# For you ambidextrous shooters....



## ModernPistolero (Mar 9, 2008)

Without a doubt my next pistol purchase will be a Kimber. But I am at a crossroads. And I am actually losing sleep over it! Just a little background for ya' on what I have carried in the past and how I have evolved...............And maybe some of you can help me.

I started out carrying a S&W 586 .357 Magnum (I love that gun!), then I went to a S&W 4546 double action only (JUNK!). Then I discovered Gaston Glock's little marvel and have been with my beloved Glock Model 22 for SEVERAL years. I am very comfortable and confident with the Glock. It's a fine pistol design. The only thing I felt I had the need to do after I had it for awhile was install 3.5 lbs trigger and polish the feed ramp. After that, she's all good.

Now I want a 1911 based pistol as a carry/range/home defense pistol. And Kimber offers several varieties of features that I want, and some that I don't want, depending on the pistol.

THIS IS WHERE I WANT THE AMBIDEXTRIOUS SHOOTERS TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS!

I am not bragging, but with the Glock I can shoot just as good right handed (strong hand) as I can left handed (support hand). This is very important to me for some crazy, odd reason. 

What this boils down to is the ambidextrous safety. I never had to worry about that with my Glock Model 22. I could flip and flop it back and forth between hands and not have to worry about an "external" safety. Now I want a 1911 based pistol and the Ambi safety is a worry for me as an Ambi shooter.

I like the Stainless Custom TLE II. NICE GUN! I like the Stainless Custom TLE / RL II (In case I want to snap on a light). Again, nice gun! But, niether have an ambi safety, but they have Mepro sights right out of the box. But you really don't need night sights, really!

I also like the Stainless Team Match II and the Stainless Gold Match II. Both come with adjustable sights (not the shaved down, snag free sights like the TLE) and an Ambi safety.

Do you Abi shooters worry about the Ambi safety or just say **** it I will adjust?
Is the Ambi safety worth the extra $300 that Kimber wants?


----------



## BeefyBeefo (Jan 30, 2008)

I don't think the ambi safety is all that important considering the safety would be turned off during the draw which would be with your strong hand anyways. Personally, if you're so comfortable with the Glock, I don't see a reason to change your carry gun. I would stick with the Glock and maybe buy that 1911 as a range gun or a gun more dedicated for the roll of having fun where the ambi safety wouldn't be necessary. Just my .02

-Jeff-


----------



## Jackle1886 (Dec 21, 2007)

I am an ambi shooter, but left hand dominant. And am looking at a carry/home defense/ range gun...ya i know all in one right? But an ambi safetey is a MUST for my purchase. The Springfield 1911 Micro Compact and the Kimber Ultra Tactical Carry II have them. For me, it's a must, just my opinion.


----------



## ModernPistolero (Mar 9, 2008)

JACKLE see's where I am coming from as he's an Ambi shooter. Beefy your missing my point, but yet you hit on it in some light. Yes, I love my Glock. I've had it for a very long time, but this is about graduating to a 1911 based pistol that I can shoot lefty and righty and feel as comfortable with it as I do the Glock. It's the manual safety that is throwing me off. Traditional (or old school) 1911's have the safety on the left side of the pistol. I want to know how ambidextrous shooters adjust to this. Is it a problem for them? 

***Murphy is out there and he will get you. The VERY DAY I change my carry piece is most likely the day that I will have to use it as a lefty.***

See my point!

I had the oppourtunity to shoot a Colt Gold Cup a long, long time ago and INSTANTLY fell in love with it and told myself that I had to get one some day. Now is the day. It might not be a Colt Gold Cup, but if I'm dropping over a $$$GRAND$$$ on a pistol, it's going to be right.


----------



## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Several of my 1911's have the ambi safety but It is not a deal breaker if it's not there. I shoot mostly left handed but can and will at times shoot right handed too when I feel the need. It's not a big deal to bring my trigger finger to slide down eh pistol to let the safety off while I'm lining up a shot. I never have my finger in side the trigger guard until I'm wanting to let one fly anyway.

The commander I am carrying at the moment does not have the ambi safety tho I have a few in my tool box and may change that at some point.


----------



## Jackle1886 (Dec 21, 2007)

Well it looks like to some people, an ambi safety matters, and others, it doesn't. For me, that is a DECIDING factor in purchasing a gun. There are so many choices out there that I might as well only buy a gun that is ambi friendly.


----------



## submoa (Dec 16, 2007)

$.02 for what its worth.

If you train to a degree of proficiency that you can operate all the controls on your gun by muscle memory, why do you do things to make your carry gun thicker and add stuff that works against a smooth profile?

Subcompacts with rails leave me scratching my head.


----------



## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

$300 bucks for a ambi-safty is a little stiff I think. I can understand why you want one but I would put it in myself before I would pay that kind of money. If you can't do it I am sure you can find a gunsmith who will for less than that. Good luck.


----------



## Jackle1886 (Dec 21, 2007)

the extra $300 is for the "tactical" option, even though it may be on a 3" pistol. One of the extras for the tac option is ambi safety. I looked on Springfield's website and it's $100 bucks to send your gun in and have them put on an ambi safety.


----------



## Liberty1 (Mar 9, 2008)

I say spend the 3 bills. You only live once. Hell, a good beer in a decent bar is $5 where I live and a pack of smokes is even more. (Heh, heh, I've used this sort of rationalization for many purchases in my life!)


----------



## ModernPistolero (Mar 9, 2008)

*$300 difference....*

The $300 (or $400, I can't remember which now) difference is the MSRP between the Kimber TLE and a Gold Match Stainless. For $300 or $400 more I get the ambi safety, plus a little extra finesse from the factory.

I'm leaning toward the Gold Match or the Team Match. Strictly due to the fact that it has the ambi safety and a lighter trigger pull. If I go with the TLE, I would have to send it back to Kimber (or to an "authorized" armorer) and get a lighter trigger job done. I know a 1/2 lbs isn't much, but a 1/2 lbs is a 1/2 lbs. I prefer a crisp 3.5 lbs trigger pull. That's just my preference. When I installed (and polished) a 3.5 lbs connector in my Glock it made a world of difference. And to be honest the polishing probably cut some pull weight off of that 3.5 lbs connector.

Why Kimber doesn't just use an adjustable, skeleton type trigger in the first place is beyond me!


----------

