barrel vise recommendations
- Thread starter gunlaker
- Start date
- Location
- Nova Scotia
The only one I could find in Canada was from Extreme ( not a site sponsor )which was a Viper vise.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Goto a fabric store and get cuts of leather. Then I just used powder sugar. No damage and no slipping.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Post #6 looks like a good vice - note however that you need inserts for it. I have made a number of inserts from aluminum - others on CGN can do that with steel - the more guns you play with, the more inserts sizes likely needed. OD on my vice through hole is 1.50" - so I start from 1.50" rod of aluminum - others are 1.75" and bigger - ID needs to be close in size to whatever you want to grab. Computer printer paper strip or rosin like ball pitchers use, is good stuff to prevent marring and marking on the rifle, from the vice insert. Others use brass shim stock. Usually to hold the barrel from turning. Then need a separate action wrench to grab the receiver - Brownells and others sell them - about similar - need to fit to the gun that you are working one - can end up with a dozen or more heads for various actions, then something to align or to hold the separate recoil lug on some actions. I ended up with 4 foot pipe as handle extension - have to have barrel vise that can hold against that length of handle on action wrench - some war time P14 / P17 / Lee Enfield's / various Mausers are on "TIGHT" - like were tightened by 400 pound gorilla with 13 foot extension handle!!! 50 years / 100 years of corrosion do not help to get them apart!!!
OP - I saw a video on Brownell's website - changing out barrel on Remington 783, I think - might want to watch that one to see the tools that guy used.
OP - I saw a video on Brownell's website - changing out barrel on Remington 783, I think - might want to watch that one to see the tools that guy used.
I made this rig years ago. 1 1/2" bar stock, 7/8" diameter clamp screws, 1 1/2" diameter aluminum bushings. Turn them out of aluminum bar stock as needed, then split them. Used it this PM when I installed the barrel on the M340 .30-30 I've been playing with. I just grab it in a monster 6" vise I salvaged from a USAF dump in Frobisher Bay.
A barrel vise and action wrench are essentials if you are ever going to progress to more complicated gunsmithing.
Some years ago I made and sold a few through CGN, I think for a hundred and a quarter, delivered. Gave up on it because what with material and delivery costs (and something for my time) Canada Post was making more than I was. PRCook's offer is excellent.
Incidentally, if any brass or aluminum gets on the barrel, use bore cleaner to remove it. Not one that will cut bluing, of course.
A barrel vise and action wrench are essentials if you are ever going to progress to more complicated gunsmithing.
Some years ago I made and sold a few through CGN, I think for a hundred and a quarter, delivered. Gave up on it because what with material and delivery costs (and something for my time) Canada Post was making more than I was. PRCook's offer is excellent.
Incidentally, if any brass or aluminum gets on the barrel, use bore cleaner to remove it. Not one that will cut bluing, of course.
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- Location
- Western Manitoba
Picture in Post #10 looks very similar to the one that I have - appears to have piece of rod of suitable OD, then cut to length, then bored out for ID, then split - is what I do in aluminum for my vise. Lower piece on my vise is longer - so has two more holes to allow bolting down to work bench or base support. I think Tiriaq's allows him to hold it in bench vise or with large wrench. My clamping bolts are 5/8" Fine Thread - threaded into the lower piece - so no bolt heads on the bottom. I think that style pretty common for home guy to make from square solid metal - say 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" or 2" by 2".
A picture of mine holding a barrel so that I could unscrew a flash hider that was epoxied in place - or maybe was red loctite on the threads. Is two layers of computer printer paper around the barrel, inside that insert. I had heated that flash hider with propane torch, then grabbed with open end wrench, then hit the wrench with 4 pound hand sledge - it came loose, but the barrel did not spin in the vise:
A picture of mine holding a barrel so that I could unscrew a flash hider that was epoxied in place - or maybe was red loctite on the threads. Is two layers of computer printer paper around the barrel, inside that insert. I had heated that flash hider with propane torch, then grabbed with open end wrench, then hit the wrench with 4 pound hand sledge - it came loose, but the barrel did not spin in the vise:
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If you are going to make one of these, clamp the upper and lower jaws in the 4 jaw chuck, with cardboard shims between them. Drill and bore to 1 1/2" That way, the jaws can pull up tight on the bushings.
There are all sorts of receiver wrenches. The internal ones that engage lug ways work really well for barrel installation. There are external wrenches, of course.
What is important is that the vise and wrench hold tight without either crushing or shifting and spoiling the parts.
There are all sorts of receiver wrenches. The internal ones that engage lug ways work really well for barrel installation. There are external wrenches, of course.
What is important is that the vise and wrench hold tight without either crushing or shifting and spoiling the parts.
Here are a couple of photos of some of my action vise units. Top photo shows a Brownells rig I bought at auction not too long ago, along with some of the extra heads I made for it to fit different receivers. Lower photo shows my flat sided receiver wrench (M94s, Ruger No. 1s, etc.), and a dedicated M-1/M-14 wrench. I have more, including an internal wrench. Made others years ago. The Brownells rig was a recent treat.
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Yes I've heard this works great too. You can also use rosin powder.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Clean up with powder sugar is super easy. Just wipe away with a oil rag.
Thanks very much for the info everyone. I appreciate it. I'll probably start with the Viper one and see how it goes. My brother has a milling machine so I might give a try at a home built one some time in the future if the Viper gives me any grief.
Chris.
Chris.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Any decent 4 to 5" bench vise will do. You can make blocks out of a hardwood to hold the barrel. You never ever need nor want to tighten to the same level as factory rifles.
With the Savage style of nut, you don't need to hold the action... just the barrel and tighten the nut.
tighten the nut enough so it doesn't loosen in use... that's it... no breaker bar necessary.
Jerry
PS down the road if you want to take apart factory actions... then consider a small hydraulic press or just bring to a gunsmith. Once that factory pipe is off, you never need to install a prefit match barrel and nut that tight.
