do I need a barrel vise

Do I need a barrel vise if I'm using an action wrench to change barrels.

Yep got to have one, but if you know someone in a machine shop they can whitlle youout one from a piece of round or square aluminum stock in about 30 mins. That is how I got mine.

i use two pieces of oak with a vee cut in them

What kind of action wrench? Rear entry or clamp on type?

No, you don't need a barrel vise. All you need is a nut wrench and an action wrench that grabs the action around the front bridge.

Barrel vises don't have as much surface area to grab and will tend to slip.

i used a port entry wrench and barrel nut wrench

+1 for Action Wrench/Barrel Nut Wrench combo. The barrel vise does hold it for you while you are wrenching the factory nut off however. I think most folks believe the action wrench that Clamps on the outside of the chamber end of the action and uses the recoil lug as the anti rotation devise works best in most cases, leverage and lower potential for distortion being the plus. There are caveates to both styles of action wrenches.

If you work on AR style weapons a barrel vise can come in handy as well.

Maybe I've been real lucky, but I've used the barrel nut wrench that NSS sales and a big Cresent wrench on the recoil lug and have been able to do 3 barrel changes with no problems. I would try it without first just to see if its neccasarry with your gun. Just my .02

Another set of hands helps too if they are available

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jsimonh

Maybe I've been real lucky, but I've used the barrel nut wrench that NSS sales and a big Cresent wrench on the recoil lug and have been able to do 3 barrel changes with no problems. I would try it without first just to see if its neccasarry with your gun. Just my .02

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Yep thats what i use with a piece of leather around the action to keep from scratching it and a a couple of good blows with a hammer and the nut is off. To put a nut on i just put on a glove and grab the action and whack the nut wrench a few times with a hammer. Never had a problem so far with 7 or 8 barrel changes and everything has stayed tight.

Gary

Thanks for all the input.
I was planning on getting the wheeler engineering action wrench.
I just didn't want to have to buy both an action wrench and a barrel vise.