Posted: 1/29/2009 8:18:49 AM EDT
| So I can't get the Front Sight Block off my AR... I know the pins are supposed to go from left to right... but they just won't budge... I don't really wanna have to buy a barrel without one cause they're supposed to come off... anyways what do you guys recommend I do? |
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Quoted: So I can't get the Front Sight Block off my AR... I know the pins are supposed to go from left to right... but they just won't budge... I don't really wanna have to buy a barrel without one cause they're supposed to come off... anyways what do you guys recommend I do? 
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| It depends on the manufacturer, some are strait some are tapered. Take calipers and measure both sides. If tapered I had to start them out with a center punch, once they move it's easy but took a big ass hit to get them going. IM cell if you are still having problems. If you ruin it I have a spare you can have. Make sure the vise has soft jaws and you clamp as close as possible to the sight block. |
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Don't dremel. It can be done properly. Have patience and listen to Dino. A good action block, a proper punch, and a big enough hammer will get you through. Not being a smart ass but a bigger/heavier hammer is best as you dont beat the shit out of it trying to break the pins loose. A good steady thump goes allot further than a bunch of lighter whacks. |
So I managed to take it off... I used the dremel  ... anyways reason why I wanted to take it off was to replace it to get This, This, This, and This...
BTW is anyone here familiar with piston uppers? Do you recommend them? Or is the old addage "the more complicated the parts the more problems you'll have" correct? |
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http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20727&title=AR-15%20FRONT%20SIGHT%20BENCH%20BLOCK
Now go spend some money on the proper tool to do the job. 
Big, tough, polyethylene block gives fitted support for installing/removing the front sight assembly on mil-spec, AR-15 rifles and carbines. Precision-machined and clearly marked on both sides for driving the mounting pins “IN” or “OUT” of the sight. Accommodates the sling swivel, plus, includes provisions for removing the gas tube roll pin. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Don't dremel. It can be done properly. Have patience and listen to Dino. A good action block, a proper punch, and a big enough hammer will get you through. Not being a smart ass but a bigger/heavier hammer is best as you dont beat the shit out of it trying to break the pins loose. A good steady thump goes allot further than a bunch of lighter whacks. Reading is fundamental. And seeing as how i've probably removed more FSB's in my14 years or AR building then you have, I am sure that I understand your point better then even you do. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Don't dremel. It can be done properly. Have patience and listen to Dino. A good action block, a proper punch, and a big enough hammer will get you through. Not being a smart ass but a bigger/heavier hammer is best as you dont beat the shit out of it trying to break the pins loose. A good steady thump goes allot further than a bunch of lighter whacks. Reading is fundamental. And seeing as how i've probably removed more FSB's in my14 years or AR building then you have, I am sure that I understand your point better then even you do. Grumpy, I never said you didnt, my point was simply aimed at the hammer, this is one case where a big hammer used carefully is better than a small one. I have been restoring and hot rodding cars since high school, and I was taught long ago that a good whack from a heavy hammer I like dead blows will do wonders on pins and other pressed fit things. Yes you need a good punch, not some cheapo and as you said a block. As far as removing front sights I have done a few but only for myself. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Don't dremel. It can be done properly. Have patience and listen to Dino. A good action block, a proper punch, and a big enough hammer will get you through. Not being a smart ass but a bigger/heavier hammer is best as you dont beat the shit out of it trying to break the pins loose. A good steady thump goes allot further than a bunch of lighter whacks. Reading is fundamental. And seeing as how i've probably removed more FSB's in my14 years or AR building then you have, I am sure that I understand your point better then even you do. Grumpy, I never said you didnt, my point was simply aimed at the hammer, this is one case where a big hammer used carefully is better than a small one. I have been restoring and hot rodding cars since high school, and I was taught long ago that a good whack from a heavy hammer I like dead blows will do wonders on pins and other pressed fit things. Yes you need a good punch, not some cheapo and as you said a block. As far as removing front sights I have done a few but only for myself. This is what happened to my pin when I wacked it... so yea i need better pins... 
