OK guys - I need a little help here. For those of you that don't know, my little girl's M96 6.5 Swede blew up while I was shooting it. :( (No one was injured) :) Anyway - now I have to get her something else to hunt w/. The fly in the ointment, is that she is L eye dominant - thus fires LH. I'm looking for something from a 6.5 size to a .308 Win. (max, I think for her). I have looked around, and it's difficult to find a SA LH. I looked at Ruger - nothing in LH 308 - several LA but no short ones - that I saw. Savage makes a LH 308 (a very good possiblity), Remington - I didn't see any. I'm not sure about Tikka and the others - thus my predicament. Currently, I'm looking at a 30-30 or 30-30AI rifle barrel for my Contender. I have several barrrels for it already. The largest thing she would be shooting, should either be a black bear or a caribou. Anything larger - I'll pull security w/ my 45-70 or the 338. I'm leaning heavily towards the 30-30AI for a couple of reasons - 1. It's different, thus the reason that I gave her my old Swede, 2. From everything that I've read, I should be able to get about 24-2500 fps w/ a 150 gr slug - putting it near a 300 Sav or a light 308. Plus - by using it in the Contender, I can load up spitzers, thereby extending the range a bit. When using it for black bear, the range doesn't need to be that much. But, I would like to have something that could reliably reach out to about 250 yds or so, if conditions are right, for a caribou. I would love to find a 26 cal barrel for this thing, but short of buying an Encore, or a Bulberry barrel (practically same price as another gun), I don't see many options. :rolleyes:
My other option, is I saw a BLR in 308 at a local shop. That's pretty much and ambidextrous type. I have a Win M88 w/ a 32XX serial #, that is like new - Nope - she's not getting that one! :D
Your thoughts on my logic or lack there of?

Tough prediciment. My grand daughter is a righty and Left eye dominate. Just picked up a Rem 700 in 280 I plan to load down for her. She shoots my Ruger #1 in 243 now with no problems. We are working on the left eye thing with a bolt 22 right now. That BLR in 308 sounds like a good deal. They are a really nice gun. I looked at a Savage 99 in 308 also.

Think I'd put the money out for the BLR - don't own one, but it should fill the bill for the leftie young lady.

I like your idea of a Contender carbine. As you know that will open up a world of possibilities later with other chamberings, without the expense of entire new rifles, and she'll be used to operating the gun.

If not that then the Savage makes sense I think because of the ease of putting on a different barrel as she can handle more recoil and bigger game, etc.

It would be tough to turn down a 99 Savage / .250 Sav, also, if you can find one!!!! I sure do like mine......

What a problem! Personally I like the single shot idea but my Contender carbine hammers me like no other rifle I own. If the cost can be covered a Ruger No.1 is an awesome rifle. Just a thought.
Doug