Fully ambidextrous

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Grover06

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I'm aware of ambi control such as KAC's mag release and the magpul BAD, along with various other designs/producers.
was wondering if anyone has any experience shooting with these or similar products. and recomendations as to wich ones are better then other? or more imoportantly if certain products will interfere with each other, the bolt stop depresses my mag catch or my mag catch depresses my bolt catch etc.etc.
I'm an Ar15 fanatic and completely obsessed with my 15-22 (as i suspect most if not all of you are) i love shooting it and i would love to turn it into a fully ambidextreous weapon.
(im a lefty if you haven't figured that out by now)
all in all just a general discusion on amidextrous conrtols for the 15-22.
 
The Battle Arms Development ambi selectors are a must IMO.

Next is an ambi mag release. Troy and Norgon make some nice ones. I still need to pick one of these up.

Another nice lefty mod is the Plinker Tactical ambi charging handle.

The last thing I did was install a Troy ambi sling mount on the tube. My 15-22 wasn't an MOE an didn't come with the QD sockets in the lower. I like the Troy mount anyway, it doesn't feel like it's going to break.

I don't see the point of having a BAD lever if the main shooter is left handed. It will only get in the way IMO, but it's not my rifle.
 
Gopher Slayer said:
Another nice lefty mod is the Plinker Tactical ambi charging handle.
Click to expand...

The latch is first rate; the handle itself, not so much. It looks like it was machined with a dull end mill and is considerably dimensionally undersized, compared to the original. The fit is very sloppy.

I just replaced the charging handle with the one from NDZ. The fit and finish is excellent, and the dimensions vary from the original only enough to stay clear of patent violations. I put the PT latch on the NDZ handle and am so much happier with the combination.

I normally highly recommend the stuff that Jody carries, but not this one. What he makes, on the other hand, is excellent.
 
Majorlk said:
The latch is first rate; the handle itself, not so much. It looks like it was machined with a dull end mill and is considerably dimensionally undersized, compared to the original. The fit is very sloppy.

I just replaced the charging handle with the one from NDZ. The fit and finish is excellent, and the dimensions vary from the original only enough to stay clear of patent violations. I put the PT latch on the NDZ handle and am so much happier with the combination.

I normally highly recommend the stuff that Jody carries, but not this one. What he makes, on the other hand, is excellent.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you here...my plinker does not have any of the variances that you talk about...maybe I just got lucky, or maybe their manufacturing processes have gone down hill since I got mine, but the plinker I have is first rate, with no mill marks, and is dimensionally the same size as the original S&W charging handle. I looked hard at the NDZ product, but for the inflated price, just could not justify getting that, then getting an ambi latch. The NDZ piece is nice, but if they made an ambi latch, it would be very impressive. Like I say, maybe I just got lucky, but given what I received from Plinker, I would go with them over NDZ every day.
 
Majorlk said:
The latch is first rate; the handle itself, not so much. It looks like it was machined with a dull end mill and is considerably dimensionally undersized, compared to the original. The fit is very sloppy.

I just replaced the charging handle with the one from NDZ. The fit and finish is excellent, and the dimensions vary from the original only enough to stay clear of patent violations. I put the PT latch on the NDZ handle and am so much happier with the combination.

I normally highly recommend the stuff that Jody carries, but not this one. What he makes, on the other hand, is excellent.
Click to expand...

The machining on mine doesn't look the best either. However, in this case it doesn't bother me too much. I grew up shooting AKM's.

I probably would have gone with NDZ if they offered an ambi latch. It looks nice and smooth from the pics. Can you get one without the goofy stuff all over it?
 
mk842766 said:
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you here...my plinker does not have any of the variances that you talk about...maybe I just got lucky, or maybe their manufacturing processes have gone down hill since I got mine, but the plinker I have is first rate, with no mill marks, and is dimensionally the same size as the original S&W charging handle. I looked hard at the NDZ product, but for the inflated price, just could not justify getting that, then getting an ambi latch. The NDZ piece is nice, but if they made an ambi latch, it would be very impressive. Like I say, maybe I just got lucky, but given what I received from Plinker, I would go with them over NDZ every day.
Click to expand...

