M-16 Forward Assist ... did you need it?

[21H40]

Some of the other threads this month had me re-thinking the whole forward assist on the M-16. I was trained to use it as part of the clearing drill "SPORTS" :

1. Slap the magazine
2. Pull the charging handle
3. Observe the chamber
4. Release the charging handle
5. Tap the forward assist
6. Shoot

In my two decades of carrying an M-16 variant, I think I used the forward assist during one training exercise. I had an exceptionally poor example of a rifle issued to me and we went through LOTS of blanks, and a couple of times over those days the bolt would grind to a stop just short of completely engaged.

Taking five minutes to pull the bolt and rub it on my pants did more to correct the issue

Anyone else ever actually use theirs?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Never in the Mil, but nope, never actually needed to use it on a Civvy AR.

 

[Balrog]

I believe in his recount of events, Kyle Rittenhouse used the forward assist to close the bolt when his bolt did not fully close on a live round.

 

[Archie]

One aways needs - a rather flexible term - a means to close the action of an arm. What is the named lever of a lever action rifle? Is it not what closes the action?

Who is so blessed all cartridges chamber without flaw? Bolt rifles can be forced closed should a cartridge - for whatever reason - not fully and completely enter the chamber. Conventional semiautomatic rifles can be 'forced' closed by the charging handle.

One thinks of a forward assist as something added of no value. In reality, it's most everywhere. And, while not always needed in every instance, is quite handy when needed. Much like a spare tire for a car or life jacket in a boat.

 

[AlexanderA]

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

 

[trackskippy]

I always thought they were more of a problem compounder than a problem solver. If the bolt isnt going into battery, I would much rather cycle the charging handle, clear the problem, and give it another go, than to just make the problem worse, and most likely lock up the gun.

I understand the thought behind them, just dont think they really gave it too much intelligent thought.

 

[12Bravo20]

This should get interesting since asking if a forward assist is needed is like asking what oil to use in your vehicle.

That being said. I actually used it a few times while in the Army. So yes I would rather have a forward assist. Now if you have to hit the forward assist any harder than a light tap then you definitely have other issues that needs to be taken care of first.

 

[herrwalther]

I had two uses for it in the Army, outside the SPORTS remedial action drill.

Forward assist is useful in doing silent or low noise brass checks. Pull back on the charging handle slightly, make sure you have a live round. Ride handle forward and hit the forward assist to make sure the bolt is locked forward and ready to fire.

The second, and far more used, instance I used the FA was when some young private would put their rifle back together without the buffer and spring. This causes the bolt carrier to get stuck in the butt stock. I would rig up a section of cleaning rod to pry the bolt carrier forward about an inch. This lined it up to the forward assist and I could tap the bolt back into battery and get the rifle apart for the private I would soon be yelling at.

 

[AlexanderA]

Forward assist is useful in doing silent or low noise brass checks. Pull back on the charging handle slightly, make sure you have a live round. Ride handle forward and hit the forward assist to make sure the bolt is locked forward and ready to fire.

Related to this is the situation where the rifle gets submerged in water, filling the barrel. To drain the water out of the barrel, air has to be introduced at the chamber end. You pull the bolt back slightly to let air enter, and then close it again using the forward assist. Granted, this scenario is unlikely unless you are in the swamps of Vietnam (or in something like the beaches of Normandy).

 

[12Bravo20]

Granted, this scenario is unlikely unless you are in the swamps of Vietnam (or in something like the beaches of Normandy).

Or in Central America.

And from some of the replies, one can see that a forward assist has its place.

For most people, it is a matter of choice on whether to have a FA or not. So go with what works best for you.

 

[21H40]

This should get interesting since asking if a forward assist is needed is like asking what oil to use in your vehicle.

Yeah... that's not the question I was trying to ask, though several of the responses answer it anyway

I am just really curious how many of us have actually needed it.

 

[mljdeckard]

Any time I ever had a stoppage, all the FA did was force a bad cartridge further into the chamber. As or the abovementioned situations where it could help things like draining the barrel.....ok. But I never needed to do it.

 

[12Bravo20]

Yeah... that's not the question I was trying to ask, though several of the responses answer it anyway

I am just really curious how many of us have actually needed it.

I have needed it a handful of times while in the Army. I was either in the mud and muck of Central America or in the Middle East when it was needed.

Again anything more that a light tap means that you have other issues that needs to be corrected.

