Bolt Action Shooting Southpaws

I am indebted to @OldDude49 and @DKR for inspiring a reply to their posts in the Motivational Posters Thread. Motivational Poster Thread (warning content) and Motivational Poster Thread (warning content) Rather than distract from that thread, I thought I'd put the reply in a more appropriate forum, pertinent to the topic.

IIRC in my days as a member of my school's Australian Cadet Corps company, there may have been a limited number of bolt action .303 SMLE rifles with left handed actions, though southpaws learned how to operate right handed actions effectively enough.

The Youtube clip below demonstrates that how quickly a southpaw can fire, reload between shots, and recharge an empty magazine. (the firer is using an 8mm Mauser)



And no...I'm not the dude with the beard and the high vis vest.

The above video clip was recorded somewhere in Australia.

The clip below features a left handed firer who is left eye dominant, fire's with his left hand trigger finger, and cycles the action with his right hand whilst positioning the butt into his left shoulder. At first glance I thought he was right handed because most southpaws cycle the action with their left hand over the top of the rifle.



I think these next guys are closer to you guys in the U.S. of A

 

Nicely presented, chelly. So I went back to the image and had another squint. The guy is shooting left handed, for sure, but I don't see a bolt handle that would lead me to think the rifle is left handed.

 

the bolt is on the right hand side, it just demonstrates that a southpaw can fire a rifle manufactured for right handed shooters...he is just demonstrating a different technique than I have seen left handed shooters use to shoot a right handed rifle.

Now, watching a left handed soldier fire an Owen Machine Carbine is a treat...especially cocking the weapon, applying the safety slide, and changing magazines was very entertaining, except as a range safety officer with new recruits. lol



I wish I had this video clip as a training aid back in the day....

 

You should practice using all your weapons and other tools with either hand as the dominant one as well as one handed in the event of injury. Additionally, sometimes it makes more sense sometimes due to cover support to shoot with your offhand.

I grew up neither handed (equally clumsy with both hands) in a large family split between righties and lefties. You never knew when you picked up a pair of scissors which hand it was for. Made me learn how scissors actually worked (you need to apply pressure/torque to squeeze the cutting blades together as you close them) and actually started my interest in the subtleties of certain mechanics.

 

The Owen Machine Carbine (OMC) (aka Owen Gun / Owen Submachine Gun) In its development was chambered in several different calibre cartridge types (including .22lr, ...final mass production settled on 9mm Parabellum. Australia’s Owen Gun - Warfare History Network

I have fired the weapon a number of times in the late 60's and early 70's, as well as the F1 Machine Carbine, its successor. They were good to fire, were reliable weapons that could take a lot of abuse, and could be counted upon to fire even when dropped in the sand, mud. or immersed in water (not that I did that myself of course )

In field training (other than at field firing practices) it was a burdensome weight...there being no blank ammo for the thing....Although they were issued to first scouts, section commanders and a platoon commanders; as a platoon commander, I preferred to carry a 7.62 SLR rifle (which did have a blank firing attachment): carrying the OMC was like wearing a sign "shoot me, because I'm a section commander / platoon commander) having said that, I was happy to be issued with a Webley MkIV .38/200 revolver on occasion...they were cool.



Additional stripping and assembling

 

I do not believe the SMLE was made in any configuration other than right handed.

 

You are most likely right.

 

He gets a little tetchy at the end.