Forward assist

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Forward assisting is the practice of moving the bolt or bolt carrier of a firearm fully forward in battery when the return spring has not done so (or there is a chance that it will not have done so) to prevent out-of-battery firing. It is only used on closed bolt only firearms. Some firearms have a dedicated device to allow forward assisting; on others, it is simply a procedure performed on reciprocating (IE: attached to the bolt/bolt carrier) charging handles.

Contents

As a device

The forward assist of an M16A2 rifle, highlighted by a red circle. Note the multiple serrations on the side of the bolt carrier that interface with the device seen through the ejection port M-16 forward assist.jpg
The forward assist of an M16A2 rifle, highlighted by a red circle. Note the multiple serrations on the side of the bolt carrier that interface with the device seen through the ejection port

The forward assist is a button found on firearms with non-reciprocating (IE: not attached to the bolt/bolt carrier) cocking handles, commonly on AR-15 rifle derivatives, such as the M16 rifle, and is usually located on the receiver near the bolt closure. [1] It is a ratchet like device that interfaces with the multiple serrations found on the side of the bolt carrier. The original AR15 and M16 designs lacked the "bolt forward assist" feature found on the later M16A1. [2] When hit, it pushes the bolt carrier forward, ensuring that the bolt is locked. In order to ensure that the extractor is clipped around the rim of the casing, the forward assist is usually struck rather than pushed. It is commonly incorporated into standard loading procedure to prepare a firearm for firing, or to close the bolt when the firearm is excessively dirty. [3]

Another instance where the forward assist can prove useful is when performing a stealth chamber check. Rather than letting the bolt go forward under full spring tension after verifying a round is in the chamber, the bolt can be let forward gently and then the forward assist can be used to fully close the bolt. Doing so will produce a very distinct "click" rather than the loud sound of the bolt slamming forward.

The forward assist had been used on the Heckler & Koch G41 and implemented in 2007 on the MSAR STG-556, [4] a U.S.-made clone of the Austrian Steyr AUG rifle, but the usefulness of such device is questionable, since the design is not normally prone to the malfunction that leads 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.

As a procedure

On firearms where the cocking handle is permanently connected to the bolt/bolt carrier, a forward assist device is not necessary as the bolt can be assisted forwards by simply pushing or tapping the cocking handle forwards. [1] [5]

The forward assist is generally not necessary as a standard procedure on any firearm. An exception is the British SA80. [6] Having realized the frequency with which the firearm 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 firearm firing, because of the dangers of firing with the bolt not fully closed). [7] [ failed verification ]

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". It may be a perception of awkwardness by external users due to unfamiliarity, as the drills are not seen as awkward by common users, it is a slick and swift drill when carried out by trained personnel where reload and ready times are similar to that of M4 type counterparts. [8] [ failed verification ]

Further considerations for use

The forward assist's use can correlate with an increase in malfunctions with feeding and extraction. Test data from the original trials indicate that, while the forward assist itself is not causal to inducing a malfunction, the need to use the forward assist will likely coincide with feeding and extraction issues exclusive from the use of the forward assist. While the forward assist can be effective in some circumstances as the tests demonstrated, the firearm's user should know when to conduct a remedial action, such as cleaning the firearm, if repeated feeding and extraction issues present themselves and as time allows. It has also been demonstrated to be a safe mechanism to use even when held while firing. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M16 rifle</span> American assault rifle

The M16 rifle is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-round magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SA80</span> Current British assault rifle, bullpup

The SA80 is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle. The prototypes were created in 1976, with production of the A1 variant starting in 1985 and ending in 1994. The A2 variant came to be as the result of a significant upgrade in the early 2000s by Heckler & Koch and remains in service as of 2023. The A3 variant was first issued in 2018 with several new improvements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolt action</span> Type of firearm mechanism

Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by directly manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action (firearms)</span> Functional mechanism of breech-loading

