined far more hunts than bad scoped rifles.

Oh soooooo true.

Zachary

smoky · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2004, 05:12:29 AM »

I am a left handed hunter/shooter, and your dilemma rings true with me.

In 1989, when I decided to get away from the popular auto loading rifle of the time (Rem 7400), I purchased a Rem 700 LH in 7mm Rem Mag. Why that caliber? Because it was the ONLY left handed gun in the whole store (out of about 150 guns). I guess I got lucky, because I fell in love with the 7 mag caliber, and with a bell and carlson stock, bedding and free floating job, and adjusted trigger, It will shoot under any custom rifle makers accuracy guarantee in the country!

In 2002, after waiting and waiting for Remington to simply make their model 7 in left hand, I bit the bullet and had a custom rifle built on a 700 short action LH in 7-08 ackley improved. This gun is basically a model 7 in design as it wears a McMillan model seven stock and has a 20 inch barrel. I love this gun as well, but the problem is the price tag. It runs about $2250, without a scope.

In summary, the remington product is a good one and is time tested. That said, their attitude at the factory is TERRIBLE. I think they stand behind their product, but I hate to deal with them on the phone if you have any questions.

I hear that dekka, Ruger, and Savage are all good and they all offer left handed models. Something else to consider is the T/C Encore. In retrospect I have shot many whitetails and only three times have I ever made a second shot. In all three cases, the deer was hit the first time, the subsequent shot was a finishing one. As much as I like my custom gun, had I learned all about the ta/C Encore before hand, I may not have built the custom at that price tag.

As far as calibers go, if you are hunting primarily white tails, I would strongly suggest a short action caliber in a sporter/mountain rifle configuration with a 20 to 22 inch barrel. The versatility if this combo is super. The 7-08, 3-08 class of bullets will also work for the occasional elk/mule deer hunt.

If you are set on a .30-06 based caliber such as .270, .280, .25-06, .30-06, 35 Whelen, etc., then it would be hard for me to steer away from a Remington 700 BDL LH. There is just too much history and after market enhancments available for this gun that makes it a proven winner.

I've rambled on quite a bit here, but I understand your questions well. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any additional thoughts or questions.

Regards,

Smoky

superdown · « **Reply #8 on:** May 24, 2004, 08:47:35 AM »

thanks everyone for your input i live washington state i hunt blacktail on the coast and black bear occasionaly elk with my 356.win mod94 but mostly i hunt eastern washington mulie/white tail and bear with my right hand 700 mountain rifle. anybody else hunt washington?

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2004, 06:25:04 PM »

Given what you are hunting and the fact that you already have a .270 and a .356Win, you really don't NEED anything else caliber-wise. Safety reasons are a different issue - shooting right-handed guns from a left-handed position can expose the shooter's face to hot gases if things go wrong.

You say you don't want a magnum, but that may not be a bad option. Ruger, which I highly recommend, only offers left-handed bolt rifles in .25-06, .270Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06 and .300 Win Mag. As a 19 year-old on what is probably a limited budget, the .30-06 might be your best choice due to ammo costs. The .25-06, while a fine caliber for deer, is not the best choice for elk. A left-handed .270 would actually be a good choice if you are a reloader and already have the dies. The 7mm Mag won't do much your .270 won't do. But I would be sorely tempted to go with the .300 Win Mag. You can download it to .30-06 or even .308 levels if you reload, and several companies offer reduced recoil loads if you don't.

TennesseeNuc · « **Reply #10 on:** May 24, 2004, 08:13:14 PM »

superdown,
Unless your stuck on a bolt action, you might want to look at a Ruger#1. They have a good selection of calibers and barrel configurations. If you don't have a problem with a single shot you won't be limited to the usual left-handed calibers.
Best,
TnNuc

azshooter · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2004, 04:26:11 AM »

Quote from: superdown

hi everyone superdown here just wanted some advice on some choices for left hand rifles just turned 19 yesterday and want to get rifle before hunting season i have remington 700 mountain rifle 270.win righthanded so please give your opinions on some choices. just some preferances . 1.no savages 2.no weatherbys 3. no magnums just so everyone knows i have nothing against savage or weatherby or magnums just that savage has low resale value and weatherby is to expencive for what you get IMHOP also i just don't want the recoil of a magnum rifle. thank you for your help :?

All this advice without even knowing:
What is your budget?
What do you want to hunt?
You mention resale - do you really think you will sell it?
Where are you going to hunt?

Gregory · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2004, 11:49:31 AM »

superdown

I'm left handed and own a 25/06 LH Browning Abolt and a LH Ruger M77 in 300 win Mag.

Browning offers 4 LH models, Hunter, Micro Hunter, Medallion, and Stainless Stalker. Any caliber from 22 Hornet to 375 H&H Mag depending on the model.

Winchester also offers several LH models, but i can't speak from firsthand experience.

I prefer my Browning.