Cannot remove AK74 firing pin retainer pin on bolt

Wallabing · February 7, 2011, 12:49 PM

I for the life of god am unable to remove the firing pin retainer pin on my bolt for dissasembly. Most video's made it look easy by easily moving out the retainer pin with their fingers, but mine would not budge whatsoever.

I I took a chunk of old maple 2x4 piece of wood , chiseled a little cavity in the wood and layed my bolt onto it. I then took a pin punch and a brass hammer and tried drifting it out. Someone on another forum said I must be pushing it out the wrong way, but I am certain it is the correct position to punch it out, from the underside of the bolt to the top from what I see all the time.

The only thing I succeeded in was bending my pin punch

this darn forsaken pin will not budge. Anyone willing to help with any tips?

TATER · February 7, 2011, 03:01 PM

Every country of manufacture differs slightly, You could very well
be trying to drift from the wrong side..

beex215 · February 7, 2011, 06:14 PM

i was forced to use a hammer and something between the lever to not damage the metal

Dfariswheel · February 7, 2011, 07:50 PM

Make a starter pin punch.
Buy a new punch and cut it off to about a 1/2" working length. This will prevent the punch from bending or flexing.
Use that to get the pin moving, then use a standard punch to finish removing it.

You drive the pin out from the underside. The other end is slightly mushroomed to prevent it from passing through the other way.
Check the pin to make sure it's not fouled with the extractor retaining pin.
The extractor pin has a notch that the firing pin retaining pin has to interlock with. If someone assembled the extractor pin wrong, it may prevent the firing pin retainer pin from moving.

volz1911 · February 7, 2011, 08:26 PM

I personally have and Arsenal arms AK and have never been able to get that pin out, tried a hundred times....good thing AKs dont break often

February 7, 2011, 12:49 PM	#1
Wallabing Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2009 Posts: 113	Cannot remove AK74 firing pin retainer pin on bolt I for the life of god am unable to remove the firing pin retainer pin on my bolt for dissasembly. Most video's made it look easy by easily moving out the retainer pin with their fingers, but mine would not budge whatsoever. I I took a chunk of old maple 2x4 piece of wood , chiseled a little cavity in the wood and layed my bolt onto it. I then took a pin punch and a brass hammer and tried drifting it out. Someone on another forum said I must be pushing it out the wrong way, but I am certain it is the correct position to punch it out, from the underside of the bolt to the top from what I see all the time. The only thing I succeeded in was bending my pin punch this darn forsaken pin will not budge. Anyone willing to help with any tips?

February 7, 2011, 03:01 PM	#2
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	Every country of manufacture differs slightly, You could very well be trying to drift from the wrong side..

February 7, 2011, 06:14 PM	#3
beex215 Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Posts: 317	i was forced to use a hammer and something between the lever to not damage the metal

February 7, 2011, 07:50 PM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Make a starter pin punch. Buy a new punch and cut it off to about a 1/2" working length. This will prevent the punch from bending or flexing. Use that to get the pin moving, then use a standard punch to finish removing it. You drive the pin out from the underside. The other end is slightly mushroomed to prevent it from passing through the other way. Check the pin to make sure it's not fouled with the extractor retaining pin. The extractor pin has a notch that the firing pin retaining pin has to interlock with. If someone assembled the extractor pin wrong, it may prevent the firing pin retainer pin from moving.

February 7, 2011, 08:26 PM	#5
volz1911 Junior Member Join Date: November 10, 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 10	I personally have and Arsenal arms AK and have never been able to get that pin out, tried a hundred times....good thing AKs dont break often