My cheap ass home vise can't keep a barrel from spinning no matter what. I can't even do muzzle devices with all the tricks (paper, cardboard, rubber jaws, etc). Is there a hobby grade barrel vice that works for putting on barrels/muzzle devices that so simple even an idiot PhD like me can use it? Really tired of this and gonna miss a match now
- Thread starter DocRDS
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Well I am really cheap but I use a viper mounted on a 2x4 and padded the barrel with leather pads that I can sit on while my son does the break or lock of the barrel. Then it goes back in the closet. Works great
Part of it is the vise, the other part is what the vise is mounted to. A shitty work surface that isn’t sturdy won’t help any.
The SAC setup is worth it regardless of hobby level. Mount it to a hitch receiver vice plate.
Viper Vise and a C clamp on whichever side will be pulling away from the desk.
Unless you’re taking off something like a factory barrel, you should be working with 75-150ft lbs and with some sort of anti-seize. So it shouldn’t take much effort and a single C clamp is fine.
Or any other vise that has area for bolts that can be clamped (if you don’t want to bolt it down).
Before having a full shop, I even had a SAC vise with arca cut that I would put in a gray ops gamer plate and then use a single c clamp on the plate.
Unless you’re taking off something like a factory barrel, you should be working with 75-150ft lbs and with some sort of anti-seize. So it shouldn’t take much effort and a single C clamp is fine.
Or any other vise that has area for bolts that can be clamped (if you don’t want to bolt it down).
Before having a full shop, I even had a SAC vise with arca cut that I would put in a gray ops gamer plate and then use a single c clamp on the plate.
The Viper works for me,I have even removed factory TRG barrels with mine. I did replace the studs and nuts with proper grade 8 and lube them. I regularly torque at 100lbft.
SOLUS vise is working really good for me. The aluminum inserts don't mar the barrel either. No hunting down leather for the Viper Vise.
I use this vise as a portable unit with a c-clamp .It will hold factory barrels for removal without a problem.
My viper has never been the weak point. It will still hold a barrel tight even with a gorilla installed factory barrel.
Whatever vice you use, find yourself some powdered rosin to apply to the surfaces. The stuff is amazing. Brownells used to sell, but it looks like they dont any more.
Buy a baseball rosin bag.
Tap it against the surfaces that need the rosin.
Keep it in a ziplok when not in use.
I'll put in another plug for the SAC Modular Vise, it's one of the few premium pieces of "gun room" kit I've splurged on and I have no regrets. In my opinion, the fewer bolts you have to torque the better; four is the worst, two is nice, and one is amazing. But if you're only doing it once in a blue moon, then a Viper-esque one is fine, just expect that it might slip at first until you figure out how much crank you actually need on the bolts. It's more than you think.
I have a 1 pound jar of it that will last me several lifetimes. A very small pinch between the fingers is more than enough. Last thing I want is clouds of that shit in the shop.
- Nov 3, 2010
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My cheap shit wheeler vise has taken off many barrels, including three Lee Enfields, which are stubborn ass barrels.
I guess I should have clarified what a tap is.
I wasn't meaning to beat it against the barrel and vise until you have a cloud.
Then again, I know people who would do just that.
Thanks for the info. Grabbed a viper vise off Brownells. I hate learning gunsmithing the hard way. Meanwhile my barrel is being taken care of. My current "vise" is an el-cheapo home depot and I have soft rubber jaws that are worthless. Even when I clamped the barrel with wrench flats my vise would spin no matter how hard I tried to lock it down.
I actually have rosin, even that doesn't help with my current setup.
Time for a better hammer.
Learning is painful.
I may end up with a SAC vise eventually. right now my work bench is sturdy and crowded, maybe someday I put in a stand and slap the bad boy on there,
I actually have rosin, even that doesn't help with my current setup.
Time for a better hammer.
Learning is painful.
I may end up with a SAC vise eventually. right now my work bench is sturdy and crowded, maybe someday I put in a stand and slap the bad boy on there,
I also use a Viper and have no complaints, has mainly been used installing and pulling barrels from kelbly actions torqued to 100ft lbs.
I have a Tikka T3 270win barrel I want to pull and swap in a 308win barrel so that will be its biggest test of the Viper yet but don't expect any drama.
Also regarding the pine rosin i bought a can of it at Academy in the baseball section in what looks like the foot powder containers and has worked just fine if you don't see yourself needing a pound of it.
I have a Tikka T3 270win barrel I want to pull and swap in a 308win barrel so that will be its biggest test of the Viper yet but don't expect any drama.
Also regarding the pine rosin i bought a can of it at Academy in the baseball section in what looks like the foot powder containers and has worked just fine if you don't see yourself needing a pound of it.
