What Does the Forward Assist Do?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
The YouTube algorithm suggested some videos from the Stoner interviews of 1988, and he stated that the forward assist was not needed and should not be used at all. The "Wheeler device" as Mr. Stoner called it was a requirement called for by General Wheeler (paraphrasing here) for no other reason than the previous service rifles all had some device that Soldiers could bang on in case of a malfunction. Mr. Stoner argued that the operator should clear the malfunction and not force the cartridge into the chamber. He was overruled and the forward assist was added to the M16A1, and remains to this day.
Snake45
Professional
I can CLEARLY remember the day in the summer of 1972 when Staff Sergeant Lou Mango, USAF Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit, told us, "The ONLY reason the M16A1 has a forward assist is that the G-D Army just could not STAND to adopt a rifle that had been adopted by the Ewe Ess Air Force FIRST without having to make a silly-ass, useless, BS 'improvement' on it." USAF M16s never had FAs on them, at least not until the A2s came along, which was after my time, so I can't speak with any authority about those.
Sergeant Mango was a legend to us young guys. I don't expect anyone here to recognize the name, but in those days he was a rockstar to us.
I can CLEARLY remember the day in the summer of 1972 when Staff Sergeant Lou Mango, USAF Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit, told us, "The ONLY reason the M16A1 has a forward assist is that the G-D Army just could not STAND to adopt a rifle that had been adopted by the Ewe Ess Air Force FIRST without having to make a silly-ass, useless, BS 'improvement' on it." USAF M16s never had FAs on them, at least not until the A2s came along, which was after my time, so I can't speak with any authority about those.
Sergeant Mango was a legend to us young guys. I don't expect anyone here to recognize the name, but in those days he was a rockstar to us.
My first USAF Assignment was Blytheville AFB Arkansas (SAC B52’s) my issued M16 I had until the base closed and I PCSd in 1991 was a M16 with pencil barrel and 3 prong Original Flash Hider. We had about half and half Bird cage and 3 prong. Around 1988 our commander bought A2 round hand guards for everyone along with Safariland Comp 2 speedloaders for our S&W Model 15 revolvers. We might have looked like we had newer rifles but we didn’t fool anyone that saw the 3 probgs on the end LOL
Snake45
Professional
Your memory is excellent--that is exactly correct. If you couldn't close the bolt that way, something was wrong and you really needed to stop shooting, find the problem, and fix it.
All of which is a very cool theory, unless someone is actually shooting at you....