Barrel Install on Vltor Upper

[Slug870]

Hey all,

So I was going to install a barrel on my Vltor upper a few minutes ago, only to realize that my Brownell's upper vise clamp does not fit over the Vltor upper. Needless to say I am less than happy about this, and I am wondering if there are any tricks or perhaps other vise clamps available that someone who has worked with Vltor uppers could suggest?

I should mention that this is my first barrel install, so I am not certain if I want to mess with a less than great fit when it comes to the clamp.

Any help would be much appreciated...

 

[Canadian eh!]

Geisselle reaction rod....

Caveat, it is expensive if you are only ever going to put together the one rifle. If you are taking apart and putting together multiple rifles, it my make sense for you.

It is a very high quality piece.

 

[Slug870]

Looks like that may have to be my next purchase. Any site sponsors stock them?

 

[Suputin]

Brownells has a "reaction rod" type tool which is no doubt less expensive.

 

[beltfed]

Take a Dremel to the clamshell.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

It's pretty close (I have an MUR-1a) so a dremel or even some hand files should be able to get it to fit in the upper vise block.

 

[Canadian eh!]

Looks like that may have to be my next purchase. Any site sponsors stock them?

Arms east

 

[09outlander]

After seeing this thread it dawned on me that I would likely have the same problem with my ATRS upper and sure enough I do, vise block isn't even close to being able to close. Looks like I'm going to order one of those rods from Arms East.

 

[Movado]

Dremel the clamshell should work, that's what I did to install mine.

 

[09outlander]

Dremel the clamshell should work, that's what I did to install mine.

I thought about that, but then it would be useless for a standard upper that doesn't have the thicker receiver walls.

 

[Slug870]

I thought about that, but then it would be useless for a standard upper that doesn't have the thicker receiver walls.

My thoughts exactly; I do not want to destroy my upper vise clamp. I figure the Reaction Rod will be a good investment anyway.

 

[TRG-42]

You don't need a reaction rod to install a barrel . If you put so much force on the barrel nut where you damage the receiver using a standard vise block you have exceeded the max 80ft /lbs

I use a reaction rod ( other than for barrel extension ) on only 2 occasions

Has nothing to do with cost since the Brownells version of reaction rod is less than the good receiver vice block

I have use the following receiver vice blocks on on various billet uppers Vltor, Larue , Sun Devil

Here is the DPMS block which is about $50 from Brownells .

Only issue with this block is when assembling DD forends that use the "bolt up plate" such as the Lite and RISII rails . The bolt up plate prevents the receiver from sitting all the way down so the front pin can slide in. I don't bother with the front pin. The block holds the receiver just fine since it slides all the way up into charging handle slot . This is not really an issue since I take DD barrel nuts to 60ft / lbs ( 50 to 70 is DD recommendation )

Here is another nice vice block, the PRI unit . I

What I love about the PRI is has machined slot on other side to take the picatinny rail

I use this when cleaning , general maintenance etc

While you are ordering your vice block you should look into what I think is the best barrel nut wrench

Very easy to use with torque wrench and it works on the standard barrel nut , as well as all the ones that have gas tube holes ( one exception is the DD Lite ) . I have used this on YHM , KAC FF , PRI forends . I have never had this wrench slip off

 

[beltfed]

I thought about that, but then it would be useless for a standard upper that doesn't have the thicker receiver walls.

You just Dremel away small portions where there is interference - you would not be destroying the rest of it.
I've done two billet uppers (a Larue and NEA) this way. That said - if the vltor upper is way off a standard upper and none of the bearing surface of the clamshell would line up after modification, then yeah, I'd look at getting that barrel extension rod.
A good reason to stick with regular AR uppers....

 

[Silveragent]

When I did mine I had to borrow the DPMS vise block from a buddy.

 

[09outlander]

You just Dremel away small portions where there is interference - you would not be destroying the rest of it.
I've done two billet uppers (a Larue and NEA) this way. That said - if the vltor upper is way off a standard upper and none of the bearing surface of the clamshell would line up after modification, then yeah, I'd look at getting that barrel extension rod.
A good reason to stick with regular AR uppers....

I would have to dremel quite a bit of it, I'll post a pic later.

 

[09outlander]

 

[beltfed]

Yeah, I wouldn't screw around with that. Get the barrel extension rod.