Ambi-safety -vs- Single Safety

[bird]

I hope this is the right place to ask this ?

On a 1911/2011 style pistol is the ambi-safety a weaker design than a single side safety?

I have seen the ambi-safety break but have never seen (or heard) of the single sided safety break.

How important is it to have an ambi-safety on your gun?

I for one think it is a nice feature when I have to hold a prop with my right hand and grab the pistol off a table with my left hand and shoot or do a transfer from rh to lh, etc but is it really necessary?

probably not

But I was also thinking that it is not necessary as I don't ride the safety with my thumb while shooting with 1 hand and if If I shoot a glock or a revolver this would not even be an issue..

What does everyone here think about this?

[L9X25]

Bird,

The only really vulnerable part of and ambi safety is the left-handed side of the safety. If there is going to be a break it will usually occur on the interlocking shaft that transfers the torque to the "normal" side of the safety. You would still be able to engage/disengage the safety on the usual side even if the ambi side were broken.

If installed properly a quality ambi safety will practically last as long as the gun itself.

Leo

[Skywalker]

I must admit of being quite amused by the "ambi safety breakage" issues that have been recently raised in the forums.

I mean, I have a SS Colt 1911 to which I fitted a Wilson tactical ambi safety, and a box stock Competition SVI for Standard Division, which sports an Ed Brown ambi safety.

Both the guns have undergone plenty of shooting and I have never experienced such a brekage.

Is there something I will learn in the future?

Are these breakage something that everyone will eventually experience?

I'm prone to think it should not be so common, because among teammates and fellow shooters I never heard of this issue, but I'm starting to worry!

[Duane Thomas]

On a 1911/2011 style pistol is the ambi-safety a weaker design than a single side safety?

Yes, but it can be strong enough, especially for occasional use by right-handers. It's lefties who have to use the off-side lever all the time who tend to get the breakage problems.

How important is it to have an ambi-safety on your gun?

Opinions differ. Personally I wouldn't carry a 1911 without one. If my right arm is injured, I need to be able to draw and off-Safe the gun left-handed. For competition, they're a very nice feature, as well.

But I was also thinking that it is not necessary as I don't ride the safety with my thumb while shooting with 1 hand

You should be. I've seen thumb safeties knocked on during firing, or even popping up of their own weight, if the safety lever isn't physically held in the down position by the thumb.

[tightloop]

I have had an ambi safety on every 1911 since 1978, eleven by count, two Hi Powers. Over 1mm rounds and have never had a hint at a breakage.

Installation by a guy who knows his stuff and quality parts help eliminate problems.

[crazyaboutguns]

Ambi safetys operated by right hand shooters are not routinely subject to the stresses imposed by left hand

shooters who shoot with a high thumb. Their technique transmits torque thru the joint between the right side

of the safety and its left side. This is a legitimate issue for left handed shooters.

R. Sparks

[crazyaboutguns]

On a 1911/2011 style pistol is the ambi-safety a weaker design than a single side safety?

Yes, but it can be strong enough, especially for occasional use by right-handers. It's lefties who have to use the off-side lever all the time who tend to get the breakage problems.

How important is it to have an ambi-safety on your gun?

Opinions differ. Personally I wouldn't carry a 1911 without one. If my right arm is injured, I need to be able to draw and off-Safe the gun left-handed. For competition, they're a very nice feature, as well.

But I was also thinking that it is not necessary as I don't ride the safety with my thumb while shooting with 1 hand

You should be. I've seen thumb safeties knocked on during firing, or even popping up of their own weight, if the safety lever isn't physically held in the down position by the thumb.

If your right arm is disabled, how can a draw with the left hand be performed? If a left handed draw can be

performed, why can one not also disengage a non-ambi safety?

[tightloop]

Not to be argumentative, but most ( I want to say all, but cannot remember) of the ambi's I have had, bottomed out on the grip, into a detent my 'smith put into the grip slab. any extra force put on the right lever by a left handed shooter would be pushing on the grip slab and ultimately the bushing in the frame, not torquing the tongue/grove connection between the left and right portions of the ambi safety.

All these pistols have been single stack 1911's, so I can't say what happens with the wide body pistols where this type of installation cannot be done.

It might be as you say on the wide body pistols.

[Duane Thomas]

If your right arm is disabled, how can a draw with the left hand be performed? If a left handed draw can be performed, why can one not also disengage a non-ambi safety?

I've been taught two techniques. One is called the "belly roll." Reach around the front of your body with the left hand. Grab the gun butt. When you draw the gun you'll be holding it upside down. Jam the top of the slide into your belly and "roll" the gun over and into a standard grip. The second technique doesn't really have a name, I just call it the "behind the back" technique. Reach around behind your back and grab the butt of the gun, then draw.

It is possible to off-Safe a 1911 with single-sided safety with the left hand. Just grip the butt REAL hard with the fingers of the left hand, then bring the thumb around the grip safety, thumb the safety lever down, then bring it back around the grip safety into a standard grip. This technique is not as fast or fumble- or droppage resistent, however, as simply thumbing down the lever on an ambi safety.