Best barrel blocks for 03's

[Mike D]

I've broke two vises' due to overtightening. Yes, they were cheap China junk. But more than that, the need to tighten so much was due to poor grip on the barrel.

Wood blocks just don't cut it. The aluminum blocks I'm using are modified, to say the least, and don't fully contact the contour of the barrel.

What do you guys use? Do you grip the barrel just behind the FRSB? Does anybody sell a set specific for '03's? TIA, Mike D

Information

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[Chuckindenver]

i make my insterts from lead, hard to explain, but i set a small rod in the ceneter of the mold i made up, after while it mushes out.
in retrospect....i have nothing good to say about the action wrench and barrel vices made and sold today... the action wrenches weigh about 5 to 8 pounds...the vise wont hold squat..
so i made my own action wrench...weighs 60 pounds, my vise can hold well enough to crush a 1903 barrel if one wanted to... its a early 1900,s screw vice...and its welded to a bench made of 3/4 armour plate from a WW2 tank carrier...
nothing like over kill....
if i get time, ill post a how to post, and show some pics of the vice, and how i do it....

[Mike D]

Thanks Chuck. I think I get what your saying about the lead inserts. Being so soft, do you have to replace those often? I have no problems with the wrench, it just need a pipe to provide more leverage.

[Chuckindenver]

mine last about 6 mos...they are about 3 inches thick...like i said, i tend to over build things,,,when i pulled the handle out of my original action wrench,,,i rednecked one...i doubt it will ever break. lol.

[win308]

Use 1 inch wide strip of emery paper (cloth backed). Wrap the strip with the abrasive side away from the barrel making a couple of loops around the barrel. Tighten the barrel vise on the strip and that should give enough grip on the barrel that the receiver wrench can unscrew the action.

[OlManDow]

Good info in the other posts. I also made my own barrel vice and blocks - the commercial ones are toys in comparison. I make my blocks out of 2x2x1" 1020 steel, bored in the lathe to fit the barrel, with about .020 clearance, then cut in half to make blocks. I use brass shim in the .020 clearance to avoid marring barrels. I have to trim up the edges of the blocks once or twice a year, as I put enough force on them with the vice that they bulge out at the bored hole. I visited an arms plant once, and noted that their barrel vice was hydraulic, to get enough pressure, along with speed..

OlManDow