I'm lefty and have some limitations when it comes to releasing a mag and reloading.  I did some searching and saw the Ambi-Catch.  With a 80 something price tag I was wondering if some of you south paws out there like it, and do you find it was worth it.

Thanks

My son is a lefty, so I got an Ambi Safety and the Norgon Ambi Mag Catch for my build.

I haven't completed my build, but have trial fitted the mag catch and loaded some mags.  It seems to work as advertised.  Allows you to drop a mag with the exact same motion from the left hand as from the right hand.

The $80+ price tag does seem a little steep, but its probably just low volume enough that the price is driven up by that.  The norgon does seem to be quality, and a lot more complex to build than the standard right hand only $3 mag catch, but yea, it still doesn't look like $80 worth.  BUT, you don't have a cheaper alternative unless you want to use AirSoft parts.

An ambi charging handle, sorry I have a standard, since the motion is exactly the same left or right handed and uses several fingers, I can't see what is so difficult to use a different finger for the charging handle?

The bolt catch, unfortunately the only ambi bolt catches I've seen are NOT only ugly, they interfere with any ambi mag catch.  I think there are few stripped lowers that add an ambi bolt catch that goes through the lower to the other side, but they are expensive and uncommon.

I love my KAC ambi mag release...works great

+1 I don't know if it's worth the price to you but I have to say it's a nice feature on my KAC and Magpul lowers.

the norgon bolt catch works.

I am RH. At one time I had the norgon ambi mag catch installed and I used it almost exclusively. It requires some break in time. After that it functions very smooth...  so smooth in fact...
It it were a beer, it would be the Newcastle nut brown ale of LH shooter parts.

I only sold it because I can use the stock bolt catch just as good, and got 85$ for it on the EE.

I have the Norgon. Works well. For me a lefty its worth it . IMHO

I have Norgon AMBI-Catches on several rifles and i am not even left hand dominant.
The Ambi-catch allows me to grab the magazine with my left hand and thumb the release at the same time.
The magazine doesn't fall to the ground, it stays in my left hand where it is transferred to my dump pouch.
These are expensive additional goodies but worth it if you are looking to maximize the weapon potential.


If your hands are large enough, mine are, with practice you can also have a spare loaded magazine in the left hand and still perform this manuever.
Thumb the empty into your fingers, rotate your hand back and insert the new magazine, with the empty secured against the palm, reach up and release the bolt catch.
Weapon is again hot and on target as you transfer the empty to your dump pouch.

These things aren't just for lefties.
There are some drawbacks that need to be addressed however,
You must tighten the magazine catch down more than you might like for a right side only release.
It must require a very firm push on the magazine catch from either side to release the magazine.
If you don't do this, you run the risk of webbing or pouches hitting the left side release and dumping your loaded magazine.

This isn't an issue as long as you make sure the catch is screwed down pretty tight.

Another issue is that the magazine catch area must be kept clean.
Failure to clean regularly will allow fouling, dried oil, goo, mud, etc. to accumulate and this can jam the magazine catch.
Like a regular right side only catch, smacking the catch with the butt of your knife or what have you will get it to release, but if it is gooed up to this point, the left side
release will probably not work at all until it is cleaned.

Another tricky item to have for both lefties and non-lefties is the Armadynamics ambi charging handle.
In this picture shown below a standard charger handle with Badger Gen ll Tac-Latch installed.

This handle doesn't incorporate extended levers or other such features that can catch or become entangled on other equipment.
This handle uses a new camming action design to allow the charger handle to be released and manipulated from any angle and with either hand WITHOUT having to depress
the handle release.
Just grabbing the handle and pulling straighht back will unlock the release and allow bolt carrier manipulation.
You can even get it to release and cycle using one finger on the right side curve to pull unlock and pull the handle back.
Pretty tricky and handy if you find yourself with an injured or not completely functional hand.
Very functional for left handers as you are not groping around for the release latch.
I have been using one of these for a very short time and predict that if it holds up, and it certainly feels like it will, this item may become standard on all future AR15/M16 designs.
Good stuff.
Both the ambi-catch and the ambi charger handle will set you back about $160.
If you think this is expensive, ask yourself how much your back up irons, your tricky state of the art sling, and your optic mount and your optic cost.
In the world of relativity, these items are cheap and functional additions to your personal weapon.

I'm not a lefty but for me it is worth it because I like to do my mag changes both strong and support side.

I've got Norgon on my home defense and SHTF carbines.


http://www.geocities.com/norgon1/index.html

Thanks.   If the part works as advertised is worth it.  I'll start with the Ambi-Catch and work my way to the Charging handle.

Now I know what my next upgrade is.

I put a Norgon AmbiCatch and an ambi safety on a POF P-415 Gen III lower.  I haven't used the left handed feature much, but left handed friends appreciate it.  I also got the ambi charging handle mentioned above.  That's a sweet piece of kit.

This is an awesome post. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. Been looking for some good user info on exactly those two things.

I'd suggest you build up your rifle(s) with the following ambi components if you want to maximize efficiency:

First, ambi selector ($33)
Second, ACLM ambi charging handle ($84)
Third, Norgon ambi mag release ($89)

The selector switch is a no-brainer upgrade and the ACLM is worth every penny IMO.  I need more repetitions before the Norgon will be ingrained in my natural reactions, but it's growing on me.  The only piece of the puzzle I haven't fully solved is the bolt catch.  God only knows when Magpul might release the BAD and I haven't tried another bolt catch solution yet.  Somebody mentioned the Wilson Combat oversized paddle in another "lefties" thread and that might work if I can afix it at the 3 o'clock position.  I just haven't had a chance to call Wilson yet before giving it a try.  Brownell's has a couple of extended levers, but I've read mixed reviews.

Now that just ain't right!

Looking at the Knight's, it is interesting but quite a bit more involved than the Norgon.
About the same price too.