S&W AR 15 Gas block pin

[selinoid44]

Aggrevatin son of a gun! Its a tapered pin and is suppose to be punched out right to left but its stuck like a square in a round hole. Even after soaking in penetrating lube all night it doesn't want to budge. Any suggestions?

 

[Thegeek]

I feel you. I used heat and beat the hell out of mine to get it out. Was not fun at all. I ended up making a jig out of some scrap wood to line up the punch and the pin and hit it hard about 8 times with a 3lb engineers hammer. It was about a 3 day job.

 

[1911ly]

I just went threw a similar issue the other night. I used my drill press with a drill bit upside down and pressed it out like an arbor press. It worked. You might give that a try.

 

[selinoid44]

I just went threw a similar issue the other night. I used my drill press with a drill bit upside down and pressed it out like an arbor press. It worked. You might give that a try.

Now see that's just a dang good idea right there!! Thanks pard.... tried it a little bit ago...no go. BUT... gonna take that sucker to my work shop tomorrow and put some heat on it and try it again.

 

[M67]

Bigger hammer

 

[1911ly]

I should have added mileage may vary :-( At least it was non invasive to try!

As mention above, heat! I hope you can get that sucker out. Keep at it.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Can we see a picture of your thumb????

 

[selinoid44]

Can we see a picture of your thumb????

You had to go there didn't ya Slim. Smashed the livin lovin blood squirtin @#$&^ outta my thumb tryin to get that sucker out. LMBO

 

[selinoid44]

Bigger hammers hurt more!!

 

[bluewraith]

I've read that they might be welded.. that'll be pretty tough to punch out. Are you aiming to save the gas block for reuse, or swapping to something new?

 

[selinoid44]

I'm going to save it. I need to get the barrel off and do some work on it.

 

[Squirt239]

I'd suggest using a mill to "flatten" out the round portion of both sides of the pin. Once you do that it should hammer out pretty easy. I don't know how much heat I would feel comfortable putting to block and barrel, IMO. If you need help with it, let me know.

 

[selinoid44]

I have a buddy with a mill. Not ready to go that route. I was able to push the gas tube pin out and pull the tube. Thinkin I can get the barrel off now and forget about the gas block.

 

[rvb]

I was able to push the gas tube pin out and pull the tube. Thinkin I can get the barrel off now and forget about the gas block.

what are you trying to accomplish? The only reason you should really need to remove the gas block is to replace the barrel nut or get new one-piece handguards behind the tower (eg new handguards w/ proprietary nut needed), or you want to replace the gas block with a different style...

-rvb

 

[selinoid44]

The breech is scarring the brass on the neck and causing stuck cases. Need to get in there and see what's causing it. Hopefully its just something minor I can polish up.

 

[rvb]

The breech is scarring the brass on the neck and causing stuck cases. Need to get in there and see what's causing it. Hopefully its just something minor I can polish up.

ok, put the BF hammer down.
you can remove the barrel by just removing the gas tube and spinning off the barrel nut. But before you do....

sticking when hand cycling, firing, or both?

factory loads or handloads?

it's possible the damage is coming from the chamber, but could also be somewhere in the feed path (feed ramp, bolt lug, mag, etc). have you manually inserted a good round into the chamber then closed the bolt (not loaded from a mag) and gotten the same problem? Do you have access to headspace gauges?

worst case is it might need a pass w/ a finish reamer. is it chrome lined? you could always send the upper back to S&W.

-rvb

 

[selinoid44]

I put the gun all back together. Ive tried manually putting the loaded ammo in by hand and tried it using the bolt. Ive tried cycling it with the mag in a few times and I don't see the scarring. It has to be after the shot is fired and maybe when ejected. Im gonna cycle it more tomorrow with live ammo and then shoot the **** out of it.
RVB, yes have access to headspace gauges.

 

[rvb]

I put the gun all back together. Ive tried manually putting the loaded ammo in by hand and tried it using the bolt. Ive tried cycling it with the mag in a few times and I don't see the scarring. It has to be after the shot is fired and maybe when ejected. Im gonna cycle it more tomorrow with live ammo and then shoot the **** out of it.
RVB, yes have access to headspace gauges.

So at what point and how is It sticking? If it's just getting scratched on ejection, well... That happens. Welcome to auto loaders. I don't see how scratches happening af/after ejection could cause stuck cases, since they'd already be out of the chamber then...

-rvb

 

[Michigan Slim]

The rifle is my boys. I reload for my Colt and was sizing and trimming brass to fit that rifle. I had ran a sized case into it (well within spec, according to the book) and it jammed tight. The rifle acts like it has a very short throat. The scars on the brass look like rifling marks in the throat. I have to assume that it is from dragging on the locking lugs on it's way into the chamber.
So now I will size for my Colt and make him buy his own ammo! Nah, I'll size and trim for his and it will work in mine too. Love the reloader too much not to make bunches.