Removing seized pin from blind hole?

[H Wally]

Another fun question for you folks.

How would you go about removing a stuck pin from a blind hole on the breech of a side by side shotgun barrel?

The pin is part of the extractor block - it is the upper pin that serves only to keep the extractor from rotating on the lower pin. The barrels are soldered, so I'm hesitant to apply heat. The pin protrudes slightly from the face of the breech, but resists all attempts to wiggle it free with pliers. Penetrating oil has been applied over the last 48 hours with no visible results.

My plan is to apply more oil and give it gentle side to side taps to break it free and hopefully help some oil get in there, but other than that I'm out of ideas... maybe degrease it and freeze it?

Edit - gave the pin some taps and it is moving, just still seems seized further down at the base. Anyone think it's a horrible idea to degrease it and put a few drops of HCL acid on it and allow it to chew its way down the hole? Standard safety precautions taken of course.. just thinking of how to get at the rust at the base of the pin before I wear the tiny little head of the pin down with pliers and attempts.

 

[guntech]

If enough of the pin is protruding can you file a notch in it that you can pry on with a thin screwdriver?

 

[mr.e moose]

Throw some Kroil on it. If it refuses to budge,give it a bit of heat but keep it below 500 degrees.The heat will draw some of the oil into the action.Use a appropriate sized drift punch and work it back and forth.Patience is a virtue when you are working on old stubborn firearms actions.If you get into a pissing match with old rusty steel you will almost always lose. Unless you realize that it took that hunk of iron maybe a hundred years to get that way and fifteen minutes of slam and bang will not free it up..I have spent up to a year to free up a old action and when i was done it was still like nails on a chalk board.After you get it loosend up ,hours of slip stoning and perhaps hundreds of dollars of parts and you will have a fine period firearm to add to your collection.

 

[H Wally]

If enough of the pin is protruding can you file a notch in it that you can pry on with a thin screwdriver?

After lightly tapping it back and forth and freeing it up to a good degree I tried that. I actually just roughed it up to get a grip on it..... the head popped off and left a completely smooth face where it sheered off... couldn't have done it better if I'd used emery paper. I ended up drilling it out, somehow without the drill wandering.

Throw some Kroil on it. If it refuses to budge,give it a bit of heat but keep it below 500 degrees.The heat will draw some of the oil into the action.Use a appropriate sized drift punch and work it back and forth.Patience is a virtue when you are working on old stubborn firearms actions.If you get into a pissing match with old rusty steel you will almost always lose. Unless you realize that it took that hunk of iron maybe a hundred years to get that way and fifteen minutes of slam and bang will not free it up..I have spent up to a year to free up a old action and when i was done it was still like nails on a chalk board.After you get it loosend up ,hours of slip stoning and perhaps hundreds of dollars of parts and you will have a fine period firearm to add to your collection.

Haha - it's true... this gun has had assistance in getting the way it is too Ended up drilling it out. Used a undersized bit, bored it out, tapped the inside of the pin and pulled it out with a set of vice grips on the screw and a wooden mallet. Took enough time

 

[BCRider]

I like the idea of using a Dremel to cut a screwdriver slot in the end of the pin so you can twist it a bit. If you can bust the corrosion loose then you can likely grab and lift it out.

But more penetrants won't hurt either as a prep for the slotting and grabbing.

And remember that with such things impatience often is its own downfall. Let the miracle penetrants have time to work even after you manage to turn it using the screwdriver slot trick. Or if it doesn't turn and grind whatever is down deep into mush then be patient and allow the penetrants to work.

If they don't work out only THEN apply a long term solvent such as mineral spirits or ATF. Or better yet ATF thinned down with mineral spirits. Allow it to work in and dissolve whatever grease or other gunk is down there if it turns out not to be corrosion.

And hopefully it's not an actual metal to metal burr that occured during pressing in the pin that is holding it stuck in place.

PS: I took too long typing this reply apparently...

 

[mr.e moose]

Getting into a pissing match with a old rusty piece of iron will always get the better of you.If you loose your patience and get out the power tools all you have done is let the old rusty piece of iron outsmart you.The secret is to preserve the integrity of the firearm.If it takes 2 months or 2 years just be patient and it will free up and you will have a original.Take out the dremel and all you will have is a butchered firearm that of course will work and 75% of you will try to sell it as !00%original.

 

[H Wally]

I like the idea of using a Dremel to cut a screwdriver slot in the end of the pin so you can twist it a bit. If you can bust the corrosion loose then you can likely grab and lift it out.

But more penetrants won't hurt either as a prep for the slotting and grabbing.

And remember that with such things impatience often is its own downfall. Let the miracle penetrants have time to work even after you manage to turn it using the screwdriver slot trick. Or if it doesn't turn and grind whatever is down deep into mush then be patient and allow the penetrants to work.

If they don't work out only THEN apply a long term solvent such as mineral spirits or ATF. Or better yet ATF thinned down with mineral spirits. Allow it to work in and dissolve whatever grease or other gunk is down there if it turns out not to be corrosion.

And hopefully it's not an actual metal to metal burr that occured during pressing in the pin that is holding it stuck in place.

PS: I took too long typing this reply apparently...

Haha - the screw driver idea might have worked, it was a pretty tiny little head on it unfortunately. Still worked out alright. I need to get some ATF/mineral spirits mixed up so it's on hand.... I never have the patience to go find the stuff and just use the penetrants that're already on the bench.

 

[windy]

Kroil X2. stuffs awesome just give it time.