The AR-15 is one of the most universal and popular rifles in the world. Among its many features is the AR 15 forward assist, a seemingly simple but significant component that often sparks debate among rifle enthusiasts.
Some common questions among newbies are: “What is a forward assist on an AR-15?” and “What does a forward assist do?”
What is a Forward Assist?
The AR15 forward assist is a small button-shaped part on the right side of most AR-15s, near the bolt carrier group. Its primary function is to get the bolt all the way in the revolving chamber and keep the rifle firing. Pushing it lets you push the bolt forward if it doesn’t fully close while on.
The History and Purposes of the Forward Assist.
Back in the day, the forward assist came as an upgrade to the original AR-15 design when it became the military’s M16 rifle. This was developed to help solve reliability issues for particular locations and environments and was part of the rifle’s blueprint for decades.
This allowed soldiers to get quickly to their rifles and have them firing, especially during battle when anything could go wrong. It has less significance now in civilian life, but it is a staple of most AR-15s for historical reasons and to see its future applications.
How Does a Forward Assist Work?
The forward assist is physically active, as it talks to the bolt carrier group of the gun. Pressing its button moves its inner pawl into the teeth on the bolt carrier. The shooter is then able to move the bolt back manually until it clicks into place.
This is the best function to use when the bolt does not fit correctly, either because of a jam, gun dirt, or corroded ammunition. You engage it by using even more force to break resistance so you can return the rifle to fire without requiring you to empty the chamber completely.
Pros and Cons of Using the Forward Assist?
Pros
- Reliability in Harsh Environments: It can be invaluable in wet and harsh environments when the bolt is not sitting comfortably.
- Rapid Remedy for Failures: When time is of the essence, this feature helps the rifle to be more responsive than other types of repairs, like ejecting the round.
- Legacy App: For military users, the forward assist is a tried and true component of old-school training.
Cons
- Inadequate use: Using this feature of the rifle too much (forcing a bad round in the chamber) can make things worse or worse.
- Relatively Doubtful Need: It is not needed at all by civilian shooters with better-reliable AR-15 designs.
- Complicated Component: Although minor, this feature is one more aspect of the rifle that some argue isn’t really needed by most shooters.
When Do You Need to Use the Forward Assist?
It is useful most when the following scenarios are present:
- Poor Environment: Dust, mud, or dirt can stick to the bolt so the forward assist can come in handy when getting the bolt out of the hole.
- For Situations where Rapid Response is Critical: In military or self-defense operations, where action needs to be taken right away, the use of this feature comes in handy.
- Issues with Ammunition: If you are carrying low-end or reloaded ammunition that isn’t designed to sit properly, it can be of great assistance.
For daily distance shooting or hunting, it is almost never needed. Rather, it is always better to fix the cause of the error.
Forward Assist in Civilian vs. Military Use.
- Military use: In a situation of war, you want to be reliable and quick, so it is an important component to keeping the rifle running in extreme weather.
- Civilian use: It is rarely used by most civilian shooters. But with today’s ammunition and better AR-15s, misfires that would require forward help are infrequent.
Military users might embrace the use of this component on the rifle as an emergency, but for civilians, it’s a gratuitous relic of more primitive rifles.
Do You Really Need a Forefoot Assist?
Whether you need an AR forward assist depends on how you use your AR-15. For most civilian shooters today, the option doesn’t come into play that often. Reduction in the number of malfunctions the feature was tasked to prevent has been brought about by improved rifle design, tighter tolerances, and superior ammunition.
But if you’re a traditionalist, and you like to carry your rifle in bad weather, or just need a little extra confidence, then the forward assist AR is still a good addition.
Alternative Features to Forward Assist
As gun technologies have improved, some modern rifles removed this component altogether or have other handgun parts that provide similar functions, including:
- Improved Bolt Constructions: With better bolt carrier groups and tolera- tions, you no longer have to work by hand.
- Side Charging Handles: Some AR rifles come with side charging handles that will give you more control over the bolt by hand.
- Non-Reciprocating Charging Handles: These are another option for handling a malfunction without forward help.
This component is a legacy of the AR-15, and it comes from military history. It has lost much of its usefulness for civilians today, but knowing what it does matters to anyone who has an AR-15.
When deciding if your rifle should get forward assist, think of what you’re using it for. This is a feature you’re not going to be using very often among civilian shooters, but it’s useful in the right conditions and for those who cherish tradition. Whichever you choose, if you know how it works, you will maximize your AR-15 setup.
With your understanding of what a forward assist is and why you should get one, you’ll know if it’s a necessity on your rifle. Safe shooting!
