Krag Collectors Association Forum

The Wheeler vise weighs approximately 12 & 1/2 pounds and is solid.

The 'altered nut' sitting on top of the vise is an adapter, that lets a large wrench serve as a Krag action-wrench. It slides onto the action-ring and the lug engages a notch on the Krag action.

In my 'junk', I found a seasoned piece of cherry-wood, that is nicely proportioned to cut for vise-blocks.

I think I can see internal threads in the outside holes on the lower piece. If so the bolts will come up through your bench. Do you plan on leaving it on your bench or just mounting it when you need it?

Posted before the second photo came up, you are all set.

The outside mounting-holes are not threaded.

I think, I will just 'lag' bolt the barrel-vise to a heavy 'log end' from an Ash tree or to a 3 foot length of a 'squared' timber.

There is no point in having it always in the way.

When you get it done pictures, so we will know how to do ours. Oh, and the first barrel job too.

that was a good deal on the vice Nice ... maple is a good wood to use ... I used part of a chair leg ... what i did was drilled a hole through the middle then cut it in half ... then wrapped sand paper around my barrel and shaped it to fit the diameter and slope of the barrel ... nice find on the vice ...

Thanks for the hints on fitting hardwood blocks!

I made some wood blocks for my Wheeler Barrel-Vise, today, and decided to give it a try with a temporary 'Bubba Set-up'.

I have a drilled & tapped model 1898 carbine and wanted the barrel off, to more easily make a 'filler block' for the rear-sight 'dovetail', that someone cut into the barrel.

I put some rosin on the blocks and tightened the barrel in the vise.

Beforehand, some 'Kroil' was brushed around the barrel breech-face and the threads at the front of the receiver (and left to penetrate for a while).

The initial wrench try offered more resistance than expected, so I heated the receiver-ring with a propane torch, (just 'warm to the touch').

A couple of light raps on the wrench-handle with a small copper-mallet and the action was loose. (BTW - The barrel gave no suggestion of rotating in the vise).

The biggest 'Revelation', to me, was that this model 1898 carbine, in the 119K serial number range - (assembled August, 1898), has a "square-cornered" barrel shank, like a model 1896 barrel.
(The 'beveled-corner' barrel shank appears to have come later in model 1898 Krag production).