changing muzzle device WITHOUT a vice?

[BooSSted]

i don't see why you'd need to involve your favorite illegal or immoral activity while you remove your muzzle devices...but hey whatever floats your boat.

Did I miss something?

 

[BooSSted]

I actually broke an indexing pin on a barrel tightening a muzzle brake to only 30lb/ft of torque.

Wrap the barrel in a piece of wet leather and secure it in a vice.
The best tool for the job is actually the Geissele reaction rod which holds the barrel from the barrel extension.
This prevents any torque from being transfered to the upper.
It is currently on backorder at Arms East.

I have actually never seen this tool before. Thanks for mentioning it!

 

[Gunnerlove]

The reaction rod seems like trying to tighten the lid of a mason jar by holding the sealing disk stationary and winding the ring onto a free to spin jar.

Receiver blocks for installing a barrel, Vice blocks for muzzle devices.

 

[rodregier]

I used vice jaw blocks in a vice. Adding some leather pads would do a really nice job.
Tooling like that isn't ITAR controlled, so no pain getting them from US vendor.

ht tp://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/barrel-tools/ar-15-m16-barrel-vise-jaws-prod12470.aspx

 

[thump_rrr]

The reaction rod seems like trying to tighten the lid of a mason jar by holding the sealing disk stationary and winding the ring onto a free to spin jar.

Receiver blocks for installing a barrel, Vice blocks for muzzle devices.

Actually the reaction rod locks into the barrel extension so you are actually holding the barrel while removing or installing the muzzle device.
The barrel extension is torqued to 150lb-ft of torque so there is no worry that you will loosen a barrel extension.

Let's not forget that some muzzle devices must be installed after the handguard is installed and there may not be any room for vice blocks when using a full length handguard.