An ambi safety can add a lot of functionality to your AR-15. Here we take a look at Aero Precision’s PRO model.
The problem with most AR-15 ambidextrous safeties is the tiny little screws holding them together. The even tinier Allen wrenches meant to tighten them are one moment’s oversight from bending to uselessness.
On a personal note, the wings of ambi safeties tend to be too big for me, and the offside one interferes with my trigger finger. But that’s my problem. Yours, and ours, is assemblage. Well, Aero has solved the problem.
The M4E1 Pro ambi safety selector kit comes with the center shaft, which is cut to work as a safety, two wings, and the spring and plunger to work them.
Now, if your rifle already has a safety on it, the spring and plunger are both superfluous. But they’ll be handy as spares.
The neat trick to the Aero approach is that the wings are both separate parts from the shaft. The center shaft is cut for clearance and to block the trigger when on “safe,” so you’ll have to pay attention when you install it. However, the shaft also has square bosses on the ends. These fit into the recesses in the wings.
And the real trick? There are captured, spring-loaded plungers in the shaft on the ends in those bosses. So, once you have figured out which side is up, press one wing over the boss, use a small-tipped tool to depress the plunger and snap the wing onto the shaft.
Yes, it’s that easy. Press the assemblage into the receiver (with the correct parts assemblage of trigger, disconnector and hammer already there) and press the existing frame-installed plunger down for clearance. (If you’re building from parts, the frame spring and plunger go in just before the pistol grip goes on.)
Once the one-wing-and-shaft assemblage is in place, press the other wing over the boss and use your sharp-pointed tool to depress the plunger. Once it snaps in place … well, you’re done.
No more fiddly little Allen-socket screws of minuscule thread size to fuss over. If you ever want to disassemble it, use a small press pin to depress the plunger. Yes, Aero thought of that and the hole for the plunger goes through the wing, so you have access.
You have your choice of black, OD Green, or Kodiak brown so you can mix or match your new ambi safety to your AR-15 lower or next build project.
Now, some might object that $65 is a bit much for a safety selector, and if you don’t need an ambi, that’s probably correct. After all, you can buy a plain-Jane GI one for, what, $8 plus shipping?
But if you need an ambi, or you feel the need for an ambi, you might as well make life (installation life that is) easier.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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