Forward assist in competition?

[Tracer Tong]

Hey all, I'm nearing ready to get an upper for my OLL. I'm just wondering if the forward assist ever gets used in competition, or if it's obsolete like I've heard elsewhere. If I go with an upper that doesn't have one(Vltor MUR) would it make me uncompetitive?

[Yar]

Forward assist is not used.

[Tracer Tong]

Thanks.

[ar15barrels]

I run a JP low mass carrier and I really miss the forward assist.
It's a confidence thing where you reach up and bump it before the buzzer goes off just to KNOW you are in battery.

In general, when you would NEED to use it during a match, you are only making things worse.

[3GunFunShooter]

No need for it.

[JTROKS]

In competition no, in real life... Well, if it's the last round you have and there is one enemy left and he's out of ammo, but did not forget his bayonet. Would you try to forward assist that round in? I know I would.

[snacks]

lol very true. If it was my last round i would want the confidence to know that i've done everything i can to make sure the rifle is loaded.


LOL

[PonchoTA]

Could someone explain what the forward assist does on this gun? I'm still new to AR's, and not quite sure how it's used, or it's function, etc.

I know its the button at the rear of the upper receiver, and what it's called, but that's the limit of my knowledge on this!

Thanks,
Paul

[ar15barrels]

Could someone explain what the forward assist does on this gun? I'm still new to AR's, and not quite sure how it's used, or it's function, etc.

I know its the button at the rear of the upper receiver, and what it's called, but that's the limit of my knowledge on this!

It pushes the bolt carrier forward from outside the gun.
In normal operation, the bolt carrier is pushed forward inside the gun by a spring.
The problem is that if the carrier does not go all the way forward, the bolt will not be locked and the hammer will not hit the firing pin well enough to make the primer ignite.
So in order to verify that you are "ready", you reach up with your thumb and tap the forward assist.

Comparing the AR to something like an M1 or M1A, you can bump the charging handle on the M1/M1A to do the same thing.
The rear face of the M1/M1A's charging handle is the forward asssist.
The AR's charging handle does not reciprocate with the bolt so they had to add a seperate forward assist.

[Religious Shooter]

It's another way of clearing a malfunction.

I would get one. It's not like you are saving a lot weight by deleting it.

[PonchoTA]

Gotcha! Thanks Randall! Looking forward to finally getting my system together.

Cheers,
Paul

[Wulf]

I've seen them used in 3 gun more than a couple times.