My New Norc M4 meets Mr. Cutoff Wheel

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Mystic Precision

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Trying to remove the front sight cross pins on my new Norc M4. I have been bashing from the small side with no luck. bent two steel punches. busted another punch.

I tried drilling with no luck there either. The steel is ubber hard and my drills will not do more then dent it.

HELP.

Is there some magic voodoo to get these cross pins out?

Next step is a cutoff wheel.

Jerry
 
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they can be a real pain in the ass to remove. do not try to cut or drill the front sight off! i tried this once and really made a mess.

i would recommend getting front sight bench block or whatever they are called
 
Why not just leave it on the barrel and cut it down in place?

I assume you're putting a FF tube on it so you need a low-pro gas block?
 
You can punch it out - you have to punch it out with a steel punch - sharp and bold strikes, no wimpy taping. These are taper pins, one side is smaller than the other. Make sure you punch it on the small side!

Between my buddy and I we can take care of LMT straight pin - but for taper pins I usually just get Arwen Ace to help because our hammer strikes are not that accurate.
 
I am in the same predicament.

I could swear that these are welded in or something. If I pound any harder on these pins something is going to break.
 
1st, put the barrel in a very large tight vise,
2nd, use a steel punch that you think is the wrong one, I use a nail seating punch. It has a slightly hollowed out nose and fits the end of the pins better and won't slip off as easily.
3. hammer the poop out of it, ones it starts it will all but fly from the hole!!

Scott
 
I removed a Stag one last weekend. All I did was put the FSB sideways over a block of wood and hit it a couple of times with a role pin holder punch so it wouldn't slip off. All it took was 2 or 3 hits and they came right out.
 
mysticplayer said:
Trying to remove the front sight cross pins on my new Norc M4. I have been bashing from the small side with no luck. bent two steel punches. busted another punch.

I tried drilling with no luck there either. The steel is ubber hard and my drills will not do more then dent it.

HELP.

Is there some magic voodoo to get these cross pins out?

Next step is a cutoff wheel.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Its all about the first strike and not using a flat punch to start it moving. You will start to mushroom the pins and then its a hassle.

One of these cuped punches or a press if you have it is best :)

http://ar15tactical.net/pdf/Taper Pin Starter.pdf
 
Start with a large tapered punch "so you wont keep breaking punches" and use a 24oz hammer. REMEBER THERE TAPERED PINS!!!!
 
Well, I went from pin punches to steel punches to nail seating punch (new).

Hit them all hard enough to either bend or peen or shatter the tip. I really don't know how hard I need to pound this but without some way to keep any punch aligned, I am courting disaster.

So far, the ends of the pins haven't even peened from all this hitting. My 'hardened' drill bits just left nice nicks.

The steel is mondo tough which is a huge kudo to the Chinese and they likely used hydraulics to get those pins in place. I have no real machining capabilities to drive these pins out.

A proper fitting block to hold the punch in place would certainly allow alot more force to be applied but that is more work then I care for.

I have a gas block front sight on hand which will replace the factory. Yes, I would have gone with a longer rail and a rail front sight had I known how tough removing this front sight would be. Cutting the orig down would have been a simple task.

But given that I will not need this front sight, I think surgery is in order. Will have to post pics on the post mortem :)

Appreciate all the thoughts and answers. Stay tuned for the carnage.

Jerry
 
Mysticplayer, I was in the exact same situation with a Bushmaster barrel; as you described, but I stopped after the second steel punch broke.

I broke out the propane torch and heated the pin areas for awhile... hammered... heated... waited... heated... hammered... eventually they budged and I was able to get them out.

Tapered pins, they're a love-hate thing. ;)

Good luck~
 
A friend of mine who is also on CGN had a Norc with this problem. He took it to the gunsmith, the gunsmith tried everything, and ended up haveing to cut it off and put a new one on. He used heat, everything, it would not budge.
 
I just did a RRA FSB removal last week. I used the largest punch that would fit over the pins and a framing hammer (extra weight). Don't be afraid to hit the damn thing. You just have to get them started, then its a breeze to finish them.

Good Luck (with the Nork M4:p)

O'Kelly's Boys
 
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