The AR-15's Forward Assist isn't Pointless.

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  • Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
  • The forward assist on the AR15 has good reasons for existing, and I'm tired of pretending it doesn't.
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    I'm Ivan - a fella who works to document and record the history and technical background of the development of homemade firearms.
    You can support me directly on Patreon - / ivanprintsguns
    You can support me directly on Playeur - playeur.com/c/...
    You may know me from my work with ARES Research to help author reports about this topic - this channel shows the "behind the scenes" testing that goes into building the body of knowledge requied.
    Regardless of if you are here for the research, technology, or just to see some funky looking guns tested, I hope you enjoy.
    *All firearms shown and tested are done so in full compliance will all applicable laws. All test firing and use of firearms is conducted on a properly zoned, legally operated firing range.*

КОМЕНТАРІ • 346

  • @zchris13
    @zchris13 День тому +57

    >conceptualizes alt-hist AR-15
    >describes the NCR Service Rifle
    thanks m8

  • @pablowentscobar
    @pablowentscobar День тому +65

    "Especially if your rifle is all wet slimy and oily." Was it at a P Diddy party?

  • @franky334444
    @franky334444 День тому +56

    A video about the sniper button! 🎯

    • @pjsmitty83
      @pjsmitty83 День тому +7

      I forgot about that😂 GWOT lore

  • @aaroncapell4012
    @aaroncapell4012 День тому +149

    Bro is monetized?!! I love this family friendly airsoft history channel!

    • @tsufordman
      @tsufordman День тому +9

      Airsoft is nifty!

    • @DRob-gq3ki
      @DRob-gq3ki 6 годин тому +1

      Hell yea! I got a frosted flakes ad next time im at the store ill buy 2 boxes of frosted flakes.

  • @JaredAF
    @JaredAF День тому +85

    is this the evil hacker that the news warned me about??? in all seriousness, the FA hate seems to be borne out of a weird corner of min-maxy video-gamey stats obsessed people more than anything and also a weird cult around stoner and the idea is that he's infallible. closely related to govt profile hate and A2 sights hate imo

    • @IvanPrintsGuns
      @IvanPrintsGuns  День тому +36

      Here to spread anti-Stoner propaganda!

    • @JaredAF
      @JaredAF День тому +27

      @@IvanPrintsGuns i'm glad someone says it! the man was not infallible

    • @hermatred572
      @hermatred572 День тому +4

      ​@@IvanPrintsGuns 'weed bad'

    • @PaxNovAm1776
      @PaxNovAm1776 День тому +6

      Why do you like government profile barrels?

    • @JaredAF
      @JaredAF День тому +5

      @@PaxNovAm1776 same reason i like ur mom😏

  • @Nightdriverwi1
    @Nightdriverwi1 День тому +42

    When I was a door gunner on the space shuttle the liquid propellant in those rounds would swell depending on if you were on the sunlight side or the dark side.
    It was always needed there
    😁😁

    • @Sophistry0001
      @Sophistry0001 День тому +8

      Back when I was in the coast guard armored infantry, the salt water would wreak havoc on our rifles. I appreciated having the forward assist.

    • @V3RTIGO222
      @V3RTIGO222 23 години тому +5

      Very forward assisted thinking, planning for space force deployment.

  • @kouger21750
    @kouger21750 День тому +14

    I haven’t used it a lot, but when I did it was convenient to have. During basic it was -10 to like -20 F and a lot of our bolts would freeze, or just slow down from the clp we were using. If you fired quick it wasn’t as big a deal, but in between strings of fire you’d have malfunctions. No amount of sling shotting would bring a round fully into the chamber.
    But yeah it’s useful when a rifle gets to dirty. I’ve had an ar I was testing lightweight parts on, go down in less than 100 rounds when using a suppressor. The answer would be to just clean it, but sometimes you don’t have that option.
    Anyways, thanks for the content!

  • @popinmo
    @popinmo День тому +9

    i know a airforce nam vet and from what he tells me you are correct most of the air force m16s were used for guarding and patrol which is combat like killing people trying to plant bombs or partisans

  • @nla27
    @nla27 День тому +12

    First AR was a birthday present to myself and a slick side AR. Took it out in 20°F snowy MN. A good time was not had. Being a lefty I discovered that you can tell a 5.56 from a .223 by how much the case burns you when it goes down a hoody. Between strings of shots snow blew into the action and froze the action. I immediately ordered a stripped upper with a deflector, ejection port cover, and forward assist along with the parts and tools for a better upper.

  • @libertyrevolutionary1776
    @libertyrevolutionary1776 День тому +20

    Even if the sig spear replaced the primary weapon platform (which it won't) it's still just an AR-10 with no buffer, beefier lugs and breach, and a short stroke gas piston instead of a tube.

