Being a lefty has always resulted in challenges, especially with guns. The few manufacturers who sold left hand models (weatherby excluded) offered few caliber options. My elk hunting mentor carried a 338 Win Mag, and that thing accounted for more meals at our table than any other gun in the cabinet. I used lever guns and finally got my first left hand bolt when I graduated from HS, but it wasn't the gun that I longed for. Some years later I finally decided that I could afford a custom built dream elk gun. I acquired a presentation grade left hand Savage 110 in 7 mag and sent it off to my gunsmith. He re barreled it to 338 win mag and added a removable muzzle brake. He fluted and bedded the barrel, and I had the whole thing plated. I topped it with a new 3x9 Redfield Illuminator. This was back in 1986, long before the craze for stainless guns and muzzle brakes. I took several elk with it, and then became fed up with hunting in my home state of Oregon. I decided I was done hunting and actually didn't go for several years. I was trying to fund my then latest hobby of fly fishing and a trip to the Florida Keys for tarpon, so I sold the damn thing for half of what it cost me to have it built. It didn't happen immediately, but there came a time that I began to regret it. I think about that rifle often now and only hope it has gone on to many more adventures. I'm looking to have another one built in my favorite 338 win mag caliber. Probably on a 700 action this time. As I get older, I agree with those that say caliber isn't nearly as important at learning to shoot well. But there's just something about that 338 win mag that screams "Elk".
Side note on the removable muzzle brake, I used it once at the range and took it off. That was $300.00 down the drain. Those things are not for me.
