I mean, did they have lefty manufactured rifles? I would guess not, as they we're produced in mass amounts. A lefty would have to take his right hand off the foregrip of the gun to eject the round or take his left hand off the trigger and go over the other side of the bolt to eject it. Both of those are a hassle. So what did they do with lefties?
How did lefties use bolt action rifles?
- Thread starter BigG
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They made them learn from a young age to use their right hands. They did this in Germany at least.
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Modern rifles can be configured for left handed shooters. Maybe rifles back then could as well?
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What if one were conscripted and was a city boy and had no experience whatsoever with firearms? I'm not trying to be a troll here, I'm just really curious.
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I don't know what the Germans did, but I would imagine the Russians just laughed and told the left handed soldier to 'deal with it.'
Like I said, I don't know what they actually did do, but I'd assume the Russians just didn't have time to deal with it. Germans may have been more accommodating, but again, the most practical solution as a commander is to simply force the soldier to learn how to use the rifle right handed.
Like I said, I don't know what they actually did do, but I'd assume the Russians just didn't have time to deal with it. Germans may have been more accommodating, but again, the most practical solution as a commander is to simply force the soldier to learn how to use the rifle right handed.
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I own a 1939 Mosin Nagant, and there is no way to configure the bolt for lefties, it would have to be manufatured totally different.
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Not sure if it is the same for all left handers but I automatically learnt to do stuff like use a mouse and hold a rifle right handed
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Foremost, this is more a matter of visual ability on each eye isn't it? I'm right handed but fire shouldered weapons left handed due to seeing better with my left eye. Took just a few hours to get comfortable with it.
I have no definitive answer for you, but I think there is none. I can only see three realistic possibilities and reality is probably all three:
1. Left handed operating the rifles the same way right handed did.
2. If not, then (goes for everyone) either use the left arm to awkwardly operate the bolt (a must if having to stand or rapid fire), or
3. Keep left hand in place to hold rifle, operate bolt with right (rifle barrel will of course dip each time, but should be no problem when having something to support the weapon on).
Being right handed but operating it in the left hand when reloading seems like a tricky feat. Using the weak hand to guide the stripper clip correctly, then push in the 5 rounds.
I have no definitive answer for you, but I think there is none. I can only see three realistic possibilities and reality is probably all three:
1. Left handed operating the rifles the same way right handed did.
2. If not, then (goes for everyone) either use the left arm to awkwardly operate the bolt (a must if having to stand or rapid fire), or
3. Keep left hand in place to hold rifle, operate bolt with right (rifle barrel will of course dip each time, but should be no problem when having something to support the weapon on).
Being right handed but operating it in the left hand when reloading seems like a tricky feat. Using the weak hand to guide the stripper clip correctly, then push in the 5 rounds.
Unlikely. Spare parts and repairs would cause logistical problems. Not something good when supplying tens of millions of serial produced weapons. Would be better to let them shoot right handed, or even awkwardly with the left. If having too many vision problems, then assign them to some other duty than front line infantryman. Like being a horse technician.
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Up to the 60's and in some cases even 70's, children in school were taught to write righthanded. At home you would eat righthanded, and in the military you would shoot righthanded. You would be told to either learn how to do it right, or get smacked over your fingers with a ruler. My dad was even denied delivering a written exam due to writing left handed
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Its surprisingly easy to fire most bolt actions from an entrenched/rested position when left handed. Standing and/or on the move, it is substantially more difficult however. I'm pretty sure they were left on their own to "make due" so to speak.
I know the Finnish soldiers were trained to cycle the bolt on the Mosin with thier left hand when fighting from entrenched positions while keeping the rifle shouldered in a right handed position. It allowed them to stay low in the trench and prevented losing their sight picture. With the rifle resting on the edge/sandbags, they would reach across the rifle and cycle the bolt.
Anyone who access to a Mosin in real life should try it, its very comfortable and efficient with that particular bolt design.
I know the Finnish soldiers were trained to cycle the bolt on the Mosin with thier left hand when fighting from entrenched positions while keeping the rifle shouldered in a right handed position. It allowed them to stay low in the trench and prevented losing their sight picture. With the rifle resting on the edge/sandbags, they would reach across the rifle and cycle the bolt.
Anyone who access to a Mosin in real life should try it, its very comfortable and efficient with that particular bolt design.
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I'm left handed so when I started shooting I naturaly started using a left handed grip. With bolt actions I tipicaly just used my left hand and reached over the rifle; it realy isn't as big of a pain as you would think. For a time I used my right hnad, bringing it back from the forward grip and cycling the bolt that way. I found this to be a pain thoguh, not beacouse it was hard to hold the rifle with one hand but beacouse the bolt would slide along the top of my thumb and it irritated me some. Fortunatly it all worked out in the end when I figured out I could shoot better using my right eye insted of my left and therefor stardted holding the rifle in a right handed style. All the shooting the army had me doing realy solitified all the needed muscle memory to shoot accurately right handed, was a bit odd at first though.
If you watch a right handed person use a bolt action rifle you will still see that they take their hand away from the triger so that realy isn't an issue. As for back in the day, they may well have just tought everyone to shoot right handed. A simple shift of the head can put eather eye in line with the sights so it can be done.
If you watch a right handed person use a bolt action rifle you will still see that they take their hand away from the triger so that realy isn't an issue. As for back in the day, they may well have just tought everyone to shoot right handed. A simple shift of the head can put eather eye in line with the sights so it can be done.
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I disagree, i have a Mosin and have fired Mosins. They are renowned for their "sticky" bolts which a lot of the time is hard enough to do with the right hand, let alone the left.
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I'm left handed and can shoot and cycle my k98 rather fast. It really isn't all that difficult... I usually keep my hand on the trigger area at all times and cycle with my right hand after the shot. Just need to make sure my hand is clear enough from the bolt. Also, I realize this is hollywood portrayal but the sniper in saving private ryan was a leftie. Sniper Part from Saving Private Ryan - YouTube
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Not sure if it is the same for all left handers but I automatically learnt to do stuff like use a mouse and hold a rifle right handed
Same here, I'm left handed but I actually can't stand using a left handed mouse setup or using a joystick left handed. In general I find that other than writing and throwing (and to a lesser extent, baseball batting), there inst any problem going right handed.
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From what I know about modern militaries, often they do not. You are just handed a right handed M16 and learn to use it. At least that's what i'm told it will be like for me in the IDF.
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