    • @shred1894
      @shred1894 День тому +10

      It does have that hotboy caliber that shoots slightly flatter than .308 out of a shorter barrel.
      Personally though I think the entire program isn't worth all the taxpayer dollars spent on it. The polymer cased ammo technology that was developed in the program is nice, but there were already companies working on that in the private sector beforehand.

    • @teabulls
      @teabulls День тому +9

      it's more like a big ar-18

    • @larrycraigrox
      @larrycraigrox День тому

      We could have had the smuzzle

    • @Sophistry0001
      @Sophistry0001 День тому +3

      But also it wont replace the M4 as the standard infantry rifle. Just to be clear.

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla День тому +3

      @@teabullsWhich ironically would make it an AR-16, since the AR-18 was a miniaturized .223 version of that the same way the AR-15 was a miniaturized AR-10.

  • @SkepticalTiger
    @SkepticalTiger День тому +6

    Something Chad at SOTAR told us is using the FA to hammer to bolt into battery makes disassembling it easier if it gets that bad. Not that you can't if the bolt isn't locked but makes it much easier.

  • @icecl0ud
    @icecl0ud День тому +6

    I ran slickside in competition and this is one of the best explanations of the FA's existence.

  • @HalooINC
    @HalooINC День тому +11

    I can't believe you made a 20 minute video and you dont even know that, that button is the sniper button and it enhances accuracy.

  • @mccad00
    @mccad00 День тому +30

    The forward assist is vindicated. The west is healing

  • @JarvisTastic
    @JarvisTastic День тому +13

    I for one have fired a million billion rounds underwater through my slick side during the Atlantean Hyperborean war, and most of it was in the frozen sand mud beaches of the southeastern Atlantis coast. Never once did a single round fail to chamber the whole time. 😤😤😤

  • @charleschristianson2730
    @charleschristianson2730 День тому +69

    Kyle Rittenhouse would be DEAD without his forward assist. He stated in one of his interviews that when he was laying on his back and Guage Grosskreutz was raising his pistol at him he looked down and saw that his bolt was slightly out of battery. He tapped the forward assist and pulled the trigger. There would've been no time to rack the charging handle, and no guarantee that it would've gone into battery if he had. He had a fraction of a second. Forward assist saved his life.

    • @adamscottmartin
      @adamscottmartin 21 годину тому +10

      Your comment is proof that the forward assist has made our planet a worse place.

    • @lastdayonearth8381
      @lastdayonearth8381 21 годину тому +18

      ​@@adamscottmartin Bro What? As If.

    • @skepticalbadger
      @skepticalbadger 20 годин тому +19

      @@adamscottmartin Even if that were true, it's an instance where the FA was useful to the user.

    • @goat_exe
      @goat_exe 20 годин тому

      ​@@lastdayonearth8381 eh. Rittenhouse let it all go to his head. Turned into a bit of a shithead sadly.

    • @FalbereChan
      @FalbereChan 19 годин тому +2

      without the forward assist, he couldve just put his finger on the bolt and closed it by pushing it forward, it wouldnt have caused him any issues because in a universe where forward assist never existed, pushing on the bolt using the finger would be widely practiced.

  • @killertruth186
    @killertruth186 23 години тому +8

    In Fallout New Vegas both “assault carbine” and “marksman carbine” used forward assist as a way to cock the rifle.

    • @zrafferty
      @zrafferty 14 годин тому

      Cant do that in real life other then pushing bolt forwards

    • @horseman2777
      @horseman2777 7 годин тому

      Counterstrike too

  • @positiveanion4085
    @positiveanion4085 День тому +15

    I seriously wonder how the actual hell anyone who has used an AR-15 hasn't at least once rode the charging handle a little bit and not gotten the extractor over the case rim and then realized why the forward assist exists.

    • @thinkharder9332
      @thinkharder9332 16 годин тому

      If you ride the CH you can still shut the bolt without fully sling shotting it. You can creep it back an inch or so then slip your thumb free and it'll close.
      The FA is to close in a specific condition where debris is slowing the bolt to where it can't close without aid. If you're loading up the first time and using the CH that probably isn't the concern.

  • @Cats-TM
    @Cats-TM День тому +5

    Remember: it does not matter how well something works if people do not trust it. Even if it is completley redundant and frankly useless, the ability to make people feel safe is worth a lot. Does not just go with firearms, this applies to any system.
    Though, that also means people could think something is safe when it is actually horrifyingly dangerous. Why people stayed on the Titanic when it was sinking.

