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Field or range use barrel vise setup

A5scott

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Minuteman
Feb 20, 2017
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Eastern PA
Looking for pics of your range setup for a vise to swap barrels... trailer hitch or however you do it... or a link to a thread discussing this.

Thanks,
Scott
 
Bolted a regular old barrel vise (I think it’s a tubb 2k) to a 3 ft length of 2x4….offset toward one end. Flip it around for unscrewing. Works fine, super portable. I only torque barrels to about 60 ft/lbs though. YMMV.
 
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I saw this done at a big PRS event. Pro swapped his practice barrel for match barrel on Friday. Steel tubing inserted into his trailer hitch. Barrel vise attached to the steel tubing that was inserted into the trucks trailer hitch. 15 minutes max for swap.
 
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I can’t remover the thread but I believe @DeathBeforeDismount uses the SAC vise and plate on his hitch.
Correct. I actually got the idea from @NiteQwill. Works great.

Amazon product ASIN B06X6KPNSD

And a 2 big cap head bolts (3/8 or 5/8th, cant remember) that fit into recess of the vise base.
 
Correct. I actually got the idea from @NiteQwill. Works great.

Amazon product ASIN B06X6KPNSD

And a 2 big cap head bolts (3/8 or 5/8th, cant remember) that fit into recess of the vise base.
This looks awesome.
 
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I am an admitted poor.
And cheapskate.

I use the PMA vise.
I bolted it to a chunk of 2” square tube I got cheap as scrap, and made a hole lat the other end so I can put it in my hitch, with the pin.

Not a pro. Barely mediocre amateur on my best day

Slips in the tool box with other gunsmiffin tools and is handy.
At home I just put the tubing in a bench vise or clamp it to the bench with a couple c clamps or small bar clamps.
 
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I don't even have my viper mounted at home. I just use a couple of C Clamps and clamp it to my workbench when I need it.

If I needed it at the range, then I'd just clamp it to a picnic table/bench.
 
Cheap but works.

Viper vise $60ish
2” aluminum square tube $5ish
2 bolts, nuts, spacers $5ish

555FA236-CEDD-4449-A92E-1CA4537E1763.jpegE7E1F7BE-5D31-42C9-971F-A4F9937D0F0C.jpeg
 
Thanks for the great ideas...

Do you remove the barreled action for the stock or chassis first? I've seen some leave them attached, but I guess that depends on how much space there is under the scope bell

Scott
 
I leave mine assembled. Just grab the barrel where ever the vice fits….well out past the scope and end of chassis forend.
 
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I guess I should add make sure you aren’t torquing the action in the chassis while you do it. So don’t grab the chassis to help with the twisting motion.
 
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So I guess then you can just torque it with a rear entry action wrench as opposed to the clamp style?

Yes, depending on the action you may have to remove an ejector but it can be done. Personally I prefer to just work with the barreled action separate but both end up at the same finish line.
 
If I had the gun all disassembled anyways, I would do the barrel before I put the action in the chassis. However, most of the time, the action, the mounted optic, and the chassis are all pretty much attached together as one piece. If all I want to do is change out the barrel, there’s no way I’m taking any more of that assembly apart than is absolutely necessary. If i was doing a quickie change at the range, definitely not pulling the action.
 
I guess I should add make sure you aren’t torquing the action in the chassis while you do it. So don’t grab the chassis to help with the twisting motion.
How do you stabilize the rear when you are torquing the barrel? Like you said, you keep it at about 60 ft/lb, so not as bad as 90 or so

Scott
 
Always take the action out. Two reasons, One , most bushings will grip best at the No taper area right near breach. Second, you are torquing the shit out of the barrel like 15-26 inches from the threads. May not do anything but im not risking a $800 barrel becuase I am too lazy to spend an extra 3 minutes taking the stock off and retorquing everything.
 

Would have liked to see this come under the SAC vise price point. Not sure the reason to go with this one over the SAC kit? If I’m not mistaken, the SAC is even cheaper for the full kit.
 
How do you stabilize the rear when you are torquing the barrel? Like you said, you keep it at about 60 ft/lb, so not as bad as 90 or so

Scott
I’ve never worried too much about it. I use a leather strip with some rosin sprinkled on it to grip the barrel in the vice. I throw it on hand-tight, lock the barrel in the vice, stick the action wrench in and torque it using an 18” torque wrench from Home Depot. I guess the chassis assembly is kind of hanging on the barrel at that point. If I was to have the vice bolted to a tube sticking out of my hitch receiver, then the weight of the whole thing would be hanging on the vice. And it does not matter one single bit where the barrel vice is in relation to the tenon. There’s no way you’re twisting or harming that barrel under hand pressure with any kind of normal size wrench.
 
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Would have liked to see this come under the SAC vise price point. Not sure the reason to go with this one over the SAC kit? If I’m not mistaken, the SAC is even cheaper for the full kit.
Just checked. MAP Aero is $260. SAC is $275 for the Bravo kit.
 
Just checked. MAP Aero is $260. SAC is $275 for the Bravo kit.
Gotcha, I knew the SAC price but just went off the link you posted for the aero. Don’t get me wrong, competition is good and hopefully it will cause one of them to lower in price, as a consumer I’m just not sure I would go with the aero (at basically the same price) rather than one that’s already established. Aero has always been a upper budget line of products. Not knocking it at all, just mainly wondering if it offered any improvements. Looks like they both come with the same amount of bushings and the arca plate.
 
I like that idea
HVM-all_1.jpg

almost as much as a
81Y4lBeNdXL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

itls universally a good idea to always be prepared .
 
Always take the action out. Two reasons, One , most bushings will grip best at the No taper area right near breach. Second, you are torquing the shit out of the barrel like 15-26 inches from the threads. May not do anything but im not risking a $800 barrel becuase I am too lazy to spend an extra 3 minutes taking the stock off and retorquing everything.
Tons of F-class guys have glued in actions and grab the barrel really far out. Most of them shooting very heavy barrels but with anything decent weight I wouldn't worry about it.
 
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