What brand brass hammer and punch kit?

FoghornLeghorn · June 2, 2020, 11:07 AM

Ofa Amazon. The "Amazon's choice" for hammer is a 16 oz Tekton brand hammer.

The only names I recognize are the "Birchwood Casey Weekender" with hammer and punches and "Winchester."

It's for building an AR. I'm starting with an Anderson stripped lower.

HiBC · June 2, 2020, 01:51 PM

Well,from memory,and its been a while..If this is about building an AR,the most challenging pins,IMO,can be the little roll pins. Especially getting them started square and straight.

I'd get off Amazon long enough to explore Brownells. Look up "gunsmith tools " and AR 15

Roll pin starter punches are available pretty cheap, You can drill a shallow clearance hole in the tip of a grade 5 or grade 8 bolt or screw that will accept part of the length of the pin. Tap that and it will start the pin.

There is a tool thata handy to put the front hinge pin in.Its about compressing the detent and spring while inserting the hinge pen. I just make my own.

A slave pin is a slip fit pin in the hole you are working with.I grind a tapered flat,maybe 30 degrees,on one side of the tip of a slave pin.I use that to cam or compess the detent and spring into its hole.Then I rotate that slave pin so the detent is no longer on the taper.You can now push the slave pin out with the hinge pin.

They make a long punch designed to make installing the roll pin for the bolt stop on the left of the reciever.Mostly its a long punch for the roll pin thats nearly half ground away.That lets it lay close to the receiver so you can get a straightbshot at the pin. I bought one. It makes the job easy.

Go slow,study and look close at that trigger guard insert you will pin onto your lower. One end is a lind hole,where a spring and detent go.One end is a through hole,for a roll pin. Don;t mix that up. The idea is you can push the detent in,and swing that part down for winter glove use.

Understand it first! Don't drive a roll pin into a blind hole.

There are roll pin punches with a little half ball on the tip. Those are good,and help keep you from buggering around the hole.

Nothing rquires great force.You aren't beating the king pins out of the front axle of a 1951 Chevy pickup.

You are tapping pins into place.

Your 16 oz hammer will work. So would a 4 oz,6 oz,8 oz,etc.

If a pin does not seem to be tapping in as it should,the Chevy Wrench (bigger hammer) is not the answer.

When you are done,the hole you are beating the pin into is in aluminum. You don't want to damage the hole. If "tap tap tap does not do it,TAP TAP TAP is not the answer,nearly always.

Look through Brownells. You might find an Armorers manual,or a book "How to build your AR" or even free "how to" videos.

And,no doubt,you can buy an "Ar armorers kit" but,it might cost you more than you need to spend.

I suggest you look in the AR parts section at the little maintnance parts kits that give you spare springs,dtents,pins,ejectors,etc.

It really nice to have spares, Especia;; when one zings off to who knows where.

I highly recomend a Sinclair AR bolt disassembly tool. Brownells sells them.

You will need proper tools to tighten your barrel nut. Which tools somewhat depends on the sort of forend and barrel you are useng.

June 2, 2020, 11:07 AM	#1
FoghornLeghorn Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Posts: 1,000	What brand brass hammer and punch kit? Ofa Amazon. The "Amazon's choice" for hammer is a 16 oz Tekton brand hammer. The only names I recognize are the "Birchwood Casey Weekender" with hammer and punches and "Winchester." It's for building an AR. I'm starting with an Anderson stripped lower.

June 2, 2020, 01:51 PM	#2
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,350	Well,from memory,and its been a while..If this is about building an AR,the most challenging pins,IMO,can be the little roll pins. Especially getting them started square and straight. I'd get off Amazon long enough to explore Brownells. Look up "gunsmith tools " and AR 15 Roll pin starter punches are available pretty cheap, You can drill a shallow clearance hole in the tip of a grade 5 or grade 8 bolt or screw that will accept part of the length of the pin. Tap that and it will start the pin. There is a tool thata handy to put the front hinge pin in.Its about compressing the detent and spring while inserting the hinge pen. I just make my own. A slave pin is a slip fit pin in the hole you are working with.I grind a tapered flat,maybe 30 degrees,on one side of the tip of a slave pin.I use that to cam or compess the detent and spring into its hole.Then I rotate that slave pin so the detent is no longer on the taper.You can now push the slave pin out with the hinge pin. They make a long punch designed to make installing the roll pin for the bolt stop on the left of the reciever.Mostly its a long punch for the roll pin thats nearly half ground away.That lets it lay close to the receiver so you can get a straightbshot at the pin. I bought one. It makes the job easy. Go slow,study and look close at that trigger guard insert you will pin onto your lower. One end is a lind hole,where a spring and detent go.One end is a through hole,for a roll pin. Don;t mix that up. The idea is you can push the detent in,and swing that part down for winter glove use. Understand it first! Don't drive a roll pin into a blind hole. There are roll pin punches with a little half ball on the tip. Those are good,and help keep you from buggering around the hole. Nothing rquires great force.You aren't beating the king pins out of the front axle of a 1951 Chevy pickup. You are tapping pins into place. Your 16 oz hammer will work. So would a 4 oz,6 oz,8 oz,etc. If a pin does not seem to be tapping in as it should,the Chevy Wrench (bigger hammer) is not the answer. When you are done,the hole you are beating the pin into is in aluminum. You don't want to damage the hole. If "tap tap tap does not do it,TAP TAP TAP is not the answer,nearly always. Look through Brownells. You might find an Armorers manual,or a book "How to build your AR" or even free "how to" videos. And,no doubt,you can buy an "Ar armorers kit" but,it might cost you more than you need to spend. I suggest you look in the AR parts section at the little maintnance parts kits that give you spare springs,dtents,pins,ejectors,etc. It really nice to have spares, Especia;; when one zings off to who knows where. I highly recomend a Sinclair AR bolt disassembly tool. Brownells sells them. You will need proper tools to tighten your barrel nut. Which tools somewhat depends on the sort of forend and barrel you are useng.