The barrel vise or clamp must be mounted very rigidly, and if you can, in cement. A very heavy, solid
bench that is bolted to the floor will work also. The jaws for these vises may be of very good grooved
hardwood that is covered with powdered rosin before fitting to the barrel.
Better yet, of lead or Babbitt metal, cast to the contour of the barrel involved. You have to hold the barrel
tight enough to prevent it turning when you bear down on the wrench. Jaws should he smooth for fitting
finished barrels without marring them, but can be of drilled steel for removal of unusable military barrels,
which are usually set in very tightly. A barrel should be clamped as close to the receiver as conveniently
possible, to minimize twisting action.
When the barrel just will not unscrew, the welding torch can sometimes be applied, the receiver ring over
the threads and given a fast heating to expand it slightly. Only a little heat is necessary-not enough to
change the color of the metal, but it should be fast, so the receiver gets the benefit and not the barrel
shank. A butane torch can be used, but it spreads a lot of heat around and does not concentrate it, as