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Page AR-15 » Build It Yourself
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 12/19/2005 9:58:49 AM EDT
Guys, I'm in trouble..I've found an A3 upper and a barrel wrench, but cannot find a vise block for the upper (I live in europe, and any dealer I've contacted did not ship to Italy).

My question is: is any way to swap upper receivers without using a vise block?

In the army tech manual the upper is disassembled holding the barrel in a barrel block on a vise, what do you think about it?

BTW, if some european know some place where I can order an upper vise block, any info would be very appreciated, thanks, guys
Link Posted: 12/19/2005 10:10:03 AM EDT
[#1]
put it on the floor (if you have a carpet) and lean on the thing...


I did it three times with no issues
Link Posted: 12/19/2005 10:12:53 AM EDT
[#2]
A barrel vise should be fine.  Take off the handguards and clamp that part of the bbl in the vise.  
Link Posted: 12/19/2005 10:19:25 AM EDT
[#3]
One option is hold the barrel with some type of soft metal (aluminum is common) or even hardwood "V" blocks in the vise.

In a pinch with A1 uppers, have seen a wood block (foot long ~ 1 inch thick) placed in the carry handle and used on a padded floor to hold the upper (wood is a leaver arm and hold the upper and wood to the floor with your foot ... yuch, but worked).  Now for a nice A3 upper would hate to put the extra pressure on the carry handle mounting.
Link Posted: 12/19/2005 10:41:04 AM EDT
[#4]
Thanks for quick answers, guys!
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 8:27:47 AM EDT
[#6]
Wow, thanks for this link, I think I can easily build either one shaping a hardplastic block!
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 8:40:15 AM EDT
[#7]
have you tried with DPMS or Brownells? my action block is marked Brownells
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 9:14:59 AM EDT
[#8]
Underdog, are you the same Underdog from militaryphotos.net aren't you? the one who serve in the Italian Red Cross?
if you live somewhere in Veneto I can lend you my action block
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 9:26:15 AM EDT
[#9]
Frens I don't work for redcross, however, PM sent!
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 9:29:43 AM EDT
[#10]

Quoted:
They recommend that you use the first one, but the second one is also usable.

Oops, the second one didn't get linked.



I have the first upper block you listed, purchased from a funshow for $20. It works perfectly.
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 11:01:52 AM EDT
[#11]
I use aluminum barrel blocks myself.  Tighten them good in a big vise and they work fine.
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 5:19:37 PM EDT
[#12]
Just gonna throw this out there.  I bought a Schuster action block from Midwayusa.  When it got here, i realized it was little more than a plastic block to set your upper in and pin into place using the lugs.

When it came to torquing down a barrel nut, they suggested to turn the block on it's side and put the bottom (plastic block attached to the bottom of the upper) against one vice jaw, and then put a piece of wood between the upper picatinney rail and the other vice jaw (kinda hard to explain, I hope you get the idea) so the upper was just clamped down laying sideways in the vice.

It worked just fine for me.  The punchline:, I could have done this with two blocks of of soft pine and a way to cut a couple notches in one of theme for the lugs to go into.

Just an idea.

Gundraw
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 5:20:10 PM EDT
[#13]
Sorry, double tap
Link Posted: 12/20/2005 6:43:58 PM EDT
[#14]
This might work for you and it might not, but it worked for me. I took 2 pieces of a 2x4 board about 4" long and used a handsaw to cut a " V " in each one smaller than the diameter of the barrel where it would be clamped. I got some of that rubber non-skip mat stuff, looks like a bunch of little rubber bb's made together. I cut 2 pieces a little big wider and longer the the 2x4 boards. Laid the rubber mat stuff on one board, held it against the barrel and done the same with the second board. Put it in a vise and tightened the shit out of it. Worked like a charm.Good luck.
Link Posted: 12/25/2005 12:06:25 AM EDT
[#15]
Thanks for advices, guys!

I made myself a vice block cutting and shaping a delrin flat block sold as meat-cutting table.

it's very crude, but I'm working on another one


Fit is very precise, i made the shaping with a dremel (Italians are master on doing things out of nothing hehe..)

Now new upper receiver on vice block:


Then FOLLOW RELIGIOUSLY the thread about installing a new receiver and...



WORK DONE!
Link Posted: 12/25/2005 1:14:45 PM EDT
[#16]
Hey that's pretty cool! Looks great.
Page AR-15 » Build It Yourself
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
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