AR Style Forward Assist Roll Pin Stuck

[GunnitCanada]

I was having some trouble installing a forward assist; I think it wasn't lined up right, and the roll pin seemed stuck. I tried to get the roll pin back out, and it got enough out of the way that I could rotate the forward assist and get that part out. With the forward assist out of the way I tried to remove the roll pin entirely, in either direction, but the end that was in contact with the forward assist had expanded a bit under the pressure and would not come back out the way it entered. I tried to push it all the way through continuing in the same direction, but once it made contact with the hole on the other end, it did not line up properly due to the expansion, and deformed further.

I now have a roll pin that is halfway in the forward assist hole, with the end in the middle of the forward assist deformed and unable to go out either way. My ideas to fix this are to either carefully use a thin hacksaw blade through the forward assist opening to remove the end of the pin that has expanded, or to run a drill bit through the roll pin hole on the other side and drill out the expanded end of the pin. I was wondering if anyone had any input on this situation, before I take either action.

 

[Cocked&Locked]

Should have not forced it so much when the forward assist was not lined up correctly. Lesson for the future.
Do not use a drill!

Best options:
Tap it back as far as it will go, reversing the direction it went in. Then cut off as much of the pin as possible. Tap the small piece back in, and it should be short enough to fall through before reaching the other side.

If that doesn't suit you, with the heavily burred section in about the center (as you say it is now), reach in carefully with a carbide Dremmel endmill and cut the badly burred end off. The remaining piece should then exit the way it entered.

 

[GunnitCanada]

Thanks, I wasn't sure if the space inside the forward assist was long enough for that, but I guess that's the safest option to try first. Hopefully I can cut off enough of the pin. Otherwise, I'll try to remove the burr with hand tools, but I have a feeling I'll end up borrowing a dremel.