"Dempled" gas block/front sight post AK build

[cop car]

So the 74 kit that I bought has the front sight and gas block "dempled" onto the barrel, not pinned on. I've been scouring the internet trying to find a solution to getting them off and re using them, but it's pretty difficult. To get them off some people drilled them, some people cut them off (destroying them, so not an option) and one person said they even just pressed the nubs out. I was first wondering if anyone has had experience with taking one of these appart. Right now my best option looks like just pressing them off.

now for the other part.. Putting them on the new barrel.. One person was going to machine them and press the dempled out and etc. doesn't seem that feasbale to me. Other people just tig welded them on. Another person drilled and pinned them, welded over them and made it look like it was dempled.. Basicly this is going to be a pain in the ass, and I was wondering if anyone else has done a build with these parts.

 

[243rem700]

On a build I did I had to drill them out and press the front sight base off. I briefly tried to get it off without drilling the dimples out first, but it didn't budge. I didn't reuse the sight base though.

 

[duffman0286]

+1 for drilling i had to drill them out as well... it might as well be a rivet .... But alot of others are pressing out the block after its been heated with a torch....I believe doing cold is out of the question there is a great risk of messing up the barrel otherwise. i will be reusing mine and i plan on keeping dimples for a more proper appearance on a AK104 clone ... some countersink a pin to look like the original dimple others weld up the hole and restore it with a drill bit and relocate the pins about the barrel......

 

[Clay]

drill them out, it's the only way to get them off if you want to reuse them. If you do want to reuse them, you don't have to dimple them, you can drill them for pins and just weld up the dimple holes.

you won't get them off with out drilling the dimples OR cutting them in half.

and DON'T drill to far!!!!!!!! I've seen a couple of cases where someone drilled through the FSB and then throught the barrel! doh! don't be that guy!

 

[cop car]

Well I'm not worried about the barrel pieces they are coming off of. The barrel is all cut up. It's looking like drilling and then pinning is the only option.