tark
Member
This statement tells me all I need to know about F/As. I'm glad my AR has one.
Also, somebody ask Kyle Rittenhouse about forward assists . If I remember correctly he said his F/A may have saved his life.
Isn't the forward assist on an AR a dumb idea?
- Thread starter Bulletski
- Start date
Also, somebody ask Kyle Rittenhouse about forward assists . If I remember correctly he said his F/A may have saved his life.
VoodooMountain
Member
You can easily buy an upper without FA. Even then,, the FA doesn't really add but a few ounces??
I don't understand why you're complaining/trolling about this non-issue. Lol
OP
OP
Bulletski
Member
I was going through a similar post thread from 2007 with the same question I posted here. it was around 1/2 and 1/2 that either thought the FW is a good idea or a bad one.
LiveLife
Member
Not really. I recently explained this to a member comparing side charging vs rear charging (Or even dual charging) upper for a build:
- Side charging AR upper like AK/SKS allows the charging handle to be used as forward assist to push a round into full battery for whatever reason (Dirty chamber, magazine issue, slow quiet chambering, etc.). Downside is unlike AK/SKS designed to be field stripped without tools, side charging upper requires tool to loosen the Allen/Torx head bolt to remove the charging handle before side charging proprietary BCG could be removed from upper.
- Dual charging AR upper has both rear and side charging handles but like side charging upper, charging handle must be removed before the BCG could be removed from the receiver. Dual charging upper can use both traditional BCG and side charging BCG but looses the ejection port dust cover.
- Rear charging AR upper allows field stripping of upper/removal of BCG without tools for cleaning/inspection of bolt/chamber.
I prefer rear charging upper for AR15/AR9 but don't mind side charging for AR22.
LimaCharlie
Member.
I was trained on the M-16 in 1969. I carried one in Viet Nam in 1970/1971 and 1972/1973. I qualified Expert Marksman with an M-16 annually for ten years in the Army National Guard. I own and shoot several AR-15s. I have never needed to use the forward assist.
LiveLife
Member
So you were the lucky few that got perfect M16s that never got dirty from perfect ammunition and perfect magazines that never got damaged.
I was medic in the Army but was "volunteered" to help out in our unit's armory and we spent a lot of time working on M16s and 1911s (Even new out of the box 1911s and to me "Mil Spec" is not a good four letter word as it's lowest bid government contract) to make sure they worked reliably without issues because having to use the forward assist repeatedly IS NOT "working reliably without issues". Ah, happy memories ... It was fun to be handling "weapons" and getting paid ... I treated the ones that did not cycle reliably or fed rounds from magazines as "injured"
and gave them "clean bill of health" once they cycled reliably smooth as butter. 
Usually, once weapons were made reliable, they tended to stay reliable unless "operator error", parts breakage or damage were involved (Tell me about "Mil Spec" cheap lowest bid government contract magazines.
No wonder they went to Magpul magazines with anti-tilt followers
).
Last edited:
bfoosh006
Member
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2008
- Messages
- 1,087
Well... the tapered case sure helps.
Sistema1927
Member
Nope, the charging handle doesn't work that way on an AR.
entropy
Member
So does that big charging handle sticking out the right hand side of the bolt.....would work quite well as a forward assist if needed.
Funny, I was an Armorer in a medical unit that was volunteered to act as a medic in field training.......or a wounded soldier, complete with moulages.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I often wonder if some guy somewhere said “I wish I had a dollar for every time the validity of forward assists are brought up.” And at that same moment a Genie granted his wish with the promise that he’ll make just enough money to buy a case of Natural lite beer every few months. His Genie is a jerk.
I won't own an AR15 that doesn't have a Forward Assist. I use my forward assist frequently and will also frequently instruct others to do the same.
I was able to keep my M16 firing that covered in sand, during Army training. I did that by working it like a bolt action - manually working the charging handle to loading each road and tapping the forward assist to fully seat the round. Over and over.
I was able to keep my M16 firing that covered in sand, during Army training. I did that by working it like a bolt action - manually working the charging handle to loading each road and tapping the forward assist to fully seat the round. Over and over.
I reckon the same way my side charger w/o FA does.....wonder if that thing sticking out to the side has anything to do with it?
EIB0879
Member
Same here during deer hunting.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
The stuff folks argue over.
