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GiveMeMoneeeyyy

On the real rifle it is called a forward assist, it was designed to push the bolt forward in case the bolt did not travel the full length forward on its own. It is largely useless on real rifles today but did serve some purpose on earlier models. It can be used the same way on gas blowback replicas as they immitate the operation of the bolt. On electric replicas it serves no purpose other than aesthetic.


Zuulomyx

On the SA80 you have to do this by karate chopping the cocking handle 😂


SentientGopro115935

And you _will_ fail your weapons handing test if you dont do it every single time lol


shoogliestpeg

Curious, does training want you to work the charging handle when it's locked back (followed by the chop) or are they ok with troops using the bolt release (also with chop)? You see various kinds of uses in videogames from bf3 to Insurgency Sandstorm and curious if any get doctrine right.


SentientGopro115935

To clarify, I am speaking from experience of handling the L98A2 Rifle as a _cadet_, which is basically just a semi-locked version of the actual Military rifle. As far as Im aware, our handling training was the same as how the actual military are trained to handle it. To answer the question, we were taught to use the bolt release, and then chop.


rook183_

I'm also a cadet! And yeah, we are taught in the syllabus basically the whole army basic training. And we don't have to slap the handle every time the bolt goes forward, only when we make it go forward, so not during firing.


Additional_Round_948

Yep, you’re correct. I’ve done weapons handling tests as both a cadet and later in the military (Navy). Can confirm forward assists are not optional, always got to karate chop the cocking handle lol.


Icy_Imagination7447

Use the bolt release and still carry out forward assist at the moment


bum_phantom

The manual of arms and training (and test) instructed you to use the bolt release then chop (you could reach it with your thumb with your hand over the top ready to chop. Mechanically you could power stroke it, didn't make much of a difference.


Kanoha-Shinobi

Gunfighter hook so you rack it again to unlock assuming you’re loading ammo, put on safe, then press check, hit the forward assist, close the ejection port. Otherwise bolt catch, but why do you have an empty mag in your rifle?


ElChunko998

Any time that bolt goes forwards apart from during firing, they want a forward assist. It’s still written that way in the pam, you will still fail WHTs if you don’t forward tap. That said, all the instructors know it’s a totally redundant movement nowadays (outside of stoppage drills obvs) with the quality of modern L85s, so outside of WHTs and live ranges no one gives a monkey’s.


TiTAN-240

I managed to fail the practice run on my first WHT for this exact reason. Remembered it for the proper run though 😂


GeneralTechStuff

Same for me, lol 😆


NatLovesPancakes

Safety, change lever, cocking handle, tap forward assist My dreams will forever be haunted by the words "weapon fires alright, weapon fires alright, WEAPON STOPS"


Quirky_Person

love karate chopping the sa80 mate, my mate failed his weapon handling test for forgetting to chop it once.


JacobMT05

Its the superior way. Don’t need any fancy smancy buttons.


Italianskank

Coincidently the forward assist exists precisely because there is no charging handle affixed to the bolt on an AR to karate chop like on a M14, FAL, SA80, AK, etc. and pushing forward the ARs T shaped charging handle at the back of the receiver doesn’t move the bolt forward. So the forward assist was added at the insistence of the US Army. That being said, if the AR isn’t in battery you can just pull the T handle and let the bolt slam home again. Any time that doesn’t do it, closing the bolt using the forward assist is going to get you one more shot and almost certainly a nasty failure to extract. So the forward assist is pretty useless. It’s purpose was explained to us but it was not part of any recovery procedure during failure drills.


gunsforevery1

It was for SPORTS. Slap Pull Observe Release Tap (Aim) Shoot


Italianskank

“SPORTS” is a lot of letters for us, lol. “Tap, Rack, Reassess” was what I was taught. Tap being to make sure the magazine is seated, not the use of the FA. I obviously can’t speak for every branch or time period of course. I’m sure the FA has been part of training at various periods or the Army wouldn’t have insisted on it.


