Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Forward Assist or not - What's your preference?

Just wondering what people here on the Fire are preferring for their AR builds or buys. Seems like there are good arguments both for and against having a forward assist on an AR. I definitely like the looks of them, but for a typical range/fun gun, kinda seems unnecessary.

Stoner had it right the first time. They're more likely to complicate a problem. But most uppers have them. And most know not to use them except to assure full battery when easing the carrier, trying to be discreet....

I am no expert but I agree with this

Exactly why I changed the upper on my S&W - discretion while calling coyotes.

I think I could live without the forward assist but would not mind keeping the dust cover.

Depends...................

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

MM

always forward assist. Have never seen an issue that it could or did create.

I like having the option. Never experienced a downside.

Useful to put the round back in battery after easing the bolt back just enough to drain the water after a crossing.

Would not have one without a FA.
I hunt & I like to keep it quiet while chambering by riding the bolt with my thumb, and then pressing the FA, to home the round.

What are the good arguments to not have one?

I have several slick side uppers. I don't miss the forward assist on those. I have one regular upper. I've never used the forward assist but don't mind that it is there. Forward assists get a great big "Meh" from me. To each their own.

This plus 10

Only time I ever used one was decades ago. Stuck a live round behind a broken case fragment. Slightly stuck became very stuck.

No harm cuz happened at a MG shoot, nobody shooting back. Arguably, operator judgment fail. On a positive note learned how to remove fragments.

Understand the proper uses: easing into battery discreetly, checking, etc. Not something I need.

See no material downside to having and not needing.

If you only use your AR for hunting and range shooting the need for forward assist is far less than if your azz is on the line. If your azz is on the line have forward assist is like a spare tire, you hope you don't need it but glad you do when you need it.

It's hard to think of why I'd go out of my way to avoid a FA

FA aids in the double checks I like to do when I first lock & load.

Aesthetics, the original slick and slender AR was a very outer space ray gun, all, what, 6+ pounds of it. A2's, A4's, M4's are just rifles with stuff hanging on them. My kid's M4 all up seems heavier than my Romanian SAR1 with a steel CLIP.

This ^

If you shoot enough sooner or later you’ll have a small piece of brass or primer get in the bolt lugs race, and pulling the bolt back to see if the spring loaded close approach sucks.. ESPECIALLY if you are hunting.

I only do slick sides on target guns.

The last AR that I built was without a forward assist in order to save weight. No need for an FA in a hunting rifle.

Dan