Track of the wolf and the lefthand builder

[Darkhorse]

I wonder what's going on with TOW? A few years ago they offered several LH kits like the Isacc Haines, SMR's, a lancaster and a Hawken or two. Now it's just the Hawken.
I once bought most of my supplies from Track and built a couple of their rifles too. But I'm lefthanded and it seems they no longer support people like me. So I see it like this...anything TOW sells can be bought somewhere else just as easy. And that's what I intend to do.

 

[Sidney Smith]

That's unfortunate. I too am left handed, and have bought many an item from TOW. I'd imagine they don't sell a whole lot of left hand specific product, so they are dropping it.

Don't despair though, they are not the only fish in the sea. I buy a good deal of supplies from Muzzleloader Builders Supply. Theyre in Idaho I think. Good folks and they have a huge selection of parts, and they cater to South paws like us. Plus there are many others out there who do as well

Unfortunately, you will never find an equal selection of left vs right hand guns, parts, etc, but most of the respected companies do offer the lefty some kind of choice.

I haven't been to Tracks site in a while. I'll still use them for items they may have that aren't left, right specific, such as flint, screws, small parts etc. I can find lefty parts elsewhere.

 

[Flintandsteel]

There are VERY few original rifles built in left hand, this was the same in originals.
Back in the day, lefthandedness was considered a curse. Left handers wer made to use their right hand, even punished for using their left.
Kinda sad, but true.
Obviously, even today, the market is low for left hand parts……

 

[Sidney Smith]

There are VERY few original rifles built in left hand, this was the same in originals.
Back in the day, lefthandedness was considered a curse. Left handers wer made to use their right hand, even punished for using their left.
Kinda sad, but true.
Obviously, even today, the market is low for left hand parts……

There was a lot of backwards thinking going on back in the day, and saying being left handed was a curse was no exception. It was wrong then and it's wrong now.

The reason today is because the ratio of left to right handed people is probably 1 in 6 or 8. From a business standpoint it's understandable that you will not find as much , if anything out there suited for left handed people. Now if I'm reading between the lines correctly here, you are trying to make the case for this person to simply adapt. That is not the answer. A left handed person has every right to want to enjoy something that fits him just like everyone else.

Right handed people have had it easy. The world revolves around right handedness. Well not all of us are right handed, and not all of us want to adapt. If TOW decides not to sell products to left handed shooters, then by all means we should shop elsewhere.

I've never fired a right handed muzzleloader, and I never will.

 

[Titus Bass]

Im a left hander to but when i bought a kit i went with right hand, dont know guess i just got used to using right hand till it seem normal, I bought a modern gun in left hand but its awkward to shoot

 

[springfield art]

There are VERY few original rifles built in left hand, this was the same in originals.
Back in the day, lefthandedness was considered a curse. Left handers wer made to use their right hand, even punished for using their left.
Kinda sad, but true.
Obviously, even today, the market is low for left hand parts……

Imagine a lefty back in the day of the flintlock military; I guess he could serve on a gun crew instead of a line musket company!

 

[plmeek]

I wonder what's going on with TOW? A few years ago they offered several LH kits like the Isacc Haines, SMR's, a lancaster and a Hawken or two. Now it's just the Hawken.
I once bought most of my supplies from Track and built a couple of their rifles too. But I'm lefthanded and it seems they no longer support people like me. So I see it like this...anything TOW sells can be bought somewhere else just as easy. And that's what I intend to do.

Darkhorse,

You may not be looking in the right places on Track of the Wolf's website. It's true that under their "Gun Kits" they only list lefthanded full stock and half stock Hawken rifles, but they still offer all the parts to build most of the other types of rifles you listed. They haven't offered a left hand SMR in a long time. Their Catalog #14 (1997-2000) was the last time they listed a lefthanded SMR kit or pre-carve stock.

Under the "Gun Parts" section on their website they list 5 different models of pre-carve (some pre-inlet) lefthanded stocks--a half stock Hawken, a full stock Hawken, a Leman Trade Rifle, an Isaac Haines rifle, and the classic 1790 - 1810 era Lancaster rifle. Else where they list left hand locks suitable for these rifles and sideplates.

They have a lot of parts that are on back order, so you may not find what you're looking for right now, but this is a general problem and not one specific to left hand parts. I suspect for economic reasons Track does not keep as large an inventory of parts as they used to. There are also changes occuring on the parts manufacturing side that are beyond Track's control that affect the availability of parts such as Pete Allen's foundry shutdown.

