I find the FA useful sometimes (I like to press check) but as other have said you can sure make a mess an even worse mess if you don�t use some common sense.
I do have a Bushmaster Carbon 15 that does not have the FA or a dust cover. This is one of the last guns built at the Lake Havasu plant before BM moved everything. It is gassed heavy and sprung heavy and cycles really fast. I don�t shoot it much and keep it clean and lubed and it has never once bobbled in a whole 500 rnds.
Having a couple ARs with the FA and one without the FA I guess I think the Forward Assist is a good feature.