    • @nickkennedy9034
      @nickkennedy9034 3 години тому

      fudds will rag on the forward assist and then go on to buy rapture kits because it makes them feel safer

  • @Nat_556
    @Nat_556 День тому +5

    The simplest answer you can give to people who quote stoner on him saying “if the round doesn’t want to go in then it shouldn’t be there” is that literally every firearm until that point was slamming the round into the chamber manually, disregarding if it wanted to go in there at all. Bolt guns, pump actions, and m1 models (Garand and carbine *with some exceptions*) are all sending rounds into the chamber with straight muscle. Modern firearms with encased bolts (AR platform and FAL as mentioned) do it with springs. Springs are not as strong as muscle. Sometimes rounds don’t feed when they are supposed to, and sometimes you need to put it in there with muslce

    • @timewave02012
      @timewave02012 День тому +1

      Auto-loaders had been around since the late 19th century when smokeless powder first made them feasible. The US military had been using them since WWI (M1917 water-cooled machine gun, M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, Lewis machine gun, Chauchat machine gun, M1911 pistol, etc). More directly relevant, the AR bolt and carrier took heavy inspiration from the M1941 Johnson rifle that saw limited US use in WWII. What point are you trying to make?

    • @Nat_556
      @Nat_556 23 години тому +2

      @@timewave02012 All of those you mentioned have a bolt that can be forced forward, what’s yours?

    • @AtlasJotun
      @AtlasJotun 5 годин тому

      @@Nat_556 I think he's referring to the fact that you said that M1 rifles and carbines "...are all sending rounds into the chamber with straight muscle," categorizing them with manual repeaters, which they are not.

  • @Operator_Inquiries
    @Operator_Inquiries 17 годин тому +12

    We have a short of the forward assist keeping an absolutely filthy AR in action and there are thousands of comments calling it a jam enhancer. My dudes it’s literally clearing the malfunctions before your very eyes how is it a jam enhancer.

    • @IVIaskerade
      @IVIaskerade 12 годин тому +1

      Because if you use it wrong it jams the rifle.

    • @kujokage4611
      @kujokage4611 9 годин тому +1

      sounds like a way to cause a catastrophic malfunction

    • @floofy6911
      @floofy6911 4 години тому

      Because out of shape casings getting jammed into the chamber is not good for anything. Just take your thumb and press the bolt forward, if it's just a little grit then that will seat it.

  • @geodkyt
    @geodkyt День тому +6

    Couple of points (and I am *not* part of the "The forward assist will het you kilt in da streetz!" crowd):
    1. You talk about clearing a malfunction (if you dont have a forward assist) by just mindlessly slingshotting the action until it works. Yeah, that's something the Army figured out 50 or so years ago. Which is why the SOP immediate action drill (which isn't the *best* , mind you, but the reasons why it isn't involve problems the forward assist won't help with either, like double feeds) of SPORTS has the "O" - *Observe* . See, if you jack the bolt back and nothing comes *out* of the gun, yoire supposed to lock rhe bilt back and figure out why the extractor didn't get the round out - odds are (particularly if dealing with well ised Armybissue magazines that, frankly, should have been thrown away a couple of years ago but the Army is too cheap to treat magazines as expendable wear items) you have a double feed. Which neither slingshottinf the bolt nor using the forawrd assist will help with - if either does anything, it just makes the problem worse. Hmmm... maybe doing an inmesiate action drill *correctly* instead of doing a Cargo Cult coaplay is a better course of action, no?
    2. Your faith in the quality control on "modern ammunition manufacturing", at least withbregard to military issue ammo (you know, rhe stuff used by the folks who are rhe ones most lilely to be using their rifles in cases where - according to you - the forward assist is most likely to be necessary) is amusing. Getting new manufacture USGI ammo, that has been in a metal can from the day it was manufactured until it was issued to you, that is *physically bent* or otherwise mangled is hardly "get hit by lightning 5 times". Nor is it generally a "lot" problem (frankly, it wouod be better if it was - that many problem rounds in a single lot *would* get flagged and the whole lot pulled) - but one round out of an entire bandolier is a problem, too, if *you're* the guy who got issued *that* bandolier. Maybe QC for purely civilian market US made 5.56mm ammo is that good, but getting mutant rounds is common enough that you can expext to find multiple such rounds discarded at the bottoms of each and every one of the "fighting position" holes on an Army range after running a qual course for a company. And each soldier is only firing 40 rounds...
    3. In actual service, as an infantry NCO (including being a Drill Sergeant at Benning), I saw a Hell of a lot more rifles malfunction from worn out magazines causing double feeds (FA won't help, and it *can* only make it worse), rounds well dimesnionally out of spec (rarely will a round top too bent up to feed with the normal bolt function from firing or closing from a locked bolt, actually go home with a FA... but Ibhave also seen a rifle bound up so badly as to have to be mortsred after someone tried to Hulk Smash the Quasimodo Cartridge home), or foreign objects like sand and mud *inside the chamber or bolt face* (and, again, FA just jams it tighter - BTDT).
    Where I *have* seen FA work well are cases where you have cycled the bolt *manually* and you either short stroked it, rode the bokt down at least part way, or there was fouling between the charging handle and the upper (which adds way more drag to the bolt than most people consider). Press checking is one of those situations where you definately need a way to push the bolt home because you're WAY short stroking it on purpose so it doesnt eject a chambered round... although, if you are running the charging handle, the bolt is probably cold - otherwise you're either loading from a locked back bolt, the last round hold open didn't work (uncommon), or you're in the middle of immediate action (which is why the T is there in SPORTS - Tap the FA). But the biggest use case for manually chargung the weapon is either loading a gun *before* any firing has occured, or doing a press check (which is rarely done in the middle of a firing situation) - both of which generally mean the bolt is cold.
    Summary: the forawrd assist is *overall* a good idea, however, to use it *properly* requires the same amount of training (albeit slightly different training) as teaching troops to use a "slickside" rifle that doesn't have a forward assist (like almost everybl single non-reciprocating charging handle ridle ever issues - the Israeli FAL and the utterly failed G41 were about the only major exceptions I can think of of nonreciprocaring chargung handle rifles that did have a FA type system installed. All the G3s, all the FALs aside from the Israeli pattern ones, all the G33s, etc.

