Gun Vises: Rifle and Pistol

[sailcaptain]

What are you using (make/model etc.) for gun vises?
I am currently looking for a good quality vise for both.
Thanks for the input.

[georgerkahn]

One of the handiest I have is a $16.00 Harbor Freight drill press vise! My initial thought was the needed "tool aid" in taking apart M1 Garand trigger housing groups. Additionally, it has become my 1st grab for so many countless other firearm related uses, with its price so low, I purchased a 2nd, so I now have one in garage as well as den. https://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-jaw-capacity-drill-press-vise-30999.html
Additionally, I have a Columbia machine vise in garage; one item I learned early in the day re any vise use as requisite, is a nice supply of leather pieces -- I bought a bag of scraps from a Tandy outlet for probably a couple of dollars or less. The formula I learned is that gun part + leather equals enough friction to hold, without marring. This failed me but once (the holding), in the removal of a 1903 barrel -- albeit, using some rosin powder -- finally worked.
Wilton made quite the awesome vise specifically for gun-smithing -- but, if you can find one -- at least the ones I come across are quite costly. In auction this summer, in in a nearby community went for $325.00.
Good luck!
geo

[Shawlerbrook]

For long guns I have a Tipton that I have been using for almost 30 years. Great for cleaning, scope and sight work, etc. I also occasionally used an old padded jaw woodworking vise.

[country gent]

I have a selection of vises I use depending on the job and requirements.
1) is a 6" bench vise with swivel base and brass jaws this covers a lot of the All around work a support for it to support a long piece is handy it keeps a barreled action or long piece from tipping and or sliding in the jaws. the swivel base allows for alignment of work to a comfortable angle or to get a long piece over the bench for the support. Soft jaws and liners are a must for this vise.
2) Is a flush mount wood workers vise with speed screw. this vise has hardwood ( maple) liners and the top is flush with the bench top. This vise isn't as versatile as the above but for some things it very handy. This vise get used for holding fixtures and jigs and other tooling when in use, Again felt liners can be a plus
3) is the 4" screw operated drill press vise very handy when used in a regular vise or the wood workers vise since it changes jaws position by 90*. Handy for this vise is soft jaws, brass, nylon, copper. A set of parallels in 1/8" increments, a set of strap clamps to lock it down to tables. Mine has a 5" sine base that allows angles to be set accurately with gage blocks. These vises arnt quite as good as the ones with the screw at 45* but are close.
4) is a small hand vise I made in school its jaws are 1 1/2" wide and open to around 1" this vise is great for small parts and holding small work to be filed or ground. remove the handle and use a 1/4" 20 straight stem it can be clamped in the other vises for small work. it has a 1/4 20 thread for clamping.
5) while not actually a vise this is also a very handy holding fixture. I have a 3/4" drill chuck on a 1" square stem 3" long its great for holding screws and round work. Its handy for recutting screw slots, square drive ends ( with a vee block small octagons can be done). This is very handy for small round work , Some day I may do one with a 1/2" or 3/8" chuck also.
6) is my barrel vise and inserts this is again a homemade vise made to clamp very securely. Base is 2"X2 1/2" 10" long with 4 holes 3/4" thru holes 1 1/4" in from each edge and 2 3/4 16 tapped holes 2 1/2" in from each edge. top or move able jaw is 2" X 2 1/2" 8" long with 2 3/4" thru holes. the 2 threaded rods are 3/4 16 hardened threaded rods. the inserts are aluminum blocks bored to match the barrel and split, This vise clamps down with amazing force and holds very tight. used strictly for removing installing barrels.

[Hossfly]

Have a Tipton, been using for years, holds rifle for most work with mounting scopes. Kind of cheap looking but have never had a problem with them.

[Drm50]

I have a big Wilton on my work bench. I have made several jaw sets for it. Alumilum, Brass, Copper and lead.
Also oak and special purpose jaws. The jaw inserts in mine are held to vice body by counter sunk screws. It's
easy to use them as pattern to make jaws out of other materials. I have a Gun Smith vise with brass jaws and several specialty vices. Besides the Wilton the one I use the most is a micrometer adjustment vice with Pyrex glass inlays on frame. It is the best you can get for precision filing gun parts. Once you set the part the Pyrex rails allow you to file perfectly. All square and exact amount of material removed. I have no idea what industry this vise was designed for. I would bet it cost a lot more than any conventional vice.

[samari46]

I made a set of soft jaws from 2x6" pressure treated wood. Cut to length, then cut to fit over the square lead screw cover on my vise and lined it with a couple pieces of rugs that I got cheap at a rug store. The rugs were glued on with Elmer's glue and applied the glue and set everything in the vise while the glue set up. Copper flashing from a scrap yard. 2"x2" brass angle iron also from a scrap yard as well as some aluminum angle iron from the same source. I have an old welders apron so you can figure out where it's going to be used. You're only limited by your imagination as to what you can dig up as different materials for the jaws on your vice. I've even used an old welder's glove to protect a AR-15 barrel while changing out the muzzle break for a different one. Frank

[TNsailorman]

Thanks for the HF suggestion George. I had not thought about checking them out for a vise. Brain freeze I guess or just old age. james