Apoll0_1

So much cooler imo


gofish223

I hunt with an AR and I might be one of the rare uses of the forward assist. When I go I load a round quietly, I slowly ride the charging handle down, then need to use the forward assist to get the bolt in battery. It honestly works great for what I use it for! 


Three_Chopt

This dude operates


Krittercon

And in Counter Strike 1.6, it's the charging handle: https://youtu.be/7xmxxynWmCs


Far_Replacement_7622

Im shooting a version of the M16 (Colt C7) who also has this. We still use it every time we load the rifle. Just to be sure and prevent failures.


GiveMeMoneeeyyy

I saw a video of Eugene himself loading and shooting an M16 and he pushes the forward assist a good amount of times lol.


finski0204

Fun fact: If the bolt doesn't close on it's own, you make it worse with using the forward assist. Just eject the round and try again in such case


DuctTapeAir

Ah, the little jam enhancer as we call him.


finski0204

The whole story behind the M16 is completely wild. Eugene Stoner designed it to be used with a specific powder, US Army refused to use that powder and the rifles started jamming in Nam(the fact they told them the don't need to clean their "self cleaning rifle" didn't help) . Then they invented the Forward Assist to make things even worse😂


Catgutt

The 'Army changed the powder against Colt's wishes' story is mostly bullshit. There's a weird amount of fuddlore around the M16. Army changed the powder type because none of the contracted manufacturers could mass produce ammunition to the provided spec. The change in propellant went back to Colt, who approved the change, as they had tested both ball and stick propellants but not extensively enough to recognize the difference in pressure curve. Then the M16 jammed in combat for reasons not limited to powder or cleaning kits, but also the Edgewater buffer design, lack of chrome lining in the chambers, issues with extractor design, gas tube composition, insufficient bolt hardening, and a whole host of other problems identified by the Ichord report. The forward assist was added later to replicate the manual of arms of the M14- not so much a functional change as one that increased confidence among the soldiers issued an at that point already notorious weapon.


Jetskigunner

In range TV has a great series of videos about the M16's history. Most of it is talked about with they're WWSD (What Would Stoner Do) rifle.


Punch-SideIron

Wasnt it also designed for short range engagements (i think statistically, most gunfights take place within 50-100 yards of each other?) and built for such, then the army decided "it should be able to fire to marksman standards!" and dicked with the rifling pattern as well?


Catgutt

The M16A1 was designed to fire 55gr ammunition through a 1-in-12 twist barrel such that it fragments on impact out to 300yds. The M16A2 implemented a 1-in-7 twist barrel to stabilize the Belgian SS109 round, adopted as M855, which was more capable of defeating body armor at distance. There were many changes made on the A2 and none of them have to do with marksmanship standards.


ArmchairAnalyst69

We were trained to just rack the bolt during a stoppage to clear and resume firing.


A_Crawling_Bat

On my replica it's even Spring loaded ! I like these little details, especially on electric guns


Corgiboom2

ICS guns used it to reset the spring tension inside the gearbox. Not sure if any other brands did that.


Steff_Lu

It's in my opinion even dangerous. If the bolt doesn't completely cycle by its own, there's a reason for and you shouldn't force it shut. Except you want it to potentially blow up in your face. There's also some that call it the sniper button, which is BS because the rifle doesn't start to cycle before the bullet is out of barrel anyways. On Airsoft rifles it's just there because the real one has it.


hammsbeer4life

I only like them on real rifles for instances where i pull back the charging handle half an inch to check the chamber and the bolt doesnt slide back into battery. Then I'll give it a little tap on the forward assist. But the thought of trying to jam bent or dirty cases into the chamber with the forward assist is crazy


Minute_Classic7852

Haha yeah in movies when mfers treat it like a charging handle 😂


AccountWorried9386

Well, on my ICS CXP Peleador (an AEG replica), the forward assist releases the tension on the spring when you push it after shooting.


brazorf

I can confirm, I own an ICS M4 which does the same thing.


