Is it difficult to punch the pins out of the front sight?

Quoted: Is it difficult to punch the pins out of the front sight?

If you dont have a punch it is.

use a giant chunk of lead if you got it.  It's dense enough to not absorb the blows and won't mar the finish of the AR.  I also suggest to do it on a concrete floor.  If you do it on a wood bench the bench will absorb the blows and you'll end up peening the pin over like a rivet.  just align the punch on the pin, aim, and WHACK! and repeat a few times to get it started and then it should just fall out.  Velocity not mass with get it going, so use a relavitely small hammer that you can really whack with.  I find that with a sledge, one tends to decelerate in mid blow.  Just remember WHACK!,  if you tap-tap-tap, you'll peen it over like a rivet.  You can also drill them out and turn the taper pin into a roll pin then tap it out.  just becareful not to touch the barrel, and use the smallest bit you can.  good luck.

I tried the small hammer whackity-whackity first, then gave up and biffed them with an 8-lb maul.  They popped right out!  Remember to fully support the barrel/front sight,as you are going to be getting a LOT of energy into them.  I laid mine between the boards on my back deck so it couldn't roll around, and held a small tack ahmmer on the pins while a friend swung the maul.  One pin took several thumps, the other just popped right out.
This was after a lot of whackitywhackitywhackitywhackity with the small hammer.

Don't use force, get a bigger hammer!

1911fan