Then you got lucky. I have seen three of them besides mine and they were all terrible. As for being the exact dimensions of the S&W, they are not, by PT's own admission in emails to me. They make the undersized on purpose - so they will function under all adverse conditions, their words.

I'm happy you are happy with yours - I just sold mine (less the latch) for $10 and am happy to be rid of it.
 
Gopher Slayer said:
The machining on mine doesn't look the best either. However, in this case it doesn't bother me too much. I grew up shooting AKM's.

I probably would have gone with NDZ if they offered an ambi latch. It looks nice and smooth from the pics. Can you get one without the goofy stuff all over it?
Click to expand...

You mean the engraving? Sure, there's a blank one right on the page.
 
Majorlk said:
The latch is first rate; the handle itself, not so much. It looks like it was machined with a dull end mill and is considerably dimensionally undersized, compared to the original. The fit is very sloppy.

I just replaced the charging handle with the one from NDZ. The fit and finish is excellent, and the dimensions vary from the original only enough to stay clear of patent violations. I put the PT latch on the NDZ handle and am so much happier with the combination.

I normally highly recommend the stuff that Jody carries, but not this one. What he makes, on the other hand, is excellent.
Click to expand...

so whats your recomendation for an ambi charging handle? (and latch)
 
does anybody have better pictures of the NDZ latch then whats available on their website?
 
Last edited:
Grover06 said:
so whats your recomendation for an ambi charging handle? (and latch)
Click to expand...

If PT would sell the latch separately, the PT latch and the NDZ handle. At present PT is the only one making an ambi latch, so unless you want to buy the PT combo and scrap the handle, it's your only choice.
 
Majorlk said:
If PT would sell the latch separately, the PT latch and the NDZ handle. At present PT is the only one making an ambi latch, so unless you want to buy the PT combo and scrap the handle, it's your only choice.
Click to expand...
Maybe we should ask the guy's at NDZ to design an ambi latch, and then we wouldn't have to buy both of them....sucks to be a lefty sometimes, the righties get all the good stuff:(
 
mk842766 said:
Maybe we should ask the guy's at NDZ to design an ambi latch, and then we wouldn't have to buy both of them....sucks to be a lefty sometimes, the righties get all the good stuff:(
Click to expand...

I have already discussed the idea with them. It's a cost of design and production v potential sales thing, not to mention doing it differently from the PT product. I would not hold my breath, although I would love to see them do one, too.

Alternately, I'd like to see PT offer the ambi-latch as a separate item. In my opinion, that's what's selling their handles, not the handle itself.
 
Majorlk said:
What's the matter with the one there? The sit shows it both installed and separate.
Click to expand...

you're right,
i must have visited the wrong website, whatever site i viewed before still showed the ndz products, but ndzporformance.com seems to be a good website.
 
Majorlk said:
If PT would sell the latch separately, the PT latch and the NDZ handle. At present PT is the only one making an ambi latch, so unless you want to buy the PT combo and scrap the handle, it's your only choice.
Click to expand...

i agree that the PT latch looks pretty nice,
what makes the NDZ handle better than the standard? just tolerances and finish?
 
Grover06 said:
i agree that the PT latch looks pretty nice,
what makes the NDZ handle better than the standard? just tolerances and finish?
Click to expand...

If you are referring to the stock S&W as being the standard, the NDZ and PT both are milled from billet aluminum, as opposed to being polymer. As for fit and finish, I posted a comparison of PT's dimensions v S&W's in another thread; the fit, at least on mine and the couple of other I have seen at my range, is very sloppy. The "finish" is simply a poor blue anodizing job over a poor machining job. All of the edges are sharp and there are machining marks all over it.

The NDZ has all the sharp edges eased, there are NO machining marks, the surfaces are bead-blasted and absolutely smooth. The color is an almost perfect match for the lower and upper's color. As far as I am concerned, a totally superior product.
 
