holding a round barrel

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Are there any particular tricks for holding a round barrel so that the breech plug can be removed? Everything I have tried still allow the barrel to spin in the vice.

Cory Joe Stewart

[stubshaft]

I've split a 4X4X6 longitudinally and cut V grooves in it, then used powdered rosin in the grooves.  Clamp it in a big vise and it should hold.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Drill a hole the size of the barrel with the grain through a block of hardwood.  Cut the block in half lengthwise along the hole.  Fill the cavities with Bondo, and clamp it onto the barrel just ahead of the plug's threads in a heavy machine vise.  When the Bondo cures, you will be able to put your wrench on the plug and turn it out without the barrel slipping, and without damage to the barrel.  Heat from a propane torch on the barrel will break the bond.
Instructions from Jerry Huddleston at no charge.

[Bob Roller]

A hefty shop vise of at LEAST 5" is a must IMHO.These extreme barrel tightenings
make no sense. Has Anyone here ever thought a breech plug will move backwards as fast
as a patched round ball moves forward?

Bob Roller

[kutter]

I make bbl blocks to hold round bbls on CF rifles from nothing more than maple hardwood.
Chop or drill out the center betw the two halves as already explained above.

You can carefully fit the two halves to the bbl shape or more easily, I just use epoxy glass bedding mtr'l to bed the bbl into the blocks leaving about 1/4' or so space between the 2 halves.
I use car wax on the bbl surfaces so that when the epoxy is set, a simple wack with a mallet drops the two halves free of the bbl.
Place a mark on the front or back end of the blocks to show which ends are which and also # them in some manner. The # will help keep them matched up if and when you end up with several pairs and they are scattered around the shop shelf as they are here.

You can usually re-use a set made for one bbl again for another bbl of another make. It may be slightly repositioned on the bbl but the contour will sometimes match saving you making another set.

I have a bbl vise for these,,taking a Mauser 98 bbl off in a bench vise is  a not gonna happen type thing generally.
But taking M/L breech plugs out and resetting them can be done in a large bench vise usually.
As Mr Roller says, they don't need to be set up with torque you generally find them done with.

I use a dusting of powdered rosin on the bbl and in the jaws. Sometimes I wrap a finished bbl with a single wrap of clean newsprint inbetw it and the blocks along with the rosin.

I usually place the assembly at a very slight angle off from horizontal in the jaws of the bench vise. It just seems to me to give a better hold accross the blocks, but maybe it's just my imagination.
Straight on horizontal hold will have a tendency to roll the bbl out of wooden jaws especially if they are nothing but V shaped.

I also make up lead jaws, casting them to bbl shapes as needed. A simple mould of sheet metal for the bbl to lay in, block the ends where the bbl sits in the cut outs so the lead doesn't spill out. Then fill to half with molten lead.
I use alloyed bullet metal instead of pure lead. The latter will actually extrude under the bbl vise pressure and after tightening the vise bolts, you come back to unscrew the action,,the bbl is already loose in the rig as the lead has extruded from the force.
Two identical casts gives you a set for that bbl.

[Bigmon]

Weld the barrel to a truck bumper, that should hold it from turning,
Good day to all

[Pukka Bundook]

I use Stubshaft's way pretty well, but have 4 bolts to bolt the two V-groove pieces together.

The late and great Ron Ehlert also told me to use a couple of wraps of brown  paper grocery sack around the barrel inside the Vee blocks before tightening.  It always worked.

Best regards,
R.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Thanks everyone.

Cory Joe Stewart

[Daryl]

I use split aluminum pipe with rosin - held tightly in a 5" bench vise.

[Scota4570]

I also work on modern guns.  Sometimes the barrels are crazy tight and are usually round.  I like maple blocks.

Orient the blocks to take advantage of the grain.   Put a piece of thin wood, luan or thin plywood,  between the blocks.  Clamp them together.  Drill a hole the size of the barrel, or a little less, down the middle of the luan. A lathe and a boring bar is perfect for drilling the blocks.   If your barrel is tapered wrap some sandpaper around the barrel at a thinner point.  Us that to tune the block inside diameter.  Now treat them blocks with rosin.  Violin rosin is good,  I like rosin solder flux .  Use what you have.  Now clamp the barrel in the barrel vice.  It will not move. 
   

[45-110]

oak or maple blocks with the 1/2 groove cut on each, then a heavy slurry paste of cane sugar will hold the barrel from turning.
best
kw

[Canute Rex]

An old gunsmith I knew made 1/2" thick leather jaw covers for his vise and then used powdered rosin on them. A barrel would compress into the leather about 1/4" and stick.