Ambi. safety

[radavis321]

I have a MK-IV colt with a regular thumb safety,So far i have only field stripped the pistol.How difficult is it to replace the safety with an ambi.I like the looks of an ambi thumb safety & would like to try to install one,or is this something i need to let a gunsmith do?

[wichaka]

The left side will need to be fitted to the sear. Then depending on which model ambi you choose, it'll need to be fitted to the grip panel or more.

[Ric4509]

If you're skilled you can do it. There's safety involved because if you mess it up the safety is not gonna work. The work involves filing of the area in the thumb safety that engages the sear. Members of the forum will probably laugh at me by saying that I've messed up 2 safeties before I got it right. Do it slow and easy. Do not rush. I don't know if there's any instruction in this forum for that. I doubt it.

[wichaka]

I can walk you thru it...........it's a bit type consuming, but I've done it here before.

[radavis321]

thanks wichaka,can you recommend what brand of ambi i should get,any one that is of good quality.my 1911 is parkerized finish.

[wichaka]

The one sold by Kings........its one of the best designs out there.

[Delta-x]

I bought a Kings ambi for my Colt 1991, and had it installed by a smith.

The safety is something I didnt want to screwup. Of all the ambi safties

I looked at, Kings I thought was the best. I really like it. Being a lefty,

I needed the ambi, otherwise I would have left it off.

[John]

Yeap, the only ambi I would care to have on my pistols would be the one which secures the right safety panel with the hammer pin. All the others, well, I think they are flimsy! (start the flame war now!).

[wichaka]

If anyone really looks at all the models available, one will find the type that just pushes together (like Springfield uses) without being held together with a pin or the like, is pretty cheap.

[John]

What do you mean? How is the right side secured on the left side of the safety? No levers under the grips, no pins? I've seen some with a screw on the shaft, but I don't think you mean these. Clarify brother, clarify!

[jaybo292]

The one used on the RIA Tactical is held in place by the sear pin.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f253/jaybo292/IMG_1253.jpg

[wichaka]

That's not a bad design either.........

[MacEntyre]

King's ambi safety seems to stand alone in the way it is designed; it also stands alone in price, at twice the cost of most others.

I've looked at Wilson Combat, Cylinder & Slide, STI, McCormick, Mueschke, and Precision Metalworks, but I can find little that describes how the right side is secured.

If you had to choose one as second to King's, which would it be?

[John]

If I am not mistaken, King's safety is about 80$? If so, you may want to call Kimber, they are selling the same safety (secured by the hammer pin) and if I remember correctly from an old discussion I had with Dennis, their price is 65$. Don't quote me on that, this was a long time ago.

[MacEntyre]

King's $96
Kimber $58 *** Thank you, John!
Wilson $58
Cyl & Slide $55
Precision $52
STI $45
McCormick $30
Mueschke $26

[John]

Ah, a market research kind of guy! Great! Thanks.

[Satelliteman]

I put a McCormick 'drop in' on my Para LDA. After some judicious filing to get the two parts to fit (tight enough to need a little force) it did just 'drop in'.

Works great, looks great. I put on a set of SA ambi cut cocobola's bought from a member.

Must have been my lucky day. :)

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/Satelliteman/lda1.jpg

[MacEntyre]

My 1911 armorer has experience with both the Kimber and Wilson Combat ambi safeties. He says the Wilson safety is more rugged, even though it is not pinned. I'm going to go with his advice.

Nice looking Para!