  • @PaxNovAm1776
    @PaxNovAm1776 22 години тому +10

    I've never heard Eugene Stoner claim that chrome lining was unnecessary. Sauce?

    • @dickc.normous6369
      @dickc.normous6369 22 години тому

      It's probably cuz at the time the tech wasn't very good and had problems applying it

    • @TheSundayShooter
      @TheSundayShooter 17 годин тому +3

      He comments about the chrome lining 24 minutes into Part 2 of The Eugene Stoner Tapes: he said it was a good idea, but not _his_ idea

    • @IvanPrintsGuns
      @IvanPrintsGuns  13 годин тому +4

      It's in TBR. While on the TCC he stated Armalite's design was final and mature, and resisted the Army's insistence on chrome lining.

    • @jason200912
      @jason200912 9 годин тому +3

      Stoner was a stubborn man. The soviets had chrome lining standard since 1943 and the japanese did too for a short time.
      Stoner didn't like mags more than 20 rounds and was very stubborn than 30 is useless and didn't even put in chrome lining until the army put it in.
      And idk what was up with his odd twist rate choice which later was found to be so slow that the twist rate basically had to be doubled. His reasoning may have been that he wanted the bullets to deliberately keyhole to cause more damage while sacrificing accuracy

    • @PaxNovAm1776
      @PaxNovAm1776 6 годин тому

      @@IvanPrintsGuns Wow. It takes a special kind of delusion to believe a weapon designed to be utilized primarily in Southeast Asia shouldn't need chrome lining. I should think the fact that the Japanese were rather adamant about it in the Type 99, up until resource scarcity made it less practical, would be sufficient evidence to the contrary. But what would those nuke dodgers know?

  • @zetazane
    @zetazane День тому +26

    along with your wendigoon rebuttal, one of my other favorite videos on the AR-15 is JaredAF's video on the M16A2 and why it is the way it is.

    • @JaredAF
      @JaredAF День тому +26

      i hate that kid he's so annoying

  • @Sophistry0001
    @Sophistry0001 День тому +2

    I like having the "jam button" just for press checks when I'm shooting matches alone. Load it up, press check, punch that button once or twice and you know for a fact that gun is gonna go bang.

    • @ManDuderGuy
      @ManDuderGuy День тому +2

      Yeah that's how I use it too, tis' most wise.

  • @johnt3467
    @johnt3467 День тому +7

    Vortex 3x prism optic is underrated

  • @michaelbarfield528
    @michaelbarfield528 День тому +2

    Great review! The late Eugene Stoner told the U.S. Army that the forward assist is useless if the rifle is properly maintained.....The U.S. Army disagreed...since the U.S. Army wanted the M-14, not some "Plastic/Aluminum" rifle Springfield Armory could not manufacture....let alone a "Foreign" design not conceived in the U.S. such as the FN FAL....

  • @tmreb1
    @tmreb1 День тому +3

    I've personally had my ar freeze before, after one round the bolt wouldn't seat all the way forward. After 2 good smacks of the forward assist, I got it to shoot the entire magazine. All my go-to guns have some way to force the bolt home.

  • @jerrythekazzyy
    @jerrythekazzyy 22 години тому +3

    Anecdotal, but I was in a class once in the back of the line during a drill. I noticed my bolt wasn’t in battery. I pressed the forward assist, the gun went into battery and ran fine. I’d rather have it and not need it than not have it and need it.

  • @ElTejon47901
    @ElTejon47901 День тому +5

    MG Spin E. Rat! **snaps to attention**

  • @TierNone_LarperatoR
    @TierNone_LarperatoR День тому +8

    Rittenhouse literally used it, its on vid it works. Ive used it multiple times myself.

    • @Hornet135
      @Hornet135 22 години тому +2

      I think he actually used it.

