I just finished my first build.  Since I am an apartment dweller and don't have all the proper tools, I kinda boogered the heads of my trigger and hammer retention pins as I first tried to wiggle then tap them into place.  Mainly just taking the finish off them (one got a little more boogered, before I relized it. and changed to a softer method ).  Anyone else ever do this? I plan to replace them soon as I can find a couple new pins locally. Any suggestions on what I should get or use when I change them out to prevent it from happening again.  Other than that, the build went well and went together very easy, didn't force anything into place, and everything seems to function check properly.  Next is the range test.

what the hell is a retention pin?


you mean just the trigger/hammer pins? the only retentin these have are the hammer spring and the j-pin located inside the hammer.




if you just messed up the finish on the trigger/hammer pins i would not worry about it too much

Quoted: what the hell is a retention pin? you mean just the trigger/hammer pins? the only retentin these have are the hammer spring and the j-pin located inside the hammer. if you just messed up the finish on the trigger/hammer pins i would not worry about it too much

Yes the trigger/hammer pins.  And was mainly the finish that got messed up on the heads of the pins.  I guess I'm just being a perfectionist and wanted it to come out without any goofs.

black marker if it bothers you that much or birchwood casey touch up pen

You could get the Schuster high density plastic punch for removing and installing AR trigger & hammer pins for $3.49 at ADCO or anywhere you could find it. You could even make your own tool from any hard plastic material.

Adco Tools website link

Thank You gentlemen.

All the hammer and trigger pins I've installed pretty much went all the way in with hand pressure only, with the exception of a gentle tap with a 5-ounce hammer to get past the hammer's J-spring. You just have to work the firecontrols around a little bit to take the tension off the pins.

Quoted: All the hammer and trigger pins I've installed pretty much went all the way in with hand pressure only, with the exception of a gentle tap with a 5-ounce hammer to get past the hammer's J-spring. You just have to work the firecontrols around a little bit to take the tension off the pins.

i too have never had to pound on any pins, i have a leather mallet that i tap the hammer pin with though

Quoted: All the hammer and trigger pins I've installed pretty much went all the way in with hand pressure only, with the exception of a gentle tap with a 5-ounce hammer to get past the hammer's J-spring. You just have to work the firecontrols around a little bit to take the tension off the pins.

That was the biggest problem I had.  I didnt have any punch's to help keep everything lined up as I tried to push the pins in. I also had the lower Dura Coated before I did anything and I think it made it a little more difficult to push the pins.  I had to prefit the front pivot pin and work it a little bit to get it to move easier and smoother before I actually installed it with the detent. I saw it scraped some of the dura coat build up out of the hole as I worked it. When I started it was really snug.  I used a small wooden mallet (from my kids toy box) to tap with, but it took some of the finish off the pin heads (along with pock marking up the mallet face).  Once I got everything lined up it went in easy enough, but was snug to a point then it got real easy.  Again I think it might have been some dura coat build up in the holes making them snugger.  

Today I  got some flack black touch up paint and recoverd the pin heads, they look fine now.  I also bought a punch set and a new small plastic headed hammer/mallet.

Quoted: black marker if it bothers you that much or birchwood casey touch up pen

+1 or leave it... unless it is a safe queen