For me, I use it as a quicker way to send the bolt home, when doing a mag change. I have smedium hands and short fingers.
Prior to the bad , after inserting a fresh mag with the bolt to the rear, I would then bring my right hand up and use the charging handle to “slingshot” the bolt home to chamber the round.
Or I would have to shift my fire control hand (left) to use the bolt catch lever.
So now after inserting a fresh mag with right hand, the BAD is right there for me to depress sending the bolt home and chambering the round.
So my fire control hand (left) stays fixed, and I can get my support hand (right) back up on the rail to fire faster.
I don’t have the short fingered problem but I’d imagine it will only aggravate problems. How many rounds have you put through that configuration and in what setup?
Don’t be surprised if, on bolt locked open, that you will drop the bolt when you try and press the ambi-catch. This of course will screw up an emergency reload.
I’d keep the Norgon and ditch the BAD. You’ve got way too many controls and the KISS principle applies.
Actually, I can’t even get quite that far, GJ … I’m still trying to figure out the geometry of how the B.A.D. is even remotely compatible with routine portside activation.
I use my right thumb to activate the bad after inserting mag.
I have been doing some drills with it at home, none on the range since I just put the Norgon on. Since its loosened up some no problems with inadvert bad hit.
Again I think the Troy one will work a little better, just waiting until they hit the market.
youtube has a pretty good video on the bad and left handed operation.
If you watch it you might understand to what I am referring to.
Appreciate the clarification. I’m not sure how sound that might be as a general operating principle, but at least I can envision how you are physically manipulating it.
Taking the B.A.D. entirely out of the picture for a moment, your earlier remark about slingshotting the CH suggested that you have been working out some creative – if nonstandard and potentially problematic – solutions for bolt release activation for quite some time.
The most common accepted method for left-handed firers doesn’t involve either a B.A.D. or the charging handle. Instead, it employs what you might call a “reach around” with the right hand wherein the front of the magazine well is cupped in the palm while the fingers extend around the upper receiver to engage the bolt release in its usual position on the left side. Even with shorter fingers, this should be a rapid and achievable means of bolt release. (The alternative approach is similar, but the right hand comes up from under the trigger group area to accomplish the same basic movement.)
I fired my first AR when I went into the Marine Corps. We were taught to never use the standard bolt catch to drop the bolt, only to use it to lock it back. They had us always slingshot it with the charging handle.
So thats the way I’ve been doing for the past 21 years (man that makes me feel old!:D).
But as I said earlier, the bad gets me quicker back into a stable supported firing position in less movements.
As a lefty new to the AR world i find it easier for me to maintain my firing hand on the grip and hit the bolt release with my index finger. When operating the CH i reach over the top with my right hand and pull directly back and can use my firing hand index finger again to operate the bolt catch. An ambi mag release is definitely needed though.
I can certainly relate. After 26 years in the Army, one of the more interesting things that I’ve learned along the way is that much of what we were taught as recruits was inefficient, procedurally unsound and/or just plain wrong.
Granted, part of this has to do with the military’s need to instruct to the lowest common denominator level for qualification purposes, rather than to achieve true proficiency. The other part is likely just reflective of the manner in which this weapon system (and our collective knowledge of it) has matured over time.
You can imagine all of the things that I had to un-learn, after having gotten my start as a young left-handed infantryman in the M-16A1 era. In those days, the only component that we had available to make life easier was the snap-in brass deflector, which of course we weren’t actually permitted to use because it was considered a “crutch” that one wouldn’t have in combat.
I don’t pretend to be the final arbiter of truth, but I do have a semi-decent idea of what works (and what doesn’t work) for me personally. If you’re getting good results from an alternate approach, then perhaps you might wish to continue working the B.A.D. into your manual of arms. If it were me, however, I would stop at the Norgon, and see if perhaps the “reach around” didn’t meet my needs as well or better. Whatever the case, I certainly wish you the best.
Many shooters, myself included, can’t manage the index finger release quite this well. It’s less a question of covering the distance than one of having the necessary power at full extension to hit the paddle without substantially changing the firing hand grip. If you can manage it, more power to you. For me, it’s just not a consistent or efficient means of getting the job done when the bolt catch is under any kind of a load.
I’ve tried the reach around method (that doesnt sound right!:D).
But I just couldnt get used to it, I’ve missed the bolt catch a few times with gloves, or had to look down to find it. So I’ve just stuck with the USMC taught charging handle method, until the bad came out.
I’ve had a bad for awhile and for me it works. Once the Troy ambi mag comes out, , again for me, that will make my set up finalized.
I think I’ve made my mind up for the time being I’m going to look for a good ambi mag release and then decide if I need a lever.
I really need to get out and just shoot the gun, I’m nearing completion to a functional level that I’d like.
Thanks for the input Army Chief.
When looking back, maybe I don’t need it. This is my first AR, I’ve done boat loads of research, I spend a lot more reading and learning than writing typically, but I want to start it out simple and add parts gradually and add/remove stuff as I deem it necessary instead of going all out what I think “it” is.
I’d rather not modify the Bolt Release, and I’m also disheartened by … it was either a LMT or Colt Bolt Release that was posted about in a thread here that snapped in half. I don’t know what kind of stress they’re creating on the component…
Realistically we’ll have to wait and see what reports start filtering their way back as more and more people implement the product/theory.
I’m getting the new Spikes billet lower, it has an ambi bolt release built in. So I wont need the bad, but will still be getting the Troy ambi mag release.
I’m on the fence on whether I’d go with a Troy or KAC, What I’d give to handle both. I’ll tell ya on the KAC I don’t care for the massive button that they replace the standard magazine release with on the ejection side of the weapon… Seems like one step forward and one step back, am I the only one that thinks that?
I can manipulate the bolt release with my middle finger on my left hand… I do have to break my firing grip though… Again, I’ll mess with it until I find something I’m comfortable with.
