DCAEK install going horribly wrong, please help.

[masternave]

Ok, ahead of the wonderful internet people who will tell me all the things I'm doing wrong. Yes. I'm a moron. I probably shouldn't have attempted this myself. There, now that that's over.

So this afternoon I decided to finally install my DCAEK over lunchbreak. The USB went in beautifully, feeling confident, started to remove the sear housing to have replace the sear. I had my tweezers, 1/8" roll punch, towel spread out, I'm set. I've even got my laptop open, set up just like Randy with my little riser block to whack against, following the instructions...

I can't get my 1/8" out. :blink: It's stuck. I got the pin about 50% out, and suddenly I realized I'm not going anywhere, and I can not pull the darn thing out for the life of me. (once again, withhold the Michael Scott jokes please.)

Has anyone encountered this, and what do I do? I've put some CLP down there hopefully to loosen things up, and I'm wiggling and pulling with all my meager might, and it's just not budging. I'm really out of ideas, and I would rather not walk into my particular gun store with this story. They aren't to kind to fools. (Neither is the internet for that matter, but you guys aren't real. :-P)

[Urabus23]

That's a strange problem...are you drifting the pin from right to left?

[masternave]

This is the first problem. I was going on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAJKLHNRF04

Because it has more detail of the pins being removed. I don't know if the video is mirrored, or what, as I was following his motions as close as I could, I started drifting from left to right. Ugh.

I read elsewhere that on somebody's gun the 1/8" simply wouldn't fit past the frame.

[nickdrak]

Try some penetrating oil on the punch. Kroil or Liquid Wrench. Let it sit for about 10mins, then try again....gently!

[masternave]

I will. I'm at a place where I will be glad to simply get the darn thing *out*.

[beastfrog]

Pull pin out (probably destroying it in the process). Reverse punch the 1/8" pin with a 3/32" punch.

I use a 3/32" punch myself when doing this work as my 1/8" is almost oversized.

[masternave]

Beastfrog, do you know where to get new pins? Brownells is out.

[Erik 1]

Why not try (gently) tapping the whole thing (pin and stuck punch) back in the direction you started from after the penetrating oil has sat for a few minutes?

[beastfrog]

Beastfrog, do you know where to get new pins? Brownells is out.

Speed Shooter's Specialties, Midway?, S&W

[Randy Lee]

Masternave,

Yikes! Do you have a vise available to you? It sounds like either the factory left some debris or plastic flashing under the sear housing block which is causing the frame holes/sear block hole to mis align, or that the punch has some oversized ridges along it's length.

If you have a vise, clamp the punch in it so that the frame is horizontal or parallel with the top of the vise. After a few drops of penetrating oil are dripped down the center of the coil roll pin, try rotating the frame clockwise and counter-clockwise as you lift upwards.Lift upwards with most of your force being centered around the hole in the frame (so as to prevent bending of the pin punch). Hopefully the frame will begin to lift upwards and dislodge the pin punch. If this does not work, apply pressure upwards from beneath the frame (basically hand wrapped around the punch using hand/finger pressure to pull the punch out of the frame while simultaneously tapping on the coil pin with light quick taps from a hammer. Hopefully this will dislodge the punch.

-Randy

p.s. call our shop and we can send you a new pin.

[masternave]

Randy, that was just the ticket. I managed to pull off the 1/8" punch, and ended up just driving that pin back in, I don't think I've damaged it much. I may end up taking you up on your incredibly generous offer anyway, as I think I might have squeezed it slightly. At any rate, I guess I'll either make an attempt drifting the other direction, or wait until I can get my hands on a slightly smaller punch. Thanks!

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Now you gave me the Willy's after I finally psyched my self up to do the install.

For the next part of the install, Grant mentioned in another thread a way to do the trigger spring work with out having to use a slave pin.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=637635&highlight=DCAEK#post637635

Haven't done it yet, but it makes sense.

FromMyColdDeadAllThumbs

[sniperfrog]

I had the same problem with my M&P 9. I just finished knocking the roll pin out, then used some vise grips on the punch and carefully worked it clockwise/counter clockwise while pulling it out.

Now I use a 3/32 punch. I don't know if my 1/8 punch is too big or, like Randy said, I have some flashing that was misaligning the sear block.

[masternave]

If you are talking about the spring, I accidentally detached a friend's earlier. I used the takedown tool from the handle to put the spring back on the pin... worked well. I'll likely try the same thing again when I install the duty spring.

[masternave]

Before this thread dies, I'd like to remind everyone what an exemplary company Apex Tactical has. I called them, got a person immediately, and Scott helped me out with the coil pins. Randy appears to be constantly waiting for people to help on the internet. It's impressive stuff, and their gear is top notch. When I eventually pick up an M&Pc, it will all the apex gear I can cram into it. :-P Thanks guys.