Majorlk said:
If you are referring to the stock S&W as being the standard, the NDZ and PT both are milled from billet aluminum, as opposed to being polymer. As for fit and finish, I posted a comparison of PT's dimensions v S&W's in another thread; the fit, at least on mine and the couple of other I have seen at my range, is very sloppy. The "finish" is simply a poor blue anodizing job over a poor machining job. All of the edges are sharp and there are machining marks all over it.

The NDZ has all the sharp edges eased, there are NO machining marks, the surfaces are bead-blasted and absolutely smooth. The color is an almost perfect match for the lower and upper's color. As far as I am concerned, a totally superior product.
Click to expand...

so PT latch with the NDZ/maybe standard charging handle?
sounds good. thanks for the review
 
Grover06 said:
so PT latch with the NDZ/maybe standard charging handle?
sounds good. thanks for the review
Click to expand...

That's certainly an option ... unfortunately the PT latch isn't available separately. If you don't need the ambi-latch, then NDZ all the way.

I was going to do side-by-side photos, but I have already sent the PT handle to someone else who wanted it. The photos would pretty much end the discussion. :)
 
i need to find a combination that will work together, for example ik the norgon ambi mag catch works well and so does the bad lever, but puting them together appearently (acording to several other forums/reviews) will make the norgon impractical because my trigger finger you either relase the bolt while dropping my mag or have to move around the bad lever to drop my mag.
anyone know of any combinations that will work together flawlessly? (or as close as possible to it without going full KAC ambi)
 
I don't think there will be a combo that will work together. It will either be an ambi mag release or a BAD lever. Perhaps something designed along the lines of this type of bolt catch could work but probably not.


On a side note, check out the AXTS full ambi lower! I think that will be my next build.
 

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SimpleWeaponSolutions said:
I don't think there will be a combo that will work together. It will either be an ambi mag release or a BAD lever. Perhaps something designed along the lines of this type of bolt catch could work but probably not.


On a side note, check out the AXTS full ambi lower! I think that will be my next build.
Click to expand...

If you built a fully ambi lower for the 15-22 I would be all in.
I've already asked a gunsmith or two
And called/emailed KAC asking them if they do custom work.
Got a heartbreakingly firm NO.. :'(
If you do make an ambi lower I offer my complete assistance, I've researched ambi ALOT.
(Also I'd like to officially be the first to offer my humble service as a beta tester?)
:D
P.S. I live in Michigan
 
You all must be part of the 20% of lefties that are not right eye dominant like the rest of us. Worked real well in the military so I just shot the rifle RH and all my pistols LH.
In fact if you find you have to close your right eye to be able to shoot LH it means you are most likely in the 80% and would have no problem shooting RH. In my case I have always shot rifles like my late father, also a lefty, RH, and until 2010 I shot my pistols LH (also like him). Then arthritis in my left hand got in the way and I decided to try switching to shooting full time RH with all guns. Because of the right-eye dominance it only took me 4 months to be shooting better than I ever did LH.
 
Last edited:
Grover06 said:
If you built a fully ambi lower for the 15-22 I would be all in.
I've already asked a gunsmith or two
And called/emailed KAC asking them if they do custom work.
Got a heartbreakingly firm NO.. :'(
If you do make an ambi lower I offer my complete assistance, I've researched ambi ALOT.
(Also I'd like to officially be the first to offer my humble service as a beta tester?)
:D
P.S. I live in Michigan
Click to expand...
Not likely though. Not only the lower itself but a new bolt, bolt assembly, new positioned bolt rail grooves in the receiver, new extractor groove in the barrel or a new barrel.
One reason it took awhile for anyone but Stag to build and sell a LH AR.
But considering 80% of lefties could shoot a rifle RH if trained properly at the start, it is not a big market.
 
I meant that I was going to use the AXTS lower for my next AR build. I will not be looking into to making a new lower or upper for the 15-22.
 
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