what exactly is the second p_model's function? I'm referring to the models such as p_garand_l.mdl. Not all models seem to have them.

I can't find any reference to them anywhere on this forum...

They, unlike a P_model, are bound to the left hand, hence the L at the end. They also have the shoot sequence, muzzle flash, and and the shell ejection.

I assumed the p_model_l was for the reloading animation.. but for the bolt action rifles it is the bolt working animation.

It's just for whenever the weapon gets switched to the left hand, no matter what the reason is. The Panzerschreck looks goofy getting switched while you run and reload, like you're dragging it like a caveman's club...

The technical reason is that all the P_models are associated to the same bone that, in the player model, is in the hand. Because of that, you can't move the right hand without moving the gun. To get around that, they do a quick switch from the right hand-hand model to the left-hand one. It's pretty seamless. You don't really notice the transition in-game, which leads some to not realise it's necessary. It's just because it's not coded that the P_model object can be held like an actual real-world object in real-world hands. It needs connection points and those happen to be bones. Move the bones, move the object attached to them.

That's all.

Side-note: p_scopedfg42bu.mdl is unscoped...?