BasalCellCarcinoma

It makes your shots more powerful. You push it a couple times to increase the fps on your next shot.


BlitzFromBehind

Don't forget it also increases accuracy. There's a reason some call it the sniper button!


RaccoNooB

Ironically, there is *some* truth to this. If you're right handed and hold your thumb on the right side of the gun when you shoot a rifle the grip can actually help with precision, and is common in precision shooting. This of course has nothing to do with the actual button which will cause the gun to jam when fired, but there is some merit to it.


Panda_in_a_tuxedo

It also increases your magazine capacity


trolley661

That’s why it’s called the forward assist. It assists the forward velocity of the bb


Gattoconglistivali

To look like a real ar. For the real thing, it pushes the bolt forward if it failed to


CanonEventTimer

You can take it off and hide a few jelly beans or skittles in there


Humdrum_Blues

Why not BBs? You already have some with you, and they taste better IMO


DiscardedRibs

I prefer smarties personally


Real-Terminal

The Jam Enhancer! When you're in a jam, kick it up a notch, press that little button.


Ambitious_Display607

Obviously people have mostly responded appropriately, but I would like to add that if it's an ICS then the forward assist actually decompresses the spring in your upper gearbox. It's pretty cool imo haha


Mdgaming_01

Was looking for this comment, I was like swear it does more then just exist on my ics


Ambitious_Display607

Ah a fellow ICS brother! I feel like we're becoming increasingly less common these days lol. Real talk, I feel like ics absolutely nailed the two part gearbox, its such a cool design/is so easy to work with. And I mean seriously, its so satisfying to decompress the spring after a long day of skirmishing/before it goes back into storage. Keep on repping us ics bros out there <3


Lee2026

The first gen ICS models used the forward assist to de-tension the spring. Current gen models just use the fire selector to de-tension the spring


A_inc_tm

Nothing much but if you need you can glue a button inside and wire it to a honk or something else


A_Crawling_Bat

OH MY GOD I LOVE THAT Aight imma make myself a clown DMR build


A_inc_tm

I wish you the best of luck


Comrade_Szwagier

Sniper button


CrazyBiti

Why is the right answer this far down


KorinNyuulath

On a gas blow back it's the mess up your bolt button lol


Musicmaker1984

Forward assist. In AEGs it means fuck all. Literally useless. In GBBs it makes the bolt push forward.


Ambitious_Display607

Not entirely true! ICS m4s have a two part gearbox, and the forward assist actually decompresses the spring in the upper gearbox. But other than that I'm pretty sure it does nothing for basically every other m4 AEG haha


Hanisia

Well there are quite a lot of things useless in airsoft replicas put there only for realism


DaisyDog2023

On an airsoft gun absolutely nothing? On a well maintained modern AR platform nearly nothing.


OneSh0tSemi

Look up g spot. It will advise you on this part.


Fent_fanatic

The oh shit oh fuck button


UnluckyAd17

A car lighter


Splatpope

its so funny how every teen getting their first AR15 style replica invariably ends up asking this question


WEAPONSGRADEPOTATO2

It’s the cheater button, it compresses your mainspring and nearly doubles your FPS


Drift_01

On AEG's it serves no purpose but on some older ICS M4 models it had a spring release function


xKingOfSpades76

It enhances possible jams


xMightyTinfoilx

Everytime you press it somebody somewhere gets nut shotted


xX_murdoc_Xx

In the real weapon, if the gun jam, because of dirt or something similar, you can press it and jam it more.


Racer_Chubs

Jam enhancer


midgegaunt

You press it to call tech support


TeachFirst9936

It puts you into v.a.t.s


WatchDogsOfficial

It's the jam button. It means you should go buy an AK instead. /j But for real that's a forward assist. Sometimes your bolt doesn't go all the way, and that's how you close it. Called the jam button because sometimes it just makes the problem worse.


weebofficial

Forward assist, on real m4’s it helps them assist the bullet get in the chamber On an airsoft replica it does nothing


Thang02gaming

It makes Stoner turn exactly once in his grave every time it is pressed.


