My brother is trying to get a new rifle for my nephew for Christmas. My nephew is right handed but left eye dominant so my brother wants to get him started with a left handed compact / youth model rifle. Finding a left handed youth rifle is hard enough but imagine doing it right now with a lot of firearms out of stock. My brother and I have discussed this a lot and we are down to 2 left handed options; Savage 110 storm with the accustock that can be shortened to 12.75 inches and a browning micro x bolt with a LOP of 12.5 inches. He wants to go with the 243 caliber which is not really the issue. Which rifle out of the two would you all recommend?
New rifle advice
- Thread starter ReloadKy
- Start date
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,213
Both are fine rifles. Sako2 is correct on the pricing and the fact that the lad will outgrow the fit of the rifle sooner rather than later. To be certain, you can always purchase another stock later to fit his frame as he grows, which means that the Browning can be adapted. Also, resale on the Browning would allow a trade and/or sale at a later date in order to pick up a different rifle. I'm somewhat sympathetic since my grandson is left-eye dominant and I faced the same challenge when he was younger. I went with a 260 Rem in a Tikka, and it worked very well for him. He has grown and is now trying to lay claim to some of my other rifles even though they are right-handed. We haven't restocked his Tikka, yet. That is in the works, however.
mjcmichigan
Handloader
- Dec 26, 2016
- 2,403
- 364
Who knows how much the young man will like shooting too. Savages normally shoot out of their price range, and with the accutrigher, you should be able to adjust it enough the young man can hold a game killing group.
Browning for sure is a great rifle.
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Browning for sure is a great rifle.
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noslerpartition
Handloader
- May 26, 2018
- 1,021
- 396
My elder son is left eye dominant, too.
He has the advantage that his dad is a lefty, so he uses my gear.
Started him left in archery, too.
I can't say anything bad about Savage. Sold one, because I have no use for a 223 here.
But replaced it with a Savage in 6,5 Creedmoor.
So far, I found nothing to complain about.
Ok. I replaced the trigger. But just because I am used to the fine trigger of my Tikka. Once spoiled...
My girlfriend's first rifle with hopefully arrive soon and - it is a Savage.
To be fair: a friend's X-bolt is a fine rifle, too.
As are many others.
But as said: most Savages shoot beyond their price tag
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He has the advantage that his dad is a lefty, so he uses my gear.
Started him left in archery, too.
I can't say anything bad about Savage. Sold one, because I have no use for a 223 here.
But replaced it with a Savage in 6,5 Creedmoor.
So far, I found nothing to complain about.
Ok. I replaced the trigger. But just because I am used to the fine trigger of my Tikka. Once spoiled...
My girlfriend's first rifle with hopefully arrive soon and - it is a Savage.
To be fair: a friend's X-bolt is a fine rifle, too.
As are many others.
But as said: most Savages shoot beyond their price tag
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mjcmichigan
Handloader
- Dec 26, 2016
- 2,403
- 364
I replaced the trigger on my sons youth gun. Pre-accutrigger. 8.5# pull on a kids gun is stupid. The new trigger was 3.5#. He went from 8” groups to 1” groups at 100... triggers matter.
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noslerpartition
Handloader
- May 26, 2018
- 1,021
- 396
I have the rifle basix for my gun.
Around one lbs
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Around one lbs
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I see this topic come up from time to time . I don't know if I'm thinking correctly on this or not , so please correct me .
I "think " the only down side to shooting a right handed rifle with a dominant left eye is you need to close your left eye while shooting . I know , I would have a heck of a time trying to work a bolt left handed .
I bought a X-bolt lefty in 7mm-08 , for Denise . it's really a nice rifle , and it does shoot well .
I "think " the only down side to shooting a right handed rifle with a dominant left eye is you need to close your left eye while shooting . I know , I would have a heck of a time trying to work a bolt left handed .
I bought a X-bolt lefty in 7mm-08 , for Denise . it's really a nice rifle , and it does shoot well .
- Thread starter
- #10
I have a savage 110 set up for my wife that has a 13 inch LOP. My brother brought my nephew up to the house and he tried it out. He liked it a lot at 13 inches and it can go down to 12.75 inches. A savage Storm in 243 for a lefty will be a fine rifle that kill deer forever and also make a mighty fine coyote rifle in a few years when my nephew decides to get a second rifle. I am actually jealous as I shoot left handed and do not have a single left handed rifle, lol!!!!
