No Barrel Vise- Vise grips with towel OK?

[4D5]

Built my own

I'm a little late to the party but here's my contribution...

Here’s my barrel vise clamps made from scrap hard rock maple, friction tape and two rubber bands.

It took me about 30 minutes to make. I cut rectangles 2” X 3 1/2” with the grain running the short distance so that the block would not split lengthwise.

With a 3/4” round nose router bit in the router table I plowed out enough in each block so the two pieces would not touch with about a 1/16” between them.

Next I plowed out groves on the outside edges deep enough to allow for rubber bands. With the rubber bands you don’t need three hands to manage the barrel/vise/clamp blocks

Finally I put two strips of friction tape on each block in the channel for the barrel, wrapped the rubber bands around the blocks and I was good to go.

The blocks work well as I was able to remove a flash hider from a .308 barrel with no problem.

Here’s some pictures…

 

[CPTBeaker]

Yes, I understand. However, most folks keep the end cap on. My question was about how this new tool might be designed to get past the end cap... since you can't slide the end cap off the barrel with the flash hider installed. Perhaps it is a two piece wrench that will fit with the end cap pulled up all the way to the flash hider? Just wonderin...

I'm going to make my endcap 2-piece. I'm going to use two small 'connector' pieces with some small hex head machine bolts. The 'connector' pieces would be tapped to accept the bolts and would positioned behind the end cap so you would only see the heads of the 4 bolts from the outside. When you want to remove the end cap, just unclip it from the handguard, slide it out a bit, and remove only the top two or bottom two bolts.

The other option would be to remove enough of the center portion of the endcap to clear the flash hider. This would make the handguard free-float and still leave something on the end of the handguard so it doesn't look so bare with an open hole. I haven't made any measurements yet for this option so I don't know how much of the 4 'tabs' would remain after removing enough material so that it clears the flash hider. If enough remains, these 4 'tabs' would provide some sort of protection to over flexing the handguard (i.e. if a lot of torque was placed on the handguard it could only flex until the 'tabs' hit the barrel and possibly prevent some damage to the handguard or upper receiver).

 

[CPTBeaker]

4D5,

I like your solution a lot!! The rubber band grooves are a really good idea.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I'm confused or something. Why are you removing the barrel? Is this a necessary procedure with the MP 15-22? I have never removed a barrel from a receiver except to re-chamber or replace. My MP15-22 hasn't arrived yet but if I have to be removing and reinstalling the barrel I need to put it on the market before I use it. Maybe I can get back the $400+ I sunk in this folly.

No need to remove the barrel, but the barrel nut on many 15-22 have been found to be loose. One guy posted the other day that barrel actually slid in the receiver cuz the barrel nut was off.

 

[myeye22]

...Here’s my barrel vise clamps made from scrap hard rock maple, friction tape and two rubber bands....

Yep, works like a champ. Mine's less fancy - I just set the TS blade to 45deg and ripped a v-groove in each face. Plain ole' 2x4 scraps work too - and soft enough it will deform to the barrel - no shaping necessary.

 

[AskDrTodd]

One thing though, when I was tightening down the barrel nut, the torque wrench never clicked, and I got concerned I was overtightening it. It was probably a full turn past hand tight or more... I got concerned and didn't want to break anything so I aborted and it is now only hand tight plus 1.25 turns tight...

 

[Chuck Jones]

I need to remove & clean and retorque my barrel tonight, I don't have a vise. Since this barrel is only torqued to 20ish ft lbs can I clamp the barrel down in vise grips in a towel to remove the flash hider and subsequently the barrel? If I must use a bench vise, what should I use between it and the barrel?

Thanks!

Very heavy leather like from an old (thick!) belt is much better at preventing marring and grips the steel much better than cloth.

I'd avoid toweling it's just too risky for the finish, and if folded thick enough protect it, often winds up too slippery to hold the work.

/c

 

[Brett248Vista]

I'm a little late to the party but here's my contribution...

Here’s my barrel vise clamps made from scrap hard rock maple, friction tape and two rubber bands.

It took me about 30 minutes to make. I cut rectangles 2” X 3 1/2” with the grain running the short distance so that the block would not split lengthwise.

With a 3/4” round nose router bit in the router table I plowed out enough in each block so the two pieces would not touch with about a 1/16” between them.

Next I plowed out groves on the outside edges deep enough to allow for rubber bands. With the rubber bands you don’t need three hands to manage the barrel/vise/clamp blocks

Finally I put two strips of friction tape on each block in the channel for the barrel, wrapped the rubber bands around the blocks and I was good to go.

The blocks work well as I was able to remove a flash hider from a .308 barrel with no problem.

Here’s some pictures…

4D5,

That's some nice work right there.. and you can just tell that wood is HARD!

 

[Hammerless-12]

I knew a guy that swore the plumbers pipe wrench worked best on all barrels, the nice thing is, one size fits all. Provided you purchase the big one available at any local hardware store.

 

[Brett248Vista]

I knew a guy that swore the plumbers pipe wrench worked best on all barrels, the nice thing is, one size fits all. Provided you purchase the big one available at any local hardware store.

In the words of Dr.Evil: Riiiiiiiiiiiiight!

 

[myeye22]

I knew a guy that swore the plumbers pipe wrench worked best on all barrels, the nice thing is, one size fits all. Provided you purchase the big one available at any local hardware store.

No way. A pipe wrench has big nasty teeth designed to dig into the metal for grip and would do a real number on a barrel finish. Perhaps he meant plumbers strap wrench.

 

[Shooting Padre]

In regards to ChattanoogaPhil's post, maybe a strap wrench using a rubber strap would hold well enough for his technique. I haven't tried it but I have two, and the rubber wraps around the barrel, and the harder to pull the tighter it gets. If you only have to hold it to give it a tap, maybe it would work in conjunction with a good barrel nut wrench, like Shooboy's.

 

[infamous209]

PIPE WRENCH!!!!!! My dads a plumber and i wouldnt use a pipe wrench as a last resort in a zombie attack. It will mar up the barrel and possibly crush it/distort it.

 

[tacticool22]

I'm sure the pipe wrench comment was posted just 'cuz they can.
The reason for removing the barrel is to clean out all the nooks and crannies you can't get to with the rifle assembled. The same thing with the 10/22, you just can't get everywhere.

 

[Brett248Vista]

The problem with posting something "Cuz you can" is that a new member may take it as Gospel (this is the internet, after all!) and in the process ruin their gun! We do not need false information propagated, if you are going to post something like that, you need to as list post-fix it with "I am JUST KIDDING!!!!"

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

In regards to ChattanoogaPhil's post, maybe a strap wrench using a rubber strap would hold well enough for his technique.

You can probably just have someone hold it with their hands while you give the wrench on the flash hider a whack or two and it will break free. Just don't try to muscle it off. Absent a second pair of hands, a barrel vice is very convenient.

The problems start when people try to torque down a flash hider with a crush washer, or use thread locker on the flash hider or barrel nut and then later try to remove it by muscling it off without a barrel vice.

I swap muzzle devices on my .22s all the time... flash hiders, shrouds and sound suppressor... All I do is just hand tighten. Takes just a second on and off. No need to super glue or super torque this stuff unless someone just wants aggravation. (Though I have no muzzle devices that require timing).

 

[Brett248Vista]

Or use thread locker on the flash hider or barrel nut and then later try to remove it by muscling it off without a barrel vice.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Give yourself a break my friend... Like they say.... Stuff Happens. I've done MUCH worse.