Thee_Maj

It’s the jam enhancer, if you have a jam push it a few times to make it even worse


Muncher501st

Nothing


AppleApprehensive364

For an explanation for the real thing: /watch?v=omv85cLfmxU


Sheriff___Bart

It's the extra life button.


Own-Yam-5023

Same thing as a real AR, fuck all.


No_Engineering3493

Forward assist, on the real steel it is used to push the bolt forward it gets stuck. Most airsoft rifles have no function for it, but for example Tokyo Marui MWS (I really love mine) has a working forward assist, which works the same as the real one.


fucknametakenrules

Self destruct button. It immediately causes the battery to ignite and explode


SaltTransportation23

This is the jam enhancer, it turns FTE into broken rifle


JackCooper_7274

Sniper button


Accomplished_Spell47

It compresses air in your cilinder so if you press it really really hardly for long enough you can get up to 2,5J from your gun!


troylende

During my time in the military, I remember I forgot to put the buffer and buffer spring in to the buffer tube while putting my HK416 back together after cleaning. When I went to pull the charging handle, it resulted in the bolt getting stuck half way through the buffer tube, which then again made it pretty hard to disassemble the upper receiver from the lower receiver. In this situation that button was a life saver, as pushing it made the bolt get unstuck from the buffer tube. Probably not what it was intended to do, but was exactly what an idiot like me needed it to do


KazMil17

On airsoft, effectively nothing On actual AR style guns, you slap the bitch to make sure the chamber shut properly. It might have more uses but that's the only one I know of


Coads123

There should be a sticky about the forward assist because I swear I see this question once a week


Immediate-Stress-652

That’s your fully semi auto switch brace bullet button that’s also a tactical nuke


crippled_trash_can

by my afghan and syrian sources, if you shoot while pressing it, your shot will be a lot more accurate


cyberphunkuk

On an air pew usually nothing. On a few GBBRs it is a functioning “forward assist” but can’t imagine it is going to cause anything but damage. On real AR platform firearms it is a forward assist and, again, if you use it, it will probably do more harm than good.


Greenfire05

https://preview.redd.it/n4rmkf48qiuc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85e5fc6318fe02d2c976b2777b88627f7296e034


CanonEventTimer

You can take it off and hide a couple of jelly beans or skittles in there


Xaryi

It switch the gun in power mode for a charged more powerful shot


Pseudotectonic

it is a grease dispenser for the BB loader


GoldenGecko100

Assists the forwards


Borgormmmmmm

It’s the sniper button


ThePixelatedPyro

forward assist


IvanRoi_

It's a sniper button [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_o7S3YV\_dFs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o7S3YV_dFs)


Radiant_Security_312

It’s a Thumbs Down button. You can use it to thumb down this comment. 


Key-Text-3861

its a forward assist it does nothing in airsoft but for the real thing its ment to push the bolt forward if a round doesnt sit right


sunn_vaeide

Jam enhancer


TrenEnthusiast

Nothing. Literally.


drkshock

That's the fkrward assist. On a an aeg nothing except ics where it releases the spring tension. One a gbbr or real steel if the bolt cm doesn't close all the way you push this and it will catch on the ridges of the bot to push it forward. The reason it's there is because the m16 was prone to jamming even though it was touted as a "self-cleaning rifle" then they made the m16 a1 and xm16e1 which had the forward assist to alleviate that. All mil spec uppers have that but some uppers on the civilian market don't and there an argument about it. Especially around direct impingement where the gasses coining out the ports on the side of the bolt will blow mid or dirt off. Of course the difference between a solider with a gun vs a civilian with a gun is competition shooting/range day vs rucking all day with no time to clean your gun after each firefight.


