I have a Franchi 48 AL and I am trying to remove a roll pin from a blind hole so that I can remove the mag tube. Is there a way to remove the roll pin without having to drill it out?

With a soft hammer tap near the pin with the pin pointed down. Sometimes the vibration will drop it out if it's not in too tight. Worked for me on a Sako bolt latch pin....................DJ

djpaintles,

Thanks for the response, I tried it and it is to tight for that to work. I am at the point of drilling it out. I have been trying to call the manufacturer (Beretta), which is known for poor customer service, for days and they have yet to answer the phone.

Thanks, James

Try a strong magnet along with tapping of the hammer. This has worked for me before when removing blind pins.

OK I know this might sound odd but... In the automotive industry bushings are removed from blind holes by packing the hole with grease and then pounding on a rod with the same diameter as the hole in the bushing. Doing this forces grease against the back side of the bushing and "pushes" it out. I would bet a good whack would push the pin out far enough to grab it with something.

Of course grease will shoot out of the split in the pin so you might want try to plug it. Or you could just carve a dowel to fit the hole and the split.

Jason

Jason

David Reed, I have already tried that method using a raw/rare earth magnet to no avail.

JBrown, I will try that method tommorow morning.

Thanks, James

Depending on what size the hole is in the roll pin, you may find a fine thread tap and tap into it, if you can, and it doesn't spread the roll pin tigther, you may be able to pull it out with the tap...or if necessary put a pair of vicegrips on the tap and rap the vicegrips with a small hammer.
Good luck.

I think the previous idea would break the tap. A better idea is to use an old drill bit that is just larger than the hole in the middle of the pin. Grind the bit to a taper so it goes into the pin, crank it into the pin hole, gently, and pull.

It won't break the tap if you are careful. You sure don't want to use your idea and tap the tapered drill bit in the hole you enlarge thus driving the sides of the roll pin out making it tighter in the hole.

I'd pass on the drill idea and use a 4 flute endmill. Remove most of the pin and the remaining material should collapse allowing removal.
Or an EDM if you had access to one.....

here's another great idea...if you don't think the pin is that tight, find a little metal rod that will just slip in the roll pins hole and put super glue on it, then extract it.

If you drill it the drill is going to walk to the side that's split in the pin and you may wind up with a mess. The tap method might work but if you break the tap you're in a world of do-do. I would make an accurate acessment of the hole size, set it up in the mill and bore it out by plunging a solid carbide end mill thru it. Solid carbide end mills can be bought in fractional and decimal sizes, get one that is say .010 under the pin hole size, you should be able to get the location close enough with a wiggler. feed the tool by carefully cranking up the knee of the mill, turn the tool at 2500. when selecting a mill be sure to get one with enough length of cut. I once did this technique on a 10x32 tap that was broken off in a hole I went right thru it with a .156 carbide end mill running at 3600 and just went at it with a smooth and steady feed, it turned the tap to dust with just a shell of the tap left over and I easily dug that out with a old dental metal pick.
Timan