Clear some things up for an AR15 newbie

[john 800]

I put together a couple lowers to be used for my 450 bushmaster and my daughters 6.5 grendel uppers. My 450 uses a side charging handle, the kids 6.5 uses the traditional for an ar15 style forward assist, rear charging handle and has the door covering the ejection port. That whole mess on the traditional ar setup just seems like so much extra crap. Has anyone seen a real use for it on a hunting rifle? I suppose you could close the bolt slowly and push on the forward assist to be quiet in the stand… Is the door over the port useful if we get snowed or rained on? Or does it just keep out giant camel spiders and centipedes? I guess the jury is still out but for my next one I will probably prefer to find another one with the side charging handle attached to the bolt. Am I correct thinking that on the one with the side charging handle attached to the bolt the effect would be the same as pushing the forward assist? You are just pushing the bolt into battery form a different spot right?
Anything special I need to know to maintain these? I am pretty new to gas and auto loaders

 

[Jeff Porter]

If you need to use your forward assist, you did something wrong. Side charging handle is for pulling back, not pushing forward. Pull it back and let it fly. Do not ride it forward.

Yes the dust cover should be used and closed in the field. It opens all by itself if you installed it correctly. Weed seeds always find a way to get where they should not

I use Mobil 1 to lube the bolt carrier group. Lube the recoil spring to quiet that down.

Did you add an extended bolt release to the lower ? If you don’t want a round in the chamber, you lock back the bolt close the dust cover and insert the loaded mag with safety on. It is a bit noisy but you can drop the bolt and flick the safety off while on the target. Don’t need to run the charging handle.

 

[falkor_shooter]

For me they would only have a use case in a tree stand or a stationary blind. As Jeff said above walking through the field with the dust cover down will likely get some junk on your bolt. Not a huge deal but not great. If the dust cover was up you would have to pull the rear charging handle and take the safety off before a shot. Unless you’re shooting at medium to long ranges you’re going to scare animals away.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I like having it all on a field gun, just like stoner designed it. Its all there for a reason when youre out in the wild. I cant imagine having open slots on an AR anytime it may contact the ground, leaned on a tree, or grass seeds like jeff said. Ive used them for coyote hunting since the 80’s and have used the forward assist on multiple occasions for various grime or ice in the action

 

[C.E.Smith043]

Sadly, I'm just the opposite of the other post. I took all my dust covers off 17 years ago and have never ever had a single problem. If a dust cover was that important, every pump shotgun, auto loading shotgun, and rifles alike would have one. I'm not in war and I also don't treat my firearms like crap and throw them down in mud and dirt and grass.

To each his own, but I do away with the dust covers.

Now the forward assist, I use all the time. The way I hunt I normally don't load my firearm till I'm in the stand and ready. So I ride the bolt closed slowly and as quietly as possible. Then I finish the final trip by tapping the forward assist to ensure the bolt is fully in battery.

 

[whatsupdoc]

You need to work hard to get debris into an AR ejection port, its tighter than many bolt action rifles.

Most (99.999999999%) of hunters coming back from a days hunting are spotless
when they are done for the day. That is unless they tripped and fell down or thought that 4 foot wide creek would be easy to cross, spilled coffee on their clothes or their
sammich fell on their lap.

Now really, if you saw one of your fellow hunters come out covered in enough mud or
dirt to foul an AR the first things out of your mouth would be one of two things.

Laughter or what the flock happened to you!