I was just reading something about reversible mag releases in passing and I started thinking, by would you go so far to add an ambi slide stop, possibly safety and then make the mag release only reversible. Is there some large amount of data that there is a higher proclivity to inadvertently drop a mag?

Now a couple of caveats.
-If we are talking about using legacy mags for a platform I get it. Assuming the company doesn’t want to modify the mag design or have two generations of mags that are not 100% compatible.

-I get it on reproductions, old school etc type guns. It would be silly for that new Springfield SA35 to do this as part of what you are buying is nostalgia or “kinetic art” as I like to put it.

But assuming a ground up gun P320/250 why not go full ambi instead of 3/4 of the way there?

I don’t have a particular dog in the fight as I am right handed but I do like redundancy and I prefer a setup where I can drop a mag with my trigger finger Ala Walther/HK paddles or true ambi guns.

Just a random thought. I am sure there is a practical reason under hard use and such.

Thanks all. Take care, shoot safe,
Chris

As a right-hander, I don't like ambi controls. I think they should be reversible so that lefties can set the gun up the way they want it, but extra stuff hanging off the wrong side of the gun is just asking to get inadvertently bumped, snagged, etc.

I've accidentally engaged and accidentally disengaged 1911 ambi safeties. I've never done it, because I don't have any handguns with ambi mag releases, but I know of lefties who have inadvertently dropped mags due to grip pressure on a right-handed mag release.

They new ARs we got at work are almost full-ambi, and the stupid right-sided safety lever hits my trigger finger if it's indexed along the side of the frame when I deactivate it. I've also seen the ambi mag releases get bumped by stuff hanging off molle gear and drop the mag on the ground when the rifle is slung. Finally, I realize it's just a training issue, but a bunch of my guys (me included) who were already very familiar with traditional AR controls and could operate one in our sleep, or in the dark just by feel, got confused by the extra controls and had to put more effort (actually look) into making sure we were pressing the right control, because there was stuff there that we didn't expect. If it was my gun and didn't belong to the agency, I'd take all that crap off and set it up for right-hand only controls.

IMO a gun that is customizable to the user is preferable to one that tries to be everything to everybody.

It's just The MAN keeping wrong-handed people down.

Lefty's are second class citizens

To me, ambi also includes ejecting on the opposite side.

Like 92fstech I do not like ambi safeties. I've run into numerous times my SAO's have gone off safe. 1911's are considerably worse.

So, I the controls should be reversible, if not, As a member of the "man" lets keep the lefties down. :P

Oh no. Another subclass to get WOKE about.

quote:

Originally posted by monoblok:
Oh no. Another subclass to get WOKE about.

Both my Springfield EMP (1911) and Staccato R (2011) have ambi safeties. I carry the EMP. The R will be a range toy.

I don't have extensive experience with either, but I've never had the safety on either flip on or off unintentionally.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
As a right-hander, I don't like ambi controls. I think they should be reversible so that lefties can set the gun up the way they want it, but extra stuff hanging off the wrong side of the gun is just asking to get inadvertently bumped, snagged, etc.

I don't have any experience w/ ambi ARs, but otherwise you nailed my sentiments. Everything you need and nothing you don't.. nothing superfluous on guns for serious purposes.

Thinking on it further, I might consider buying an ambi-controls handgun if I took on the duty to train a left-handed new shooter.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Lefty's are second class citizens

Well duh! Of course you are. But some of us “right folks” like redundancy.

Double barrel shotguns and most single shot rifles are pretty ambi. As a left handed long gun shooter growing up 50 years ago Those were the choices I had. So I learned to shoot righty as well. Now I am equally bad with either hand.

I do shoot both ways comfortably and There are many more choices now from the industry. I also prefer the controls set up either right or left. The thought process is just easier that way.

Ugh. More components (assembled from small, hard-to-fiddle-with parts) that can go wrong.

True ambi mag release guns are problematic at best. Glock tried it and abandoned it due to their products finding themselves in police duty holsters. When Right handed coppers put a seat belt on, it would activate the mag release and inadvertently pop the magazine out from being seated.

It not as much an issue for left handed cops unless they are riding dirty (two officer car). In that case, I have seen officers just run the mag release as set up for a right handed shooter, and use their index finger to release the mag.

What is meant by “in today’s world”? Has the % of lefties increased significantly or is this a reference to extreme inclusivity?

Maybe automakers should sell LHD vehicles here, especially those few with a manual gearbox.

Anyway, some guy named Hendrix adapted to a right handed guitar fairly well.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
As a right-hander, I don't like ambi controls. I think they should be reversible so that lefties can set the gun up the way they want it, but extra stuff hanging off the wrong side of the gun is just asking to get inadvertently bumped, snagged, etc.

This right here. Only recently have I bought any handguns with any ambi controls, a Glock 45 with the slide release and a Beretta 92FS with the safety. Not a fan of extra stuff hanging off on the offside of the gun.

Back when I was carrying H&K’s, I switched all my button release guns to the “wrong side” so I could activate it with my strong hand finger. I never had an issue with any of them dropping mags. But I have had an ambi safety’s on 1911’s disengage while carrying. Luckily the 1911 is an outdated design that will be obsolete soon.

^^^^^

quote:

Luckily the 1911 is an outdated design that will be obsolete soon.

Pretty simple, and you knew the answer. A lot of extra work, a lot of extra money, a lot of technical hurdles to over come, in many cases for which they don't have a good work around, all for a small percentage of the market.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
True ambi mag release guns are problematic at best. Glock tried it and abandoned it due to their products finding themselves in police duty holsters. When Right handed coppers put a seat belt on, it would activate the mag release and inadvertently pop the magazine out from being seated.

It not as much an issue for left handed cops unless they are riding dirty (two officer car). In that case, I have seen officers just run the mag release as set up for a right handed shooter, and use their index finger to release the mag.

Is that a problem with the HK and Walther paddle/lever mag releases, too?

I like them and they’re truly ambidextrous, but I don’t ride around in a car with a pistol in a duty holster.

@ JJones.

Someone says heeey




LOL- not often one can show off their P89.