Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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Revenge of the Southpaws
I got seriously interested in rifles in the late 1950s, and being a sensitive and intelligent lad, I quickly realized that there was something terribly wrong in that particular universe. My first .22, a Winchester Model 77, spit bits of brass and gunpowder into my right eye. When I shot on a summer camp rifle team cinched up in a military sling, my right thumb was more or less permanently implanted in my nose. I was, you see, a left-handed shooter in a right-handed world.
In 1958, Weatherby came out with a left-hand Mark V, but it cost $200, and who had $200? In that same year, Savage announced the left-hand Model 110, but while serviceable and affordable, it was no rifle for a person of taste and culture like myself.
And so I swore that one day I would make rifles so wonderful that everyone would lust after them, but they would be made left-hand only, and right handers could only grind their teeth in envy. Well, I got into this business instead, but someone else has done what I swore to do. His name is Mike Morreal, and his company is called Bedrock Industries.
Bedrock is the distributor for Noveske Rifleworks LLC, which is run by a gifted and meticulous gunsmith named John Noveske. There are two lines of Noveske rifles. One is left-hand bolt-action sporters; the other is true left-hand ARs in various configurations. They do not make right-hand guns. I’ve wanted to write that sentence for 50 years so I'll do it again. They do not make right-hand guns.
I haven't seen the ARs but I have shot a Noveske bolt-action in .280, and I can tell you that there is no one doing better work. The gun is so good that, if I were a right-handed shooter, I would be grinding my teeth. In both design and quality there is simply no way to improve it.
Eat your livers, right-handed swine!
For details and prices and more pictures, go to lefthandrifles.com.
I saw this blog post about great white hunters, and thought of you.
http://animalstories-ken.blogspot.com/2008/01/throwing-pythons.html
Regards from old london town
SBW
Posted by: suburban bushwacker | January 16, 2008 at 12:37 PM
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Ah, the joy of being ambidextrous!
Posted by: Blue Ox | January 16, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Quit yer crying Dave. Heck, when I'm bench shooting a bolt I find it EASIER to do it left handed and I am right handed.
Bolt action is fast and smooth and I don't lose my set up.
Posted by: Dave in St Pete | January 16, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Dave - you forgot to metion that prices start at $4379.00. Guess I'll shot my $499 Ruger and dream.
Posted by: George | January 16, 2008 at 01:43 PM
I'm a lefty shooting right hand guns for over 40 years. I'm glad somebody finally made a lefty rifle for under $5,000. I can rest now.
Posted by: DARRIS SMITH | January 16, 2008 at 01:54 PM
A shade less than 5 Grand with a hinged floor plate...Sheeze...
I will contine to be a lefty with bad taste and even less culture by shooting my Savage and Ruger portsiders!
I am still confused about the opening statement from their web site about reasonable pricing..
"champagne wishes and cavier dreams," Dave...
Posted by: Beekeeper | January 16, 2008 at 01:57 PM
I think ill stick to my left hands that i own. The 4 grand price tag is a little hard to take.
Posted by: Dennis | January 16, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Dave must have a sugar mama buying him all these expensive guns.
Are you a trophy husband Dave? If you are how many kids did you hang on her so she would be forced to pay enough child support and alimony to keep you in the lifestyle you've obviously become accustomed to?
Posted by: jstreet | January 16, 2008 at 02:53 PM
Boy! Talk about mixed emotions! I'm probably a few years younger than Dave but that kind of sticker price used to be on Corvette Stingrays! The lefty only rifle co. was my dream also, but I wanted to appeal to a bit more of the southpaw market. Not just pro baseball players.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 16, 2008 at 03:07 PM
YUK YUK YUK .
Im with Blue ox,..
Swing ( bat and golf club) left
Wright,.. right ( spell badly) ,..
Fly cast either hand but right is earier ( more practice) can shoot left to ,.. just not as quickly ,.. with a little practce do belive most people could become switch hitters ( no not that way )
Shooting ,..
Posted by: Yohan | January 16, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Blue Ox and Yohan,
Me three, but since I'm right-eye dominant I shoot righty. My two sons are split; one right-eye and the second left-eye dominant. I've bought a couple of Ithaca M-37s but haven't figured out the rifle solution for the "leftward" son. Anyone have suggestions?
