Which have them?
I can think of:
KAC SR-15
AXTS AX556
Lancer L15
AR15.com / Magpul billet lower
Seekins Precision
LWRC M6 IC
Mega Arms
Colt Sp901 (sort of lol)
Is the right side bolt release necessary? It doesn’t seem standardized but most of them seem to be in the same location and work on the same principle. Is it worth paying an extra couple hundred of dollars for this feature?
I bought a couple of the AXTS lowers because I liked the ambi features and figured that if it doesn’t hurt anything, then why not? They’re really really nice lowers and all the ambi-controls are setup very intuitively, but they’re certainly not necessary. A $600 Aimpoint, $300 weapon-light, or even $1,200 AR15 is not necessary for anything in my life personally…but they’re nice to have, and I have fun with it.
If you’re on a strict budget, the extra money could easily go toward something more critical such as sights, optics, a light, ammo, sling, etc.
I personally don’t see any downside other than cost…so if cost is not an issue, go for it.
BAD lever and be done with it.
It’s completely unnecessary.
How do you release the bolt when doing left handed drills? I can’t actually reach the top of the bolt release/catch with my left hand without almost letting go of the pistol grip.
I guess I could just turn the entire weapon over and slap the bolt release with my right hand or I guess run a BAD lever.
To ME (with emphasis… you may find a better way of doing this), I rotate the rifle to the left (magwell facing to the right), drop the mag with my support hand thumb (the right hand), insert a new mag, and then reach up and around the magwell with my support hand and drop the bolt.
NOTE: I’m a righty and rarely shoot this way. I need to practice more.
If you’re a lefty, a BAD may help, but it causes malfunctions on some rifles. Generally, I think one should shy away from things that can cause malfunctions. I’m not a big fan of “racing guns.”
Practice.
Presuming you don’t have extremely short hands/fingers, once you insert/seat the mag with your right hand, continue to slide your right hand up the mag while sliding your fingers around the magwell, keeping your thumb on the right side of the receiver until your index or middle finger can reach the bolt release, then press. Bolt slams home, then move your right hand out to your froward grip. Rinse and repeat.
Go to the range, load all your mags with one round and do about 60 reps.
Both advanced carbine classes that I took (Mike Panonne and Pat MacNamera) drilled home the necessity to not waste motion and time doing anything.
If you are a left handed shooter, then it is in your interest to get a rifle outfitted for left hand, but you need to learn how to operate a right hand rifle.
I have all manner of ambi crap on my rifle, and made a point to be proficient in not using them (thank you Mike Pannone) in the unlikely event that I may have to ditch my rifle for another that does not have those features.
I don’t believe it is necessary since the design lasted over a half century without one.
Is it worth it? To me no, but it may be to you.
I’ve more or less standardized on the KAC SR-15E3 and AXTS AX556 lowers, and find both to be incredibly useful from the southpaw perspective. While not needed, after some 30 years of adhering to the standardization thing in the Army, I’ve shifted positions a bit, and gained a fresh appreciation for rifles optimized according to my own purposes and preferences. Having also owned one of the “unobtainable” Magpul MPLA lowers for many years, I would also add it to your original list, though the AX556 strikes me as the better solution in many ways.
AC
That same argument could be made for owning an AK or any other weapon- that you should be proficient in all other manner of common fire arms because you may have to ditch it. So while the ar platform is indeed extremely popular and you may have to ditch your scar/m1/ak/sr-15, I don’t see a reason not to have a “better” (subject to opinion) platform until that unlikely scenario happens … Unless you’re le/mil. I am mil, but I’m as rear echelon as you can get.
But thanks sticks for the comment, I will definitely practice with reps on my regular lower.
I don’t find the right side bolt release to be useful at all. Being able to lock the bolt to the rear with your right hand would be somewhat useful .
I think too much of the what ifs take place in these discussions with too little realistic threat assessment. Most don’t have training time to get good enough shooting LH around cover to use it for real and would be better off making hits RH.
Todd obviously knows what he is talking about here, but keep in mind that it is a largely right-handed perspective. If you’re a left-shouldered rifleman, the advantages become infinitely more significant in my view – not because the weapon cannot be effectively manipulated without ambi controls, but because it becomes a far more fluid and intuitive process with them.
AC
From what I read on all the malfunctions they were mostly(from what I remember searching a year + ago before I put my BAD levers on) traced back to either out of spec springs(not stiff enough) or out of spec bolt catches.
Is it an ideal solution for a lefty, not really since its more designed for a righty to be able to lock the bolt back easier, but it doesnt give a way to manipulate the bolt catch from the right side of the gun.
as a lefty, i strongly agree with this.
i’ve learned how to manipulate/shoot different weapons, but i’ve always set up my own to be as efficient as possible for me.
by the way, both the AX556 and A-DAC-F allow the right handed rifleman to lock the bolt to the rear with the right index finger.
Same here; when I retired one of the first things I did was start exploring ambi-friendly controls and lowers.
To be fair I’m left handed, mostly… I write and eat LH, but am right eye dominant and learned to shoot RH.
Because so few are LH and the OP didn’t specify I did comment just on RH operation. I’m not opposed to LH shooters putting LH controls on, as long as they are quality. I think it’s worth trying LH controls unless you have a job with a real need to be able to use a team mates standard carbine.
As a lefty ambi lowers make things easier and smoother to operate.
I have small hands/ fingers. With the bolt release on the right side after inserting a fresh mag, my thumb is in the perfect position to hit the bolt release.
When I use my left hand I have to rotate my hand from the pistol grip to hit the standard bolt release then require the proper hand placement on the grip.
Off topic slightly, I just sold all of my BCM mod 4 charging handles to replace them with the Ranier Arms raptor.
I’ve been waiting 23 years for a good to go ambi charging handle, I think I finally found it with the raptor. If your a lefty you need to get one to try it out.
All the .mil firearms instructors I’ve had basically teach this, “the M4 is a very ergonomic weapon if you’re right handed. If you’re left handed, shoot right handed.”
I’m with this guy… There really isn’t any valid argument to this topic. Yeah sure you can always adapt and overcome with practice.
But if price isn’t a factor to you, it kind of seems like a no shit decision to make. Why not just optimize your weapon for your needs.
Even if your a righty and you have the extra coin laying around it seems like it would be a good idea. Better to have it and not need it than not have it at.
During my time in the military i have NEVER heard that from any instructor.
I know many people that are right handed but left eye dominant, and every instructor/drill instructor i’ve ever met always tells those individuals to learn to shoot left handed.
I’m not saying you can’t shoot accurately with your non dominant eye, because with practice you can. But generally speaking it’s easier to shoot accurately with your dominant eye.