Everything a gunsmith needs
Over a period of 35 years I have several types of brass punches but I must say this set covers pretty much everything you would need to do for Gunsmithing. As with all the other types of sets I have bought from Brownells the only negative is I wish the punches would fit the block better but I can fix that
Would you recommend this?
Yes, I would recommend to a friend
Brass punches
Very good quality. Have been looking for a set of these.
Bownells Brass Punch Set
I am a Master Gunsmith, and have always used Brownells punches. I was also an armorer in the Army for many years. There is a time and place to use brass punches. Brass punches are not made to build an AR based weapon. To the first reveiwer listed, the user said he would not recommend to his friends. As I said earler, "There is a time and place for brass punches". Possibly the user misjudged the proper punch for the job. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this set. The key is knowing when to use the right punch for the right job.
Good Quality Brass Punch Set
I ordered this brass punch/rollpin Punch set specifically to review for my fellow firearms enthusiasts. Set comes with four (4) starter punches (tapered and thicker than the rest), eight (8) roll pin punches (with small nipple/notch) and eight (8) standard punches. All punches are very clearly marked with the specific sizes and are easy to read for quick use. This set comes with a very nice bench block which keeps all of the punches in order by size and helps to keep an organized work area. I used this specific kit to build my newest AR-15. The roll pin punches have a small nipple/notches that assist in keeping the punch square on the roll pin itself, preventing it from slipping off and damaging your firearm. This is a very nice feature that came in very handy when tapping in the roll pins. However, the brass in roll pin and standard punches are VERY SOFT. It did not take much to cause the tips to bend slightly or become dis-figured. For this reason, I would recommend that after you start the roll pin (with a roll pin starter kit) that you use the roll pin punches to seat pin 75% of the way. Then use the starter punches to finish seating the roll pin because they are thicker and take more impact. Here's the skinny guys, brass is soft...period. Aside from that, I am super happy with the kit and I am glad it is a part of my ever expanding work bench. It got the job done and did not damage my upper or lower receiver even when I slipped and it made contact (my error). That is why I feel that a set of brass punches is ALWAYS a must when you are working with firearms. Who wants to skin up their beauties!?
Not great on AR's or M4's
Out of all the the products I have ordered from Brownells I have to say that this was the worst. Other than great looks for a punch set, they are horrible to work with. This particular punch set in my opinion is not to be used on rifles, even the thicker ones bent. I thought they would bend being that they were brass but was expecting them to be a little tougher. I returned them in exchange for the steel punch set, hopefully they do better a job.
