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Barrel Vise Questions

I have read plenty of threads here and elsewhere on barrel vises, but questions remain. While some may be naive, I am confident answers here will lead me to the right barrel vise. At present I have a Northland Shooter Supply action wrench which clamps around my Savage action and also appears to fit the Howa if I flip around the wrench cap so flat side is against the flat bottomed Howa. My needs are:

1) Remove factory barrels off Howa actions. These are notoriously tight (300+ lb. ft.).
2) Remove and install aftermarket custom shouldered barrels.
3) Hold a barrel while loosening or tightening a barrel nut.
4) No marring or other damage to barrel! I typically have polished stainless steel and it scratches if I look at it wrong. Howa factory barrels not really a concern on what happens to them when removed.

My questions:

1) How does a vise handle a tapered barrel, if there is no straight section on the barrel?
2) I know a barrel is strong, but is it possible to clamp the barrel too much? How much is that?
3) Bench with two 3/4" thick sheets of plywood glued and screwed together enough to hold vise with heavy torque applied?
4) Recommended vise?

I will spend the money for a quality piece, but unsure which are very good. Some use two clamping bolts, others four, some are aluminum, others steel, some have huge bolts, others smaller, etc. I want as little worry (and risk) as possible when removing and installing barrels.

I appreciate the expertise you can provide.

Thanks.

Phil
 
I use the one in the link below. It has springs on the bolt so it springs back up as you loosen them. It follows the taper on a barrel fine. You can tighten it so that the front of the vise is lower than the rear of the vise, or maybe better said, the top jaw of the vise is at an angle. I wrap something around the barrel to keep it from scuffing before I stick it in the vise. You can use a business card, heavy copy paper, toilet paper roll, masking tape, etc.

I have never removed a factory barrel. The only reason I would have to do that would be to replace the barrel, in which case it is going to a gunsmith.

http://www.pmatool.com/barrel-vise-by-viper/
 
The vises that take the aluminum sleeve inserts are taper bored for barrels with no straight portion.
On polished barrels I put a length of masking type tape on them.
I have removed a couple factory 700 barrels with out issue.
I dont know on clamping force, I know you can squeeze an action to tightly and cause the barrel to be 600 times harder to unscrew not sure on the barrel.
 
Go with the one from pma russell posted above. Wrap old targets around the barrel and be done with it. Put a relief cut on the howas if you gotta work on them
 
I use an aluminum 4 bolt vise. I doubt a man could crush a barrel in such a vise. Maybe bend a pencil barrel if you’re too far away from the action but still tuff. Your bench is just like mine and it handles the toughest barrels. Picture me hanging on a 4 foot cheater pipe, feet off the floor.;)
On scratching a custom barrel: Use card stock, target paper, toilet paper roll, etc., as mentioned. I happen to use a piece of leather. I don’t torque my barrels down that hard. Maybe 40 lbs. I’ve never had one come loose and they’re easier to come off!:)
 
I have the four bolt tubb vise and have removed hundreds of barrels with it. Two of the studs stripped out years ago, and the remaining two seem to work just as well, so I would hesitate to buy a two bolt vise
 
I made my barrel vise (see picture), 2 pieces of 1" X 3/4" scrap steel bar, good quality 1/2" threaded rod, grade 8 flanged nuts and oak blocks bored to fit barrel. I have removed an original barrel from a '98K Mauser (it was TIGHT) with it and just installed a new barrel on my Kelbly's Atlas (110 ft. lb.). I use some powdered rosin on the wood blocks and get no slippage. As you can see it is lagscrewed to an 8" X 10" wooden post in my basement.
 

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Viper barrel vise is priced reasonably and will work good on any barrel. Pad the barrel with talc, TP tube or thin leather if you want extra protection on the barrel for marks.
I have used one, as many have, for a good number of years with no issues with the Viper vise.
 
I split the top in half. The generous holes allowed the pieces to somewhat follow the contour. In effect have 2 vise clamping more areas of the barrel.

Never had a barrel slip including Tikkas, and Remington factory barrels. Support the action with 2x4, using a wrench that grabs the lug, whack the wrench handle.

Brass rod is just for demo.

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Dang, I didn't even read the original post..
 
I have a Davidson, a Brownells (steel inserts) and not sure on the third but I think it is an eBay special. Looks like a Brownell’s but uses pieces of tube stock saw cut in one location as inserts. On a shouldered barrel I prefer the latter two for most everything else I use the Davidson. I use a dusting of powdered rosin for added gripping power
 

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Even on my legacy vise, I replaced the top with 2 pieces of aluminum barstock. I elongated the holes to allow max tilting. The vise had be to mounted higher off the table for the front end of the barrel clear the table top.

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PMA here and its a new purchase after years of using my home build. I use heavy craft paper on the bbl between the vise and bbl. Wish I would have bought one 10 years ago.
 

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