Dominion Arms 556 front sight removal

P4444

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Southern Ont
Has anyone ever removed a DA556 front sight, I tried and could not get the pins to move, I took it to a fudd of a gunsmith who tried heating it up and still could not get the pins to budge, I would like to know if its possible to remove these before I take it to a real gunsmith to knock em or drill the pins out
 
Im trying tomget triangular handguards on and need to put the sight back on after, did u find a replacement for the front sight or u just left it off
 
I just did it, spent more time straightening my punch than hitting the pins but they came out, you just have to yell and swear at them

I haven't done this myself, but I have been told...

1] get a scrap of hardwood board and do a little drilling and shaping to make a support block for the front sight [or buy a delrin armourer's block from Brownell's for big bucks].

2] make sure you are driving the pins from the proper side.

3] use a heavy hammer and a steel nailset [cheap, available and hard to bend] to start the pins moving. After achieving this, the pins should yield to the punch.

4]Yeah, be ready to swear a lot and work up a sweat.
 
the trick is to use a light penetrating oil and let it soak for a couple of days. Place upper horizontal with small pin side up, and apply oil. A starter punch or nail set is the way to start them. I have done 4 this way , all came out easy peasy.
 
Keep in mind, I've seen/heard of the DA front sight pins being 'mushroomed' out on the small side from factory, which makes them harder to get out. Heavy strikes versus many light taps, the more you hit the taper pins the more they will mushroom out from the impacts.

And as mentioned, a good solid nail set will work well to start the pins!
 
Can we make this a sticky?

It's really a lot easier than most people think. I've removed the pins on many norcs and it's not that hard.

Notes-don't try to use ejector pin punches, brass punches, or do it in your lap or on a carpet. Don't use a loooooong 1/8" taper punch because you'll just break/bend it


1) have a lovely assistant
2) rest the front sight on the top of a vice so either side of the pin is supported by the jaws.
3) have your lovely assistant support the receiver end so you can use both hands
4) Use a 3/8" diameter solid steel taper punch to hit the small diameter ends flush with the gas block, this is the hardest part and it's not that hard
5) Now use your 1/8" steel taper punch (not ejector pin punch) to knock the pins through

It's really that easy, no heat or dremel tools required. I've done many Norc gas blocks like this, even ones that people swore up and down to me that they wouldn't budge
 
If any of you guys are not reusing your FSB from your DA 556 then I'd be interested. Hard to find A1 FSB.
 
Yep proper support it the key, skip the piece of wood and use the top of the vise like Malice suggested, I struggled with a wood backer, a soon as i switched tho the vise top it was a piece of cake.
 
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