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Obscenejesster
04-12-13, 20:55
Well, I just wanted to share my awesome gunsmith skills (if you even want to call it that).

Today, I decided to finish my Centurion Arms C4 rail install. I gave up last night trying to get the rear pin out of my front sight base. Trust me, I tried my hardest to get that handguard cap off without removing the front sight base but it just wasn't possible.

So after banging on this pin for about 30 minutes, I couldn't get it to budge. I got the front pin to move but the rear pin wouldn't. After further inspection, it appeared as if I peened it and at this point, I knew I was screwed. As a last resort, I pulled out the dremel and started to grind away. Finally, after a little bit of grinding, I was able to get the pin to move.

With the front sight base removed, I was left with a pretty dinged up FSB. I was told to sand it down and touch it up with some high temp BBQ/Engine paint. It ended up being a perfect match so now you could never tell I even messed it up in the first place.

Here is my question, I am ordering new pins from BCM due to the one being grind down a little bit. I am anticipating the rear pin to stick out slightly more than it normally would because I had to grind the FSB a little bit on the left side. Will this create any problems or should it be fine? Should I grind a little off of the access pin or should I just leave it as is? I would say I took off a millimeter or a little less than that.

Lesson learned - I will not be doing this again.

Here is a picture of what it looked like prior to spraying it with the high temp paint.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jrwingate6/20130412_163152_zpsbb3c8623.jpg (http://s978.photobucket.com/user/jrwingate6/media/20130412_163152_zpsbb3c8623.jpg.html)
discreet
04-12-13, 21:00
why not grind down a pin sticking out more. Its not like the pin requires a specific length for integrity, so shaving it flush wont do anything issue wise. imo it would be best to flush it out and only take probably 30 seconds with a dremel.
Obscenejesster
04-12-13, 21:08
why not grind down a pin sticking out more. Its not like the pin requires a specific length for integrity, so shaving it flush wont do anything issue wise. imo it would be best to flush it out and only take probably 30 seconds with a dremel.

Okay cool. The FSB pins sit inside of a channel within the FSB, right? I can't see any damage but I'm hoping I didn't do any damage to the inside of this thing after banging on it so hard.
Obscenejesster
04-12-13, 21:26
Here's what it looks like now.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jrwingate6/20130412_221719_zps5ad2275d.jpg (http://s978.photobucket.com/user/jrwingate6/media/20130412_221719_zps5ad2275d.jpg.html)

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jrwingate6/20130412_221853_zpsdc74c31a.jpg (http://s978.photobucket.com/user/jrwingate6/media/20130412_221853_zpsdc74c31a.jpg.html)
discreet
04-12-13, 22:31
As long as you didnt oval the holes out or tweak the block, im not thinking any damage was done, but i'd wait for ig or some of the more experienced guys chime in with their 2 cents before you reinstall it.
Zane1844
04-12-13, 23:26
I still have nightmares about trying to remove my BCM pins, I sent it to a gunsmith.

My FSB was banged up from me too, however, the smith got the pins out and they were still fine, the FSB was fine too, yours may be different.
Obscenejesster
04-12-13, 23:52
I still have nightmares about trying to remove my BCM pins, I sent it to a gunsmith.

My FSB was banged up from me too, however, the smith got the pins out and they were still fine, the FSB was fine too, yours may be different.

Yea, I'm ordering new pins just to be in the safe side. Was yours dinged up as bad as mine? Did you use any paint to touch it up? Looking at it closely, it appears everything is still fine. Nothing is bent and it slides back on the barrel just fine. If I'm guessing right, the taper pins the way they are designed do the most holding inside of the channel within the FSB. The channel that the pin rides through and into the cuts on the barrel. As long as the pins hold tight, I don't see if there are any other issues that could arise.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Ryno12
04-12-13, 23:57
Well, I just wanted to share my awesome gunsmith skills (if you even want to call it that).



Here's what it looks like now.

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jrwingate6/20130412_221719_zps5ad2275d.jpg (http://s978.photobucket.com/user/jrwingate6/media/20130412_221719_zps5ad2275d.jpg.html)

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae266/jrwingate6/20130412_221853_zpsdc74c31a.jpg (http://s978.photobucket.com/user/jrwingate6/media/20130412_221853_zpsdc74c31a.jpg.html)

I can't comment on your gunsmithing skills but your "table cloth picking out skills" are not so awesome. :p

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Zane1844
04-13-13, 00:00
Yea, I'm ordering new pins just to be in the safe side. Was yours dinged up as bad as mine? Did you use any paint to touch it up? Looking at it closely, it appears everything is still fine. Nothing is bent and it slides back on the barrel just fine. If I'm guessing right, the taper pins the way they are designed do the most holding inside of the channel within the FSB. The channel that the pin rides through and into the cuts on the barrel. As long as the pins hold tight, I don't see if there are any other issues that could arise.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Well mine was not as bad at the rear. It was dinged up though, and I got my barrel one time- though it was not a full force hammer blow, it still dinged it.

