Barrel Vice Recommendations

[CMcCormick1805]

I’m looking for recommendations on barrel vices and any general tips associated with them as I want to get one in the near future.

What should l look for and what should I stay away from when it comes to purchasing a vice?

My primary use will be installing barrels.

 

[CTXhunter]

I just bought the SAC bravo vise and have really enjoyed it. I read around on here and seems like people beat their heads against the wall with cheap vices that don’t grip well enough for tight barrels. I’ve only changed a handful of rem 700 pattern barrels but it hasn’t slipped or moved a single time when tightening or loosening. It’s fairly affordable and super simple.

 

[hereinaz]

Viper vice works if you have already broken the factory barrel off. I had to use two viper vices to hold factory barrels to break them off. One standard and one sporter.

SAC or the Buffalo Creek are my choices for factory and everything else.

I have broken off dozens of factory Tikka with those two. It’s nothing if you mount the vice on something VERY solid and crank it down absurdly tight on the barrel.

The Brownell’s outside action vice tightened just behind the front action screw nub works great. If you tighten it on over the tenon, you only make it harder.

Soak factory barrels inside the action in Kroil can help along with heat.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The viper is a cost effective option but I wouldn’t buy another. There are better options for a little bit more money.

The mecforce gets decent reviews. SAC is top tier. Even some decent options on Amazon.

I wouldn’t buy another suggest one with collets for a more accuracy grip on the barrel.

 

[Half Nocked]

I bought this one from mechforce. https://mechforce.com/mechforce-barrel-vise-for-hunting-gun-rifle-gunsmithing-benchrest-clamp/

I’ve used it to swap out 4-5 barrels all on tikka prefit barrels. My recommendation would be to definitely use the leather pads it comes with. When you use the vise insert the barrel until the action almost touches the vise and tighten everything down as much as you can and then tighten it some more. Use a cheater bar.

I used this barrel wrench, and it worked well. Plus a 1-1/2 steel pipe fits over the handle.

Mauser Action Barrel Wrench | Flat Bottomed Receiver | Wheeler

Action Wrench #1 - Mauser / Flat Bottomed Receiver

www.wheelertools.com

 

[flyfisher117]

I have been happy with my Python barrel vise. It’s handled everything I’ve throw at it.
Though I will say I haven’t tried using it to crack loose a factory Tikka barrel.
https://www.viperbenchrest.com/shop/p/python-barrel-vise-1

 

[hereinaz]

I have been happy with my Python barrel vise. It’s handled everything I’ve throw at it.
Though I will say I haven’t tried using it to crack loose a factory Tikka barrel.
https://www.viperbenchrest.com/shop/p/python-barrel-vise-1

Problem with the Python and some others on Tikka is that it can’t grab the barrel, because of the aggressive profile there is no flat.

 

[waspocrew]

SAC Bravo for me. The collets are great, especially for Tikka barrels.

 

[HuntHarder]

Viper works just fine for my use. Surely there are better ones but the Viper does just fine and is alot cheaper than the higher end ones. T3x's are nothing compared to T3 barrels. Soak your barrel in penetraiting oil for a day or 2 and it's easy work.

 

[hereinaz]

Viper works just fine for my use. Surely there are better ones but the Viper does just fine and is alot cheaper than the higher end ones. T3x's are nothing compared to T3 barrels. Soak your barrel in penetraiting oil for a day or 2 and it's easy work.

Yes, T3 are crazy hard. I have two that were imported pre Beretta. For stuck barrels I don’t have time to soak, I use my SAC and then put on both of my viper vices, LOL.

Breaking free a factory Tikka requires more than the Viper is intended to and every one I have personally seen is bent and eventually the bolts can get stuck. I think you have to bolt it so tight that the top plate visually bends.

100 inch pounds is easy with the Viper.

If I get a new Viper, I will put antiseize on the bolts, bolt the bottom to a steel plate, and cut the top in half so it can better grip curves of the profile.

 

[HuntHarder]

Yeah, I crank the living piss out of mine. I keep waiting for it to break, but it keeps keeping on. I probably just jinxed myself. When it 's the bed, I will likely upgrade to a better Vice. I do more barrel swaps than the average guy tho. If I was only going to do a swap here and there, its hard to justify the SAC price.

The last 2 T3x's I did, I don't think I used more than 1 whack each with the dead blow. Spun right off.

 

[waspocrew]

Yeah, I crank the living piss out of mine. I keep waiting for it to break, but it keeps keeping on. I probably just jinxed myself. When it 's the bed, I will likely upgrade to a better Vice. I do more barrel swaps than the average guy tho. If I was only going to do a swap here and there, its hard to justify the SAC price.

The last 2 T3x's I did, I don't think I used more than 1 whack each with the dead blow. Spun right off.

I have an old Wheeler vise with the wood blocks. I was cranking it down so much the blocks were starting to crack/split - even then, I couldn’t get my Tikka barrel to break loose.

