Abstract: A pop rivet core punch which includes an alignment sleeve slidable mounted to an elongated punch shaft and springingly urged to extend over a core punching end of the elongated shaft while the sleeve aligns the core punching end with a center of the pop rivet and a handle end on the elongated shaft provides a mechanism for handling the punch and striking the punch with a hammer thereby forcing the spring to compress and pushing the core punching end past the sleeve and into the pop rivet center thereby removing the pop rivet core from the pop rivet, the pop rivet may then be quickly drilled and removed without damaging the surrounding material.