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 Out-of-battery refers to the status of a firearm before the action has returned to the normal firing position. Description The term originates from artillery, referring to a gun that fires before it has been pulled back. In artillery guns, "out o ...

firing. It is only used on

closed bolt A semi or full-automatic firearm which is said to fire from a closed bolt or closed breech is one where, when ready to fire, a round is in the chamber and the bolt and working parts are forward ''in battery''. When the trigger is pulled, the ...

only firearms. Some firearms have a dedicated device to allow forward assisting; on others, it is simply a procedure performed on reciprocating (i.e. attached to the bolt/bolt carrier) charging handles.

As a device

The forward assist is a button found on firearms with non-reciprocating (i.e. not attached to the bolt/bolt carrier) cocking handles, commonly on AR-15 rifle derivatives, such as the

M16 rifle The M16 (officially Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of assault rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States Armed Forces, United States military. The original M16 was a 5.56×45mm NATO, 5.56×45mm automatic ...

, and is usually located on the receiver near the bolt closure. 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. 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. 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, 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 A malfunction is a state in which something functions incorrectly or is obstructed from functioning at all. Some types of malfunctions are: *Malfunction (parachuting) A malfunction is a partial or total failure of a Parachute, parachuting de ...

that leads to the forward assist being needed 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. The forward assist is generally not necessary as a standard procedure on any firearm. An exception is the British

SA80 The SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) 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 Sel ...

. 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 A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nail (fastener), nails into wood, to sh ...

from being released and the firearm 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". 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.

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.

References

{{Firearms Firearm components Firearm terminology

As a device

As a procedure

Further considerations for use

See also

References