Every time I see a picture of that rifle I think the following: I need to SBR one of my lowers If that build has a theme song it's "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap", Cheap being how streamlined it is for purposeful operation. It also reminded me of one of the AR's most useful feature, though it's omitted on some uppers: The forward assist. @Ura-Ki I know that you know this one, but it's amazing how many AR owners don't know what the forward assist does. Many are under the misconception that's it's there because the AR design has inherent feeding problems. It doesn't, especially if the barrel extension has M4 feed lips. I personally think it came about because of the way Stoner liked to engineer things trying to handle as many contingencies as possible and was also perhaps a feature designed to give warm fuzzies to .mil and improve it's chances to be adopted. While it can help with a feeding issue, IMO it's real value is that it gives a stealthy way to charge the rifle. The normal procedure to charge by pulling the handle back all the way and then letting it go to pick up a round and then slam the bolt into place is noisy just like any other semi auto. There are situations, however, where silence is golden, Perhaps the S has hit the F, and you don't know how many rounds you have left and decide to swap a partial mag for a full one. At the same time you have moved to a different position and don't want to announce your location. This is where the forward assist shines. Pull the charging handle back as usual, but instead of letting go slowly ease it back forward. Since the bolt is almost certainly not locked at this point, use the forward assist to quietly ease it all the way forward locking the bolt.
Yup! And it's really nifty to have for that! The actual use of the forward assist is for when you drive a loaded round into a broken neck inside the chamber, which the early brass was known for, and if you wanna clear that rifle, you gotta be able to separate the two halves, which is impossible when part of the bolt carrier is sticking into the buffer tube! It's happened to me a few times, and I literally had to stomp that forward assist to drive the bolt home so I could break it open and then using my issue cleaning rod and a large rock, drive the bolt carrier back out so I could then use my issue broken shell extractor to clear the jamb! It's rare to have happen, but it can and does, and it's sure nice to have!
The original first issued carbines, the GAU-5 ( Air Force) and the SP-1 (U.S. Army) didn't have a forward assist, ( or elevation wheels on the rear sight) and were meant to be as light weight as possible, but when the war fighters started having jambs due to blown cases, usually the necks getting stuck with the next incoming round, they would jamb up and too many guys were breaking the charging handles trying to get them to extract, not to mention breaking the extractors, so, some one had to come up with a fix! History doesn't tell us if it was Stoner or Colt, but, eventually that's where the forward assist came from! Historically, it's the early batches of super hot 5.56 55 gr stuff that had the problems, but it does pop up with the later issue ammo, even with the 62 gr and 77 gr stuff, and it does effect the M-4. Other weapons that use a different gas and recoil system doesn't suffer those issues! Some where in the world is a HUMMER with a few curious dents and marks on it's fenders, looks like the impression of a butt stock, and next to it, the impression of a suppressor front end, and a few boot prints next to those! DAMN, those HUMMERS were good for something after all!
It's always been my understanding from the old research I've read that the FA came about as a result of the Army changing powders from the original IMR extruded type to a Winchester ball powder to up the cyclic rate of the weapon. Supposedly the problem was that the powder burned dirtier and caused FTF's along with gas tube issues. The FA was supposed to insure a soldier could put the weapon in battery. That's the story I've always read. Not claiming it it be gospel. I've gathered all the parts for the build now that I have the stock. They are very hard to find. I'm building mine as a Model 607. Haven't yet decided whether or not to use a FA upper or not as they were produced in both variations. http://www.retroblackrifle.com/ This is an EXCELLENT source of info for the Black Rifle and it's beginnings.
I modernized mine, using an A-2 upper with F.A. and the even better A-2 N.M. rear sight, with matching front duel post sight pin. I also run the extra clereance trigger guard, and Radian Ambi charging handle! I'm about to get the oversize F.A. knob, and then it will be perfection! That stock will need some minor work, you will have to take the buffer tube it came with, wrap sand paper around it and run it down the butt to open it up to the correct dimensions for work with a standard contour pistol tube! Will also have to get a really long reach Allen driver to remove the butt plate from the inside and shorten it's extension by about 1 inch so that it will clear the pistol tube when fully collapsed! Use the return spring it came with after, but might trim one coil if it's too stiff!
It is not a dumb question. However, not every weapon is good for every person. Are you buying for yourself only, or do you have a wife who may use the weapon? Is she or are you recoil sensitive? How often to you get to the range to train? I had a federal firearms license when I was young, but not much $ to buy weapons. Over the years I added to the collection via some inheritance, some purchased. I have a hodge podge of .22, 9mm, .45, .380 pistols, an AR-15, a Savage .300 deer rifle, and half a dozen each12 and 20 ga shotguns and 3-4 .22 rifles. If I were just starting out, I'd buy something like a Ruger 10/22 and a Ruger .22 pistol that used the same magazines. The reason is, .22's are cheap to own, modify, easy to maintain, and ammo is inexpensive. You can find hundreds, if not thousands of aftermarket mods for the 10/22 to fit virtually any need. After that itch was scretched,I'd buy a pistol caliber carbine in .357 to match your .357 (common ammo, easier to stockpile). That gives you more punch and more reach. Once you gain experience with those platforms you can decide whether you wish to add 9mm or some other caliber. What I'm recommending is a pistol and rifle or carbine in the same caliber (and same magazines if possible). Other wise you have a large investment in multiple magazines (they aren't cheap) and multiple caliber ammo (scarce as hen's teeth right now). Eventually if you keep shooting you may end up with a wide diversity of calibers and platforms, but will have gotten there in a more organized way, and won't have 25 different types of magazines in 10 different calibers. (Personally, I buy a minimum of 10 magazines for each weapon I own so that if I have a magazine fail or two, I'm never short spares while I await a replacement. I would never own less than 5 per weapon if funds were short). Be well, and understand there are a lot of ways to skin this cat. My opinion may not work for everyone.
