M4/M16 Forward assist knob

Hey, I've been searching up a lot of different phrases trying to figure out what a forward assit knob does for an M4/AR 15 family of rifles

Apparently on the real steel, it is used to send the bolt home free, if using the charging handle does not seat the bolt into the carrier fully, due to dirt etc..

Is it true that doing this repeatedly can harm the gun? If you use it with a clean gun, will it damage the charging handle/bolt?

I am also led to believe that on an airsoft M4, once you remove the mag, and shoot a couple times to get any excess dirt or BB's out of the chamber, you push the forward assist knob to release the tension on the piston inside the gearbox...

Anyone feel free to give me the understanding of this FA knob.

Only on an ICS pushing the FA knob will relieve the gearbox tension, any other brand its for looks only. Any other brand you have to shoot on semi once to reset the gearbox.

Well I'm getting an ICS so its always good to know, but I was mainly wondering about a real steel, cuz in video games you always see a reload animation with them pushing it

It's as the name4 says forward assist. ussed to assist the bolt. if the gun is clean and in good condition it shouldn't need to be used. I've heard of predator hunters using it to silently seat a cartridge. They ride to bolt forward then use the forward assist to make sure the round is seated propperly.

Knightwarrier wrote:

Only on an ICS pushing the FA knob will relieve the gearbox tension, any other brand its for looks only. Any other brand you have to shoot on semi once to reset the gearbox.

On the King Arms armalites the FA knob actually releases the bolt since KA has a bolt catch.

I thought the bolt release did that. I think you might be mixing the two up. The forward assist on an ICS will release the spring tension. On King Arm metal bodies and Systema, the forward assist don't really do anything. The bolt release, the funny looking thing on the left hand side right by the magazine release is the what will bring your bolt back.

beach_boy wrote:

I thought the bolt release did that. I think you might be mixing the two up. The forward assist on an ICS will release the spring tension. On King Arm metal bodies and Systema, the forward assist don't really do anything. The bolt release, the funny looking thing on the left hand side right by the magazine release is the what will bring your bolt back.

You might be right, having had a chance to play with a King Arms yet

Would you mind taking the time to write a quick review on it once it gets in?? Would be nice to get your opinion on it.

beach_boy wrote:

Would you mind taking the time to write a quick review on it once it gets in?? Would be nice to get your opinion on it.

No problem it's being shipped with a battery, just means I need to buy ammo and a battery charger.....