In today’s article, Andy Grossman reviews the Armorer’s Master Hammer and Accu-Punch set made by Real Avid. The kit combines the company’s 11-Piece Standard Punch Set with its Armorer’s Master Hammer and Pin Starter. The package appears to offer a lot of value for the gun enthusiast. But, how does it perform? Grossman gives us his thoughts here. Real Avid provided the author with the set for review.
Guns have been my passion and my career for nearly 10 years now. During that time, my love for firearms evolved as did my desire to build, work on and customize guns. When you are a very hands-on type of guy like me, you can’t help but get into tinkering with the focus of your passion. Taking firearms apart and rebuilding them helps me learn how they work.
While building a handful of rifles and working on a few dozen others, I quickly realized how important having the proper tools can be. Punching out pins with a screwdriver and a claw hammer is not really the best for your firearm’s finish. A good set of punches and an armorer’s hammer on the workbench are invaluable when working on a gun. It only took a few smashed fingers and lost pins before I finally figured out I needed job-appropriate tools.
There are tons of tools for working on firearms, but a hammer and punch set is definitely at the top of my list. Real Avid has its Armorer’s Master Hammer and Accu-Punch 11-Piece Standard Pin Punch Set that seems to be a great fit for a hobbyist like me. I know what you’re thinking, “How can a hammer and punches be so exciting?” Well, I will explain.
Firearm-Specific Pin Punch Set
Let’s start with the Accu-Punch 11-Piece Standard Pin Punch Set. The set includes hardened steel pin punches with sizes ranging from 1/16″ to 9/32″. This should cover the majority of pins you will encounter when working on handguns and rifles. Sizes are stamped on the punches in a large font that is easy to read, so you’ll never have to guess which punch is the right one for the job.
The hardened steel helps ensure the punches won’t bend under pressure, and the nickel plating will help to prevent corrosion and marring. I once tried a very cheap set of punches that resulted in less-than-ideal performance. When using the smallest punch in the cheap set, two smacks of the hammer bent the punch in half. That will not be a problem with the Read Avid punches. They are strong.
Real Avid designed the punches to be user-friendly, with hex-shaped handles with rubber O-rings. I found they provided a secure grip and precise control — even when my hands were covered in gun oil.
These punches come in a nice hard plastic case that keeps them organized and prevents them from walking off — like it seems punches like to do from time to time. The case features a clear front and a tray that folds up for easy access to your punches without having to lay them all out loosely on the bench. The punches stand upright in the case, making them extremely easy to grab with one hand while you are trying to juggle pins and parts.
Armorer’s Hammer
For me, the real magic comes in the form of the armorer’s hammer, which is the heart and soul of the kit. The hammer features a very ergonomic design, giving the hammer an optimally balanced feel for superior control when doing intricate jobs. With a weight of 22 ounces and 9.5” in length, the hammer has enough weight to drive out stuck pins, but isn’t too heavy to swing lightly.
The Accu-Grip handle is ergonomic and built of a hard rubber material for a sure grip and precision use. It boasts a full-length forged tang design that tapers perfectly into the steel two-sided head. One side of the head features a threaded flat designed to take one of the three included heads that attach right to the side of the main head. You get a nylon head, rubber head and a brass head from which to choose.
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On the other side, you will find a forged basic hammer head that comes with a rubber sleeve that easily slides over it, turning it into a dead blow hammer instead of a steel hammer instantly. The sleeve holds on tight enough not to fly off while you are swinging it, but it’s easy to remove quickly if you don’t want a dead blow.
At the bottom of the Accu-Grip handle, there’s a removable pin starter that locks into the handle when you don’t need it, but comes out easily by pulling down on the tab when you do. This piece is absolutely genius. It’s a magnetic pin starter, which simplifies the placement of small pins and roll pins when building a gun.
If you have ever built out a gun or replaced parts, you know how much of a pain in the you-know-what it can be to get small pins started. This magnetic pin starter literally eliminates that headache. The pin starter is built out of stainless steel and has holes for 1/16” to 9/32” or 1.6mm to 7.1mm pins.
Final Thoughts
Real Avid offers a range of professional and hobbyists tools needed for working on firearms. The Armorer’s Master Hammer and Accu-Punch 11-Piece Standard Pin Punch Set is a great example of the quality and innovation the company has provided over the years.
With a suggested retail price of only $89.99, you don’t have to be a professional gunsmith in order to afford the right tools for the job. Just be aware, once you begin using great tools like these, you may end up collecting quality tools just like you collect guns.
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