11/28/2021
It has been in vogue lately to claim that the forward assist on the AR platform is unnecessary, or even a design flaw. This has gone to the ridiculous level of, otherwise solid AR manufacturers (Yeah, I'm looking at you PWS) removing the forward assist form their guns.
This whole argument is ludacris! In what world is it a good idea to have no positive method to move the bolt of a rifle forward? YEs, I'm aware that some people claim that that is what the indention in the bolt carrier is for. It's not. That indention is for the dust cover to close into and it leaves a lot to be desired as a forward assist substitute.
I have known this since my days as a young Marine patrolling through the jungles of Panama. I specifically remember my rifle failing to fire due to it being slightly out of battery. It may have been due to the conditions, it may have been my charging hadle getting caught on my gear, I don't know. A tap on my forward assist and the rifle fired. Yes, tap and rack would likely have cleared the problem as well, but as the shooter I had the option of doing what I felt I needed to do to make the gun work.
Personally, I will never by an AR pattern rifle without a forward assist.