I am very familiar with AR15’s , however I have never messed with Front sight bases
I recently ordered a barrel with FSB preinstalled (DD lightweight)
Can I simply remove the pins and slide out the FSB then reinstall without a gunsmith since no drilling required.
You also need to install your barrel nut and delta ring, presumably.
Sure just tap them out. But be aware that they’re usually taper pins on quality ARs, and only go in and out one way. Also be aware that getting those suckers out can be a bitch.
Having this jig will definitely make the job easier…in fact may be absolutely necessary to get the pins out.
great! thanks for the info.
You can do it yourself. You have to not be afraid to hit those pins with a lot of force however. If ithe impending finish wear is going to bother you, re cold blue the ends once you reinstall them, or use new taper pins when you put the FSB back on.
Sometimes it helps to have an extra set of hands too. One to hold down the receiver or chamber end of the barrel, and you take care of the muzzle end in the FSB fixture while you beat on it.
Yup, you can do it yourself. And you don’t need to buy the bench block, but you will need to prep a block of wood to hold the barrel and sight block in such a way that it will not rock. I’ve done this enough times that I’ve found it best to remove ANY movement of the bench from the equation which means doing it on a concrete floor for me. The pins come out easier and you don’t have to hit them as much.
THE GARAGE GUNSMITH WAY…
First, take a block of wood and cut a grooves in it for the barrel and sight/gas block. Put holes in it where the pins come out.
Then I remove the barrel from the upper receiver (you can do it without removing it, but I suggest you remove it.). Cover the muzzle threads with a thread protector of thick tape. Cover the barrel extension likewise. I wrap the portions of the barrel that do not come it contact with the wood block in a rag and secure the rag.
Place the wood block on the floor, prop the barrel up so the barrel is level and fits tight in the wood block without rocking.
Take a 2.5 pound hammer and a punch. Put one knee on the middle of the barrel and pound out the taper pins from the small end. I had to use heat on one occasion (My first Noveske steel barrel). It usually takes a pretty good WHACK. To loosen the pins I use a oversized punch with a concave curve in the tip to ensure the punch does not slip off. (You can modify a cheap punch with a dremel.) Then I punch it through with a smaller punch.
The pins can be punched in the same way, but you need another block of wood. Once you make these blocks they can be reused. Good luck.
The pins in the setup you have coming are loosely installed, need little more
than a push to get out. They know you’ll have parts to install before the pins
are installed tightly with everyone having a different setup. But do get some
good tools as this stuff is catching.
This is exactly right. The DD barrels will have the pins loosely installed, they will come out with ease. Make sure when you reinstall, they are pounded in tightly.
Anyone ever heat them then cool em to get them to break loose? I’ve never had AR pins hang but I’ve had some saiga pins that where a b1√¢π.
Just a idea
Both the FSB and the taper pins are steel. I’m not sure what heating/cooling would accomplish since their coefficient of thermal expansion would be similar. The FSB already goes through significant heating/cooling cycles when you go shooting.
I have frozen an upper to remove the steel barrel nut from the aluminum upper receiver. But this works because the metals have different coefficients of expansion.
I guess you’ll have to give the heating/cooling technique a try and report back.