  • @Bobboberttt
    @Bobboberttt День тому +4

    Over the summer I ran a M4 through about 700 blanks without cleaning it. I utilized full auto for about 500 of those. Blanks are notoriously unreliable if there BFA (blank firing adapter) is not used correctly. There also known for running dirty. Although my BFA was used correctly, my M4 dried out about a week into this FTX. No CLP in sight. I used the forward assist for the first time, and multiple times during that FTX.
    I utilized it, but that’s just my experience.

    • @MaggieKeizai
      @MaggieKeizai 23 години тому +1

      The M4 is another animal because of the feed ramps. I loved my M4 because for the first time, I wasn't having to use the forward assist all the time. With the A2, it was a constant battle, and this is across a number of issued weapons. Those things just didn't like to go into battery.

  • @WetWiIIy
    @WetWiIIy 23 години тому +6

    Recent photos of The U.S. Army’s new SIG XM7 SPEAR rifles in use has shown that they’ve omitted the forward assist. What do you make of that? I agree with your points in this video.

    • @PaxNovAm1776
      @PaxNovAm1776 23 години тому +5

      He doesn't seem to be much of a fan of the Spear, can't say I blame him.

    • @BaconSlayer69
      @BaconSlayer69 13 годин тому

      They realized that it’s pointless

  • @roflchopter11
    @roflchopter11 День тому +1

    One edge case, (pun intended) where it could maybe be a jam enhancer, is if you have an over length round, you use the FA to chamber it, and then you eject that round manually, you could pull the bullet, and then dump powder all in your FCG. Unlikely, and probably administrative, but still...

  • @christianwilliams1690
    @christianwilliams1690 День тому +4

    This video has changed my mind on the forward assist, nice info and well presented

  • @stonehalo1632
    @stonehalo1632 13 годин тому +2

    The forward assist also keeps the cancer dust of your fingers.

  • @chadwik4000
    @chadwik4000 18 годин тому +1

    I always thought they were for an open battery or a skunk keeps it from being closed but also for being quiet. A whole platoon of Marines slapping their charging handles back to charge their guns is pretty loud in the jungle.

    • @thinkharder9332
      @thinkharder9332 17 годин тому +1

      Why would an entire platoon be within ear shot with unloaded rifles?

  • @BornagainBloodbath
    @BornagainBloodbath День тому +4

    Wish you did more content like this I love watching you on your podcast with fudd busters

  • @thirstycult6051
    @thirstycult6051 День тому +17

    Bote to make the AR-understanders™ pissed

  • @tomray7449
    @tomray7449 23 години тому +2

    I'll add something to think about. If you have a jam or even buffer system malfunction that prevents it from becoming fully seated in the chamber and have to break open the receiver to remedy the problem while having the BCG partially still in the buffer tube will definitely complicate the situation.

    • @themightycrixus1131
      @themightycrixus1131 17 годин тому

      I have been in that situation and my FA got me "out of the jam" hehe
      (Round wouldnt fully seat.... bolt still in buffer tube...can't separate the upper from lower. Mashed the FA real good and it fixed it.

  • @ishfi4589
    @ishfi4589 14 годин тому +1

    One thing that AR-15 redditors will always ignore is that the final version of the AR-10 made by AI had a forward assist. Eugene Stoner's statement about no country that tested and used his design asked for a forward assist was just wrong.

    • @thinkharder9332
      @thinkharder9332 12 годин тому

      s ignore is that the final version of the AR-10 made by AI had a forward assist.
      -Armalite has traded hands and outsourced parts chances are the outsourcer did that. What year was this model with the FA introduced?
      KAC meanwhile still sells m110's without FA's, including the latest iteration m110a2 that is not getting picked up by SOCOM.
      t. Eugene Stoner's statement about no country that tested and used his design asked for a forward assist was just wrong.
      -No country but the US, he'd sold it to other nations. Portugal, Sudan, and Cuba did not have FA's on their AR-10's.

  • @hondafreak8613
    @hondafreak8613 День тому +1

    You can tell Bolt is Home if Charging Handle is latched and has buffer spring tension and not free floating

  • @natenotabot1234
    @natenotabot1234 6 годин тому

    Silent closure can matter.
    A. Patrol base operations priorities of work:
    1. Security
    2. Maintenance (this means field strip and clean in an AO where silence is still maintained)
    B. Press checks. I know you hit it before that there’s a natural paranoia to press check. In the Objective Rally Point you conduct final checks, some of those may be a press check.
    C. I’ve had many instances where the forward assist chambers a slightly dented round. Yes the ideal answer is to dump that brass, but dust is a bitch too.
    -a dumb army POG

  • @josephrosenbaum3343
    @josephrosenbaum3343 День тому +7

    "Quick video"
    >20 minutes
    Never change ivan

  • @LerrySanders
    @LerrySanders День тому +4

    Would love to see the reports where the users of the FAL wished it had a Forward Assist. Ive not heard that about that rifle before, that would be an interesting read.

    • @armani_5.565
      @armani_5.565 День тому

      I read about it in regards to israeli dissatisfaction with the fal, their models had a forward assist.

