Using a Barrel Vise to build an upper receiver?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Using a Barrel Vise to build an upper receiver?

Posted: 8/24/2005 3:50:03 PM EDT

I was looking at a .pdf of the old Marine Corp. M16 rifle/tech manual. It showed only using a barrel vise (and mil-spec barrel wrench) for attaching the barrel to the upper receiver, no action block or anything around the receiver. Is this a bad way to assemble an upper? It would be convenient to use one for both the receiver and flash suppressor. Why is this a bad idea?

EDIT: I have an older mil-spec barrel wrench that requires a 1/2 breaker bar or torque wrench (have 2 of those) to use.

Posted: 8/24/2005 4:50:25 PM EDT

[#1]

It can be done. You have to remember, when those manuals were written the modern armorers blocks probably did not exist. I prefer the armorers block and a good after market armorers wrench.

Posted: 8/24/2005 4:55:23 PM EDT

[#2]

You need both. You can barrel with barrel vise jaws, but you run a pretty good chance of ending up with a canted front sight base.

Posted: 8/24/2005 5:16:33 PM EDT

[#3]

It would be convenient to use one for both the receiver and flash suppressor. Why is this a bad idea?

This is my home made FAL barrel vise. Those wood blocks are two pieces of oak pallet that I cut a channel in and used to barrel many FALs.

I've also used them in a regular vise to torque AR flash suppressors. Dust the channel with a little rosin (available at Big 5 for use on baseball bats) to prevent the barrel from spinning in the blocks when clamping and torquing the barrel.

Found a pic with a barrel in a vise:

Posted: 8/24/2005 7:12:11 PM EDT

[#4]

OK, I am sure this sounds pretty newb, but wouldn't it be better to use the action block / armorer's wrench for the barrel nut to upper receiver interface, and the barrel vise / whatever wrench for the FH to barrel interface?

Posted: 8/24/2005 7:19:46 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
OK, I am sure this sounds pretty newb, but wouldn't it be better to use the action block / armorer's wrench for the barrel nut to upper receiver interface, and the barrel vise / whatever wrench for the FH to barrel interface?

ding ding ding ding..... You win!