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Having recently moved here from a blue state, my experience with rifles is limited and I was hoping for some opinions and advice on my first bolt action rifle purchase.

My current plan is to buy a Ruger American Rim-fire as well as a Ruger American in .308. My thinking is that the .22 would be a cheap and effective way for me to practice the mechanics of operating a bolt action, while the .308 would be an effective hunting caliber. I also felt that if I ever decide to build an AR-10 I could use the same ammo and limit the range of calibers I have need to store and keep on hand.

Am I correct in assuming the actions on both the .22 and the .308 would be similar enough that practicing on the .22 and building muscle memory will translate well when shooting the .308? Does it make sense to purchase the same brand for both rifles? Or is a bolt action a bolt action and there is no need purchase two guns from the same manufacturer.

I am not particularly tied to Rugers, I chose them simply because I have read they are solid rifles at a good price point. If anyone has recommendations for a different rifles I would love to hear them.

My only other concern is that I am southpaw, but I have no desire to purchase a left handed gun. So if any other southpaws have some advice on operating a right handed bolt action, or with specific guns they have found unfriendly I would appreciate hearing about that as well.

Thank you in advance for your time, and I look forward to reading your responses.

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.

I have the Rugers in .300BO and .22mag. They are pretty close. Looking back I wish I would have bought the .17 so I could find ammo. I just got the .300 so I don't know how it shoots yet. The 22mag shoots pretty good.

The Ruger American is a fine rifle. While not yet available in left hand( if ever) for the 17hmr or .22 cal. all other calibers are available for a lefty.

You plan make perfect sense. Not only for being able to use cheaper ammo in the rimfire, but since you're new to rifles the rimfire edition is perfect way to get proficient and develop your skills with much less noise and recoil.

sookandy wrote:I have the Rugers in .300BO and .22mag. They are pretty close. Looking back I wish I would have bought the .17 so I could find ammo. I just got the .300 so I don't know how it shoots yet. The 22mag shoots pretty good.

I've been seeing .22WMR online and found an Academy with 60 boxes of CCI maxi mag JHP last night. I bought a couple.

It all sounds good to me too. Welcome to Texas and the forum Badmojo108.

One of our left handed guys and rifle guys is a member called The Annoyed Man (TAM). He may be typing some of his wisdom at this very moment. I've learned a little from him. A lot for me, but only a little from him.

Badmojo108 wrote:My only other concern is that I am southpaw, but I have no desire to purchase a left handed gun. So if any other southpaws have some advice on operating a right handed bolt action, or with specific guns they have found unfriendly I would appreciate hearing about that as well.

Thank you in advance for your time, and I look forward to reading your responses.

I am a southpaw and own two left-handed bolt guns in .308 - a heavy-barreled Remington 700 precision rifle, and a Ruger Gunsite Scout. The Remington was my first left-handed rifle purchase, and I had owned right-handed actions before that. After having owned a left-handed bolt gun, I swore I'd never buy another right-handed one.......it was THAT much better to shoot. It is true that you pay a slight premium for lefty rifles over the price of righty rifles, but for me it is totally worth it.

I'm just curious why you don't want a left-handed one for yourself.

BTW, Howa also makes some decent rifles at affordable prices (sometimes sold under someone else's brand), and don't be afraid to give Mossberg rifles a look. http://www.mossberg.com/products/rifles ... mvp-series

As another lefty who grew up shooting right-handed rifles, it took me some years to realize there -were- left-handed bolt-actions. I simply adjusted, and went with the flow.

At the moment, I only have two left-handed rifles in my safe, but quite a few "righties." In some cases, I actually find the right-handed rifles easier to shoot, as I never have to break my shooting grip or trigger position.

As for the Ruger rifles, looking at their website, the American and American Rimfire appear to have identical tang-mounted safeties. I am -guessing- they're both cock-on-open rifles as well; ie, the action of raising the bolt handle charges the firing pin. Not sure about take-down/bolt removal, but it's -probably- accomplished in similar fashions for both rifles.

After a couple of hours shooting a bolt rifle you will get the mechanics down. Just practicing with the bolt in the house will help a great deal. As mentioned the variables you will see is the placement of the safety and if it is mag fed or not. Like others I shoot rifles lefty due to having a dominant left eye, been this way forever so I decided to give a left handed bolt gun a try. It was a major difference and I did not need to reach over the top to chamber another round which allowed me to keep my rifle basically on target. I went with a Tikka 30-06 and am very happy I did. As you mentioned Ruger makes a good quality gun and a reasonable price point. One thing to remember is if your bolt guns takes mags then get an extra or two. Could be worth looking at Project Appleseed and taking their 2 day course, it will teach you a whole lot about rifle shooting and marksmanship at a very affordable price.....

As Salty1 said, you can work out the mechanics of the bolt action at home with no ammo and do it in a very short time. FWIW, Ruger makes left-handed Ruger American Rifles for the same price as the right-handed versions. I have a RAR in .308 and it is a very nice shooter, especially for such an inexpensive rifle. The bolt, while not butter smooth, is easy to work.

As for the 22, I would consider getting a 10/22 instead. It will cost less money and, being semi-auto, allow you to focus totally on the mechanics of shooting without the distraction of working the bolt.