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla День тому +2

      @@armani_5.565And the Israelis still eventually dumped the FAL in favor of their locally produced AK inspired design, the Galil.

    • @Jeffro_1
      @Jeffro_1 День тому +1

      @@gameragodzillawhich if you think about it has a forward assist. You can just smack the charging handle forward if it doesn’t go into battery

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla 23 години тому +2

      @@Jeffro_1 Any gun with a reciprocating charging handle or slide can be used as a forward assist. Hell, I’ve done it a few times with pistols when cheap ammo in a dirty gun can sometimes get hung up and I tap the slide to chamber and continue firing.

    • @jason200912
      @jason200912 9 годин тому

      I'm gonna teach you something. The army m1 garand bolt handle is a forward assist. The ak charging handle can be smacked on. The fn fal can be smacked on.

  • @Thunderous117
    @Thunderous117 День тому +1

    Hey Ivan, thanks for another video, glad you are enjoying making these. Been enjoying watching them.

  • @philipwilkin2667
    @philipwilkin2667 День тому +1

    I think no matter what your opinion is in this discussion, it is a really good sign for the AR15.
    All major issues with this gun have been solved decades ago and all there is left to debate are things like the forward assist. Disadvantages of the forward assist are close to non-existing. Advantages only apply in very rare fringe cases.
    The thing just works 99.9999% of the time.

    • @thinkharder9332
      @thinkharder9332 17 годин тому

      Disadvantages of the forward assist are close to non-existing.
      -The main issue is that the added costs of one made chromed BCG's non standard. So when the TDP is set, and mfg start copying it, they too have FA's and not chromed carriers and bolts.
      Stoner explains this during his interview in the Smithsonian collection.

  • @oddspaghetti4287
    @oddspaghetti4287 10 годин тому

    Honestly I think that the Chinese made the correct choice in choosing the AK style charging handle on their HK416 copy of a rifle. Having something real solid you can grab to manipulate the bolt both front and back if you need to has benefits far beyond what you can calculate in an excel spreadsheet or simulate in FEA. I remember reading that the engineers didn't want to include that charging handle but the military people told them that it's mandatory.

  • @fire_tower
    @fire_tower День тому +3

    The BCG scallop should be better shaped. A 90 degree at the front would be easier to push forward.

  • @borkwoof696
    @borkwoof696 22 години тому +2

    Good points all around. What are all those documents of militaries wanting a FA on their FALs and where can I find them? I‘m genuinely curious.
    One point for consideration: Your argument that had the FA been useless or a detriment, it would have been omitted on later versions of the AR-15 can easily be reversed for the FAL: If the FAL really could have benefitted from a FA, why didn’t FN or any other user add one at any point in the decades it was produced and used?

  • @WeaponsForBrains
    @WeaponsForBrains 13 годин тому

    Fixed charging handles can be used in the same way as a forward assist, yet no ones calling them Jam Handles. Personally that beats any criticism people can throw at the forward assist.

  • @rre9121
    @rre9121 16 годин тому

    It's a godsend in 350L to feed those goddamned FMJ ammo that somehow managed to be the only thing that doesn't like feeding.

  • @jameson7276
    @jameson7276 3 години тому

    Damn, I got psy-op'ed on this one hard. This is a good lecture, sometimes it's important to take a step back.

  • @Sam-qn4ly
    @Sam-qn4ly 16 годин тому

    I've used mine a couple times, it's a nice to have when your gun is running dry and you know it's most likely not an ammo issue. though a spray of CLP would usually fix any OOB issues you were having :)

  • @tsufordman
    @tsufordman День тому +2

    You didn't mention the way cooler teardrop FA.

  • @andycraig6905
    @andycraig6905 2 години тому

    You need to have the bolt forward to disassemble the gun. To fix a major issue or clean a massive amount of dirt or debris from it, you have to have the bolt forward and disassemble the gun. If there's some way you've managed to get the bolt stuck to the rear, there's no way to take the gun apart until you fix it. And there's no way to get it apart until you get the bolt forward.

  • @IVIaskerade
    @IVIaskerade 12 годин тому +1

    I always just hated that it was called the forward assist when it's clearly on the rear of the gun???

  • @freetobe3
    @freetobe3 День тому +1

    Why didn't they add lots of grooves in the ejection port area of the bolt instead? The grease gun had it as a cost cutting solution that apparently worked well enough.

    • @IvanPrintsGuns
      @IvanPrintsGuns  День тому +9

      The grease gun had a cutout to facilitate cocking the bolt back, but not pushing it forward. Being an open bolt gun with a fixed firing pin, you really don't want to be trying to push the bolt forward manually.

