AR-15 Ambidextrous Charging Handle

Benjamin David | April 4, 2021

The AR-15 Ambi Charging Handle Latch by Guntec is a must have upgrade for the AR-15. It’s designed to add easier charging handle functionality for left handed shooters, but also enlarges the charging handle latch for normal charging handle operation. It is more ergonomic, making charging an AR-15 even easier to use with gloves on, in extreme weather, or with sweaty or wet hands.

At under 9 bucks, the AR-15 Ambi Charging Handle Latch by Guntec is one of the cheapest upgrades that can be made to a standard AR-15. All that is required to swap the handle latch on a mil-spec charging handle is a 1/16 inch roll pin punch and a small hammer.

The Guntec AR-15 ambi charging handle latch on a Strike Industries charging handle.

We decided to swap the latch on a Strike Industries charging handle. Unfortunately, our combination of parts was not plug and play. The geometry of the mil-spec Guntec ambi charging handle latch did not match the non-mils-spec geometry of the stock Strike Industries latch. Fortunately, we were able to grind the Guntec latch to match the geometry of the stock Strike Industries latch.

For most people, the latch upgrade is a plug and play endeavor for mil-spec charging handles. However, if you are unsure about your parts compatibility, then it may be worth purchasing one of the many commercially available enhanced charging handles, and skipping the DIY latch upgrade.

Guntec also offers a fully assembled AR-15 charging handle with the ambidextrous latch we used. Available here.

AR-15 ambi charging handle latch geometry comparison.

Written By Benjamin David

Benjamin is an avid outdoorsman with a wide range of experience hunting, fishing, climbing, and backacking. He brings his knowledge and experience, to Sportsman's Magazine, and is a major content contributor. Leave Ben a comment or question.