Removing #5 flash hider

I need to remove the front sight/flash hider on my #5 but I cant remember from what side the pins should be driven from.
Does anyone have this info ?

S'funny you should ask that question. I asked exactly it of a friend only days ago. (I have a very early No5 that needs rebarrelling). If push comes to shove I can get the pins out & replace with parallel pins, but it would at least be nice to know from which side front & rear were inserted. can anyone help?

If the taper is easily identiified from the parts list, that'll be the way. I forget offhand but you can use a vernier caliper on the heads. That's if the heads haven't been punched in or filed flat as per the EMER!

Filed flush on mine, unfortunately....

Suggest gently punch with correct size short/stubby punch. If it doesn't move, then do the other side. It just needs the slightest movement to break a taper. Sasme principle as primary extraction

Good idea, thanks. I suppose, as the barrel is shot out I could even cut the end off & machine out the stub - but I'll try your suggestion first. It's a very early rifle with straight flash eliminator ears (?!) & very low serial number, plus the receiver is good, so it's well worth spending some effort on restoring.

Ikesdad, Roger,

I,m sure in general Engineering practice (were possible) taper pins were fitted right - left, plus being an Enfield would of thought they would be fitted the same side as screws were fitted.

So removal would be left to right...... (I think)

What it REALLY needs is for a forumer out there to get his No5 rifle and a vernier and simply put it across the protruding ends of the taper pins. - if they ain't been filed off flat! That will be pretty conclusive.

I don't know why we ever pursued taper pins in small arms, especially machine guns! They aren't vibration proof and it only takes the slightest movement to break the taper and the taper pin becomes just another loose pin. Don't confuse this with loaded tapers like drill chucks and the like

On the Subject of the flash hider does anybody know were any are available, (repro or the real deal).

Think the one I murdered many years back was either heat shrunk or soldered as well as having the pins.

It's not exact as the heads are near flush. I get .100 right and .085 left. Driven in right to left.

My pins are ground flush but one has started to wiggle out a thou or two on the right hand side, so inserted from the right.
I'm away to find a centre punch and hammer!

Cheers for the info chaps.

I am such a bloody dipstick........... Here I am sat on a brand new/unused flash eliminator and a set of taper reamers and all I had to do was think about it!.............. Sorry chaps

The few times I have had to take these flash hiders off to repair the bayonet lugs, the pins came out alright but the flash hiders were very very tight, possibly shrunk on.

They were fairly tight but we had a fly or hydraulic press, a support jig for the back of the F/E and a brass (or was it nickel ?) insert to sit onto and protect the barrel against the load of the hydraulic piston or fly press. Just one little tweak and off they'd pop.

Exactly same Principe I used a Arbour Press with a brass mandrel to protect the barrel, even still they were still very tight.