EIB0879
Member
I reckon the same way my side charger w/o FA does.....wonder if that thing sticking out to the side has anything to do with it?
I used to thumb the side charging handle on my Rem. 742 with the same effect. An AR forward assist is easier.
herrwalther
Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2013
- Messages
- 8,130
First time you have a junior soldier forget to put their buffer and spring back in, you will love that forward assist getting it fixed. I have also been in environments where doing a silent press check was necessary. The forward assist helps with that too.
troy fairweather
Member
It seems there's still many that don't understand Recipiating vs non reciprocating charging handles and why the AR needs a FA.
falmike
Member
The stoppage drill we were taught had the Acronym “SPORTS.”
Slap…..the bottom of the magazine
Pull…..the charging handle fully to the rear (this would extract and eject suspect round)
Observe…..the chamber to ensure it was clear
Release…..the charging handle
Tap…..the forward assist
Shoot
Hopefully in this context it’s purpose makes more sense.
C-grunt
Member
The FA definitely has it's place on a fighting rifle. When the rifle gets dirty, dry, hot, or worn out it might not function right. Ive seen the bolt fail to fully seat over the years many times and several times were diving to the ground or a big bump in a vehicle caused the bolt to unlock. I cant remember a single time where a bolt failed to lock because there was an actual obstruction in the chamber.
Not every soldier is spending the night in a big FOB. Lots of dudes spend extended times on mountain tops and living in a hole. Your weapon is never clean for very long in that environment. Add in an extended firefight that burns off much of your lube, dust constantly in the air, and a rifle that's 10 years old and had 30k rounds through it, and you have a recipe for failures to lock.
Not every soldier is spending the night in a big FOB. Lots of dudes spend extended times on mountain tops and living in a hole. Your weapon is never clean for very long in that environment. Add in an extended firefight that burns off much of your lube, dust constantly in the air, and a rifle that's 10 years old and had 30k rounds through it, and you have a recipe for failures to lock.
Last edited:
I watched the video of Rittenhouse using the FA because one of his rounds didn't fully chamber.
During the Vietnam War estimates were put forth that for each enemy killed U.S. forces fired more than 50,000 rounds. So at least some of these guys were doing a good bit of shooting. I can definitely see how a gun that is being fired at high rates without a chance to clean might struggle to chamber a round, and the thing doesn't really add a lot of weight or complexity to the design, so it's one of those things I just really don't think about.
During the Vietnam War estimates were put forth that for each enemy killed U.S. forces fired more than 50,000 rounds. So at least some of these guys were doing a good bit of shooting. I can definitely see how a gun that is being fired at high rates without a chance to clean might struggle to chamber a round, and the thing doesn't really add a lot of weight or complexity to the design, so it's one of those things I just really don't think about.
marksman13
Member
I don’t care either way, but the FA does serve a purpose when trying to quietly chamber a round. I can do mostly the same thing without the FA, by sticking my thumb through the open dust over and pushing the bolt forward. If that doesn’t matter to you, so be it.
If you saw a thread from 2007 that showed the board is roughly split 50/50, what made you think the opinions were going to be any different this time around?
If you saw a thread from 2007 that showed the board is roughly split 50/50, what made you think the opinions were going to be any different this time around?
Last edited:
Corpral_Agarn
Member
Man I was hoping that someone had brought up the Rittenhouse use
mcb
Member
Stoner thought it was a bad idea...
I can quiet chamber my AR using my thumb through the ejection port pushing on the notch for the port door. I have never fixed a problem with a forward assist but I have made a couple worst. A few of my ARs do not have a forward assist.
Each to his own, if you like it have at it, if you don't that's cool too you can do without it with practice.
I can quiet chamber my AR using my thumb through the ejection port pushing on the notch for the port door. I have never fixed a problem with a forward assist but I have made a couple worst. A few of my ARs do not have a forward assist.
Each to his own, if you like it have at it, if you don't that's cool too you can do without it with practice.
Try that with a hot bolt after a few magazines fired through the rifle.
As myself and others have stated, we have used the forward assist in combat and in all type of environments. I sure won't be using my thumb on a hot bolt.
For the OP and others that think the forward assist has no use, then buy uppers without it. For the rest of us, we will keep the forward assist as it does have its place whether in combat or for hunting.