Posted by: Scott in Ohio | January 16, 2008 at 03:39 PM
I can hit a baseball left or right, and when I'm in my stand I often have to shoot to my right side and do so left handed instead of trying to stand up and turn around. Never really thought about it as being a problem, but next time I miss I think I'll use it as an excuse...
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | January 16, 2008 at 03:51 PM
Scott:
I'm shopping right now for a LH 25-06. There really isn't much to choose from but I hope to be set for next deer season. One thing though, you don't find much on sale. The Ruger Hawkeye looks good, but its pricey ($800). Savages might be the best bet. I keep looking on the used rack in the gun store, but all they ever seem to have are magnums.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 16, 2008 at 03:53 PM
YooperJack,
I've been scouting the used gun racks too. Since it was his first year in the woods with a rifle, I ended up buying my "leftward" son an early 1970s era Browning BLR in .243 and told him to "shoot small" and he wouldn't need a second shot...
The gun show at Novi, MI is supposted to be a good one; you ever been there?
Posted by: Scott in Ohio | January 16, 2008 at 04:03 PM
do they make right handed guns??
Posted by: letterman | January 16, 2008 at 04:53 PM
$200 is nothing for a person of culture and taste. Shoulda bought the Savage, probably more accurate.
Posted by: Jim in Mo. | January 16, 2008 at 05:04 PM
Thomson center has been making leftys for more years than I've been shooting. you can set it up as cultured or basic as you want. Its called an encore and top on the line in any caliber you want with a great scope is still only a grand. Let me help you out Dave it's the same as the righty model you just hold it on the other side. as far as a lefty only gun who cares, very few are going to buy a gun that costs more than the first four cars they owned. no teeth gritting here
Posted by: Buck Rogers | January 16, 2008 at 05:18 PM
I have a left-hand Remington 700, bought used that shoots pretty darn good. One shot, first shot, 650+ yds. within 5 inches of center. It would be nice to have a custom someday though.
Posted by: ncpilot | January 16, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Yo-- Scott in OHIO ,..
I too have right eye dominance ,.. however ,..
what i learned early on was this.
Ifin you can get the younguns to shoot with both eyes open ,.. they will flinch less and likly be more apt to "look through" the shot,..no matter which eye is dominant or which direction (right or left there shootin ) which is follow through ,.. which most people dont know is a very inportant part of the shot.
Be it Rifles golf or horse shoes.
Not that you dont,.. just most people.
Truth be told don't golf much anymore never did. Just never was crazy about real golfers,..
Dudes ,.. who back then (70's & 8o's) were an upitty bunch ,.. who mostly could't whip there way out of a wet papaer bag unless using a 5 iron,..
Same folks who didnt know what to do with a shovel or a gun or a hand plane.
and who thought their poop smelled like vanila ice cream.
Guess thats why I did such a thumpin on a few after I got to the point where I was gettin enoug to eat whee i actually started to grow,.. then later kicked ,.. just because I felt like it their a$$es in buisness YUK YUJK
Ya Golfers ,.. ususally not the ones I wanna sit around a campfire with,..
Posted by: | January 16, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Dave, at one time I thought left handed people were mean and vicious. Then I met my mother-in-law and that convinced me I was right.
Why should I eat my liver when I can pickle it?
Also, could you list some of the great left handed shooters/gunwriters? Besides you, Charles Askins Jr. comes to mind.
Posted by: PbHead | January 16, 2008 at 06:27 PM
Dr Ralph
Why do you call it a stand when you're aparrently sitting in it
Posted by: Ed J | January 16, 2008 at 06:32 PM
not sure Ed J I've only hunted about 6-7 years but i've never heard of a deer sit. I also often use a Blind when i can clearly see.
Posted by: Buck Rogers | January 16, 2008 at 08:57 PM
Scott:
Never been there but could be talked into going. It would be pull to get down there. When is that show?
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 16, 2008 at 09:01 PM
Signs of the End of Times when these devil shooters are getting their due.
Hillary, USSC 2008 2A Decision, Economic woes, etc.
What more evil can we all expect?
Posted by: Mark-1 | January 16, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Wheww Dave sounds like your getting a bashing from your artical or is it the Fire Arm Co. "Noveske Rifleworks" I agree with my fellow gun owners, will stick with Savage, B/BPS & my SBE. I can shoot a whole lot of ammo with cost of a fire arm from you no who!
Posted by: James | January 17, 2008 at 05:44 AM