For those of you that use ambi Safety, Bolt and Mag release controls.
If you don’t use all three, which ones do you use? And why.
What manufacture do you use?
Are you satisfied with them?
If you have not, would you change anything?
TIA
I’m a lefty and I have only used the DPMS and Stag ambi-safeties on two different builds. The Stag fit together a lot better than the DPMS one which require some filing to fit properly. I use my thumb to move the selector from safe to fire and trigger finger to move it back on safe. I find it is a lot quicker than just the standard safety for me and wish I could have put one on my M-16 when in the service. I really want to try the Norgon ambi mag catch but have other things to buy first. I can reach the bolt release with my trigger finger so I don’t even bother with the extended bolt catches. There are also ambi charging handles but I personally don’t see the need for one but may try one some time in the future if I have some money to burn.
I can run the rifle without any of the ambi-controls but like I said I greatly prefer the ambi-safety and will get an ambi mag release. Its all about what works for you but I would recommend at least familiarizing yourself with the standard controls first and decide what would work for you from there. If I was right handed I don’t think I would bother with any ambi controls.
i’m a lefty and set up my rifles the way i like them for my personal use. all rifles should have ambi controls as standard, IMHO, and we’re seeing that in new designs.
ambi safety - i have ambi safeties on all my lowers from a few different manufacturers. the one i like best is one my buddy custom made with a 60° throw instead of 90°. other than that, i haven’t found much difference between RRA, LMT, etc. if i had to change anything, it’d be to shorten the lever by 1/4", like i saw on some early robarms XCR rifles.
bolt release - it’s already on the left side, perfect for lefties. never seen an ambi one except on the POF and magpul lowers. but those aren’t standard lowers.
mag catch - norgon ambi catch. works well for me.
one more - charging handle. badger ordnance makes a true ambi charging handle and it works best with vltor VIS or MUR upper receivers as the forward assist is further forward than on a stock upper.
I have had an ambi-safety on mine for several years that works pretty well and I have a Norgon ambi-catch mag release on order that should be in a few days. I don’t think the other ambi items would be very usefull-IMHO- but to each their own. I learned how to use the weapons without ambi items while in the service but would have really liked to have had them especially the mag release.
This was also addressed elsewhere on account of your duplicate post at WEVO, but I would echo MM’s comments – though I completely forgot about the possibilities presented by an ambidextrous charging handle.
Having never installed or used one, I can’t offer a wealth of first-person insight, but it presents such an obvious and low-impact solution to a real problem, that I would certainly be in favor of at least trying out such a retrofit.
Good call, MM!
Chief
Not sure it is a relevant development, but I noticed that RRA has been offering an alternate “Star” configuration …
… though I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it at this point. Never seen/used one, but I’m curious if there might be any tactile benefit to this design.
Chief
army chief - i have tried the star selector switch, but it isn’t any lower profile than the standard one, and didn’t offer anything over the standard lever in ambi config. for standard config (right hand only), i believe it was primarily designed to make it easier to switch through the whole range of travel (complete circle) for the 4-position trigger group (safe, semi, burst, auto) on the M4 ‘commando enhanced’ receiver.
I have a stock RRA ambi-selector on my RRA lower. You can also buy ambi selectors from LMT. I don’t really see the need for an ambi bolt release or charging handle.
I had one of these for a while. If I wasn’t wearing gloves, it rubbed my finger raw. I ditched it for an ambi selector with standard paddles.