TexasCHLforum.com

Welcome to the Forum, and to Texas!!

Generally speaking, bolt action rifles are all basically alike, except for:
-- magazine type/releases
-- safety placement/operation
-- bolt release operation/placement (to remove the bolt entirely)
-- whether the striker is cocked when opening the bolt or when closing it

Transferring skills from rimfire to centerfire, or simply rifle to rifle is easier when more of these things are common between the guns in question. The only bolt gun I have is a Ruger GSR in .308, so I can't tell you off-had how many of the points mentioned the two Ruger American guns have in common.

As for being left handed and using right-hand guns, I know that many have used them effectively in two world wars and numerous other conflicts. That said, I will leave it to other left-handers to debate the relative merits of using right-hand guns.