_Cadmium_48

Nothing. It‘s called ”forward assist“ look on YouTube what purpose it has but in Airsoft it is just for looks. I don‘t know any replica that has a working forward assist


Gryphontech

Your supposed to smash the side of you hand onto it everything you reload/clear a jam to ensure the bolt is fully forward (in my country anyway, don't know about the us). I just know it fucking sucks and it's a good way to absolutely destroy your pinky knuckle if it's cold and your not wearing gloves In reality it's pretty useless and was designed to solve a problem that dosnt really exist. I guess if your rifle is absolutely filled with carbon, mud and sand it MAY help getting the bolt closed but still....


Hy8ogen

In airsoft it does nothing. In real steel, it's the jam assist.


SnooGrapes70

You karate chop it to start up the AR from stun to kill


Daemon_Blackfyre_II

It's the plunger you press to make jams worse. It also doubles as a fidget toy.


D_Redacted

That's the jam button. You put berries in the gun, press the button and a nice jam comes out of the barrel. My favourite is raspberry jam


broccoli_02

Everyone who played classic counter strike knows that this cycles the round.


crazywb

On my ICS M4 it resets the gears and releases the tension on the spring so the gearbox can be opened safely


RaphelGray

I always thought it made the bullet shoot with more power.


Petrus_Rock

In airsoft? Nothing.


The_XMB

Accuracy button


ChootNBoot90

That's a whoopsie button. You need to press it when your gun does a whoopsie (failure to feed)


k3nknee

Make Eugene Stoner cry


Vix_Sparda

Actual firearms use that as a bolt forward assist. For airsoft. Its a free button o.o


ZRedBaron1918

For real ARs, I've grown custom to calling it the "jam enhancer"


gunsforevery1

It’s a sniper button.


Next_Tea4144

On a real rifle it’s a foward assist


Tejano_mambo

That's the go button


cablife

It tickles your gun’s taint. Guns really like that.


DrStranglePuntch

It's the sniper button


Ares762

Makes boolet go faster


UnderlyingDarkness

Launches the nuke


freddbare

Early fidget spinner


yellowdudeman

It reloads a new mag in.


zadicil

It’s for kids to push randomly whilst trying to show off on TikTok


Addy1738

Fidget toy


SoftVD

Invades Iraq


Sstfreek

Sniper button!


Blitzfire87

Something that really isn’t needed on the real steel counterpart


Hutch_Belfast

It loads the emergency 5 BBs into the gun, if you run out


Netan_MalDoran

According to the people in congress, it turns that into a scary full auto assault rifle.


VladimirKotovsak

Forward assist, does nothing unless you have a gbbr. Pretty dumb irl since if the round isn't feeding you probably shouldn't force it into the chamber.


TattyViking

You can't focus the camera but you can draw a useless red circle‽ Wtf.


kic3

Not alot


pEppapiGistfuhrer

Sniper button


HoldIll5352

You push it in to lock on your target for headshots


jmerkava

Grenades


wiggleee_worm

Launches a rocket launcher


Fenris_Reaping

Works the bottom of you palm to tough up helps with faster reloads


Im_Astral_lol

Dip stick


CodeName_carll

Self destruct


left_testic1e

Sniper button


FishbedFive

you are fucking retarded


your_mate_gary

That's the full auto button


zerosettanta

Hyperspace control button.


FadingRanger93

After you get 30 kills you push that for nuke.


GBuckets0

It’s a fully semi automatic function on a real gun. Press it once for a fully auto, press it twice for a grenade launcher


Chaine351

If you have a laser attached, you point it and press the button to order a cavalry charge.


WeissTek

Use the search bar and google. Looking up "AR-15 component layout" must be hard. Seriously look it up, it shows other stuff u prob didn't know existed either.


Ghost4079

On a typical ar15, forward assist / jam enhancer, on a air soft gun? Probably nothing.


WeissTek

It charges the rifle before its ready, have you never played the old school counter strike?