Went to the SAC Bravo with the correct bushing and the barrel was off with two hits of the dead blow hammer. I’ve since done two others and the same result.

For any vise, gotta get it cranked down crazy tight haha

 

[hereinaz]

Upgrade to a 12 pound sledge with the handle cut down, then one blow does the magic!

If you get the viper, cut the top and tighten it till you think it should hold. Then tighten it more. Then a little more. Then get a bigger bar to tighten it more.

My method has been to use my Ryobi cordless impact wrench until it can’t go more…

 

[Ohiohuntr]

I have an old Wheeler vise with the wood blocks. I was cranking it down so much the blocks were starting to crack/split - even then, I couldn’t get my Tikka barrel to break loose.

Went to the SAC Bravo with the correct bushing and the barrel was off with two hits of the dead blow hammer. I’ve since done two others and the same result.

For any vise, gotta get it cranked down crazy tight haha

I did the same thing pulling 2 barrels off with the wheeler…..it’s not made for that kind of work

 

[bpug15]

I used a Wally Cooper vise from eBay and built a wrench to break my tikka barrel loose. The only real issue I ran into was there wasn’t a great bushing that came with the barrel vise so I ended up cutting the smallest bushing in half and using a liberal amount of brown sugar and torque on the vise to get it to clamp down enough on the barrel. Action came off with a very light application of heat and a whack from a dead blow hammer.
Installation of my new barrel was a breeze since there was a bushing in the kit that fit the shank.

 

[Chris in TN]

Tagged. I recently paid to have a barrel swapped and for what I paid I could have bought tools, and I think I'd rather do that in the future.

What do you guys attach this stuff to? I broke my 6" vise and haven't replaced it yet. I have a 4" mounted solidly to a fairly heavy bench but I don't know how sturdy it is. I did break the 6" vise attached to the same table so I don't guess it's overly weak. lol.

The heaviest thing I own is a 75-horsepower tractor. Could I weld a bracket to the loader bucket or bore a couple holes in the top, and bolt a barrel vise to that, then use an action wrench to twist the receiver off of the barrel?

 

[hereinaz]

I have a small steel table that weighs probably 150 200 pounds.

Cheapest option, I would get a 4x6, lag it onto something so it is standing up with the bottom on the concrete. Lag the vice onto the top. Orient the action wrench parallel to the ground so the shock goes down into the post. You could create wide 2x4 legs with 45 degrees angles to make it freestanding.

 

[Mike D Texas]

SAC is a much better vise for breaking stubborn barrels than the Viper and other 4 bolt vise designs I’ve used.

I haven’t had to bust off a factory Tikka barrel yet but I haven’t had some R700 barrels the I just ended up having to have a relief cut made in them to get them loose.

The SAC vise with the proper bushing has never slipped on me and all I use is one layer of drywall tape.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[mtnbound]

I’m looking for recommendations on barrel vices and any general tips associated with them as I want to get one in the near future.

What should l look for and what should I stay away from when it comes to purchasing a vice?

My primary use will be installing barrels.

I use the Viper with the top plate cut in two. I have done 6 Tikka barrels with it. I bolt it down to my welding table, tighten the crap out of it vise top, use a Wheeler #1 action wrench, and smack it with a 5lb deadblow hammer, thinking "Hulk Smash".

 

[nm.otter]

Lots of previous discussion on this one

Thread 'Factory Barrel Removal and Viper vice hack'

Mar 10, 2025

A barrel slipping is usually the weak link in pulling factory barrels, especially stubborn ones like Howa and Tikka.

I have found a few things make it simpler and possible on the most stubborn barrels. Do all of them and I bet the vast majority of barrels will come off. If you don’t get just one of them right, it can make it hard if not impossible.

I think they is why many people can’t get the same success with some of the same tools. It has taken me a few dozen barrels to figure stuff out.

Put Kroil inside the action in the corner where the barrel face and action meet. Give it time...

• hereinaz
• Replies: 61
• Forum: Firearms

• 

A

Thread 'Barrel Vice Recommendation'

Feb 13, 2023

Does anyone have any recommendations for a functional yet affordable barrel vise? I’m replacing a factory Tikka barrel with a prefit PBB.

Local gunsmiths are quoting me >$200 for the job, so it has me thinking I should just look into buying the tools myself. Even if I don’t anticipate using them often, I’d breakeven in a couple of barrel replacements.

Alternatively, if anyone knows of an affordable smith in Dallas, TX, area, I’d appreciate the recommendation. Or if you’re in the area and are open to letting me use yours, I’d happily pay in beer or something similar!

• atmat
• Replies: 51
• Forum: Firearms

I used a Wally Cooper vise from eBay and built a wrench to break my tikka barrel loose. The only real issue I ran into was there wasn’t a great bushing that came with the barrel vise

Have you tried one of his tapered bushings?