 

[Darkhorse]

I know how to shoot RH guns well enough. When I was younger LH rifles were non existent as far as I knew. But I'm not younger anymore, I'll be 70 in a few months and now I only shoot LH rifles. I now have 2 LH flintlocks that I built exactly the way I want them. I also have 3 bolt guns with LH actions also. They are all much more comfortable and efficient than the RH models.
A true LH rifle fits the LH shooter better than any RH model regardless of what people think or write in a forum. And those that continue to expound otherwise are only showing their ignorance.
I'm talking about rifles with proper "cast on" for LH shooters. I attached temproary sights when I was finishing the wood. This allowed me to look at a target then shoulder the rifle, if the sights were off the mark I'd remove a little more wood from the stock then check it again. The end result is a custom fit for me.
Also the touchhole is on the opposite side from my face and eyes. This has many benefits which don't seem to be recognized by many shooters.
Why shouldn't a LH'er get these same benefits? No real good reason why not except if a LH rifle or kit is not available. Hence my irritation with TOW.

 

[Darkhorse]

Darkhorse,

You may not be looking in the right places on Track of the Wolf's website. It's true that under their "Gun Kits" they only list lefthanded full stock and half stock Hawken rifles, but they still offer all the parts to build most of the other types of rifles you listed. They haven't offered a left hand SMR in a long time. Their Catalog #14 (1997-2000) was the last time they listed a lefthanded SMR kit or pre-carve stock.

Under the "Gun Parts" section on their website they list 5 different models of pre-carve (some pre-inlet) lefthanded stocks--a half stock Hawken, a full stock Hawken, a Leman Trade Rifle, an Isaac Haines rifle, and the classic 1790 - 1810 era Lancaster rifle. Else where they list left hand locks suitable for these rifles and sideplates.

They have a lot of parts that are on back order, so you may not find what you're looking for right now, but this is a general problem and not one specific to left hand parts. I suspect for economic reasons Track does not keep as large an inventory of parts as they used to. There are also changes occuring on the parts manufacturing side that are beyond Track's control that affect the availability of parts such as Pete Allen's foundry shutdown.

Track has only one LH kit now, a Hawken.
The Isacc Haines no longer has the full desription write up as they once had. And there are no prices listed. Nor anyway to add one to the cart. To me that means they are not available. The same goes for the Leman stock.
Except for a Hawken the rest are all not pre-inlet.
It's been 15+ years since I built a TOW rifle and their offerings have dropped considerably.
The last rifle was a Isacc Haines in .40 caliber. I bought the stock from Track, the lock from Jim Chambers, set triggers from Davis, the barrel from Rice, and most of the small parts came from Track also. So I know a little about out sourcing parts to assemble a rifle. If I had to do it all again today I wouldn't give Track a second look.

 

[bigstick6017555]

Why trash Track Of The Wolf for not catering to you and go to a manufacture that will, I am perfectly satisfied with them and if they do not have what I want, I move on to who does, no fuss no muss. Complaining on here will not change anything.

 

[Darkhorse]

I am so happy that you are perfectly satisfied with TOW. You can't begin to understand how pleased that makes me. Just as you can't begin to understand what my posting is really all about.

 

[hanshi]

When I first started with a BB gun I must have been lefthanded and maybe left eye dominant, don't know for sure. Eventually I shifted to right handed shooting (have no idea what happened concerning the switch) and now am right eye/ right handed. But when I got into boxing I could work both as a southpaw (perfectly well) or orthodox. That tells me I may have been correct. By the time I got to black powder I was solidly right handed. Weird.

 

[ML48]

Why trash Track Of The Wolf for not catering to you and go to a manufacture that will, I am perfectly satisfied with them and if they do not have what I want, I move on to who does, no fuss no muss. Complaining on here will not change anything.

Sometimes a guy has to release.
BTW: TOTW has some problems. friend of mine sent them some high dollar rifles to consign and some accessories.
That was DEC. 2020.....fast forward 6-1/2 months later, they still did not have them on their site.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Why trash Track Of The Wolf for not catering to you and go to a manufacture that will, I am perfectly satisfied with them and if they do not have what I want, I move on to who does, no fuss no muss. Complaining on here will not change anything.

Are you left handed?

 

[ML48]

Are you left handed?

Probably....he's a switch hitter......

 

[bigstick6017555]

I am so happy that you are perfectly satisfied with TOW. You can't begin to understand how pleased that makes me. Just as you can't begin to understand what my posting is really all about.

I fully understand what your posting is all about, you go on a forum and trash a company cause they can not accommodate your desires.

 

[bigstick6017555]

Sometimes a guy has to release.
BTW: TOTW has some problems. friend of mine sent them some high dollar rifles to consign and some accessories.
That was DEC. 2020.....fast forward 6-1/2 months later, they still did not have them on their site.

Releasing is fine if there is something to release about, not fulfilling ones desires is not one of them. To believe Totw is having problems I would need more evidence than a remark on a forum

 

[bigstick6017555]

Are you left handed?

I am right handed, does that give me extra points.

 

[ML48]

Hey guys, knock it off, big sticks are getting upset...or is it little limb.....whatever.
Fact is, TOTW does have some customer service problems

 

[bigstick6017555]

Hey guys, knock it off, big sticks are getting upset...or is it little limb.....whatever.
Fact is, TOTW does have some customer service problems

your facts, or friends facts or real facts which is it