Rifle Vice?

[Tikkamike]

I have always used a gun cradle for cleaning my rifles but I have seen a few smiths around who simply clamp the barrel in a wood working vice (vice with wooden jaw protectors) Just wondering if any of you do that? seems like a good way to hold ont a rifle snugly when running tight fitting patches through it

 

[sasaholic]

ive done the same, but make sure you use a soft wood like pine so it has some give. Most rifles are plenty thick to take the cranking of a wooden vice, but i dont trust shotgun barrels. I know im not dumb, but others that may be around might not be and decide to crank away. BTW i also line the jaws of mine with a layer of felt to protect a little more

 

[Tikkamike]

so you prefer the vice over a gun cradle?

 

[Browninglover1]

I've used both, the gun cradle is my favorite. I really have to crank down on the vise to get it to hold the gun in place and I've had it leave little lines in my wood stocks. I still use the vise though because it takes up less space in my small apartment.

If I was just using it on quality synthetic stocks, the vice would probably be my favorite.

 

[Tikkamike]

I was referring to locking the barrel in the vice. I wouldnt squeeze any stock of mine in a vice

 

[Browninglover1]

I was referring to locking the barrel in the vice. I wouldnt squeeze any stock of mine in a vice

I guess I figured you were going to use it like they do on Long Range Pursuit where they grab it right below the action. I have recently started removing my rifles from the stocks and clamping on to the receiver with my vice and have been much more pleased with the results, but it's more time consuming and sometimes will cause your POI to shift just slightly.

I still prefer two points of contact like the gun cradle's provide and when I get into a bigger apartment I'll probably build my own version that works best for me.

 

[bigngreen]

We use a vice with the harder rubber inserts that hang on with a magnet and grab the barrel, we use the same method on large Sharps rifles to pound through a tight patch to remove lead so it holds up to a beating. You can flip the rifle over and mount the stock or work on it without having to clamp somewhere else also and you leave no tracks on fine wood or crack something that doesn't need broken. If I have to grab a stock to work on it I have a versa vice that I modified so one jaw swivels and then I use a piece of leather between the vice and stock.

 

[FEENIX]

Mike,

As seen below, I initially installed the straps ($1.99 a pair) to secure the rifle when I am at the range because I almost knocked one of them off the rest. However, I found out that it is secured enough to clean my barrel similar to your query.

Good luck!

Ed