I painted my entire rifle with Alymude II so the FSB looks nice now.
Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 00:12
Well mine was not as bad at the rear. It was dinged up though, and I got my barrel one time- though it was not a full force hammer blow, it still dinged it.

I painted my entire rifle with Alymude II so the FSB looks nice now.

Cool. Yea, I didn't hit the barrel or anything. That rear post though. The reason why it looks like that is because I had to grind it a little bit.

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Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 00:12
I can't comment on your gunsmithing skills but your "table cloth picking out skills" are not so awesome. :p

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LOL... It's my wife's easter table cloth.

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wilco423
04-13-13, 14:06
Obscenejester,
Out of curiosity, how were you supporting the FSB when driving out the pins?
Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 14:22
Obscenejester,
Out of curiosity, how were you supporting the FSB when driving out the pins?

Well, I was supporting it on a piece of wood I had cut out to fit the FSB. Then I went and picked up the Brownell's FSB orange block from a gun shop. That block made it easier but it was still hard as hell. There has got to be a better way to get these out.

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texasgunhand
04-13-13, 14:28
just shave the rear pin down flush with the front pin so it matches then re-paint. that should fix the rifle,but the ass kicking from tearing up the table cloth will be worse...lol
polymorpheous
04-13-13, 14:32
Wood ain't gonna cut it.
Too much bounce.

I've done a few BCM uppers and a DD upper.
A 5/16" punch with a BFH to get the pins started. (2 solid whacks always did it for me.)
Using a large punch, I'm not afraid of marring anything or slipping.
I support the FSB on some steel bar stock resting on the basement floor. (Concrete.)

Super easy.
Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 15:14
Wood ain't gonna cut it.
Too much bounce.

I've done a few BCM uppers and a DD upper.
A 5/16" punch with a BFH to get the pins started. (2 solid whacks always did it for me.)
Using a large punch, I'm not afraid of marring anything or slipping.
I support the FSB on some steel bar stock resting on the basement floor. (Concrete.)

Super easy.

Yea, you're right. The wood is probably too much bounce. I think what gave me the most problems is that I probably pushed some of the FSB metal over into the pin. I just think from now on, in going to take it to a gunsmith if I ever need to remove it. I don't anticipate me ever needing to remove it ever again though.

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CaTalystX
04-13-13, 17:20
What brand is the barrel/FSB? Seems like that rear pin might have been a bit too soft. I have never had a pin peen over and I have beat the crap out of some FSB pins in my day.
Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 17:53
What brand is the barrel/FSB? Seems like that rear pin might have been a bit too soft. I have never had a pin peen over and I have beat the crap out of some FSB pins in my day.

It is a BCM. Maybe I didn't peen it. I'm just assuming I did something or other like that since it wouldn't budge. I put a pretty large steal pin on it and banged away with a large hammer. The front pin moved fine but the rear pin wouldn't budge.

I'd imagine everything will go back together fine since they are taper pins and work by wedging the FSB to the barrel. From looking at it, everything still looks straight. Hopefully I didn't bend anything but I don't think I did. I only ever made contact with the area right around the hole.

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polymorpheous
04-13-13, 17:57
Those taper pins are heat treated and harder than hell.
I doubt you peened it over.
You likely just needed a solid work surface.
(FWIW, I wouldn't use the Brownell's bench block either. But that just me.)

I believe BCM presses them in.
I've never needed it, but some guys will let the pins and FSB soak in penetrating oil overnight.
CaTalystX
04-13-13, 18:00
I always put the barrel on some hard wood. The key is starting out with a big punch. Trying to beat it out with just the 1/8" or 5/32" punch is where a lot of folks run into problems.

The great thing about Taper pins is that once you get it moving it comes out nice and easy. Take a 1/2" or 3/8" punch and hit it hard until the taper pin moves, once you can see it moved, just tap it out with the 1/8" punch.

Works for me every time, although some are harder than others. I have never used penetrating oil on them, and I kind of think that the whole logic behind penetrating oil is pretty ridiculous.
Obscenejesster
04-13-13, 18:53
When I go to punch the pins back in, are there any tips? Should I beat them in pretty hard? Should I coat them with oil or lithium grease?

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CaTalystX
04-13-13, 19:00
When I go to punch the pins back in, are there any tips? Should I beat them in pretty hard? Should I coat them with oil or lithium grease?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

I always coat them with a bit of normal gun oil and whack them in with a 1/4" or 3/8" punch. I try to whack them about as hard as I had to whack them to get them to come loose.

It's not a scientific process. I dont think you will do yourself a dis-service by whacking them too hard. Those pins are strong and if you are using a normal hammer and punch (and assuming your last name isnt stallone), you probably wont hurt anything.