The humble safety lever is usually not high on the customization list for neophytes, but it should be.
I suggest you consider swapping out your stock safety lever for a Krebs Custom model. The Krebs products are an enhancement of the original part because they help the shooter perform a simple but extremely important task —taking full control of the operation of the safety lever. The design allows for continuous finger contact throughout the entire range of motion.
The extended shelf on the lever is ergonomically correct and easy to operate. You can flip the safety with your trigger finger while keeping the shooting hand firmly around the pistol grip.
The location and shape of the lever, a distinct curve, allows the finger to instantly return to the trigger in one fell swoop.
You’re not going to be distracted or lose your sight-picture, even when using an optic.
Another innovation not immediately noticeable to the novice is a bolt hold-open (aka BHO) slot on the lever. The BHO catch allows the operator to easily keep the bolt open so that the range officer can observe whether there’s a round in the chamber.
For years the standard replacement for the stock safety was his Mk VI series ($59), which Krebs designed for Russian-pattern milled and stamped receivers.
The newest addition to the Krebs line is the Mk VII “Ambi Enhanced Safety” ($65.00) made for both left- and right-handed shooters.
Right-handed shooters can manipulate the safety with their index finger and lefties can do so with their thumb.
Quality and finish are first-class on all models. The coating is a durable, smooth matte. The good news is that you don’t have to pay a gunsmith to swap out your safely. Even if you’re a rank amateur, they are easy to install. Simply remove the recoil spring and rotate the old safety toward you. At a certain point, it will pop out of the hole in the receiver. Put the new one exactly where the old one was and rotate in the opposite direction (down). The recoil spring goes in, as does the dust cover. Bingo, you’re done.
In addition to the Krebs Custom series, I’ve heard good things about the R&R Targets safety. The caveat is that it’s not a drop-in. Your gunsmith will have to do some tweaking.