Why the hate on a forward assist?

[Huskydriver]

I don't really understand why people hate having a forward assist. Is there something I am missing?

Only times I have ever had to use my fa have been because I only shoot supressed and after 500 rounds or so, things start getting caked up.
If a round struggles to chamber all the way, one click on the fa usually keeps things rocking till I can throw more lube in there or strip and wipe everything down.

I guess to me it's kinda nice to know I'm fully in battery with a quick push....

So what's the deal?

 

[pmclaine]

Better to have and not need, than need and not have in my mind.

Its now muscle memory in my life to punch it a few times when releasing the bolt on a new mag.

 

[alamo5000]

I've heard several reasons.
If you have a bad round, it doesn't need to be forced into the chamber.
Also it creates another failure point. There is a video from IV8888 that shows when a forward assist fails it can completely shut down a gun.

I can see both sides, but then again none of my rifles have a forward assist on them at all.

 

[Ranchhand]

I use the forward assist, out of habit.
I can't think of a time when I've actually needed it though.
Muscle memory from Edson Range I guess.

 

[cas6969]

People who don't like the forward assist obviously never need to chamber a round without making noise.


The forcing in a bad round thing always made me laugh, unless you're hitting it with a hammer, I don't see it.

 

[diggler1833]

I can think of two times it has come into use in my times hunting pigs at night and trying to ease the carrier forward quietly.

 

[hlee]

Was at the range just yesterday and inadvertently rode the charging handle. Hit the FA and rock on…

 

[Skunk]

So what's the deal?

If a big frame Knight’s doesn’t have it, you don’t need it!

 

[Long Range 338]

If a big frame Knight’s doesn’t have it, you don’t need it!

Or in other words GBPSWE

 

[strikeeagle1]

Or in other words GBPSWE

"Pat I'd like to buy a vowel, A"

 

[Huskydriver]

I've heard several reasons.
If you have a bad round, it doesn't need to be forced into the chamber.
Also it creates another failure point. There is a video from IV8888 that shows when a forward assist fails it can completely shut down a gun.

I can see both sides, but then again none of my rifles have a forward assist on them at all.

Got a link to that not finding it on Google?

 

[Rerun7]

People who don't like the forward assist obviously never need to chamber a round without making noise.

This..

I was pig hunting the other night and stepped in a really deep hole. My rifle was slung on my back and muzzle went straight in the ground.

After checking for obstructions I needed to chamber another round quietly. It comes in handy.

 

[stanley_white]

The anti forward assist crowd often reminds me of virgins opining about fornication.

-Stan

 

[pmclaine]

The anti forward assist crowd often reminds me of virgins opining about fornication.

-Stan

You will grow hair on your rifle……

 

[fanninland]

Comes in mighty handy hunting pigs at night with the 6.8. I wish my REPR had one like my lowly LAR8 lol.

 

[diggler1833]

You will grow hair on your rifle……

Shoot it until you go blind...

I was reminding my dad of when he used to tell me that years ago. He replied: "I'm over here."

 

[frank320]

There's hate on forward assist? wtf.
Having it allows:
1) racking and chambering a round quietly by using forward assist to ensure it is chambered and locked in battery
2) during admin load out, after a full rack, quarter rack to check that the first round is indeed chambered, then use forward assist to ensure it is indeed locked in battery
3) whenever it is about to go time, never hurts to pump the forward assist just to be sure. Never know what may or may not have clipped the charging handle prior to this

When shit hits the fan, trust me when I say you do not want your first round to go "click" followed by silence...

 

[MK20]

The reason people hate the FA is because they haven't seriously used a firearm before, but are just recreational shooters. It is painfully obvious.

 

[nhdeadhead]

Forward assist and dust covers are so 19th century. Welcome to the future old man.

