Bench Source Barrel Vice. Clamps .810" to 1.50"
The base of the vise has two holes for mounting permanently to a rigid heavy bench. The holes are designed to clear (2) 3/8 diameter bolts which should be long enough to secure it to your mounting bench using hex nuts and lock washers. Flat washers or ‘fender washers’ would also be a good idea if your bench is made of wood. We do not supply the bolts because we have no way of knowing the necessary length to facilitate mounting to your particular bench. These bolts should be Grade 5 or better to ensure that the over hung load will be supported if you lose grip of your rifle. Center distance of the holes is 6-3/16”apart for reference.
We have used the vise many times at the shooting range to switch barrels between matches. This can be done using (2) heavy ‘C’ Clamps and clamping the vise securely to a strong flat bench. Using the vise in this manner, you will find that a friend or helper will be most useful. Please note that by using the clamps, the vise will not be as secure as mounting permanently using the bolts as previously mentioned.
The clamping capacity of your new vise is 13/16” to 1½” in diameter. There should be no problem clamping on a tapered or straight barrel. if you are tightening or loosening a fluted barrel, position it in such a way that the clamping action will not mar or indent the adjacent sides of the flutes. While using the vise is somewhat self explanatory, we have come up with several things that will be helpful.If you are concerned that you may scratch or leave clamp marks on the O.D. of your barrel. It is a good idea to use a thin piece of leather, It should wrap around your barrel one complete revolution without overlapping. Be aware that leather will sometimes degrade the look of a blued barrel. Another thing that we have used with a lot of success is a piece of thin cardboard. You will find that the tube from the center of a roll of paper towels will make a lot of bushings approximately 1½” long. Simply slide it over your barrel from the muzzle end and leave it sticking out both sides of the barrel vise to make sure that you utilizing the full surface area of the jaws.
When clamping on your barrel, always grip it as closely as possible to the breach end. Note that we nearly always switch barrels leaving the action and screws securely in place in the stock. While this may seem a little awkward, it works very well if you have a helping hand as we mentioned earlier.
There is no magical amount of torque that needs to be put on the clamp studs to securely keep your barrel from spinning in the vise. Just remember that you must get them tight enough. Spinning your barrel in the vise no matter what you are using to protect it will most likely leave witness marks.
When tightening, always try to maintain an even amount of torque on both studs to get maximum gripping power.Always use a good rear entry action wrench or suitable wrench that fits the receiver ringon your action. This will ensure that no harm will come from over stressing or twisting your bolt raceways. Either type of wrench will work satisfactorily.
Every manufacturer has different specifications as to locking compound or lack there of and the amount of torque required to keep your barrel secure. There is no specific answer. What works for us may not be suitable for you because of your barrel twist rate, vibration, thread condition, et cetera. What we do recommend is to clean the threads spotless on the tenon of your barrel and inside the receiver ring of your action before re-installing a barrel. Along with this you must lubricate the barrel threads with grease or anti-seize compound to prevent galling. Even some locking compounds lubricate properly if your intent is to not switch barrels often.
