Can ambi safety be switched to standard??

S

Seppeku

New member
Hello all... I just bought a LW Commander XS and I love the gun, but was thinking about installing a standard right side thumb safety instead of the ambi. The question is can this be done just by pulling that one out and putting in the new one or what???

Any help is appreciated...

Thanks,
Steve
 
You can pull out the right side arm of the ambi safety and the gun should still work fine, but you will have an annoying little hole there. If you put in a single side safety, you will still have that hole.

This came up with the Kimber Heritage where if you used to coupon to buy the new dot sight, the mounts for the sight made it necessary to remove the right side thumb safety, leaving a little hole.

Just curious, why would you remove the ambi safety? Is it causing you problems or do you just not like it? Personally, I like them because it allows me right right handed or left handed gun use. It is a lot harder to switch hands and operate the thumb safety if you have it on one side only.

Maybe you could get a machinist to make you a little plug for the hole out of aluminum to match the frame?
 
I don't think you will have any extra holes if you take the ambi-safety off. Then again, I'm usually wrong(I'm working on that).

With the Wilson Ambi-safeties I've installed, there is no extra hole drilled. I did have to carve a little material off the backside of one grip panel on each pistol,and grind one of the pins flush to the frame. What you probably will have is a bunch of fine scatches on the frame beneath the plate of the left hand safety lever. If you re-install a factory safety the pin should go through the holes on both sides of the frame.

I have to agree with DNS about why you would want to remove it. You may decide you need it if you start practicing weak-hand shooting. Something to think about.
 
Colt ambidextrious safetys uses a modified disconnector/sear retention pin to hold the safety together. The modified pin is slightly enlongated and this permitted a slot to be milled into it. Said slot engages the lip in the left thumb safety, preventing it from falling out. This, in my opinion, is superior to the interconnecting type safety used by other manufacturers. It was more secure and required less modification of the grips.

Replacing your safety is not a matter of merely dropping in a new part. It must be fitted to ensure proper engagement and operation. While this is not a hard task, leave it to a gunsmith or have the gunsmith check your work.
 
4V50 Gary

Thank you for the clarification. I knew if I posted twice in one day I could screw up one of them. I forgot about having to fit the new safety to the gun.


I looked at the colt safety, but chose the Wilson because I liked the shape and finish better for my Springfields. It took about two hours of touching up this part and that part each time I installed one on a gun. At $55.00 each, it can be a little nerve-racking to grind just the right amount off of the engagement points without going too far and ruining the part. I got lucky twice and they both function just fine. A gunsmith is a good idea for safe function, and it would probably be cheaper than having to buy another safety if you screw up the first one.

The next 1911 I buy will have to come from the factory with an ambidextrous safety, because it's a pain to do it yourself.
 
Thanks guys!!!

Thanks for all the help... I think I will keep the ambi safety, but the one in the gun now is very weak and it doesn't look like it goes all the way "up" as far as it should to engage the slide. There is a lot of space between the top of the safety and bottom of the slide groove. It does work, but taking it off of safety is very weak and I'm worried about it.

I may just invest in a Wilson ambi safety and have a gunsmith install it and make it work like it's supposed too...

Thanks again and any more help is appreciated...

Steve
 
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