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Posted: 4/26/2010 8:19:11 PM EDT
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I have a 16" 5.45x39 S&W upper that I'm trying to replace the front sight base on. I was having 0 luck punching the pins out (from left to right), and I figured since they are rounded, I could flatten them down. So I dremelled them flat, and can get a good bite with the punch now, but they are not budging. I tried it from the other direction for shits, but no luck there either. Am I this stupid? Any tips on why they aren't budging at all?
Thanks in advance. |
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Are you working on a solid work surface? I'm not sure if S&W pins are tapered but are you sure your banging on the smaller side?
I recently removed the FSB from my new Bushy barrel and had no problem doing the job on my bedroom floor using a steel plate as my solid work surface with a 9mm ammo tray as a spacer to allow the pins to come out. A combination of a 16oz hammer, 5oz hammer, and 5/16" punch made it a 2min job. |
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Yep, I'm on a solid wood table. There's no give underneath at all. I really can't figure it out. I'm sure I'm doing it from the correct side, but like I said, I even tried hammering from the other side to no avail.
I'm not a pansy either, I'm really smacking it and there's no progress. |
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Use a bigger hammer. I use a 3lb hammer to get the pins to move. Then switch to a smaller hammer. You need enough mass to move the pins instead of just bouncing off of them.
The pins on the S&W 5.45 upper are really tight. I just converted 2 to Adams Arms gas pistons. What normally would take 1 or 2 hits to move the pins, took 6 or 8. Hope this helps. |
| Had a similar problem with mine. Broke 2 brass and one steel drift punches. I ended up taking the largest diameter nail I could find, cutting it to a length somewhat longer than my vice grips are wide. Used said vice grips to firmly grab the cut nail and pounding it with a framing hammer. They moved. Keep the barrel on a firm surface. |
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I tried and tried to get the pins out of my LMT upper. I just couldn't do it despite people telling me the LMT pins were some of the easier ones to take out.
I finally got a gunsmith to shave the FSB block down and put a daniel defense lite rail over it. He did a great job and hooked me up. It always helps to have connections. :) |
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I just removed my FSGB on my Stag upper last week. I had the same issue. I whacked the crap out of it for a while and they did not budge. Went to the home depot and bought something called "Buster" to help loosening screws and such. I sprayed that on let it sit for a while, took some hoppes9 and poured some of that on and let it sit a while, then I CLP'd the crap out of it. Came back and hour later and after 2 whacks it was like butter, came right out.
Some tips I learned and did: Get something to loosen them up like buster, not wd40 (tried it and didn't do much). Measure the diameter of both sides of the pin to see which is larger and hammer from the smaller side. (I think you said you dremmeled them off though) SOAK it with your own special concoction of chems to loosen it. Don't forget that many of the pins go directly through the barrel and are more than likely pressed into place (making the pin and hole specifically matched and tight to each other). Don't be afraid to give the punch several hard whacks and don't give up, it will come out. |
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Quoted:
Heat the FSB up with a torch. That's how I got mine loose after pounding them for 30 minutes with a punch. I forgot that this is what finally loosened it up (along with the chemical concoction). I didn't use a torch but a regular old lighter and I think the heat allowed the chems to get in there and work. Anyway two minutes later pins were out. |
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I start with a larger punch to get the head of the pins flush with the base. A couple really good sharp whacks with a big hammer and they usually start to move. Then punch then through with a smaller diameter punch. You are correct my friend.I do the same method.You really have to get a heavy hammer and just whack the crap out of them. |
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I have implemented most of the suggestions above - one of the pins is about 1/4 out and the other is about 1/2 out. At this point they should just fall out, or at the most a couple of more taps of the hammer. Half the battle is getting them moving. BTW KROIL is what I used on mine when I was in the same situation not too long ago. |
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Well, I noticed you were still having problems with your pins, so I checked the two gas blocks I recently took off my S&W 5.45 uppers. It's a little late, but the pins on the gas blocks off of my uppers drive out from right to left. That's probably why your having a hard time getting them out if your trying to drive them out from left to right. The dozen or so other front sight gas blocks I have laying around drive out from left to right.
This doesn't help you but maybe it'll save someone else a head ache. I always check the pins to see which way they drive out. never paid to much attention to which direction right to left or left to right. |
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Quoted:
At my wit's end now. I've broken/bent more punches than I care to count, and the thing is way more than half way out, and won't budge. I've tried heating, drilling, punching, swearing, etc, and it's not moving. I had to drill my pins out. Tried everything else under the sun and some other things that aren't. Good luck 
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Quoted:
Well, I noticed you were still having problems with your pins, so I checked the two gas blocks I recently took off my S&W 5.45 uppers. It's a little late, but the pins on the gas blocks off of my uppers drive out from right to left. That's probably why your having a hard time getting them out if your trying to drive them out from left to right. The dozen or so other front sight gas blocks I have laying around drive out from left to right. This doesn't help you but maybe it'll save someone else a head ache. I always check the pins to see which way they drive out. never paid to much attention to which direction right to left or left to right. Well, it doesn't help, but it does make me feel like less of an idiot, so thanks for that. I assumed the S&W 5.45 were the same as all of the other ARs out there. |
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Try a BIGGER HAMMER
Really though, some of them are a bitch, just measure which side is smaller diameter (tapered pins) with a caliper, put a steel punch on it and swing as hard as you can and don't miss. ETA: yes, FSBs mounted with taper pins are individually fitted to the barrel (your FSB holes and someone else's rifle's FSB holes will probably be different.) |
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