 

[Riomouse911]

I have had to rack rifles on patrol, usually a full send was possible but occasionally a quiet response was needed. Pushing the handle forward on a Mini-14 or the forward assist on an AR gave me an assurance that all was set to go when noise was minimized.

Stay safe.

 

[jdh]

I
The second, and far more used, instance I used the FA was when some young private would put their rifle back together without the buffer and spring. This causes the bolt carrier to get stuck in the butt stock. I would rig up a section of cleaning rod to pry the bolt carrier forward about an inch. This lined it up to the forward assist and I could tap the bolt back into battery and get the rifle apart for the private I would soon be yelling at.

I wondered why there was a piece of railroad tie secured to the concrete next to the cleaning table at the range. One day a trainee did the above mentioned screw up. The instructor said a few choice words, grabbed the buttstock, slammed the rifle down vertically on to the tie which dislodged the stuck bolt carrier group. A couple more taps on the FA allowed the action to be opened. Ass chewing, remedial training, push ups followed. No, it wasn't me.

 

[herrwalther]

he instructor said a few choice words, grabbed the buttstock, slammed the rifle down vertically on to the tie which dislodged the stuck bolt carrier group.

Was it an M16 or M4? I can see that working with either but I would be afraid the collapsable buttstock of the M4 would break against the impact. Cleaning rod with the slotted tip much easier to carry around though.

 

[trackskippy]

You usually don't have to slam the gun down hard if your pulling on the charging handle at the same time, one or two light bumps usually does it, "unless" of course, you've made the problem worse by trying to hammer the round further into the chamber with the FA.

As 12Bravo20 said above, if a light tap doesn't do it, don't make it worse.

 

[jdh]

Was it an M16 or M4? I can see that working with either but I would be afraid the collapsable buttstock of the M4 would break against the impact. Cleaning rod with the slotted tip much easier to carry around though.

M16, not even an A1. I got out in 1986. Never saw an M4.

 

[Mauser fan]

Fortunately for me I never had to use it in the fire fights I was in. Best to have the feature and not need it than to need it and not have it. In the almost 22 years of military service that I have under my belt with 4 tours to the cat box I saw this feature on 3 variants of the government issued AR platforms.

 

[Varminterror]

I’ve needed FA several times in sporting use of AR’s, whether to finish locking into battery or to even assist in extractor snapping over the rim.

I’ve owned a few and have built lots of slick side uppers and rifles, but I despise the idea of giving up the ability to move my bolts and ammo/brass both forwards and backwards.

 

[C-grunt]

Ive used it more than a few times. Silent racking of the action or chamber checks. Use the FA to ensure the bolt is fully closed.

Another big reason is riding around in Bradleys and Humvees. They bounce around a lot and Ive seen multiple instances where the rough ride has bounced the bolt out of battery slightly.

Clearing water from a barrel is another good time to use the FA to fully seat the bolt. It's not just Vietnam or Navy SEALs either. Lots of rivers and canals in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dudes fall in sometimes.

 

[halfmoonclip]

We were taught some variation of 'SPORTS' in 1970.
My rifle in basic was an M16dash nothing, so there's that...
In the above reference to Kyle Rittenhouse, IIRC, he was stealthily chambering a round.
Wondering if any PPs are mixing problems. I can understand levering the BCG forward until the FA can ratchet it forward, in the case of an omitted recoil spring.
I think the 'slamming on a railroad tie' was used to clear a really out of spec round, while pulling on the charging handle; an effort to get the bolt open.
Moon

 

[ECVMatt]

I use the FA as a hunter when quietly closing the bolt. Just like not slamming the door, I like to ease the bolt forward and then use the FA to ensure that it is fully closed and seated.

A good lightweight AR is one of my favorite coyote calling rifles.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I've never used the FA yet but I'm only in my mid-50s, hopefully I still have a couple of decades left. Maybe I'll use it in that span of years.

 

[ExtremeSquared]

I don't think it's spilling the beans too much to mention this:

In non-combat-arms units, there are some real lemons in the armory. Also, the company-level armorers are not armorers by MOS.

I had an issued M16/M203 that I regularly used the FA on. Neither I nor the armorer had the skills at the time to troubleshoot it, and the non-combat-arms battalion was worried far more about upkeep of other equipment, which objectively made sense. I did get pretty good with the 40mm.

Early/Mid 2000s period.