Forward Assist - Do you "need" it. Why?

[Kirk Freeman]

There is a disconect in industry...lol!

So too in the gun culture.

 

[Alpo]

* double tap *

 

[Kirk Freeman]

More on the Exploder:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/12/14/rifleman-qa-why-have-a-forward-assist/

 

[Alpo]

Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
If you don't love me anymore.
Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when I lost your love.
I wake up in the morning and I wonder.
Why everything is the same as it was.
And I can't understand,
No I can't understand Why life goes on the way it does.
Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world?
It ended when we said goodbye.

I wouldn't rely upon one without it in a combat situation. You don't do combat? Why did you buy an AR?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

A Reader's Digest version of the history of the AR-10, M16, XM16E, etc. which includes the addition of the forward assist. Big Army, buying in lots of 100K wanted the forward assist as, by Gum, the M1 and M14 had something to karate chop forward so should this piece. He that has the gold makes the rule:

https://gundigest.com/reviews/the-ar-16m16-the-rifle-that-was-never-supposed-to-be

[FONT=&amp]The forward assist was one of the changes on which he was not consulted and Mr. Ichord asked Gene Stoner his opinion of the device.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]Gene Stoner [To Mr. Ichord]: “I wasn’t in on that, except I was told the Army insisted on it. There were reasons for it.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]One reason was that they felt that due to the fact that the M1, and the M14 rifle, and the carbine had always had something for a soldier to push on; that maybe this would be a comforting feeling to him, or something. I could never quite get it through my mind that it was necessary. I did not really advise it. I thought it was a mistake, myself. But I made my thought known to the people.”[/FONT]

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What I find hilarious is that the M16 MUST have a forward assist in the gun culture, but the FAL, considered one of the most reliable pieces in the world, does not have a forward assist.

You will often see the people insisting on a forward assist for the AR-15 concurrently praising the FAL.

Ah, gun nuts!

 

[KJQ6945]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/gundig...6-the-rifle-that-was-never-supposed-to-be/amp

I was reading it while Kirk was posting it. It's a good read.

 

[KDUBCR250]

I'd rather have it and never need it than the other way around.

 

[nakinate]

I'll answer the question asked in the poll. Is it a deal breaker? Not at all. However, given how the FA is on so many rifles I don't see the point in not buying an upper with one. I've never used mine, but it's not hurting anything by being there.

Do I need a dust cover?

I'd trust an M&P 15 Sport and it doesn't have those features.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I'll answer the question asked in the poll. Is it a deal breaker? Not at all. However, given how the FA is on so many rifles I don't see the point in not buying an upper with one. I've never used mine, but it's not hurting anything by being there.

Do I need a dust cover?

I'd trust an M&P 15 Sport and it doesn't have those features.

YES!

 

[lonehoosier]

Necessity depends on what you're doing with it. If it's a toy, nothing is necessary.

For serious work, I would not consider a rifle without a FA. Even if you never have a malfunction, you use it to make sure the bolt is closed after a chamber check.

^^^^^^^^^^ T H I S ^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Kirk Freeman]

^^^^^^^^^^ T H I S ^^^^^^^^^^

"THIS" can be done with a finger with the original forward assist Stoner devised (the depression in the bcg).

The forward assist is Big Army's fidget spinner. People want a gadget, a geegaw, a button to push (we as primates love toys) and Stoner, with objection, gave them one.

The designer of the weapon saw no use for it. USMC and USAF did not want it, but Big Army was buying in warehouses so it exists. It's not needed; it is politics.

It can be harmful to you and the weapon. But if the fidget spinner makes people feel better, have at it.

 

[rvb]

I don't know that the indentation in the bolt was designed as a place to press the bolt closed, vs a way for the bolt to open the dust cover...

like BBI, the ONLY time I've ever used the FA is just to ensure the bolt is fully closed if I did something that could have resulted in it not closing with full force.

I've got a couple of ARs that either have no FA or the FA isn't functional (eg using a lightened carrier in my match gun that has no "teeth"), and I've never missed it. But then, I keep my ARs WELL lubed and don't use crap ammo...

It has a small place, but I wouldn't go using it to FORCE the gun closed, unless I had assessed that the gun/ammo was fine, just needed a little bump for the bolt to cam over. I've had that happen in pistol matches a couple times where my pistol needed a little bump on the back of the slide (note, bump, not smash it).

-rvb

 

[nakinate]

YES!

Would you mind elaborating? I can see why it would be a necessity for a duty weapon (police or soldier). However, the most action a civilian AR is likely to see is a home defense shooting.

Dont get me wrong, it's such a standard feature I don't see why you shouldn't have it. I just think that most civilians could get by with an M&P Sport just fine.

 

[Alpo]

I don't know that the indentation in the bolt was designed as a place to press the bolt closed, vs a way for the bolt to open the dust cover...


-rvb

Exactly. Perhaps those handy enough to use their hands in place of an FA don't need to carry a hydraulic pump handle. The standard A2 flash suppressor (which Stoner did not design originally, hence the "2") fits very well into the receptacle and you have great leverage, even with a carbine length barrel.

 

[Alpo]

Would you mind elaborating? I can see why it would be a necessity for a duty weapon (police or soldier). However, the most action a civilian AR is likely to see is a home defense shooting.

Dont get me wrong, it's such a standard feature I don't see why you shouldn't have it. I just think that most civilians could get by with an M&P Sport just fine.

Getting by isn't the reason to own an AR15. You can "get by" with a single, break action shotgun. Or a .22 pistol.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I'd trust an M&P 15 Sport and it doesn't have those features.

The current ones, the M&P Sport II, do. I don't know if the "legacy" Sport is still produced or not, but I've not seen one for a bit.

 

[red_zr24x4]

I'd rather have it and not need it , Than need it and not have it

 

[nakinate]

The current ones, the M&P Sport II, do. I don't know if the "legacy" Sport is still produced or not, but I've not seen one for a bit.

I owned an M&P Sport a while back. It had no forward assist and no dust cover. It was reliable and accurate as you could hope for. I sold it because there was another gun I wanted more, but I wouldn't hesitate to own one again.

 

[HoughMade]

I'd rather have it and not need it , Than need it and not have it

I haven't used a spare tire in about 2 decades. I guess I should save the weight and get rid of them.