There is a third option...
Remington makes/made the SPS Youth left handed as well and it came with extra spacers to lengthen the LOP as the youth grows. The 243 was a standard offering, as is/was the 7mm-08.
Other than that, I would recommend the Browning.
All of the Browning that I own or have owned have shot very well and are fine rifles.
I owned a Savage once...in 6.5x284...definitely wasn't the shooter I expected it to be...and life is too short to own an ugly gun! LOL
Seriously...it shot decently enough, 1 1/4 MOA...I just couldn't get used to the plastic stock and the AccuTrigger, so I didn't keep it. We all have our own personal preferences and it just wasn't mine.
Do know others who own Savages that shoot very well, and would say that if the rifle fits the young feller, that is the most important thing. Starting him out in a left handed rifle would be best...I wish I had been able to start out with left handed bolt actions!
Remington makes/made the SPS Youth left handed as well and it came with extra spacers to lengthen the LOP as the youth grows. The 243 was a standard offering, as is/was the 7mm-08.
Other than that, I would recommend the Browning.
All of the Browning that I own or have owned have shot very well and are fine rifles.
I owned a Savage once...in 6.5x284...definitely wasn't the shooter I expected it to be...and life is too short to own an ugly gun! LOL
Seriously...it shot decently enough, 1 1/4 MOA...I just couldn't get used to the plastic stock and the AccuTrigger, so I didn't keep it. We all have our own personal preferences and it just wasn't mine.
Do know others who own Savages that shoot very well, and would say that if the rifle fits the young feller, that is the most important thing. Starting him out in a left handed rifle would be best...I wish I had been able to start out with left handed bolt actions!
mjcmichigan
Handloader
- Dec 26, 2016
- 2,403
- 364
Lol. Gil. You are right, life is too short for ugly guns, bad coffee and mean people.
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- Thread starter
- #13
You are right on the Remington option. In fact my older nephew is also left eye dominant and has a Rem 700 SPS Compact in 243. However we have not been able to find the lefty option right now with so many guns being sold out. The bankruptcy deal is kind of a turn off to my brother in terms of buying a Remington.
Darkhorse
Handloader
- Mar 14, 2014
- 822
- 185
I'm lefthanded and all my bolt guns are LH, also my custom flintlocks are lefthanded. Works great for me and I think starting the boy out right is the best option.
Of all the rifles you listed I would go with the Browning X-Bolt. It's hard to justify another rifle with my wife and I understand where she's coming from. But my next rifle will be a X-Bolt in LH.
Don't overlook the Tikka. I have one in the Stainless synthetic lite model in .308 and it's my goto rifle anytime I'm not flintlock hunting.
Right now Europtic has several stainless lite Tikka's in LH, including a .243 and 6.5 Creedmore. They have 17 LH Tikka's listed from stainless to blue with wood stocks.
Of all the rifles you listed I would go with the Browning X-Bolt. It's hard to justify another rifle with my wife and I understand where she's coming from. But my next rifle will be a X-Bolt in LH.
Don't overlook the Tikka. I have one in the Stainless synthetic lite model in .308 and it's my goto rifle anytime I'm not flintlock hunting.
Right now Europtic has several stainless lite Tikka's in LH, including a .243 and 6.5 Creedmore. They have 17 LH Tikka's listed from stainless to blue with wood stocks.
The Browning. I have some old Savages which I like but they are not in the same league as the Browning. Savage 10/16 series is a platform that shoots well. They used to be a good value that reflected the way they are built. Today they are just as expensive as everyone else and they haven’t changed a thing except for adding more plastic and their Ralph Nader trigger.
3 Meter Para Bellum
Handloader
- Apr 17, 2020
- 295
- 353
I am left eye dominant but right handed. Found out I was left eye dominant after already developing muscle memory for shooting right handed. Since I really didn't want to deal with the limitations of having to find left hand friendly firearms and I already had the feel for right handed shooting, I taught myself to shoot right eye. Now I can shoot either eye with both eyes open if I want, it is just a little bit more difficult to shoot right eye with pistols.
