Bolt Configuration: The Benefits of Weakside Bolt Placement
Most bolt-action rifle shooters work the bolt with their trigger-pulling hand. This is because most rifles sold to right-handed shooters come with right-side bolts, while “lefty” rifles come with left-side bolts. This “standard” configuration requires the shooter to take his dominant, trigger-pulling hand off the stock to cycle the bolt, then re-position his hand on the stock, and “re-claim” the trigger. Often the shooter must lift or move his head to work the bolt, and that also requires him to re-establish his cheek weld after each and every shot. Not good.
This really doesn’t make much sense for precision shooting with fore-end support*. There is a better way. If you leave your trigger hand in position and work the bolt (and feed rounds) with the opposite hand, then you don’t need to shift grip and head position with each shot. All this requires is a weakside-placed bolt, i.e. a left bolt for a right-handed shooter or a right bolt for a left-handed shooter. The video below shows a “Lefty” working a right bolt. Note how efficient this is:
As our friend Boyd Allen explains: “If you think about it, if you are going to work with a factory action where your options are left bolt and left port or right bolt and right port, and you are building a rifle that will only be shot from a rest, using the left/left for a RH shooter or using a right/right for a LH shooter works better than the conventional configuration”.
Shoot Like a Champ and Work the Bolt with Your Weakside Hand
Derek Rodgers, the only person to have won BOTH F-Open and F-TR National Championships, runs this kind of “opposite” bolt set-up, shooting right-handed with a left bolt. Though Derek is a right-hander, he shoots with a Left Bolt/Left Port (LBLP) action. He shoots with his right hand on grip, while manipulating the bolt (and feeding rounds) with his non-trigger-pulling hand. He pulls the trigger with his right index finger, while working the left-side bolt with his left (weakside) hand. This allows him to stay in position, and maintain his cheekweld.
2013 National Championship-Winning Derek Rodgers Left Bolt/Left Port Rifle.
*For true standing, off-hand shooting (whether in competition or on a hunt), a conventional strongside bolt placement makes sense, since the non-dominant arm must support the front of the rifle all the time. When shooting from bipod or rest, it’s a different story.
Similar Posts:
- Benefits of Weakside Bolt Placement — For F-Class and Benchrest
- Weakside Bolt Placement Benefits for Benchrest and F-Class
- Weakside Bolt Placement — When and Why It Works
- Weakside Bolt Placement — The Competitive Advantages
- Switch Your Bolt Side and Shoot Better from Prone and Bench
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Tags: Bolt, Derek Rodgers, LBLP, Prone Shooting, RBRP, Weakside
I’ve been doing this my whole life! Just ordered my first left bolt for sling shooting.
Editor: For sling shooting you will need to use the trigger hand to work the bolt because the other hand must stay in place to support the front of the rifle with sling in place.
Cycling was fast, but was it accurate?
Considered this for two reasons, 1st it gives options with my current shoulder issues, 2nd is there are often cheaper lefty rifles on offer. But:- Now try it with a single shot bolt action and a front rest, you’ll probably have to shift your elbow/body anyway.
This may also be something of an individual choice even prone with bipod, many shooters I’ve seen lack the range of movement comfort in the opposing hand and wrist to gain any advantage. A definite try before you buy.
I think this is a conspiracy from the leftys to get the manufacturers to make more wrong side turn bolts for them. LOL
Hi EricB,
All the shots were placed on a 12″ x 12″ steel plate at 400m (listen carefully for the steel’s ping a few moments after the shot, sometimes as the next shot is fired, the previous shot’s sound comes back). The idea was to show that, with the correct use, a bolt gun can almost hold its own to a semi, while putting all the rounds on target.
I believe eye dominance should dictate which shoulder is used. I’m right handed but left eye dominant. So, all my rifles are shot from my left shoulder.
Some of my guns are left bolt but some are right bolt. All are right port which allows me to use dominant hand to feed rounds. In F-Class, because of the inherent delay between shots, whether we cycle the bolt with the trigger hand or off hand is probably moot.
I’m betting Mr. Rodgers would out X me even lying on his back.
I’m left handed and I’ve always shot right bolt rifles mainly because that’s all I’ve ever known. I shot two now, but the slight worry for me with this setup is the sako extractor is in perfect alignment with the race way , If there was a serious case failure, the extractor is right in line with your face, touch wood , nothing has happened, but I’ve heard is sako extractors being blown out in that event