Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ideas on making your own gun Vise

+1. I just use a smooth-jawed vise with a thin piece of carpet to pad the jaws. You can't come close to clamping a stock as tight as you can a barrel. That comes in handy when you have to lean on something. Like separating the stock from the barreled action on a tight bedding job. And it takes about two seconds to spin the barrel in the vise to place the rifle at whatever angle is easiest for you to work on the rifle.

I have a little space at the end of the bench where I put a small trash can, it goes right under the muzzle. It's really handy for catching spent cleaning patches and the extra Wipeout foam when I use that.

I have used the Midway version for about 15 years, it works fine.

Nice work.

My son built the vise out of Oak, too. 1 3/4" and 3/4" board, 1" and 3/4" dowels and 1/4" panels. In addition, he glued rough out leather on appropriate places.

Saddlesore, is that routered hole in the base a hand hold?

I have been thinking about attaching a piece to the vise so I can hang it on the wall to save bench space.

Yepper. I clean guns the exact way. The vise method is quick and handy no matter what work you're doing on a gun. Personally I'll never bother trying to come up with something different.

The only thing I would caution folks on using this method, is that you have unyielding steel clamped tightly with the full length of wooden stock hanging out there unsupported. That's a lot of leverage. I'm always mindfull of that when working around the butt end of the rifle. The front end is not going to give, get complacent and walk into the stock sideways or use it to lean off of to reach and grab something and you might get a busted stock.

Some really fine creations here!

Bought a couple of the Midway version of the Tipton gun vise when they first came out. Place a rubber mat, piece of cardboard, or carpet under neath it and through a 2" truckers ratchet strap across the base and underneath bench tightening it up and rifle isn't going to move at all while working on it, works great that way particularly at the range while cleaning.

Phil

I always drive my semi to the range so I have a strap with me.....

I doubt if you even know how!

Phil

Works as a hand hole,but I put it in so levers from lever guns can stick down thru it.