  • @truckfreak4537
    @truckfreak4537 День тому

    The impression and mannerisms are so good I had to check who’s video I clicked👍😂

  • @Msizyke41
    @Msizyke41 14 годин тому

    Also pushing a bolt forward with your thumb after shooting several magazines is gonna be very hot

  • @Slay_No_More
    @Slay_No_More День тому +1

    I've had to use mine twice, thankfully never in somekind of life or death situation. I swapped the part to a titanium piece to save weight, time will tell if the material change will cuck me but at least its there still.

  • @flopus7
    @flopus7 День тому +1

    I have used the forward assist. But my rifle was basically inoperable from carbon build up

  • @themightycrixus1131
    @themightycrixus1131 17 годин тому

    The FA has helped me turn my rifle from and elegant paper weight to a proper metal thrower before. I will always have on eon my AR. There was no other way out of my jam.

  • @AkkAttack
    @AkkAttack День тому +1

    This is a good informative breakdown thanks Ivan.

  • @supahvaporeon
    @supahvaporeon 23 години тому

    I can see the spear taking over if we figure out cheaper graphite molding technology. Similar strength to brass/steel at a fraction of the weight, with more powder for defeating body armor is a good incentive. The polymer cases were a good start, but the lack of recycling I think was the main issue.

    • @thinkharder9332
      @thinkharder9332 17 годин тому

      with more powder for defeating body armor is a good incentive.
      -Never was a program requirement nor stated to be. It's just a thing that some article said that got repeated over and over.

  • @chase_h.01
    @chase_h.01 День тому +2

    I feel like Ivan should do a colab with Zach Hazard

  • @anon-means-anon
    @anon-means-anon 22 години тому

    Honestly I'm just surprised you managed to restrain the forward assist autism to only 20 minutes.

  • @jonahlowe7649
    @jonahlowe7649 День тому +3

    Hey Ivan its not related to the video but I wanted to know have you ever looked into making brass cartridges from scratch? I was wondering if it could be done at home I know there's printed ammo but I think DIY brass ammo is worth pursuing

    • @flavortown3781
      @flavortown3781 День тому +1

      People have looked at this, it's really hard but probably doable, deep drawing brass isn't the absolute hardest thing ever but building the dies would be less than simple and likely really need to be carbide to be effective.

    • @jonahlowe7649
      @jonahlowe7649 23 години тому +1

      @@flavortown3781 I think done in multipul stages a 30 ton bottle jack might have the pressure needed and the dies could be made from HSS tool blanks. though I agree carbide is better.

  • @dragonproductions236
    @dragonproductions236 19 годин тому

    To be fair, it's quiet for people who have been shooting 308 without ear pro while getting shelled for 5-10 years.

  • @generalbakedpotato6150
    @generalbakedpotato6150 17 годин тому

    I forgot Alaska exists lol, knowing cold humid environments especially when it has a gradient of temperatures through out the day guns do get ice on the inside without users doing anything. Granted that is prevented with good lubrication but that wears off pretty quickly. That might be enough justification on it's own.
    But I will say the forward assist even in field use doesn't get that much use. As you stated if it got grimy enough to get hung up before battery there's a solid chance a small rock or sand is blocking the bolt or stuck in the star chamber and pressing the forward assist wouldn't do anything. Or just alot of sand is in the way that it's interfering with the bolt's ability to rotate or seat in the chamber which also happens alot. On other cases if your chamber is so dirty that using the forward assist is the solution and it works, not always but say 35% ish of the time you might get a failure to extract. Generally though the above said issues are solved by using the dust cover and having the bolt open as little as possible when you are playing in the mud/sand. It doesn't make the forward assist useless, it's just one of the last resorts on the remediation process before disassembly.

  • @anonymousanglo1169
    @anonymousanglo1169 День тому +2

    I hate the forward assist because its ugly

  • @spitfiremac
    @spitfiremac 15 годин тому

    That is a perfect traditional M16 setup

  • @nateo6806
    @nateo6806 14 годин тому

    What are your thoughts on the Springfield Armory LevAR? Useful addition for stuck casings? Not the same issue you were discussing, just want to hear other's take on it. Been playing with it for a while now and haven't had to use it yet but it is scratching that psychological comfort zone you discussed, knowing that it's there.

  • @stonehalo1632
    @stonehalo1632 13 годин тому

    The FA is the epitome of "work smarter, not harder"

  • @nonyabidness5784
    @nonyabidness5784 5 годин тому

    This was interesting and actually changed my mind about it. Thanks for the explanation.

  • @Whiskerz77
    @Whiskerz77 День тому +2

    MOAR!!!!!

  • @bobbressi5414
    @bobbressi5414 11 годин тому

    It would seem like a good device to have on any rifle with a non reciprocating charging handle. Most, like the AR, only engage the bolt when pulling them rearward. Pushing them forward does nothing. In any event, while I never had to use one on any AR I have owned or shot, their presence, much like that extra roll of TP under the sink, is comforting.

  • @johnthompson6656
    @johnthompson6656 22 години тому +1

    FA to me is belt and suspenders thought.

