Muzzle brake pin

I got one of Brick's Tabuk style flash hiders and am wanting to install it on my PSL-54C. The brake on mine is not threaded (yet), or welded (as far as I can tell), rather it's pinned in place.

For the life of me, I can't figure out how to drive this stupid pin out so I can remove the brake and thread the barrel to accept the new flash hider. I have destroyed 3 punches, all good tool steel, not tool club junk, and it won't budge. It doesn't appear to be larger on one end or the other and should just drift out as near as I can tell, but it ain't happening.

Any suggestions?

Until I can get this off, I can't tell if the FSB has the stop pin (or the hole for one) in it or not. If it doesn't, can anyone suggest a source for the correct FSB with the plunger pin?

I'm trying real hard not to get medieval on this thing, but it's taxing my patience and I HATE taxes!

They are a straight taper. The one I've had stuck necessitated the use of a press and a beat-up center punch to get it started. A little bit of heat would help, too. Once started it drifted out easily.

Mine had no provision for the plunger pin.

My take is that the PSL's with the pinned FS are ex military rifles, they should also have extra spot welds on the rear trunnion re-enforcing plates on the receiver.

I guess this way the rifle could take some of the heavy ball ammo without cracking?

Sounds like a PITA. Makes me glad that mine was already threaded with the plunger pin FSB.