As you can see my pin broke... lol |
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Next time get one of these.
I have removed two gas blocks this week and some very difficult AK pins with it. It works extremely well where a hammer and punch fails. I have ground this one to fit the gas block. It was 10 bucks at coast to coast (Monroe) Oh, its called a spring tool. Springtools.com 
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Well, ya got it off...........................
As far as piston uppers, waste of money I'd say. DI does the job just fine, and isnt' as muzzle heavy. Seems like re-inventing the wheel to me. They run fine, just don't seem necessary. And you have greater "parts compatibility" with everything around you when you go DI. |
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It depends on the manufacturer, some are strait some are tapered. Take calipers and measure both sides. If tapered I had to start them out with a center punch, once they move it's easy but took a big ass hit to get them going. IM cell if you are still having problems. If you ruin it I have a spare you can have. Make sure the vise has soft jaws and you clamp as close as possible to the sight block. Dino had the same experiance as me. the last barrel I had removed to replace had straight pins, the new barrel is taper pins. Im going to be heading towards ya, I can give ya hand with it. Ohhh yeah, Different barrels, different pin locations. |
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If only we could get the law changed to allow SBS :( I would so put one on my AR...
BTW anyone know if These are any good? They look cool but I was wondering if they were actually any good... cause adding those to a rifle length rail on a 16"-er would be pretty tacticool looking... |
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So I managed to take it off... I used the dremel ... anyways reason why I wanted to take it off was to replace it to get This, This, This, and This... If'n I was gonna put a full length free float fore end on my AR, I'd just hack saw and dremel off the parts of the FSB that were too high, a little scosh of flat black paint, and be done with it. Cheaper than the $50+ you spent on a new gas block, and no pins to remove. |
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BTW does anyone have a barrel nut changing thingy since I wanna install a free float I need to take off the Dring and I dun have the tools to do it... i buy beer for help 
Oh shit Page 2 If no one has offered, shoot me an IM. My "shop" is always avalible. |
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Quoted:
Grumpy, I never said you didnt, my point was simply aimed at the hammer, this is one case where a big hammer used carefully is better than a small one. I have been restoring and hot rodding cars since high school, and I was taught long ago that a good whack from a heavy hammer I like dead blows will do wonders on pins and other pressed fit things. Yes you need a good punch, not some cheapo and as you said a block. As far as removing front sights I have done a few but only for myself. Point taken and I apologise if it seemed as if I over-reacted. I used to be a shipfitter (heavy steel work, anywhere from 1/8th of an inch up to 4 inch thick) as well as having worked on guns for well over a decade, so I tend not to want to debate such things. What I did was get a good set of punches, then I took one of the larger ones, found the center of the tip, auto punched it and then dimpled it with a drill, starting small and then working up to just about the head size of the large side of a taper pin. A nice heavy hammer and an armorers block and taper pins remove VERY easily. This modified punch is also used to reinstall pins as it keeps the punch from bouncing or sliding off the pins while hammering. A simple concave punch and the appropriate size hammer will do wonders.even helps with roll pins too. |
So yesterday I go to homedepot and get myself a vice. This morning I go to Ace hardware store to get myself a Torque wrench (home depots is 50-150; this one is 10 - 150)... So I set it up to 30foot pounds... and this is what happened...
Anyone have a recommendation as to what Vice I should get; since apparently I fail at choosing stuff. |
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If'n I was gonna put a full length free float fore end on my AR, I'd just hack saw and dremel off the parts of the FSB that were too high, a little scosh of flat black paint, and be done with it. Cheaper than the $50+ you spent on a new gas block, and no pins to remove. Exactly what I did. One person looked at what was left of the FSB and asked if I'd done that, because it's new shape wasn't something he recognized; but noone else has ever complained that it looked funny. |