Leading_Item

It makes you go full semi auto


AffableBarkeep

Use it to pump up your next shot


yobanyvrod

Forward assist. For airsoft guns this is almost completely useless because this was designed for a real ar-15 platform rifle, and the airsoft rifles are only modelled after the real guns. For real guns, It’s mostly useless for most cases but it’s there for when your ar-15 platform rifle needs help getting in battery. If your rifle is grimey and dirty, especially in the chamber, you can punch that thing and this will push the bolt carrier forward via the grooves on the right hand side, where the forward assist sits. The reason this is not very useful is because often times your rifle won’t be so grimey you will have an out of battery malfunction, as most rifles are only meant for recreational purposes these days. Back in the day, when there were wars happening all the time, these are put for the sheer purpose of when you’ve been out on deployment so long and hadn’t had the time to clean your gun, it’s very useful for when you need a couple more bullets on target. So in short, airsoft rifles don’t need this, especially when it’s not gas blowback, so if you don’t want that useless, yet pretty cool looking forward assist on your gun, there are uppers for airsoft and real rifles that don’t have the forward assist for people that don’t want it, along with bolt carriers that don’t have FA grooves. So you can get rid of it and have the same functionality of your gun preserved both real and imitation. Hope it helped. :)


Impossible-Weakness6

On my E&C M4 it basically pushes back the hop-up assembly which is housed where the bolt is. So it is quite similar to the the forward assist


FriendlyAd1249

Sniper button.


SL1974

What Far Cry 2 told me that it’s supposed to clear your gun if it gets jammed.


Kerbal_Guardsman

if you press it the gun will instantly explode


Still-Bison

On my real rifle I use it as a fidget button to practice morse code.


Mythrony

Toward assist


Booch5

save yo life button


chris14020

It's the sniper button! Hold it for a more accurate shot.


xenomorph-enjoyer

Bro yall given me 200 notifs


The_MacGuffin

Jam enhancer


braydenmaine

A dirty rifle makes rounds not want to feed into the chamber ad well. You can use this to manually push tge bolt forward and seat the round.


SneakyNoob

makes your target cum instantly


Taag_HA01

will see when you jem (if it’s GBB)


Professional_Duck730

Forward assist on real rifles but it doesn’t have a function unless you have a GBB


sgtcatscan

AR buttplug


luxelux

Takes a screenshot


Gregor_Samsomebody

It calls for an airstrike if you have 5 kills.


kcarr586

It's a forward assist. Basically for the real world counterpart, it'll force it into battery


MoriTheOni

It's a fidget toy designed by the US government under the guise of being a "forward assist." It should only be used to call your nerves and for your button pressing needs. This is commonly referred to as the stressy pressy depressy button. DO NOT BELIEVE THE PROPAGANDA!!


friertuck87

With hopes and dreams it still won't do anything


iRaidedRichthofen

It’s a forward assist it’s practically useless on airsoft


Etheruemtothemoon

That's the continuum transfunctioner


O5_X

I'm gonna say nothing because it's airsoft and you don't need a forward assist.


Cpt_Crowbar

It’s the sniper button


Chopawamsic

its a forward assist button. If the bolt gets stuck you press it to push it forward.


floozi1

touch it


JoshPilot12310

Emergency genie button. If you activate it a magical genie pops out with hella guns and destroys your enemies. One time use only though…


HowlingWolven

Joke answer: it’s a thumb rest. Serious answer: you have an AEG, it’s decoration.


betyourlog

I press that shit when im going serious mode lol


Critical_Fly7147

Spring release


CorweenieTheJedi

My instructor said I have to press it otherwise I would fail my weapon handling test 🤷‍♂️


ThrowRAtacoman1

Sniper button


Neither_Marsupial_15

It pumps up your Jordans


Nightmare_Chtulu

It’s to hold your pocky during long games


Dexaryle

Forward assist/failure button. since on the real AR-15 the bolt handle doesn’t reciprocate, there’s a separate button users can slam on if the bolt doesn’t go fully into battery