Forward Thinking Forward Assist

With the AR-15 ejection port cover receiving all the attention of decoration these days with laser cut engravings and flashy logos, the forward assist found on most AR- 15 upper receivers serves a lowly function and is seldom thought of as an item to accessorize. I began searching the web for alternative style forward assist buttons and the selection was very limited.

I then decided to experiment with different ball mill cuts on the as- 300 Blackout cartridge with AR-15 forward assist assembly. sist button head, only to find it remained plain looking. As a decorative item, the forward assist needs something to make it stand out. Looking for inspiration, I had an AR-15 upper barreled in .300 Blackout and rifled with a 1:7 twist for subsonic work sitting on the bench with several pieces of spent brass with Hornady 300 BLK headstamps.

As I collected the brass up for the tumbler, I thought, "Why not inlay the case head in the forward assist face?" I ordered some forward assist assemblies from Brownells (#078-101-143) which came complete with spring and roll pin. Once the forward assist was chucked in the lathe, I squared a cutter to the face and started removing material for the diameter of the case head (0.475+) for a snug fit. Cutting to a depth of 0.1535" allowed for added

epoxy to be applied later. A word of caution here: When cutting a depth any deeper than 0.1535" on this part it will separate the tapered rim of the forward assist button from the stem. Don’t ask how I know… Next is the task of a clean-cut case head. Brass is solid in this area except for the flash hole. I converted .223/5.56 brass to .300 Blackout with a Drill Master #62136 Two-Inch Mini Bench Top Cut-Off Saw.

A jig that is used to cut the .223/556 brass at the case shoulder worked perfect when I installed the .223/5.56 case backwards and produced a cleancut case head button ready for the inlay. Cleaning up the cut edge with a small file eliminated any burs that might have prevented the brass head from a flat seated fit. Considering the growing popularity of the AR-15 platform, nearly any case head can be used as AR- 15s can be chambered for numer- Far ous cartridges.

This will make for a unique and quick reference to the chambering of the specific upper. Some case headstamps are hard to read so now is the time to highlight that headstamp and make it stand out! It’s simple enough to do with a black Sharpie marker. Just blot the headstamp until filled, let dry, and buff the high spots with #0000 steel wool. A bright shiny brass case head will be highlighted with bold, black, and easy-to-read cartridge information.

Indexing the forward assist is routine and a small piece of tape will help as a referencing marking the top center while inserting the case head for a proper 12 o’clock alignment. Any epoxy of your choosing can be used here. I worked with J-B Weld since it was already on the bench and an easy choice. The fitting you should have done beforehand will have produced a flush fit of the case head into the forward assist button face. Once set, let it cure overnight. You can leave it oxide black as most are.

Another option that I like is to paint with Aluma-Hyde II (Brownells #083- 002-412) in stainless steel gray. Conclusion With all the personalization customers want on AR platform rifles, this is a unique look that isn’t readily available as an aftermarket option and will make any rifle stand out. One thing I can guarantee is after the modification to the forward assist it will receive much more thumb time that ever before! AG