Gas block question

[Phoneman]

Does anyone make a gas block that has an on off switch like the sks? It's usally on sks with grenade launcher. (not going to launch grenades.) Turning off the gas block would make the gun a single shot and would have to manually charge the weapon every time.
Would there be any ill effects of doing this? The sks doesn't seem to have any.
One more. Is the forward assist only to help push a stuck round into firing position or are there other uses?

[Plink]

I don't know of anyone making gas shutoffs, but assuming you're looking for it to fit the AR-15, you might try checking some of the custom makers. They may make something like that. It shouldn't harm anything. Turning off the gas at the block would do nothing but make the gun a single shot, though it would increase the amount of gas behind the bullet and probably increase velocity slightly, throwing off your sights.

As for a forward assist, the only thing it's really good for is turning a simple feeding malfunction into a full out jam. By trying to force a misfeeding round into the chamber, you can compound the problem. Better to just cycle it out and try again with a fresh one.

[Phoneman]

thanks for the response. very helpfull.

[Savage]

The forward assist works well for what it is designed for, hand cycling a round into a dirty chamber. If the rifle does not chamber a round in the firing cycle, I eject the round and chamber a fresh one. I don't remember the last time I had to do that. I doubt if you could hit the forward assist hard enough to chamber a really out of spec round. At least not with the heel of your hand!
Savage