Gunsmithing Barrel vise jaws for a shop bench vise

[swhiteh3]

I'm lucky enough to have some basic fabrication tools (drill press, grinder, etc) near my reloading / gunsmithing bench. One of the things I have is a really nice bench vise. In the past, I've had some v-cut jaws that I've used for a barrel vise, but I'm pretty sure that's not the *right* thing to use, since it does not clamp them evenly. I've usually used a thick piece of leather with them, but still...

So my question is - who has a set of barrel jaws for a bench vise that they really like? I've seen people using simple wood blocks with half-circle cuts in them, all the way to really nice billet ones with urethane inserts.

Any other tricks to preventing marring of the finish, and getting a good tight clamp at the same time?

Thanks!

 

[required_user_name]

Reviving his question. I would also like to know.

 

[Snuby642]

A magnetic urethane set is what I use on ar's.

 

[required_user_name]

A magnetic urethane set is what I use on ar's.

Like this?

Amazon.com: HORUSDY 6" Universal Bench Vise Soft Jaw Cover, Magnetic Retention, Orange Urethane, Waffle Face: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: HORUSDY 6" Universal Bench Vise Soft Jaw Cover, Magnetic Retention, Orange Urethane, Waffle Face: Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

 

[Snuby642]

Yes those for some work and thier green ones that are ( V ) cut mosly.

Use them on every thing but not sure if my son uses them removing barrels on rem 700 actions, every thing else yes.

 

[LRI]

If your doing "light duty" barrel work such as a Remage or something else using a barrel nut, this will likely work fine. The ceiling your going to hit is when you attempt to remove a barrel directly from an action. Your asking a lot from the single screw used to pull the two jaws together. The fact it sits a few inches below the actual point of contact also works against you.

Again, the application will dictate the success of how this ultimately works.

Good luck.

 

[Snuby642]

+1 on what lri said.

 

[Jscb1b]

I saw a video of a guy using a shop press and oak blocks. That looks slick.

 

[chevy_man]

I just use oak blocks for the remage. Bore whatever size I need and slit it with the band saw.

I use a defiance wrench and a barrel nut wrench for the prefits so it's not doing anything but holding it steady.
I just toss a pipe wrench on the barrel and use the defiance wrench after a heat gun on the factory Remington. They pop right out once the thread locker is warm enough.

I haven't ever removed a factory barrel I intended to reuse, otherwise I'd be more inclined to spend the $$$ on a good barrel vise.