Roll pin in the wrong end. - Page 1

AR-15 » Troubleshooting

AR Sponsor:

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Roll pin in the wrong end.

Posted: 7/12/2014 9:53:19 PM EDT

Hey guys I'm new here, just bought my lower receiver and parts kit today, and of course a newbie like me messed up and need help. So my problem is: I put the roll pin for the trigger guard in the FRONT, not the back. It's not all the way in but I'm trying to get it out. I've tried WD-40 and pliers to pull it out, no luck. So is their any way to get it out?

Posted: 7/13/2014 10:14:36 AM EDT

[#1]

You may have to VERY carefully drill it out.
Use a drill press if you have it, a hand drill if not, but whatever, run it slow so you can control things and not drill too deep or damage the hole in the lower.

The roll pin will itself act as a drill guide, Use a drill that's JUST the same size as the roll pin so you cut the pin not the lower.
If you're not very certain about this, take it to a gunsmith or a good machine shop and have them do it.

Posted: 7/13/2014 10:19:21 AM EDT

[#2]

pin punch

Posted: 7/13/2014 1:04:03 PM EDT

[#3]

Drill a hole through a block of wood to let the pin pass through while supporting the "ear" on the side. Put the protruding bit of pin in the hole so the receiver side rests ont the wood block and drive the pin out with a correctly-sized punch, preferably a self-centering roll pin punch.

Posted: 7/13/2014 1:21:13 PM EDT

[#4]

Take it to machine shop. This is a tricky fix. Probably not something to try and fix at home.

Posted: 7/13/2014 1:28:20 PM EDT

[#5]

Oh yeah, no through-hole on the front to punch back out from. Carefully cut off the part of the roll pin inside the trigger guard with a dremel or fine hacksaw. The remainder should pull out pretty easily after that.

Posted: 7/13/2014 1:36:06 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Hey guys I'm new here, just bought my lower receiver and parts kit today, and of course a newbie like me messed up and need help. So my problem is: I put the roll pin for the trigger guard in the FRONT, not the back. It's not all the way in but I'm trying to get it out. I've tried WD-40 and pliers to pull it out, no luck. So is their any way to get it out?

View Quote

Don't feel bad. I've built a few and, thanks to a complete brain fart on my part, I'm in the same situation as you.

Posted: 7/13/2014 2:17:59 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Hey guys I'm new here, just bought my lower receiver and parts kit today, and of course a newbie like me messed up and need help. So my problem is: I put the roll pin for the trigger guard in the FRONT, not the back. It's not all the way in but I'm trying to get it out. I've tried WD-40 and pliers to pull it out, no luck. So is their any way to get it out?

View Quote

Simplest way is a 1/16" drill bit to drill through the pin and out the other side; follow that up with a 1/8" drill bit coming from the other way, using the newly-drilled hole as a guide, and drilling to the pin. Use a 1/8" pin punch to tap the pin out, but support the "ear" on a piece of wood with a hole drilled in it to receive the pin. Touch up the newly-drilled hole with Aluma-Black, and finish the build.

An automotive EZ-Out might also be used to extract the pin.

HTH

Edited: remove answer based on potential faulty understanding of the state of OP's situation, add a different option.

Posted: 7/13/2014 2:57:14 PM EDT

[#8]

you should be able to turn it out without damaging anything, if you can get on the end of the rollpin with a small pair of vicegrips turn it out like you would a bolt.

Posted: 7/13/2014 3:33:34 PM EDT

[#9]

If enough of the pin is sticking out, I would try grabbing it with a slide hammer and remove it this way before attempting any drilling.

Posted: 7/13/2014 4:03:30 PM EDT

[#10]

cut the trigger guard in half close to the ears then cut it in half between the ears should come out but will ruin the trigger guard.

Posted: 7/16/2014 4:53:01 AM EDT

[#11]

I did this back in February. I had to use a dremel. Here are some pics.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_66/639210_Installed_trigger_guard_roll_pin_into_wrong_hole__solution____FIXED_WITH_PIC__.html

Posted: 7/16/2014 9:48:17 AM EDT

[#12]

Ditto, I with sacrificing the trigger guard that can be replace cheaply, verses trying to save the trigger gaurd and destroying the lower receiver in the process instead (enlarging the channel, or snapping off one of the ears).

Posted: 7/18/2014 1:13:11 AM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
pin punch

View Quote

Dude...that won't work. There is no opening on the other side on the front part of the trigger guard.

Posted: 7/19/2014 11:01:18 AM EDT

[#14]

Cut off whatever is left of the roll pin sticking out, as close to the receiver as possible.

Then drive the shortened roll pin into the trigger guard, remove the trigger guard, and drive the cut roll pin out.

Now you only need a new trigger guard roll pin which you should be able to get at any hardware store.

*This should work unless you've driven the roll pin all the way in, or nearly all the way in.*

Posted: 7/19/2014 3:26:05 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

Dude...that won't work. There is no opening on the other side on the front part of the trigger guard.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
pin punch

Dude...that won't work. There is no opening on the other side on the front part of the trigger guard.

I initially thought that the trigger guard was put in backwards.

standard guards usually come with the small roll pin holding the spring and detent. But it seems like it was installed in the lower before the trigger guard was assembled? In which case it would be open through the guard, but has a small bit that is smaller diameter that you could drill out and then pound the roll pin through with a punch, I would think it'd be easier to use pliers and pull it out, but OP says that's not working. I could be wrong, I've never taken a trigger guard assembly apart

If non-standard trigger guard, then I thought that they were mostly consistent diameter hole all the way through, and you could just pound it out just like the back pin?

Posted: 7/19/2014 7:28:58 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:

I initially thought that the trigger guard was put in backwards.

standard guards usually come with the small roll pin holding the spring and detent. But it seems like it was installed in the lower before the trigger guard was assembled? In which case it would be open through the guard, but has a small bit that is smaller diameter that you could drill out and then pound the roll pin through with a punch, I would think it'd be easier to use pliers and pull it out, but OP says that's not working. I could be wrong, I've never taken a trigger guard assembly apart

If non-standard trigger guard, then I thought that they were mostly consistent diameter hole all the way through, and you could just pound it out just like the back pin?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
pin punch

Dude...that won't work. There is no opening on the other side on the front part of the trigger guard.

I initially thought that the trigger guard was put in backwards.

standard guards usually come with the small roll pin holding the spring and detent. But it seems like it was installed in the lower before the trigger guard was assembled? In which case it would be open through the guard, but has a small bit that is smaller diameter that you could drill out and then pound the roll pin through with a punch, I would think it'd be easier to use pliers and pull it out, but OP says that's not working. I could be wrong, I've never taken a trigger guard assembly apart

If non-standard trigger guard, then I thought that they were mostly consistent diameter hole all the way through, and you could just pound it out just like the back pin?

Trigger guard on a AR-15 allows you to swing the trigger guard down and back against the grip for use with arctic mittens/gloves on. So on that note, the detent side of the trigger guard (standard, or after market that still swing), always goes towards the mag well to mate up with the single sided drilled ear.

As for swinging the trigger guard down, just press the detent in with a bullet tip, and down it will swing and tuck nicely against the grip flat and out of your way.

Posted: 7/19/2014 8:03:49 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
single sided drilled ear.

View Quote

Ah, this may be why I was confused. My lower is drilled through on both tabs, I thought that was normal, but maybe not

Posted: 7/20/2014 12:01:49 PM EDT

[#18]

Just the front ejection side ear should be drilled for the guard detent.

If both sides are drilled, then the manufacturer has drilled the extra hole for an after market type trigger guard that used through pinning/bolt for both the front and back of the guard instead.