Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Gun vise for scope mounting?

Hi all. What is a good gun vise for rifle and shotgun cleaning, scope mounting, gunsmithing, etc.? I'm not looking for a shooting rest. Space is at a premium, so if it fits under the bed, great! Thanks in advance.

I like the Tipton gun cradle sold by Midwayusa, not the deluxe version, just the regular one. Works fine for me.

I've used the Sight Vise. It was sold as a shooting rest but works fine for mounting scopes as long as you have a solid, level surface to work on. The best setup I have are padded jaws for my bench vise. Mine are made from plywood to fit the vise with three layers of soft leather to protect the gunstock. They've never marred a gun.

I kinda like that 'Tipton best vise', it's not cheap at $103+shipping, but I do have several break open shotguns and of the course the fantasy of a sweet double rifle in my dreams! I'm saving for it a bit at a time, and it might take 10 years to save up for a nice one. Probably not the answer employers want to hear when asking me for my long-term goals! LOL

Thanks for your inputs! Sources with good prices always help as well. I just ordered a scope mounting tool kit that was $70 at one place and $90 at Midway, same exact kit.

I have the Tipton Best Gun Vise which I bought several years ago for around $60. It works fine for all your routine needs, and for scope mounting. Incidentally, I have the Wheeler Scope Mounting Kit too. I have mixed feelings about it. What I like is the lapping kit, alignment bars and the torque driver. What I am disappointed in are the bit quality and the level-level-level. What is not really mentioned in the product description is that the level-level-level can't be used on a very low mount because one of the levels simply won't fit under the scope across the receiver. I was unable to make use of it on my M88 this year with Weaver lows. It will work fine I am sure for standard bolt actions with open space above the bolt, which is what Midway's demonstration video shows them using it on.

As for the bit quality, I stripped one of my mount screws (the hex hole, not the actual threads) because of a sloppy fit just as it clicked on the torque driver. It also was "trying" to strip on one other screw. So just a little sloppy. I used the suggested torques with the torque driver on these and was not muscling it. After all, what else is the torque driver for? I can't swear that the tolerances on the screw hex drive holes weren't the culprit for a poor tolerance, but I am leery of using these bits now because of this. I also have one of the Wheeler 72-piece Gunsmithing Screwdriver Kits. I checked for a larger bit size in that kit and it did not have a better fit for the mounting screws. It did have an identical bit to the one in the scope mounting kit as the closest fit for the screw it stripped.

The good news is I used the loctite and the mount is solid. The bad news is I will have to fight this if/when I decide to remove the mount. My advice is be careful when using the scope mounting kit's bits and be certain the bit fits good before using it. I'm not sure if this was a case of "you get what you pay for" or not. These kits get good reviews on Midway, but that doesn't mean all the reviewers have thoroughly tested them either, or are top notch mechanically speaking. I might have been better off getting my screwdriver kit from Brownells. They tend to not compromise on quality to compete on price.

Thanks for the input Gringo! I've already ordered the Wheeler kit, but I'm gonna see what I can find for the best price on the Tipton.

Keep in mind that I bought my Tipton about five years ago so you aren't likely to get it for my price. By all means shop around. Sometimes Midway is the best price, sometimes it is someplace else. I bought mine at bosesguns. Back then, they had great prices, then about a year later, their prices were no longer good. I tend to shop at Midway, Natchez, Midsouth and Grafs. All of these are good vendors. But I think where critical tools are concerned, my money may start to go to Brownells. Wheeler Engineering makes some neat products for the shooting community. Sometimes they get it right, and sometimes they fall a little short.

I have used the tipton for a few years now.It works ok for cleaning,trigger work,and scope mounting.I also agree with the other poster on Brownells tools. Lightman

The best deal that I can find for the Tipton Best model is $90.50 with free shipping on Amazon. Thinking about ordering it tomorrow.

Yep, I have two of them, and couldn't live without them; the regular ones.

S317,

Maybe not what you are asking, but a heavy cardboard box with the top flaps folded into the box, 'V' or 'U' cuts made in the top edges to hold the rifle works well for scope mounting and cleaning. It can be had for free (highly probable) , can be folded flat to save space if needed.

I have an MTM plastic with pockets and rubber lined uprights that works ok. I had to add a trimmed 2x4 to the end that protruded to stop tipping. What works just as well are the three I built out of wood. Same idea, with leather used to line the uprights with the Vee's cut in them. I added some quarter round to the edges to keep small parts from rolling off and finished with stain and varnish.

I use the MTM plastic gun vise, as well. Works well.

I found a vice at Harbor Freight that cost around $30. It has large metal jaws, it looks like a woodworking vice. I attached two pcs of wood to the insides and then contact cemented rubber to the wood. It will hold my 14 lb long range rifle with ease. I couldn't do without it.

It looks very much like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42494

Yup, if you are looking for a permanent installation on your loading bench, a woodworkers vice works great. I use a piece of old rubber backed carpeting inside mine for padding. You can clamp a barrel in it for cleaning and it works great for mounting scopes also. All the "portable" rests I have seen get pushed all over the bench when I am running a tight patch through the bore. The woodworking vice is nice and solid and takes up no space at all on your benchtop. I also mount my case trimmer in it.

I use this one ....

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...dex&indexId=cat603832&hasJS=true

I have one of those woodworking vises. It's an old one that was my great uncles. Works like a charm for holding barrels when drilling them for liners.