Barrel vise

[Joey]

I am in need of a new barrel vise. I bought one off ebay a couple years ago to pull the frame cut-offs off parts kit barrels. I have to tighten it down so much on the revolver barrels that it bent the top bar, 3/4" alu.
I am having trouble finding one that will work on a single six barrel, around .6700-.6800. I can find one that goes to ,7000.What do you guys use? I am getting deeper into working on these and need a vise that will work. Thanks for your help.

 

[Joey]

I think I have found what I need. Has a rimfire top option that works on .475 to 1" barrels. Should work nicely! The Python HD. The wider one can get into the front sight on a short barrel,
https://www.viperbenchrest.com/

 

[cellar701]

That looks like a very reasonable price for a barrel vise - good find!

For the work you will be doing you might be interested in this article:

https://www.bowenclassicarms.com/news/articles/Sight_Crankin.pdf

I made a simple barrel vise using wood blocks as described in the article and it has worked well for me.

 

[Joey]

Thanks, man. I'll check into that.

 

[Dan in MI]

I did and didn't make mine like the article. I took a piece of oak, drilled it for the diameter barrels I was working on and cut in half through the hole. The blade width made it just under size enough to grip. I just use my regular vice with the now two blocks.

 

[Hondo44]

Never use rosin to keep barrel from slipping. It will mar the bluing, and especially if it slips!

Barrels are tapered, the hole drilled in the wood blocks is not.
Your vise has to make up for that difference. I use duct tape folded over length wise so it's sticky on both sides and wrap the barrel with it overlapping the wraps. Then cover the tape with a piece of leather. It will fill the void between the tapered barrel and the straight hole in the blocks.

 

[peachhead]

Thanks for all the ideas. I am also looking for a good vise and will take some of this to heart.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Let's see . . . if'n I had me a good big bench vise, a big pipe wrench with a three-foot cheater pipe, and some duct tape, I could probably . . . destroy a perfectly good barrel and maybe even the frame as well.

Nah. Think I'll pass. :rolleyes: