How hard is it for Joe Schmoe to make an AR-15 Ambi?

[Skribs]

I haven't decided what firearm I want to get next, but regardless of if it is next or if it's down the road, I'm very likely to get an AR-15 sometime soon. My problem is that I shoot lefty, and have righty friends, so I want it set up ambi. I know you can buy and install the parts, but I'm not very confident in my gunsmithing skills (I can take a gun apart and clean it, but anything requiring drilling or that blue stuff (see how bad I am, I can't even remember the name of the blue stuff) and I'd rather take it to a gunsmith.

With that said, what would someone like me be able to do to a stock AR, and what would I have to take it in for? Specifically, ambi mag release and ambi safety switch are the big ones.

Also, is there any difference in making modifications like this to a piston system over an impingement system?

 

[Zerodefect]

I'm a lefty. I actually have a few advantages over rightys. With a proper setup your speed reloads should be just as fast and your double feed clearance drills will be quicker.

You'll need:
- BCM charging handle. The large one. So you can overhand rack the charging handle with the palm of your right hand. If you even ever need to.

-Stag ambi safety. Any ambi safety will do. With the Stag, put a tiny drop of red thread lock between the arm and body of the safety lever to glue it together, when it dries, so there isn't any lever play. Use a tiny bit of blue thread lock on the hex screw.

-Magpul BAD lever. Use a tiny bit of blue threadlock on the screws and put a little bit of red on the ping pong paddle so that the BAD lever is glued in place and can't wobble or slide across the paddle. Better AR's will have less reciever play of the paddle and it's pin. Works great on the BCM, Colt, and Noveske rifles I've built.

All are super easy to do. You can skip the red and blue stuff. But the little bit of play in an ambi safety lever kinda sucks. Red threadlock can really make parts like that feel solid and one piece when they are assembled and dry. I love letting people shoot my Colt and hearing them comment how solid the safety and BAD lever feel when theirs is a bit floppy.

Check out the build thread tacked in the build it yourself forum at AR15.com. You'll see that all these parts are super easy to do yourself. Don't take your rifle to some hack gun store lacky. A few really good screwdrivers etc.

Carbine gas systems on 16" and 14.5" barrels are slightly more lefty friendly. No need for a Stag lefty upper.

Magpuls AOTTC 1 DVD covers lefty operation well. Drop the mag with your right thumb, slam new mag in. Swipe the BAD lever with your right thumb.

Ps: Direct Impingment rules AR's. Save the pistons for SCAR's, ACR's, Robby's, and FN FS2000. Rifles that were designed for pistons, the AR15 gas system is perfect DI. DI is, quite ironicly, easier to clean as well. Go figure.

 

[Mot45acp]

My first one survived 800 rounds of Wolf with only the initial lubrication. If I can do it a drunk monkey can do it. (Or even Century)

 

[kwelz]

Best advice I can give you is to shoot with the stock safety. Surprisingly the AR is actually faster for lefties with most things.

 

[Sam Cade]

Best advice I can give you is to shoot with the stock safety.

I agree, no use getting accustomed to a control that might not be there when you need it.

I just swipe it off with my forefinger on the way to the shoulder. Its no disadvantage at all.

 

[Skribs]

I'm not planning on using the AR in a situation where I would need to scramble to pick up ANY rifle and may not get mine. I'm not a soldier, minuteman, police officer, mercenary, or anything like that. I'd rather have controls that fit me than standard controls.

Zerodefect, thanks for the info. Still seems intimidating for someone like me. I built a stick bridge in my technology class in middle school, and upon strength-testing it, my teacher told me "Wow...that was the worst failure I have ever seen." So I'm a bit hesitant, lol.

 

[twofourthree73]

I am a righty that shoots lefty with my AR due to being left eye dominate. I have a Troy Ambi mag release. It replaces the stock one in about two minutes. I also put on an ambi safety.

The three things that I think a lefty wants are the ambi mag release, safety, and troy ambi charging handle. Lefty's also have the bolt release setup in our favor.

I've tried the KAC ambi mag release and now have the troy. The troy is easier to install, has less parts, is in the mirror location almost, and the pressure feels about the same for a mag release. The KAC is harder to release with a full mag and was making my fingers sore.

I have another lower that's set up stock so I can work both, but the ambi lower makes things so much easier, especially fast mag changes.

Oh, I did it all myself. The safety just involves popping out the trigger group and taking your grip off so the detent pin for the safety can release pressure. You put the new one in and tighten the other side with an allen wrench on most of the ambi safeties on the market.

The mag release is as simple as pushing on the mag release far enough so that you can turn the piece of metal on the other side and unscrew it. It's just three pieces. and comes right out. The troy goes in and you twist the button side until it's getting tight and then push for a final few turns on the left side. Piece of cake and I'm no gunsmith.

 

[helotaxi]

I'm a lefty as well. Your right thumb is your mag release actuator. No mod to the rifle required at all. Your left index finger drops the bolt using the standard lollipop. Again no mod required. IMO the BAD lever makes no sense for a lefty but makes plenty of sense for a righty.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Norgon makes one heck of a nice ambi mag release.

http://www.norgon.com/Home_files/AmbiCatch.htm

Battle Arms Development - Ambidextrous Safety Selector (BAD-ASS) is the best ambi safety by far. Large choice of handles it's also available as a 45* safety. The 45* safety is really slick. I didn't think it would make as much of an improvement as it does. I put one in my AXTS A-DAC-F and like it so much I well be replacing all my standard 90* badass assemblies with the 45* version.

http://shop.battlearmsdevelopment.com/

 

[Zerodefect]

I'm a lefty as well. Your right thumb is your mag release actuator. No mod to the rifle required at all. Your left index finger drops the bolt using the standard lollipop. Again no mod required. IMO the BAD lever makes no sense for a lefty but makes plenty of sense for a righty.

I agree that the Ar is very ambi friendly stock. But the BAD lever also makes locking the bolt back easy from either side useing the trigger finger. It's really important to make the AR ambi friendly. My cover dictates which side I use.

 

[Thylacine]

I'm a lefty as well. Your right thumb is your mag release actuator. No mod to the rifle required at all. Your left index finger drops the bolt using the standard lollipop. Again no mod required. IMO the BAD lever makes no sense for a lefty but makes plenty of sense for a righty.

The AR (with the A2 stub) is about as left friendly as anything I have ever shot.

 

[Rexster]

I only do TWO things to an AR to make it more lefty friendly: I install a charging handle with an extended latch, my favorite being the BCM Gunfighter, and a Rock River Arms single-sided safety with the star-shaped nubbin in the lever portion. Please note that I did not say ambidextrous safety. I have no use for a safety with a lever on each side of the weapon, and I say this as a lefty. The star-shaped nubbin facilitates using the base knuckle of the left hand to off-safe the weapon, a very natural act with a bit of practice.

This method is shown in Kyle Lamb's excellent book. He does not advocate the installation of an ambidextrous safety, and I figure he should have the experience to know about this.

Actually, my AR does have an extended bolt release. (Bigger ping-pong paddles.) While it makes it easier for the left trigger finger to reach, I can reach the stock part well enough, so this was not necessary, and will not be repeated with my next AR lower.

My previous AR15 had a Norgon ambi mag release. While a very well-made part, it was, quite simply, unnecessary.

Overall, the AR 15 platform is quite lefty-friendly, as originally designed. Devices such as the Magpul BAD lever enable disadvantaged righties to more effectively use a very left-friendly weapon system.

Disclaimer: We all have uniquely-constructed bodies, so this lefty's wants and needs, and experiences, may well differ from those of others.