Flyin40 Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 How many lefties run into ambi safety problems???? I have an edge that had to be sent back several times to fix it. Its now at the smiths and hes come up with a way to take care of it, maybe???? We'll see. I'll post after I get the gun back and try it out. Flyin40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterLefty Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 By problems, what do you mean? Like, leaving the safety laying on the table after picking it up or the safety not disengaging? Kenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRT Driver Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Do you mean breaking the right side? See if your 'smith can fit a Kings Ambi to you blaster. They are stronger for the southpaw that cranks on the right side. FWIW, I've broken two on my Open Caspian. They have replaced it each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Lefties breaking 1911 ambi safeties seem to just be a fact of life. First real gunsmithing task I learned was fitting new ambis. Usually they break on the tab-n-slot mechanism. I haven't tried the Kings or new SV version to see if they're any better. The good thing is the part that usually breaks is the right side (where a lefty's thumb normally goes). Then you can get another ambi of the same make and just replace the right-side lever without needing to refit the safety lug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Les Baer has an ambi on which the lefty lever is much narrower than the right hand lever. Les feels that a left hand shooter - and he is a left hand shooter himself - shouldn't be able to ride the offside lever really hard of they'll snap it off. He makes that lever narrower so they can't do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin40 Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 My smith said he thinks he can make it so no pressure is on it after taking the safety off intially. He said the left hits a stop but the right side does not??? We'll see, I get the gun Monday. Flyin40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Smith and Alexander Micarta grips are cut such that they will provide a "stop" of sorts. I'd look hard at the SV ambis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide45 Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 I have my Para set up so the right side safety lever stops against the top of the grip. After three years it is still tight, but then I am a righty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 I have my Para set up so the right side safety lever stops against the top of the grip. After three years it is still tight, but then I am a righty. You can do that with STI -style frames too-- Tune the bottom of the thumb pad so it bottoms out on the frame when the safety releases. You will still snap them off (just the torque from overcoming the safety plunger will do it eventually), but less often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin40 Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 Well I got the gun back and have yet to try the safety out but I got some details from the smith. Basically he stated the Left side will bottom out and rest on a solid spot where as the right side just hangs there and pressure will cause it to bend. He said he just welded a spot underneath it so the right side will rest on a solid piece and can't bend regardless of pressure. I'll keep you posted on how it works out. Flyin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 As a long time lefty (45 years this Month) I have had the best luck with Kings as others have suggested. A small modifcation on all but a few of the 11 1911's in the safe is to heat and shape the right side lever to rest on the grip panel. I have yet to break one so modified. Of course this mod should work with most any extended make of ambi. Still in a right state of mind PK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 OR...you could just not put a lot of downward pressure on the safety lever. You'll have more consistent sight tracking, a more neutral grip, and a much more durable safety lever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 I use a Kings, but I've added a slide shield, and much larger thumb rest like 1/2 X 3/4 curved with checkering, with a allen head screw in the frame as a stop. I really torque down with my thumb. This is on a para 45 as I always shoot full power hardball. It lets me really control the gun much better. Made big difference between splits. Remember your thumb is your strongest finger, and the only finger with the muscle in the hand rather than the forearm. I think Swenson makes a large platform with slide shield. brownells number 136-102-002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 OR...you could just not put a lot of downward pressure on the safety lever. You'll have more consistent sight tracking, a more neutral grip, and a much more durable safety lever. That must be what's got me still stuck in M class! Thanks Duane I was all off on a tangent thinking it was my lack of practice, commitment and too much trying. Seriously, ambi safeties break when subjected to extended use by left handers. Fact of life. The torque tube just isn't sturdy enough. Snapping the safety on and off is enough to do it, regardless of stops and such like. Stops and grip merely prolong the MTBF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 That must be what's got me still stuck in M class! But at least you know this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin40 Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 No excessive downward pressure is needed to break a safety for a lefty, as Shred said just the normal clicking on and off will do. I like the idea of heating and bending. I have thought about that before. Flyin40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Skip the new SV ambi. I had if fit by a smith and it never was any good on the right side. I took mine out. Any one want one to play with? I think it could work with a few mods but I am not the guy to make them. I will make you a screaimg deal. nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatslayer Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I just got the Kings ambi safety because I thought it was the only safety that would work with a wide body frame. After looking at this safety for a while I have come to the conclusion that there is no physical way for it to be installed on my frame without a lot of modifications. The slot that captures the hammer pin is only open from the top so to assemble the gun the safety (right side) would have to be pointed at the grip screw. In this position the extended part of the safety hits the side of the frame before it bottoms out. If the slot came from the bottom of the safety it could easily be installed and if the slot stopped in the right place it would prevent the common joining tab breakage. I think I will bore a hole bigger than the hammer pin at the end of the slot so that the safety can be slipped over the hammer pin and rotated into position. Does anyone else have a better idea for installing this safety? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin40 Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Just giving everyone an update on the safety. Seems as though my smith is on to something. No problems at all with the safety. The spot he welded underneath takes that extra pressure off of the safety. At least 8000 rounds plus dryfire. Most of the time I don't work the safety in dryfire because of the problems. I'll probably start doing more with it now in dryfire. Flyin40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Here is a link to pics of Kings on a wide body with thumb shield and stop screw, it has lasted over 30,000 rounds. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...&st=0&p=291702& All the way at the bottom are pics. You'll notice that I had to remove some of right side safety at the bottom to get it to clear for retaining pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin40 Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Here is a link to pics of Kings on a wide body with thumb shield and stop screw, it has lasted over 30,000 rounds.http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...&st=0&p=291702& All the way at the bottom are pics. You'll notice that I had to remove some of right side safety at the bottom to get it to clear for retaining pin. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Same idea behind welding a tab on the bottom of the safety. I shoot a 2011 and the tab rest on the top of the grip. Works great. The tab is at the very front of the safety. Flyin40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugs Bunny Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Have King's on a couple of guns and like their dovetail set-up. But, since have long fingers and large hands their paddle is too short and goes way to far back on the left side allowing strong hand knuckle to sometimes push it up just enough to engage. Hard to narrow it back that far witout it looking like a butcher job. Settled on Brown's with the left side narrowed as much as possible. Like the others have mentioned the paddle rest on a set-screw or epoxy pad on top of the right side grip panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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