On a more serious note I only have one on an ar-10 and although I havnt used it I feel like it would be more useful in reverse so I don’t have to mortar the bitch when she fte’s

 

[HOOFER]

I’ve used it enough times in my life that I wouldn’t buy an Ar15/Ar10 without it

 

[Ledzep]

If the bolt doesn't go into battery, and you can't close it by pushing on the carrier (the scallop cut for the ejection port cover plunger), you probably don't need to force the issue.

It's dead weight. Other than completing the diddy to keep from getting my ass reamed by a drill instructor, I've never used it. You can see when the bolt goes into battery. You can see/hear/feel when it doesn't. Pulling the bolt half way back and letting it try again is the same amount of time and more effective IMO/IME.

 

[pmclaine]

If you don't want one, don't have one.

I'll buy any defective uppers from you that wish you didn't have one.

 

[stanley_white]

If the bolt doesn't go into battery, and you can't close it by pushing on the carrier (the scallop cut for the ejection port cover plunger), you probably don't need to force the issue.

It's dead weight.

I have thought about that scallop before but wondered how hot it would be to touch.

How much does the forward assist assembly weigh?

-Stan

 

[Hickswr]

Rittenhouse is still walking around thanks to forward assist.

 

[Ledzep]

I have thought about that scallop before but wondered how hot it would be to touch.

How much does the forward assist assembly weigh?

-Stan

You can just.. touch it. It's not going to bite.

 

[HOOFER]

You can just.. touch it. It's not going to bite.

My FA never hurt anyone either.

Going against the grain and then advocating the grain is stupid just appears well….. stupid.

I could see you now giving a block of instruction… oh this thing. Don’t use it it’s stupid. Just use your finger during a firefight to touch your scolding hot bolt and push it forward… that thing they added to do that with the palm of your hand is stupid…… palm to face

It’s been published now in the new course of fire For several years. Any known class you attend demonstrates it. The AMU and MMtC teach it. EIB/ESB. Loading performance steps etc all have it.

 

[HOOFER]

If you don't want one, don't have one.

I'll buy any defective uppers from you that wish you didn't have one.

I’m gonna have mine removed for weight savings…...

The same guys run comps and extendo mags on their 9mms. And don’t bang their GFs to keep them right for the next guy……

 

[Ledzep]

My FA never hurt anyone either.

Going against the grain and then advocating the grain is stupid just appears well….. stupid.

I could see you now giving a block of instruction… oh this thing. Don’t use it it’s stupid. Just use your finger during a firefight to touch your scolding hot bolt and push it forward… that thing they added to do that with the palm of your hand is stupid…… palm to face

It’s been published now in the new course of fire For several years. Any known class you attend demonstrates it. The AMU and MMtC teach it. EIB/ESB. Loading performance steps etc all have it.

I'm not advocating anything. The OP asked why certain people don't do FA and I answered. This is certainly a subject that is far from being worth being a dickhead about.

We're talking about an extremely slim set of circumstances where the FA makes a consequential difference. I live in rural Nebraska and avoid steaming hot gunfights these days. I'm willing to accept whatever reliability loss comes from not having a BCG forward-jammer in lieu of pushing a BCG or doing a half-rack.

Do whatever makes you happy bud. If you're really serious about it, I can set aside a few bucks and get with my lawyer next week to arrange for a cookie to be delivered in the event that my death is directly the result of not having a FA on my uppers.

 

[Huskydriver]

If you don't want one, don't have one.

I'll buy any defective uppers from you that wish you didn't have one.

Your not allowed to own the ars I own in your state buckeroo .....

 

[stanley_white]

You can just.. touch it. It's not going to bite.

I was thinking of a mag dump or two and then trying to use the scallop instead of a forward assist. This sounds like a recipe for a burn.

-Stan

 

[HOOFER]

I was thinking of a mag dump or two and then trying to use the scallop instead of a forward assist. This sounds like a recipe for a burn.

-Stan

Common sense is a hell of a thing . Still evades some

 

[HOOFER]

I'm not advocating anything. The OP asked why certain people don't do FA and I answered. This is certainly a subject that is far from being worth being a dickhead about.