In firearms terminology, an action is the functional mechanism of a breech-loading firearm that handles the ammunition cartridges, or the method by which that mechanism works. Actions are technically not present on muzzleloaders, as all those are single-shot firearms with a closed off breech with the powder and projectile manually loaded from the muzzle. Instead, the muzzleloader ignition mechanism is referred to as the lock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colt AR-15</span> Semi-automatic rifle

The Colt AR-15 is a lightweight, magazine-fed, gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. It is a semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle sold for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States. The AR in AR-15 stands for ArmaLite rifle, after the company that developed it in the 1950s. Colt's Manufacturing Company currently owns the AR-15 trademark, which is used exclusively for its line of semi-automatic AR-15 rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steyr AUG</span> Austrian bullpup assault rifle

The Steyr AUG is an Austrian bullpup assault rifle chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO intermediate cartridge, designed in the 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and now manufactured by Steyr Arms GmbH & Co KG.

The La France M16K is an M16 rifle modified by the company La France Specialties, which among with other firearm-related activities, convert common military weapons into more compact configurations typically for law enforcement and special forces use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CAR-15</span> Carbine of the United States

The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 or CAR-15 is a family of M16 rifle–based firearms marketed by Colt in the 1960s and early 1970s. However, the term "CAR-15" is most commonly associated with the Colt Commando ; these select-fire carbines have ultrashort 10.5-inch (270 mm) and 11.5-inch (290 mm) barrels with over-sized flash suppressors.

The ArmaLite AR-18 is a gas-operated assault rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. The AR-18 was designed at ArmaLite in California by Arthur Miller, Eugene Stoner, George Sullivan, and Charles Dorchester in 1963 as an alternative to the Colt AR-15 design, a variant of which had just been selected by the U.S. military as the M16. A semi-automatic version known as the AR-180 was later produced for the civilian market. While the AR-18 was never adopted as the standard service rifle of any nation, its production license was sold to companies in Japan and the United Kingdom, and it is said to have influenced many later weapons such as the British SA80, the Singaporean SAR-80 and SR-88, the Belgian FN F2000, the Japanese Howa Type 89 and the German Heckler and Koch G36.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breechblock</span> Part of the firearm action

A breechblock is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a breech loading weapon before or at the moment of firing. It seals the breech and contains the pressure generated by the ignited propellant. Retracting the breechblock allows the chamber to be loaded with a cartridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas-operated reloading</span> System of operation used to provide energy to operate autoloading firearms

Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent case and insert a new cartridge into the chamber. Energy from the gas is harnessed through either a port in the barrel or a trap at the muzzle. This high-pressure gas impinges on a surface such as a piston head to provide motion for unlocking of the action, extraction of the spent case, ejection, cocking of the hammer or striker, chambering of a fresh cartridge, and locking of the action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotating bolt</span> Method of locking used in firearms

Rotating bolt is a method of locking the breech of a firearm closed for firing. Johann Nicolaus von Dreyse developed the first rotating bolt firearm, the "Dreyse needle gun", in 1836. The Dreyse locked using the bolt handle rather than lugs on the bolt head like the Mauser M 98 or M16. The first rotating bolt rifle with two lugs on the bolt head was the Lebel Model 1886 rifle. The concept has been implemented on most firearms chambered for high-powered cartridges since the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leader Dynamics Series T2 MK5</span> Assault rifle

The Leader T2 MK5 Series firearms were chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and manufactured by Leader Dynamics of Smithfield, NSW, Australia (1978-1982/1983). The Leader was the brainchild of British weapons designer Charles St. George. It was originally a contender for a 5.56 mm Australian military service rifle to replace the then-issued Lithgow L1A1 SLR and Colt M16A1 rifles. What was unique about this endeavor was that Australia had never designed or manufactured its own commercial gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. The rifle was abandoned when the Steyr AUG was adopted for use by the Australian military.

