gas block removal?

nastybubba

nastybubba

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I have a BCM 14.5 upper and finally found a Rail I like but it needs a low profile gas block. I watched the youtube videos and they easily knock the pins out of the original front post gas block. These pins are not coming out!! What am I doing wrong? Any pointers???
Thanks
 
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If it's like my BCM upper, you're going to have to hammer away at those suckers for a while... Just remember they are tapered, so can only go out one way.

I swear it took my like an hour for each pin.
 
BCM pins I have taken out are tighter than most

IT really helps to have a front sight block like this

http:// w.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/sight-tools/ar-15-front-sight-bench-block-prod20727.aspx

Best $35 bucks I have spent at Brownells !

You can have a buddy to hold upper and jury rig a 2 x 4 to cradle it

Driving from left to right ( muzzle pointing away from you ) it will take a good wack with a decent size hammer ( the small Brownells brass hammers won't budge them )

It really helps to have a taper pin starter punch...it has a concave surface so it doesn't slide off when you wack it . Seen lots of scratched FSB using a standard punch

You can also use a "nail set" but I prefer to use the Starret punch that is designed to remove these pins

IF you don't have one of these punches then an alternative is to break the pin loose with a much larger punch ( at least .250 ) then finish with proper size
 
TRG-42 said:
BCM pins I have taken out are tighter than most

IT really helps to have a front sight block like this

http:// w.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/sight-tools/ar-15-front-sight-bench-block-prod20727.aspx

Best $35 bucks I have spent at Brownells !

You can have a buddy to hold upper and jury rig a 2 x 4 to cradle it

Driving from left to right ( muzzle pointing away from you ) it will take a good wack with a decent size hammer ( the small Brownells brass hammers won't budge them )

It really helps to have a taper pin starter punch...it has a concave surface so it doesn't slide off when you wack it . Seen lots of scratched FSB using a standard punch

You can also use a "nail set" but I prefer to use the Starret punch that is designed to remove these pins

IF you don't have one of these punches then an alternative is to break the pin loose with a much larger punch ( at least .250 ) then finish with proper size
Click to expand...
I did see those front site blocks and thought about getting one. Thanks for the advice!
 
Generally speaking they are tapered pins, they typically will come out. Sometimes the pins are a pain in the a**, the other times they are a royal pain in the a**.
Just make sure you have a good support so its not bouncing around, make sure you are hitting them from the proper side, use a heavy hammer (like a small sledge, mine i think is 2.5lb).

Not recommending you do this, but as a LAST RESORT you can cut it to get it off. I had to do this with a Norinco that was never coming off.
If it comes to the last resort and you end up cutting it off; this will destroy the FS. Cut off the bayonet lug and sling connector. Then, grind a channel using a dremel along the length of the pins. make sure to keep the channel you grind over top of the pins so that you don't accidentally hurt the barrel. the point isn't to actually cut it off completely, just to relieve the stress on the pins so you can knock them out really easily.

I must stress again, this is a last resort. I did it on a norinco and it took maybe 10 mins to have that FSB off after hours of trying to drive the pins out. If it was a nicer (or more expensive) rifle than a norinco, i probably would have considered having them removed for me instead of cutting it.
 
If it's on that tight (and that's a good thing) why not just cut the sight off the block, clean it up and run it. Any low profile block you get will probably not be anywhere near as well fitted, and a loose gas block is just a PITA.
 
I have dealt with lots of pins that would not hammer out. The easiest way is to push them out with a vice. Take the barrel off and tape a nut large enough for the pin to go through over the large side of the pin then clamp in a vice so it is contacting the pin head and the nut only. Then turn the vice until it starts pushing it out. It can take some good hard turns then it will usually go. Once it starts going and gets flush with the post you can pull if out of the vice and try hammering again or use a small punch to force it through with the vice.
 
you need a press to get out some of the norc front pins. best advice just get a gun smith to do it. unless you have a press?
 
They were a ROYAL pain on my CORE-15... Here's what made it easy:

1) Front sight block ftw!
2) Spray some lube from both sides and let it sit overnight
3) Have a friend hold the upper on the block while you hammer away
4) Use at least a 2lb sledge-hammer (I used a 4lb) and give it solid whacks
5) Use a tapered punch like this one to get the pin started ht tp://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Punches-And-Chisels/5-pc-Taper-Punch-Set/2920897.p and once you get her going, switch to a straight punch like these ht tp://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Punches-And-Chisels/6-pc-Pin-Punch-Set/2920896.p

Working alone was a huge hassle and it took me 1hr to get 1 pin out, while I couldn't even get the other one to budge. Having a buddy hold the upper while I went to town with the hammer took me under a minute to drive that stubborn pin out
 
Some pretty good suggestions. I rebarreled my DD M4V5 to a 14.5" barrel, so I had to remove the gas block in order to get the barrel nut to slide over the muzzle. My gas block was pinned...had a taper pin, and it was on pretty good. Took a bit of force, but I managed to get it off none the less, with the use of a hammer and pin-punch. Worked it both ways at first, a little at a time, and lubed it in the process of doing so. I was eventually able to get it off with zero damage or markings...needless to say, I was quite happy with the end result.

Whatever method you do decide to use, just make sure that you use the proper tools, use the tools properly, and do the job properly. Have patience, and take your time. There are some pretty good instructional videos on YouTube that you can watch to gather a few tips, or to see a few different methods that may not have been mentioned. In any case, the more that you know about the task you are going to take on, the better off you will be at achieving the results that you are expecting.

Good luck...
 
I just did a receiver swap for a buddy(first AR upper build for me).the old upper the pins came out pretty easy.it wasn't a norc.
it was a US upper--don't remember which brand.i have a norc and 1 day I'm gonna try those pins.
I swapped the upper for a VLTOR...
 
I use a hardened steel rod ( not a punch) for this kind of job. It is a big rod so I can swing the hammer harder at it to knock the pin out.
 
Just when I thought I was done. The barrel nut gave me even more problems. BCM makes some rock solid bomb proof stuff.
Had to use a snipe to get it off. That barrel nut was seriously on there. Any way, project finished.
 
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