We're talking about an extremely slim set of circumstances where the FA makes a consequential difference. I live in rural Nebraska and avoid steaming hot gunfights these days. I'm willing to accept whatever reliability loss comes from not having a BCG forward-jammer in lieu of pushing a BCG or doing a half-rack.

Do whatever makes you happy bud. If you're really serious about it, I can set aside a few bucks and get with my lawyer next week to arrange for a cookie to be delivered in the event that my death is directly the result of not having a FA on my uppers.

I like oatmeal raisin….


Press checks are free. Dead man’s guns aren’t and Murphy is a Motherfucker

 

[Son of Dorn]

Welcome to the future old man.

 

[gxer]

I sling my M4 and M16 left handed and the FA bump digs into my body, other than that, I don't mind having it at all.
For personal use, I do like the clean look without FA and with most BCGs, you can close them quietly by just pushing on them from the ejection port with your thumb.

 

[Huskydriver]

I was never issued an m110 but familiarized with one in training and I found it interesting they never had one along with the rest of the sr25 family. Same with lmts mws.

I def can see the where @Ledzep is making his points from and obviously kac and lmt are on that page for some data they have gathered. Was curious if there was something else maybe I wasn't seeing

 

[Ichi]

 

[pmclaine]

Guys that don't like FA are fans of SPIW.

 

[akg102]

Want a FA to help with press check, dirty rifle, etc... for an additional few oz. Have one.
Don't care? Don't have one.
This is another example of internet circle jerkery.

 

[pmclaine]

Want a FA to help with press check, dirty rifle, etc... for an additional few oz. Have one.
Don't care? Don't have one.
This is another example of internet circle jerkery.

Do you cross country ski?

 

[Mute]

I personally don't care. I don't use it, but it's never caused me problems either.

 

[Near miss]

You mean the sniper button? I'd never give that away.

 

[cas6969]

This is another example of internet circle jerkery, that I went out of my way to stick my dick into.

 

[1911hombre]

Comes in mighty handy hunting pigs at night with the 6.8. I wish my REPR had one like my lowly LAR8 lol.

My REPR Mk1 has a FA....

 

[Tex68w]

I can think of two times it has come into use in my times hunting pigs at night and trying to ease the carrier forward quietly.

This! I have used it in other instances as well but pig hunting with a suppressed rifle it can and does come in handy from time to time.

 

[Numb_Skull]

Why are you going out hunting without a round already chambered?

Stronger buffer spring and extra mass of a 308 bcg is going to slam it in the hole every time.

 

[hlee]

Why are you going out hunting without a round already chambered?

Stronger buffer spring and extra mass of a 308 bcg is going to slam it in the hole every time.

Cross a fence into a field with game already in it, and you will want to load the round as quietly as possible- riding the charging handle. That will almost always lead to needing a bump on the FA to go into battery.

 

[frank320]

For the recreational range only shooter, I guess having FA does not matter. But for a weapon that you depend on for critical situations, I feel it is necessary. Even till this day, on any critical shots, it remains a habit of mine after a round has been cycled and chambered in my bolt actions, to re-lift the bolt and pull back a quarter and to stick my finger in just to make sure a round is chambered.... Having the FA allows me to execute the same sanity check on my ARs.

For this very same reason, I don't "noob" out and go "click" when I want it to go boom on critical first shots...

 

[Rerun7]

Some people in this thread have not put their guns through the paces other than a range and it shows….

 

[Ledzep]

I can't tell which this thread reminds me of more.

 

[Naaman]

LOL. The SR-16 (Stoner Rifle) has one, despite Stoner originally thinking it was stupid when the DoD put one on the M16 without consulting him. Not sure if that means anything or not, but maybe it means it eventually earned his endorsement/approval.

That said, we should all be living by this philosophy: "I can have my rifle the way I want it because 'Merica!"