I sincerely apologize for the mix up in names, Scott. My bad.
Les Baer & Kimber, S&W, Para,STI, and a few others, provide factory ambi safeties on several models, and I'm sure they don't do this expecting some "sketchy performance", or a "reliability issue", that you opine they have. It is simply an addition and enhancement in components, and options especially to those that are left handed, or may not have the dexterity, or are in need of something that facilitates an option for weak hand drills.
You posted:
"JMB designed it a certain way and like full length guide rods, they have no place on a defense gun. "
That's a relatively close minded vision. Look at golf clubs, look at hand tools, a myriad of other examples can apply. Technology has a way of creating better and better platforms and tools. That's the nature of the human condition. There were no 340yd drives in the 1920's. Now they are pretty consistent.
The point is the safety is not changing the mechanism in which it is engaged, it merely allows it to be done from both sides.
Nothing special, nothing fancy.
Again, I apologize for mistyping your name, it won't happen again.
Good shooting and Stay Safe as well.
tw
Hey TW,
I agree that technology has a place in the advancement of the 1911. I also agree that I am closed minded about the concept of the ambi-safety on a 1911 because I have had too many of them fail.
The left side of the safety actually engages or disengages. The right side lever is nothing more than slave which follows along. The connection point between the two is where the slack occurs over time. This is a significant difference between the original design and that of the modern ambi-safety. The slack causes inconsistent tracking between the two sides. That is my experience and my reason for bringing it up in the first place. I'm not saying that you, or anyone else should not use them. That is up to each person to decide.
Many manufacturers offer guns with ambi-safties because that is what the public wants. Much like the full length guide rod. Both are cool looking and add some value. The question is whether or not the value is worth the potential risk. I did not mean to imply that ambi-safeties were not offered by manufacturers. Just that they are an added risk that some high end manufacturers will not recommend. However, if the customer wants it and it means moving units, they will deliver the guns that way.
Please, don't take my word for it. Ask people like Clint Smith, Ed Brown, Richard Heinie, Bill Wilson or the gunsmiths at someplace like Nighthawk or Gunsite what they think. The two 1911 pistols offered by Gunsite on their web page, a Colt and a S&W are single sided WC extended lever safeties. None of Les Baer's Thunder Ranch guns, designed by Clint Smith come standard with an ambi-safety.
This is taken directly from the Nighthawk Custom Web Site FAQ page:
Q. Do you offer an ambi-safety on your 1911's?
A. If you choose to have an ambi-safety on your 1911, we will install one, but it will not be covered in our lifetime warranty. The 1911 was designed for a single side safety. The axle of the single side safety goes all the way through the frame. In order to create an ambi-safety, it requires taking that solid steel axle, cut it in half, and making some type of dovetail in order for it to un-snap to take the gun apart. By doing this, you have created a natural weak point. They have a tendency to work themselves loose over time, and that is why we do not cover them under warranty.Gunsite offers an improved version of the 1911 thumb safety. It's not ambidextrous. The lever is lower. I imagine that if there is enough demand they may offer an ambi version but who knows. The point being that even when they decided to improve on the 1911 design, they still kept it as a single sided item.
I am open minded enough to keep the ambi-safety on my S&W 1911 PD because it still works, but don't think that I'm not wondering how long that will last.
Ambi-safeties have a place. I'm all for them if the shooter wants it and knows what he or she is getting into. It really is a personal decision. I prefer to avoid them and offered that opinion. I think that you are well informed enough to decide for yourself.
I have enjoyed discussing this with you and look forward to hearing from you again. However, I think it is time for us to just agree to disagree on this one. I'll leave the last word to you.
Thank you!
Stay Safe,