  • @aryah1513
    @aryah1513 День тому +1

    I have only handled an AR a couple times. Why can't you just push the charging handle forward? What does the forward assist do that makes it require less force?

    • @jungletek
      @jungletek День тому +3

      Because the CH can only pull the bolt carrier backwards, not push it forwards. The CH has a hole in the front that the gas tube/key goes through, but it's not attached to the bolt carrier.

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla День тому +4

      Charging handle is non-reciprocating, so it’s not attached to the bolt every time, so you can use it to pull back on the bolt but not forward.
      Guns with reciprocating charging handles like the AK can use the charging handle that way, as can pistols with reciprocating slides.

  • @yourmissingsock556boop3
    @yourmissingsock556boop3 16 годин тому

    I just like have a button to push randomly. So I'm all for having forward assist.

  • @Emily-ou6lq
    @Emily-ou6lq День тому +9

    Rittenhouse agrees

  • @spitfiremac
    @spitfiremac 15 годин тому

    Send this to Ian

  • @Eli_Kennemer
    @Eli_Kennemer День тому +5

    All I knew about the forward-assist is that God put it there to save Kyle Rittenhouse
    Thank you for clarifying that its there for more reasons than Fudd memes could elucidate

  • @elterga6224
    @elterga6224 21 годину тому

    The fudd lore around the forward assist is insufferable

  • @fearrogue
    @fearrogue День тому +1

    Good presentation 🦍

  • @luckyomen
    @luckyomen День тому +1

    THIS
    Now do the reasons why the M14 was picked over the FAL.

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla День тому

      I always maintained that regardless of what we adopted in the 1950’s, the M16 would’ve replaced it in Vietnam. The main problems of the M14 in service were poor manufacturing (which would’ve affected every design) and the fact that .308 battle rifles were outmoded at the time.

    • @Jeffro_1
      @Jeffro_1 День тому

      @@gameragodzillaI agree it would have been replaced, but we could have had a substantially better rifle than the m14. It took them 11? Years to come up with that turd, and the got darn Italians came up with the same thing but far better in just a few. Anything but the m14 would have been a better choice. And even better if it were in 280 British

    • @gameragodzilla
      @gameragodzilla 23 години тому

      @@Jeffro_1 Not really. The M14s problems weren’t the design, they were the stuff I mentioned which would’ve affected the FAL too. One could say the M14 took too long to change too little, unlike the Italian BM-59 which I agree, but even that primarily came from trying to make the M14 a do-everything gun. The FAL would’ve been pushed into the same role and fail just as badly.

    • @BaconSlayer69
      @BaconSlayer69 12 годин тому

      I’ll tell you why bureaucracy

  • @AnimalPriestessOfT4C
    @AnimalPriestessOfT4C День тому +2

    "Humping" explained
    9:30

  • @Midgerp
    @Midgerp День тому

    Glad to see the happy rat is okay and doing well. We love your work on helping oppressed people protect themselves and hate journos.

  • @ManDuderGuy
    @ManDuderGuy День тому

    Is this the new enlightenment or heresy? Sometimes I don't know what to believe; but I know I must be either for or against the forward doodad.

  • @absolutmauser
    @absolutmauser День тому

    The only downside is that it makes the platform more expensive to make.

  • @DireAvenger001
    @DireAvenger001 День тому

    Welcome back

  • @burcman2666
    @burcman2666 21 годину тому

    Off topic- what optic is that? it fits the look i'm going for perfect.

  • @zac2384
    @zac2384 День тому +2

    Sending hate

  • @jasonsierchio1167
    @jasonsierchio1167 8 годин тому

    Great video sir

  • @Tomcat97
    @Tomcat97 16 годин тому

    Not having a way to pull or push directly on the bolt is not a good idea, imo. i perfer side charging ars for that reason and because i like not getting carbon, lead, and carcinogenic gas sprayed into my eyes and mouth when i shoot. The rear charging handle is a terrible design, and i hate it, lol.

  • @maddantt7757
    @maddantt7757 19 годин тому

    That's a legit analysis

  • @NAP51DMustang
    @NAP51DMustang День тому

    Ivan with a normal AR lower? On my Internet?

  • @DummyRound
    @DummyRound 11 годин тому

    I use it on the range with my shitty hand loads, works wonders 👍🇺🇲

    • @zetazane
      @zetazane 7 годин тому

      nonono you don't understand, you're supposed to rack the gun every time your round doesn't go into battery. in case the cartridge is magically cursed or something.

    • @DummyRound
      @DummyRound 6 годин тому

      @zetazane my reloads are often cursed and I assist them home anyways🤠

  • @spencerbell2199
    @spencerbell2199 День тому

    I like your gat. And like videos like this.

  • @loganjohnson8356
    @loganjohnson8356 18 годин тому

    2 of my ars don’t have forward assists and I’ve never needed to use it