I bought a cheap punch set and the 3/32 brass punch got bent out of shape when I tapped out the roll pin in the charging handle.  It seems pretty soft and I'm wondering if a punch set from Brownell's would be sturdier?

I will have to let you know...I just decided to order the Roll Pin Punch Kit #230-100-000 to give it a try. I have flattened the ends of a few pins and thought this set may solve that problem.

MT

Just assembled an upper & lower using the Brownells roll pin punches. Worked great.

well i cant understand for the life of me why buy roll pin punches? or any punch. all you need is a drill if you dont have a drill press. and the correct size nail. turn it down with a file to form the shoulder and the tit. hell i made a punch to drive out the front sight pins on an ak, and those suckers are tight. and i made that one out of an old steel cleaning rod. a good starter punch is a nail set ground and polished smooth on the end.

I did a few installs and broke one already.

The Brownells punches are steel, hard enough to do the job, they also have a retainer on the end so the punch stays centered on the pin, and they have a handle, they are well worth the small price that Brownells charges.

My time is worth more money than it would take to manufacture a punch!

www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=5551&title=ROLL+PIN+PUNCHES

These make assembling the lower much easier:

230-100-003 roll pin punch #3

230-100-004 roll pin punch #4

Small Package Rate
Lightweight orders (less than 13 ounces) can be delivered First Class through the USPS for only $3.70

I bought a Lyman punch set about 6 months ago. I have assembled 6 lowers with it and no problems. 1-800-225-9626.

I finished up with a steel punch but I'd rather use Brass to keep from scratching anything.

For those that bought a punch set from Brownells, is the 3/32 punch soft or stout?

If you are going to be doing any repetitive assembly and dissambly you need to get a set of steel punches, make does not necessarily matter. I have had cheap ones and high dollar ones and they all eventually bend, break and mushroom out. Craftsman tools have lifetime replacement, which is what I have been using for a while now, so I don't worry when a small punch goes "tink".

Roll pin punches are worth their weight in gold for roll pins, and I highly recommend getting a set if you are going to be working on AR type rifles. They center the punch on the pin. I usually start a pin with a standard punch and then finish up with the roll pin punch.

Brass punches are nearly useless. They mushroom out badly, they WILL marr a finish, and they WILL dent steel, despite what you would think, or what some know-it-all has told you. They are best used when hard beating is required to get a part OUT, where steel punches would terribly distort the steel. Removing handgun sights, such as on a 1911, comes to mind, but I start with a wood punch made from a dowel, first.

Marring can be minimized by adding a drop of lubricant to the surface being "punched". This reduces the friction between the two surfaces, however slip-off is more likely, so you may want to pinch the pin and punch with your fingertips, thus holding them together.

I have a lot of professional experience working on guns, just not AR rifles.

thanks sniperdoc

I think you're going to have trouble with any brass punch that small.  Any steel roll pin punch should be fine.

Quoted: I think you're going to have trouble with any brass punch that small.  Any steel roll pin punch should be fine.

+1.  Use brass for finishing things...tapping them home.  Not for removing pins.

If you're going to only do assembly I recommend vise grips instead of punches. It's so easy, they're like hand held press. Less chance of damage to the lower.

Fortunately my set came with steel punches so I'm good.  When these crap out no biggie, I'll try out Brownell's brand.