[rickyrick]

I’ve “used” the forward assist just to see if it works. I deliberately made the bolt not close fully on a round. I’ve done it more than once on several rifles.
Sometimes it takes more than one push.
To me it seems easier and more intuitive to just yank the charging handle and shuck the round.
I think riding the bolt is a bad practice, but just my opinion. I feel that semiautos should be loaded and chambered with the full force of the action itself. The inertia of the moving components is the best way to seat the cartridge...

I think an AR is a fine hunting gun if used within its capabilities for caliber. You don’t have to fill a magazine just because you can.