Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Rebirth of AR-15 Rifle Training?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/rebirth-of-ar-15-rifle-training/.
Rebirth of AR-15 Rifle Training?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
I'm gonna call "click bait" on this one. AR-15 training has never abated. Not from the shooting / tactical perspective. Not from the armorer / 'smithing perspective. BUT... The U TOOBERS are always chasing the "new" and "innovative" and whatever's "hot". So the stodgy ol' AR-15 takes a back seat to whatever the flavor of the month is with regard to solid material being put out.
This. AR’s have been pretty much beaten to death over the last 60 years. Dont think there’s much “new” or “innovative” left.
PLUS... U TOOB rules are so restrictive now that any fresh content must be watered down so much that what information DOES get presented is very vague, glosses over details and mostly useless.
Jester560
Professional
Agree 100%!
KillerFord1977
Emissary
read this. covers all you will need to know: 
Retired Bum
Professional
This ^^^^^read this. covers all you will need to know:
Uh, no.read this. covers all you will need to know:
Just the inclusion of S-P-O-R-T-S is enough to disqualify it.
Yep. A large portion of what one needs to know on how to maintain, repair and utilize your AR is in the public domain. Written and published with your money, the taxpayer's dime. It's one of the best documented firearms in history.read this. covers all you will need to know:
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KillerFord1977
Emissary
Retired Bum
Professional
Not to mention the many thousands of LEOs that have or are using on duty. Nor the hunters.....
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers may agree or disagree
Any instructor I’ve had, seen, read, or heard about in the past 25 years sure disagrees. No instructor from a top (or close to it) school advises using the forward assist for anything.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers may agree or disagree
KillerFord1977
Emissary
Forward assist really comes into play now with suppressors. Lots of times, the bolt doesnt cycle properly based on ammo or gas pressure or both.
So after how many decades, the T in SPORTS might have an occasional use it was never intended for? That doesn’t make FM 23-9 a manual that replaces quality training.
Ol' Saint Stoner didn't think much of the addition of the forward assist. He might be surprised that there is finally a "legitimate use case for it" ... or is there?? LOL.
"Why in the world would one FORCE a cartridge into the chamber when it obviously doesn't want to enter freely on its own?"
KillerFord1977
Emissary
Lots of times as you tune a suppressor and gas block to cycle properly, the second round my not cycle properly. Leaving bolt partially open engaged. Hit forward assist and fire round 2. If still same issue, then clear gun to safe and adjust. Repeat.
Forward assist comes in handy for those tuning a suppressor/rifle marriage.
Was not intent of orig developers, bit it sure works now
If I can't "persuade" the cartridge to ease fully into the chamber and the bolt to lock up by pushing on the bolt carrier thumb cutout, I SURE ain't gonna get physical with the forward assist. The thumb cut was designed by Mr Stoner as part and parcel of the AR. The forward assist was designed by a military committee. Wonder which one knew what they were doing?
KillerFord1977
Emissary
Mr stoner didn’t take into account suppressors and adjustable gas blocks either
It's true that the design was for unsuppressed firing with a fixed gas system.Mr stoner didn’t take into account suppressors and adjustable gas blocks either
And I get what you're trying to convey about the convenience of the forward assist when tuning an adjustable gas block. I'm assuming that you squeeze the the adjustment down on the block until the amount of gas is either shut off completely or so low that the gun will not function, then slowly open it up until the gun does reliably function. It's that window of operation where the gun will pick up a round from the magazine but will not quite chamber that you're concerned with. If one uses the forward assist to gently ease a partially chambered round home while working on this adjustment, there SHOULD be no problem, assuming that one starts with a "known good" gun with a reasonably clean chamber at the outset.
It's whenever one's use of the forward assist becomes incorporated as an integral part of the "manual of arms" and thus part of the training / practice regimen that I take issue. But as in all things "gun", it's your gun, not mine. Everone is free to operate their own any old way that "floats their boat." 'Merica!