I got the roll pin three forths the way in on the forward assist, and it seems thats the farthest it will go, now I cant get it out. Not sure if it makes a difference but I drove it in from the top of the upper receiver.  Any help would be appreciated gentlemen on how to get it out.  I've already gone through one brownells roll pin punch, i dont want to go through another.

You use oil?



Try oiling the pin up, see if you can get some deep in the hole through the pin then try driving it in

May be a silly suggestion, but has the pawl moved a bit therefor stopping the pin from going thru? Turn the button a bit and try tapping the pin in some more. The assist is made to only fit one way to alow the pawl to alighn with the bolt notches. And shoot a bit of lube in there too.

It's wedged in there against the forward assist parts.  Doesn't take much for the forward assist to be at the wrong angle or depth when you're putting a roll pin in, and if you continue to force the pin in you'll end up distorting the pin hole in the receiver enough for the pin to go off angle.  Trying to drive it the opposite direction is useless because the end of the pin isn't in line with the other pin hole, you're just beating on the forward assist and wedging the entire mess in wrong even tighter.

Is the forward assist free to move or is it locked up tight?  If it's tight, the best suggestion I can make is to try pushing the forward assist in a little and/or twist it a little in order to free it and the pin.

I would say grab the pin with a pair of visegrips and tap the visegrips gently with a hammer to pull the pin out.
This will probably be destructive to the pin.

the assist is freely moving forward and back, I tried lubing it overnight with no added gain.  the forward assist does turn slightly to the left and right but it isnt much.

Yeah, do this, then start over.

I use a 1 1/2" long 4d nail to align everything in there.  Nail goes up through the bottom, holds everything in place, then drive the roll pin in there from the top, pushing out the nail.  Works like a champ.

   ........with a new pin.

Once it's apart, see if a drill bit will pass all the way through the receiver.  You can twist the drill between your fingers to deburr the hole.  Before inserting a new pin, squeeze it closed a bit on the end.  Use a drill bit as a pilot to hold all the FA parts in place as you tap the new pin into place.