These are really stubborn (STUCK), my Starrett punches are beginning to mangle the rounded pin head and the front sight assembly.  Any advice/solutions would be much appreciated.

TIA MG

Use a bigger hammer! J/K. I know what you mean, the few times I have removed them, they really gave me a hard time. I ended up dinging the front sight post before I got them out. You might try using a penetrating oil on them and let them soak a while.

I did a penetrating oil soak.
I tried heating and freezing.

Then I used a very big hammer and a very big punch and they finally came out.

I'm not sure which one of these did it or a combination of all three, but they finally came out.

I would definately say get the biggest punch you can find (longest heaviest and still fit in the hole).

I scratched my front sight pretty good in the process, but some perma blue paste touched it right up and you can't even tell now.

I've done several of them without any real problems.  I'm assuming that you do know that they are tapered pins and are only meant to be driven out one way.  If my memory serves is from the ejection port side that you hit it.  (I may have the direction backwards.)  Best of luck with it.  Watch-Six

HA!!

Yeah, I know they're tapered, thanks, though.
I have removed and replaced a lot of front sight bases also, just lucky I guess.  I've run into some "pig-headed" sight base pins, but, never this.  These were something else.

I was able to get them out, some PB Blaster, from my "off-raoding" days, was lying around, that, the heat gun, that, the heat gun etc. etc.  Then, copious amounts of "BFH", and "viola" they were out.  One problem, was the flat Starrett punches I was using, w/ that much force, they would slide off of the rounded head on the pins, and destroyed the front sight base, no biggie, just finish.  But, w/ the sliding/chattering I couldn't really get a good solid hit, I ws babying the frnt sight base, afraid to really gouge it.
WES, thanks, I ordered the "tapered" pin punches from Brownell's, they're on the way for the next dilema, but of course, I couldn't wait so I went ahead and "BFH'd" the he!! out of my pins, they came out.

Damn sure hard to re-seat to BM's factory depth also.

To all I appreciate the suggestions, and help.

Shoot straight, Watch six -S2

You may want to try using a machine vise to push them out.  Thats what I used to push out the trigger pin in my Hi-power pistol.

I was wondering about something like that, but couldn't figure out a way to fit my frnot sight base in there, while catching the pins, but not catching the base itself.  I've got an 8" bench vise, think I can find an inexpensive machine vise second-hand, any idea where?