Want to lob a grenade into the middle of an internet forum discussion or a social media thread? Just say, “The AR-15 doesn’t need a forward assist,” and watch the fireworks. Even Eugene Stoner, designer of the AR-15 / M16, thought the forward assist was unnecessary, but the U.S. Army disagreed. Today, Brownells Gun Techs™ Steve and Caleb, the Smyth Busters, weigh in on the debate. The Army demanded the addition of the forward assist to address failures to feed that occurred with early AR-15s deployed to Southeast Asia. A lot of those failures were caused by ammunition problems and the inevitable fallout from the early myth that the AR-15 didn’t need cleaning. With modern ammo, shooters very rarely have to resort to the forward assist. But…. Caleb would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
Steve explains Stoner’s reasoning as to why the forward assist was likely to cause more jams than it fixed. But what if your rifle is a little worn out, the buffer spring is weak, or maybe the mag drags on your bolt carrier? Once in a while, you might have to apply a “love tap” on the assist to get a round to fully chamber. So the notion that an AR-15 never needs a forward assist is BUSTED. There are situations where it’s not strictly necessary; even Caleb doesn’t have one on his .350 Legend deer rifle.
Note to readers: Please click the share buttons above or below. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, social media, internet forums. etc.
The original AR did not have a forward assist. The problems that they had originally was alot of different factors that led to the insistence of the forward assist to be necessary.
As a Brit, issued with the L85A2, the first time I changed mags under contact (Afghanistan 2011), I had to forward assist. This was often seen as a legacy drill, from the bad old days of the original SA80. Still, it was still taught and thankfully it was sufficiently drilled into me that I managed to get back into the fight without skipping a beat. Better to have it, teach it as a drill and make it a reflex, than don't have it.
I’m a combat medic who served 6 years. I’ve used it in garrison and in Afghanistan. Not a lot of times but after shooting in the prone in dusty environments it 100% is a necessity.
Love the FA
out practicing with my AR Ive used my FA a few times. Not all that many in conjunction with how many rounds ive put through it but if it was a life and death situation it saves presious seconds.
I have a side charging handle on my ar without a fa. Just slap the charging handle forward if needed. Fa is useless 😒.
Wouldn't be there, if it wasn't needed, I have had to use mine more than once.
Amazingly, a kid in Kenosha had his gun out of battery in a CQB fight, and it saved his life. If he didn’t have it, the felon with an illegal weapon pointed at him, (who was NOT prosecuted 🧐🤔) would have never lost his bicep… and the fight. And Kyle Rittenhouse might have died right there. Amazing presence of mind and composure for his age!
It's certainly still relevant and very much needed with some ammo use in my Kriss Defiance DMK22 LR 😂
Keep the gun clean and change the buffer spring regularly and you shouldn’t have any problems. Saying you don’t want it because of weight and bulk though is dumb. I’d rather not have it but I am not the type to not buy a gun because it has it. I actually think they look weird without it. 😂🤣😂
If you choose to have a forward assist on your fighting rifle, realise that it comes with the responsibility of needing extra training. You now have 2 options to fix a jam and your mind is going to have to make that choice under stress.
For an out-of-battery malfunction it is perfect, for a round jamming up in the chamber it will make it worse, and for all other jams it won't do anything. Having a forward assist requires that training so you don't just blindly slam it when you hear click. Adding features always comes at the cost of complexity, no such thing as a free lunch I'm afraid.
AFAIK the forward assist in the military is necessary for exercises using blank rounds. US military blank rounds use cheap primers and greasy coal dust as propellant. You definitely need a forward assist for that.
I was always on the fence about having a FA until I heard Rittenhouse testify that he had used the FA when he was on the ground fighting for his life.
Can an AR-15 be "limp-shouldered" so that it doesn't return into battery? (No mention of the scalloping on the carrier to push it forward through the dust cover.)
The only time I’ve ever used it is to drive to bolt foward after checking the chamber for a round.
The Kenosha Kid proved that yes, a forward assist is needed
It was used recently when a teenager used an AR-15 to save his life from a bunch of lawless thugs. This particular teenager did win his self defense case. You might have heard of him.
I remember in boot camp, range days on the island, that first round had to be "properly seated", after that it was just muscle memory, still do it, rack, tap! tap!
I find in my experience with the AR, which to be fair is not my favorite platform? The forward assist makes a minor jam? A shutting down the range while unsuccessfully Harley Davidson kicking it to attempt to back out a major mule kicked in the teeth JAM.
My competition AR15 doesn't have one — and boy I wished it did when the gun was fouled at the end of a 2-day match and started short stroking…