Norgon Ambi-Catch Ambidextrous Magazine Release – Product Review

If you’ve read some of my other post on here, you’ll know that I am a big fan of any type of ambidextrous equipment for the AR-15. Parts of the original AR-15 design just don’t make sense to me. Especially when it is so easy to convert them to ambidextrous. There are three main items that many people, including myself, believe should be ambidextrous. The Magazine Release, the Safety Selector and the Bolt Catch/Release.

Obviously that is why a few companies such as Magpul and Phase5Tactical make B.A.D. Levers and Battle Arms Development makes the absolutely best Ambi Safety Selector.

But what about the Magazine Release? That’s where Norgon, LLC comes in. They have created the industry standard Ambidextrous Magazine Release called the Ambi-Catch. In-fact the Ambi-Catch is approved by the USMC for use on all M16 rifles and M4 carbines. The Ambi-Catch is a drop-in replacement of the standard magazine catch and installs in minutes while retaining the original magazine release button. You will want to get the optional Ambi-Catch Tool for $9 as it makes the installation a lot easier.

Once installed it takes almost no time to become second nature. Whether you are a right handed shooter looking to use your left thumb to depress the mag release or a left handed shooter looking to use your trigger finger to depress the mag release the action is very ergonomically correct. The Ambi-Catch release button is a non-slip serrated depression surface that is easily discernible from the rest of the Ambi-Catch body.

There are a few different methods to changing a magazine. I prefer to use the “Tactical Reload” method. This is where a right hand shooter continues to support the weight of the weapon at the pistol grip while the non-firing hand’s thumb depresses the Ambi-Catch and releases the spent magazine. The non-firing hand then inserts a new magazine. Without my Ambi-Catch I couldn’t perform this type of reload.

I have had the Ambi-Catch installed on my AR-15 for about a month now and have had no issues what soever. My standard mag release body used to get hung up on the mag release slot (non-ejection side) if depressed too far. The Norgon Ambi-Catch does not have that issue. You can tell just by holding it in your hand that this is a high quality piece of engineering. Every time I depress the Ambi-Catch it surprises me how smooth the action is. During the past month I have spent time testing it at the range and just doing some Insert/Seat/Release practice with my magazines at home and it’s flawless. I’ve tried to find something that I can list as a con but so far there isn’t anything.

I would definitely recommend the Norgon Ambi-Catch to anyone looking to add ambidextrous controls to their AR-15. I’m sure the USMC didn’t just approve of the Norgon Ambi-Catch without putting it through its paces first too.

Check out my personal installation pics below and then head on over to www.Norgon.com to get one for yourself.



