Forward assist

Forward assisting is the practice of moving the bolt or bolt carrier of a weapon fully forward when the return spring has not done so (or there is a chance that it will not have done so). Some weapons have a dedicated device to allow forward assisting; on others it is simply a procedure performed on the cocking handle.

As a device

The forward assist on a firearm is a button found commonly on AR-15 rifle derivatives, such as the M16 rifle, and is usually located near the bolt closure. When hit, it pushes the bolt carrier forward, ensuring that the bolt is locked. In order to ensure that the extractor is clipped around the rim of the casing, the forward assist is usually struck rather than pushed. It is commonly incorporated into standard loading procedure to prepare a weapon for firing, or to close the bolt when the weapon is excessively dirty. It can also be used to close a bolt that was gently let down, rather than released under full spring compression, to keep the noise of closing the bolt to a minimum.