what is this button on my ar 15

[juggaloxjj4]

there is a button on the right side of my ar 15 just bellow the charging handle just behind the shell extractor and just above my fire selector. when i push it down and pull back the charging handle it feels weird to pull back. What is this mysterious button

 

[BloodEclipse]

You mean the forward assist?

 

[Mgderf]

there is a button on the right side of my ar 15 just bellow the charging handle just behind the shell extractor and just above my fire selector. when i push it down and pull back the charging handle it feels weird to pull back. What is this mysterious button

My AR has the select fire switch on the LEFT side, like most others I've seen.
Do you have a "lefty"?

 

[Litlratt]

If it has an affect on the feel of the charging handle, I would suggest it's the forward assist.

The "push down" part is rather confusing.

 

[Donnelly]

This? That is your forward assist.

 

[wally05]

That is the forward assist most likely. Now, the question is, do you know how it works? lol

 

[Scutter01]

Forward assist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[perminator]

in the event that a round does not fully chamber it pushes the bolt closed to chamber the round

 

[printcraft]

Also this is not the proper way to utilize the forward assist or
the proper grip to use on your AK.......AR........... (whatever)

 

[wally05]

Also this is not the proper way to utilize the forward assist or
the proper grip to use on your AK.......AR........... (whatever)

What the heck is that from?

 

[printcraft]

What the heck is that from?

Not sure but it been discussed here.....

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/long_guns/46955-anyone_seen_an_ak_like_this.html

 

[rockydog]

It's the Detonator Switch! Never ever touch this button! In fact, you should send this black rifle to me for safe disposal PM me for shipping details...

Have you shot this rifle? You should take it back (unloaded) to the gun shop where you got it or any gun shop and ask the people there to show you how the rifle works and all of it's features. That probably won't be the strangest question they are ask today and everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[sporter]

The forward assist is about as useful as a football bat.

 

[VUPDblue]

The forward assist is about as useful as a football bat.

...until you NEED it...

 

[ATM]

I'm tellin' you guys... you're gonna want that football bat!



I gotta have more football bat!

 

[IndyGunworks]

The forward assist is about as useful as a football bat.

Never served in the desert have ya?

the forward assist is a GREAT feature, regardless of how little you use it when shooting on the range. put a few hundred rounds through your gun in a short amount of time and see how often you use it...

in fact its a part of the SOP for clearing jams that the army uses...

SPORT
Safe
PULL (the charging handle)
OBSERVE (for a round ejecting)
Realease (chambering another rount
TAP the forward assist and magazine to be sure everything is fully seated

 

[shooter521]

...until you NEED it...

I have yet to need it on any of my ARs.

None of the instructors I've taken carbine courses from have advocated using the forward assist. Their reasoning is that if something is preventing the bolt from going into battery, do you really want to FORCE it? Especially if it's an out-of-spec round (bent bullet, bulged case, etc). Why not just TAP-RACK-BANG?

 

[VUPDblue]

Yes, Tap-Rack-Bang is full of goodness, but my perusing of stories related to the sandbox reveals that the FA actually DOES get used over there. Maybe we should go up to the Dunes SRA and put a few thousand rounds through to see if we can replicate that environment YMMV...

 

[techres]

I have seen it useful. Some people will rack a round and then check it (which of course rides the bolt slowly and not into battery). Hitting the FA fixes it.

 

[Robert Richardson]

It's the -thingamagig that works the whatchamacallit!!