Quoted:
forgive the new-b question, but how is this any faster then changing a barrel the standard way? looks like the gas system still has to be removed. would you still need a vise and upper vise block?
torque wrench?
If you're asking about the system I posted a link to, the gas tube does not need to be removed from the barrel once the collet ring is installed. The larger, nut with the teeth stays with the receiver, and the inner collet ring replaces the standard barrel nut and stays with the barrel.
To add or remove a barrel all you do is loosen the inner collet ring with the supplied wrench and slide the barrel and gas set up away from the receiver. A dab of thread locker helps keep the toothed nut aligned with the gas tube hole in the receiver (it's not necessary but make the whole job a bit easier).
No, you don't
need a vice and receiver clamp to change things since you only need about 30-40 lbs of torque to hold things together, it does however make the swap easier than trying to hold everything together with just your hands.
I have removed and replaced a barrel at the range to see if it could be done and if it changed zero (it didn't), but I had a friend hold the rifle, just so I could use two hands on the wrench to prevent any slippage that could of scratched things up.
The only downside to the system is you have to be able to get to the barrel nut area to do the swap, so this rules out free float tubes, unless you can find one that would clamp onto a factory style barrel nut and has a removable section so you could access the collet ring with enough room to swing the wrench