Forge 11 Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 I own a 20 ton press and have converted a couple of Saiga front ends for Bulgy 74 parts already so I am familiar with removing and replacing front sight bases. I have just aquired an 02 vintage Saiga 308. I understand that I cannot use the 74 fsb because of the barrel diameter. I need to drive out the pins and move the base back and thread the barrel, but does anyone know if these were ever soldered at the factory? Mine looks like it has been soldered in the front. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I don't want to try and press it off if it has been soldered on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mscottrogers 56 Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Mine wasnt soldered on but heat will help with removal. I didnt need to use a press. I was able to twist and tap it off with a plastic mallet after removing the pins. There was alot of paint that makes it look soldered 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dad2142Dad 6,559 Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 No solder on mine, removed pins and pounded off 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Forge 11 Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) Look at the taper where the tower meets the barrel. I could not get a better pic, but it is tapered and square on both sides of the tower. The rear of the base is sharp where it meets the barrel. You can tell that it is a pressed on piece. I just used a cheap metal dental pick and poked around the base. The front of the sight base where it meets the barrel is tapered like it has been sweated on. The "build up" in front of the tower is hard like metal. Edited June 19, 2015 by Forge Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Forge 11 Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Never mind. I just looked at the instructions for the Saiga 308 FSB removal on Dinzag's website. I didn't realize that there was a muzzle cap on the front of the base. That is what I was looking at where it meets the base proper. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forsaken352 235 Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Good luck on removing it. Hopefully you won't have as much trouble as I am having with mine. I already gave the 20 ton press a try on mine, and it didn't budge at all. Let us know if and how you end up getting it, as I'd really like to know. I'm worried if I apply too much pressure to mine I'll end up bending the barrel or something, but I don't know what kind of force is required to accomplish that... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChileRelleno 7,071 Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 My ver.21's FSB came off easy enough, remove pins and whack with a short piece of 2x4... Pop! Now it goes on and comes off easily, never did get around to setting it back and threading the barrel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kellysk8s 6 Posted August 31, 2019 Report Share Posted August 31, 2019 Which way do the pins come out? To the left or the right as you are looking down sights of the barrel???? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted September 8, 2019 Report Share Posted September 8, 2019 OUT l >R IN R >L Pretty standard for pins in any application. Start with a SHORT punch, use the long one ONLY AFTER the pin starts to move. If the sight will not move, put the barrel in the freezer overnight, or pack in dry ice, when it is cold, heat the sight and drive it off. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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