As a side benefit, the 10/22 is the most customizable 22 rifle in the world. As you grow and get into the shooting sports, you can customize yours pretty much any way you want.

The Annoyed Man wrote:

Badmojo108 wrote:My only other concern is that I am southpaw, but I have no desire to purchase a left handed gun. So if any other southpaws have some advice on operating a right handed bolt action, or with specific guns they have found unfriendly I would appreciate hearing about that as well.

Thank you in advance for your time, and I look forward to reading your responses.

I am a southpaw and own two left-handed bolt guns in .308 - a heavy-barreled Remington 700 precision rifle, and a Ruger Gunsite Scout. The Remington was my first left-handed rifle purchase, and I had owned right-handed actions before that. After having owned a left-handed bolt gun, I swore I'd never buy another right-handed one.......it was THAT much better to shoot. It is true that you pay a slight premium for lefty rifles over the price of righty rifles, but for me it is totally worth it.

I'm just curious why you don't want a left-handed one for yourself.

BTW, Howa also makes some decent rifles at affordable prices (sometimes sold under someone else's brand), and don't be afraid to give Mossberg rifles a look. http://www.mossberg.com/products/rifles ... mvp-series

TAM Interesting you should mention Mossberg. Kind a forgotten entity for rifles these day. I remember when they introduced the Model 800. It was a well made gun at a really low price even for the 1960's. II tried to push them to buyer on a budget but they mostly ended up buying a lever gun that sold for about the same price. We didn't sell many, but the guys that bought them were happy with the gun. If the 800's are any example of what they can produce I'm sure the newer models are great quality.

I would get a Ruger 10/22 SA and skip the bolt unless you have a special purpose in mind like a survival rifle or youth training. They are fun but for the cost I would just get an SA for a few dollars more.

I have a Ruger American in 308, 22" barrel. It's a good budget $300-350, 300yd hunting rifle. I have a old Simmons Aetec 2.8x10x44 scope (that I think I will change because I think zero is not holding)

I get about 2 MOA out of it most of the time and the best I could do is about 1 1/2 MOA using factory Hornady AMAX 168gr and Fiocchi Exacta Ammunition 308 Winchester 168 Grain Sierra MatchKing Hollow Point. The rifle is very light about 6lbs and handy, and the standard stock is rather flimsy for my liking. Spend at least the same on the optic as on the gun in this case for a good budget set up.

I am sure the same action on a better stock would get better results but then you lose the "budget" aspect.

I would also look at the Savage Axis and Axis II budget line.

I am also thinking of a( http://www.savagearms.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) Savage 10 FCP Mcmillan for a quality upgrade at a non custom gun price. $1300 range.

It all depends on what you want to do with it in the end. The longer distance you shoot the more accurate the gun will need to be and the more it will cost.

Thanks everyone for the advice and feedback and the warm welcome.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I'm just curious why you don't want a left-handed one for yourself.

One of the reasons for not wanting a left handed rifle right now is I want to be able to be able to handle any rifle I come across. One of the great things I have seen in the firearms community is how willing people are to let other people shoot their guns. I personally want to have a certain level of comfort with a right handed configuration before I would be willing to take someone up on their kind offer.

Another reason is having moved here from NY, my out of state friends who visit are from NY, my family is all originally from NY, and living right outside Austin, even most of the local people I know are transplants. Odds are when I take someone I know to the range they will have very little if any experience with firearms. Having a rifle configuration most people can use and being competent in it's use myself I think makes sense for me.

I may have worded it poorly in my original post, and I am not writing off the idea of ever owning a left handed rifle. Once I get a some range time and get a better idea of the specific things I want in a rifle I am sure I will want to upgrade and I would be very open to buying a left handed rifle then.

Pawpaw wrote:As for the 22, I would consider getting a 10/22 instead. It will cost less money and, being semi-auto, allow you to focus totally on the mechanics of shooting without the distraction of working the bolt.

As a side benefit, the 10/22 is the most customizable 22 rifle in the world. As you grow and get into the shooting sports, you can customize yours pretty much any way you want.

A number of people have suggested the Ruger 10/22 and I will definitely pick one up at some point. From my understanding no gun safe is complete without one.

My only experience with a bolt action was shooting a few rounds from an old beat up Mosin. It was loud, kicked like a mule, and neither ergonomic nor comfortable would be words I would use to describe it. Not the rifle I would give to a rookie, but I suspect it was more about them wanting to see my reaction than anything else. That being said, working the action on it was really enjoyable. I have a M&P 15, and I enjoy shooting it, but it just doesn't appeal to me in the emotional way a bolt action does. Even if I could get a cheaper, more accurate and more reliable semi-auto rifle I'd still want a bolt action, for no other reason than it's a bolt action.

Once again thanks everyone for the feedback, and I will check out the other brands of rifles people have suggested.

Badmojo108 wrote:A number of people have suggested the Ruger 10/22 and I will definitely pick one up at some point. From my understanding no gun safe is complete without one.

Sounds like mine is incomplete. The problem is that I don't have any intention on getting a 10/22 at this time. Might go for one of those Anschutz rifles at some point if I get another .22LR.