Forward assist

[doc_ralston]

You all have given me a great deal to think about. Thank you!

[ruckusjuice]

The only times I’ve used a forward assist are if I’ve done a press check and then the bolt failed to close completely because I had eased the charging handle forward afterwards. I’ve never experienced a malfunction during the course of firing that would have been made better with the use of the forward assist. I’m pretty ambivalent about it. I wouldn’t have a problem being issued a gun without a forward assist but wouldn’t go out of my way to get one. I can think of a couple of different ways a forward assist could cause big problems but I’ve never seen it happen in real life. I’m not as much of a rifle guy as many of the members here and I mostly concentrate on handgun shooting so take everything I’ve said with the caveat that I’ve put many fewer rounds down range out of an AR than many of the folks here.

[t1tan]

My uppers that had forward assists have gas vents installed instead. All my new uppers are slick, no forward assist.

[Korgs130]

I have a couple of retro rifles without the FA and it seems work just fine as originally designed. That said, I like having a FA and I use it all the time on my rifles that have it.

I took TMACS TAPS M4 Instructor course several years ago and Mac drilled home the need to create good habits. Among those habits is to make sure you know the status of your weapon before you go to work. He calls it a “Pre-Shooting Flow” or “Loading Ritual”

- Safety: On
- Stock: Correct Position
- Sling: Adjusted
- Ret Dot: Correct Intensity
- Insert Mag : Push, Pull
- Charge: Bolt Release or Charging Handle
- Press Check : Charge Handle Back, Check Round, Release, Hit Forward Assist, Close Dust Cover

I’ve made the above habitual and do it durning my dry fire practice as well. I don’t do the press check with my retros so I drop the Mag to verify a round is in the chamber. YMMV.

[JediGuy]

...know the status of your weapon before you go to work. He calls it a “Pre-Shooting Flow” or “Loading Ritual”

- Safety: On
- Stock: Correct Position
- Sling: Adjusted
- Ret Dot: Correct Intensity
- Insert Mag : Push, Pull
- Charge: Bolt Release or Charging Handle
- Press Check : Charge Handle Back, Check Round, Release, Hit Forward Assist, Close Dust Cover

I’ve made the above habitual and do it durning my dry fire practice as well. I don’t do the press check with my retros so I drop the Mag to verify a round is in the chamber. YMMV.

I learned the same from another trainer. What I’ve done to adjust to no FA is thumb press the little “divot” / scalloped surface on the carrier. Unless you get FCD’s design, it may be slick, but it does allow you to press forward the bolt after pulling back the charging handle to confirm round.
This press check system is the only positive I know to the forward assist. It makes things very simple and easy to reach.

[ViniVidivici]

I like 'em.

Good for chambering quietly, or quiet chamber check. 'Bout all I use 'em for.

[Mysteryman]

I have a couple of retro rifles without the FA and it seems work just fine as originally designed. That said, I like having a FA and I use it all the time on my rifles that have it.

I took TMACS TAPS M4 Instructor course several years ago and Mac drilled home the need to create good habits. Among those habits is to make sure you know the status of your weapon before you go to work. He calls it a “Pre-Shooting Flow” or “Loading Ritual”

- Safety: On
- Stock: Correct Position
- Sling: Adjusted
- Ret Dot: Correct Intensity
- Insert Mag : Push, Pull
- Charge: Bolt Release or Charging Handle
- Press Check : Charge Handle Back, Check Round, Release, Hit Forward Assist, Close Dust Cover

I’ve made the above habitual and do it durning my dry fire practice as well. I don’t do the press check with my retros so I drop the Mag to verify a round is in the chamber. YMMV.

Why not drop the mag to confirm a loaded chamber on all your rifles? It removes the potential for an out of battery bolt if you don't play with it. Pick one method and use it for all rifles.

[fledge]

I only see one use for the FA: to quietly chamber a round on an unloaded gun after safely climbing with said gun into a tree stand.

That said, your bushwhacking, coughing, snorting, and heavy breathing is noisier than properly loading a round anyway.

[ViniVidivici]

Hey, some of us have better noise discipline than that! HA!

[Disciple]

Why not drop the mag to confirm a loaded chamber on all your rifles? It removes the potential for an out of battery bolt if you don't play with it. Pick one method and use it for all rifles.

I was going to ask the same thing. This method also extends to any other gun with a double feed magazine. When or how is a press check superior?