Forward Assist

The forward assist on a rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles, usually located near the bolt closure, that when hit will push the bolt carrier forward, ensuring that the bolt is locked. In order to ensure that the extractor is clipped around the rim of the shell, the forward assist is usually struck rather than pushed. It is commonly incorporated into standard loading procedure to prepare a weapon for a life threatening situation, or to close the bolt when the weapon is excessively dirty. It can also be used to close a bolt that was gently let down, rather than released under full spring compression, to keep the noise of closing the bolt to a minimum.

The forward assist is generally not necessary as a standard procedure on any weapon with the exception of the British L85A1 version. Having realized the frequency with which the weapon jammed when taken outside of the clean environment of the test range, the forward assist was implemented to save the operator the potential danger of aiming the rifle and pulling the trigger and the rifle not going off because the bolt is not fully forward (a safety arrangement called a "safety sear" stopping the hammer from being released and the weapon firing, because of the dangers of firing with the bolt not fully closed). The design of the L85 makes the forward assist quite awkward as the left supporting arm must come off the hand grip and reach over the top to strike the bolt forward with the left edge of the left hand, much like a "karate chop". A redesign of the L85, known as the A2, alleviated this problem by reducing the number of locking lugs on the bolt and strengthening the recoil spring. However, the "forward-assist" is still often taught simply as a matter of course.

The forward assist had been implemented in 2007 on the MSAR STG-556, an American-made clone of the Austrian Steyr AUG assault rifle, but the usefulness of such device is questionable, since the design is not normally prone to the malfunction that led to the need of the forward assist in other firearms; in fact Microtech Small Arms Research Inc., the manufacturer of the STG-556, has dropped the forward assist on all rifles manufactured since November 2008.

The forward assist may cause the cartridge to become jammed into the rifle requiring a cleaning rod to need to be pushed into the muzzle of the rifle to force the casing back out of the chamber. The high pressure of a round getting hung up when fired could potentially cause a deadly explosion in the rifle. Many people even recommend the forward assist not being used and the shell that wouldn't seat being disposed off. The only reason the bolt carrier group (BCG) shouldn't go fully forward should be an excessive amount of dirt, carbon build-up, etc. If you find your BCG not seating regularly you should inspect your rifle to determine the cause of the problem before continued firing. Or if you are not qualified to safely inspect your rifle and perform maintenance it is safest to take it to a credible gunsmith.