I have posted these simple hints before but not all at the same time. I often see dings, scratches, dents and more on many fine firearms and offer these up to help avoid them all together. I hope they help!

#1)

The most useful and inexpensive method of removing Roll Pins or Solid Pins is with the use of a Bench Block. Originally the Bench Blocks were made out of Steel as is the Starrett Block is on the left side of the photo. As we all know - steel is NOT the best material to lay our beautiful Smith's on if you care about keeping them from getting scratched and dented. I took a Hockey Puck and basically copied it from the Starrett, but slightly modified the holes to fit Guns better. There are no special tools required and the V Notch was cut with a Hacksaw. After cutting it was filed and sanded to get it smooth. I tried to duplicate the angle of the V-Notch as close as I could but the exact angle is not critical - as long as it's close.

The Other Hockey pucks are also use in conjunction with the machined one as supports on other areas of the firearm so it is evenly supported and won't "rock and roll" while working on it. This is the best method I've found yet and Hockey Pucks are certainly cheap enough. Luckily my Son doesn't play Hockey anymore so he won't miss the ones I appropriated.

#2)

A simple Bar Mat is GREAT and much better than the foam padded gun pads they sell commercially (at least for Handguns). The little nubs provide excellent holding power while working with oils and grease and will keep the handgun from sliding around. Not only that but it will allow fluids, crud, oils, dirt, lead, etc to fall to the bottom of the mat and still allow a clean surface for the gun to be worked on. They last forever and if you frequent a restaurant or Bar often I'm sure you can talk the proprietor into giving you one. If you are too shy, they are also available for sale on ebay and other websites. All I do is wash them out with a scrub brush and some liquid soap once in a while.

#3)

The large glass hypodermic (a 70 year old vintage version) is filled with one of the Synthetic Oils I use on my M41. The pinpoint accuracy and needle point makes it easy to get into tight places and only apply a small drop instead of flooding the area. New plastic ones can also be used, but the glass ones last much longer as their seals seem a lot less effected by oils.

So I hope these simple things help out the Members here and if anyone else has some ideas the would like to share - please post.

Regards,
Chief38

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Great idea on the hockey puck! Thanks

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PTLAPTA!

Outstanding ideas, Chief. Please put me in for this great karma!

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NICK-SWCA-NRA BENEFACTOR LIFE

Non metallic bench blocks have been available for several years. My blue synthetic block I bought from Midway probably 8-10 years ago. It won't scratch your gun. They are also easy to drill for "custom" locations for guns you work on.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

How about telling us the hole diameters/specs, on those pucks for those of us who do not have the steel one to copy - looks like a great idea!

I will gladly measure them tomorrow & post - too tired tonight, but the size is what I needed for knocking out the pins for the guns I own. They will work on just about any gun as the Roll Pins usually are not all that large. Check back tomorrow.

Yes, but the plastic Blocks that Brownells & Midway sell are a bit slippery and harder than the Hockey Pucks are. Not to say the plastic ones won't suffice, but many of us have Hockey Pucks laying around from our kids and they are cheap as hell if you needed to buy some. Anyone who plays Hockey usually has many older ones that they might be willing to part with. It is also helpful to have extras to level out a gun at 2 or 3 other points while working. The pucks work perfectly and CAN'T ever scratch a guns finish. The fact that they tend to "hold" the gun in place by being a bit sticky helps quite a bit.

Thanks for the tips

Hey chief38:

I like your block a lot. Here is the one that I was issued back in 1977 at the Smith Armorer's School in Springfield....I like your idea of using the hockey pucks even better...I will probably be making one in the near future!!....:



I actually have two of them, this one is the one that travels in the range tool kit that I used to take to the range when we were shooting. They are machined from steel 2 1/2" stock, and are Smith and Wessons own design. I keep the other on my bench, and it actually gets a lot more use.

There are also some other odds and ends in the box that help when working on the Smith revolvers.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

can't beat American creativity.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Oneounceload:

These are the sizes I drilled but of course they are really not super critical.

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Awesome, Thanks! i have just used a piece of wood and moved the gun around over the edge - not the best thing, especially with a long gun.

Now, to find a hockey puck in Florida...............hmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Dick's SG's has them for $1.99 ea. or they have them online for as little as .49 cents each. I think I even saw $3.69 / dozen on one website.

Excellent Idea, thanks. My son left a half doz. hockey pucks in his old room when he moved out. I'll be making a couple of these this weekend.

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I reckon so