The Colt Automatic Rifle or Colt Light Machine Gun is a 5.56 mm NATO, open-bolt, full-automatic-only firearm developed by Colt Defense. It is based on the M16A2/A4, and has a distinctive squared-off handguard, vertical grip, carrying handle and integrated bipod.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heckler & Koch G41</span> Assault rifle

The Heckler & KochG41 is a German 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle introduced in 1981 and produced in limited quantities by Heckler & Koch. It was designed to replace the 7.62×51mm NATO chambered Heckler & Koch G3 and the G3 based .223 Remington/5.56×45mm and later 5.56×45mm NATO chambered Heckler & Koch HK33 service rifles providing a more modern weapon compatible with then recently introduced NATO standards. It can use both the then new STANAG 4172 compliant 5.56×45mm NATO SS109, SS110, and SS111 ammunition and older .223 Remington/5.56×45mm M193 ammunition and was the last Heckler & Koch service rifle designed around the roller-delayed blowback mechanism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vepr</span> Bullpup Assault rifle

The Vepr is the first Ukrainian-made assault rifle, designed in 1993–1994 by the State Space Agency of Ukraine and announced in 2003. It is one of several bullpup conversions of the conventional Russian AK-family design, along with the Polish Kbk wz. 2005 Jantar, the Chinese Norinco Type 86S, the Russian OTs-14 Groza and the Finnish Valmet M82.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocking handle</span> Firearm device

The cocking handle, also known as charging handle or bolt handle, is a device on a firearm which, when manipulated, results in the bolt being pulled to the rear, putting the hammer/striker into a spring-loaded ("cocked") "ready and set" position, allowing the operator to open the breech and eject any spent/unwanted cartridge/shell from the chamber, and then load a new round from the magazine or belt if required. By opening the breech, it also helps the operator to verify that the weapon's chamber is clear of any rounds or other obstructions; to clear a stoppage such as a jam, double-feed, stovepipe or misfire; to facilitate moving the bolt back into battery, acting as a forward assist ; and to release a bolt locked to the rear by a catching mechanism on a firearm equipped with a "last round bolt hold open" (LRBHO) feature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STANAG magazine</span> 5.56x45mm NATO firearm magazine standard

A STANAG magazine or NATO magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine proposed by NATO in October 1980. Shortly after NATO's acceptance of the 5.56×45mm NATO rifle cartridge, Draft Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4179 was proposed in order to allow NATO members to easily share rifle ammunition and magazines down to the individual soldier level. The U.S. M16 rifle's magazine proportions were proposed for standardization. Many NATO members, but not all, subsequently developed or purchased rifles with the ability to accept this type of magazine. However, the standard was never ratified and remains a "Draft STANAG".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushmaster M17S</span> Bullpup semi-automatic rifle

The Bushmaster M17S is a semi-automatic bullpup rifle that was manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms International from 1992 until 2005.

The STG-556 is a Steyr AUG clone formerly manufactured by Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR). It was available in civilian and military/law enforcement (select-fire) variants.

References

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  2. "British Army Infantry Weapons". www.forces80.com. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  3. "Load, Reduce a Stoppage, and Clear an M16A1 Rifle". Soldier's Manual MOS 02K: Bassoon Player. United States Department of the Army. 1980. p. 2–40. Retrieved 25 December 2019 via Google Books.
  4. Rodriguez, Greg (23 September 2010). "Microtech STG-556". Shooting Times. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  5. "Report of the M16 Rifle Review Panel. Volume 1. History of the M16 Weapon System" (PDF). Defence Technical Information Center. 1 June 1968. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. Steward, Oliver (1 January 2018). "The British SA80 Assault Rifle: Was it ahead of its time?" . Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. Gimian, Todd (17 July 2021). "AR-15 Forward Assist: What It Does & Do You Need One?". Pew Pew Tactical. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. "Enfield SA-80: L85A1 L85A2 L85A3 assault rifle (UK)". Modern Firearms. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. Full Spectrum. "The Vindication of the AR15's Forward Assist". YouTube . Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2020.