[SanduneCC]

What do you use for a cradle to clean/repair/scope your long guns? There are plastic ones like Tipton that cost about $50 or handmade wooden ones starting at $60-$70. What do you recommend?

[Andrew Wyatt]

i don't use one for cleaning.


for working on one, i have a bench vise i use and some pieces of brass to keep it from marring the steel.

[Archie]

I bought one of the plastic ones. MTM I think.....

Works pretty well, and I can take it to the range (bothersome).

[telewinz]

I have a work bench in my "Gun Room" and I have a 4 inch vice that I purchased a pair of magnetic padded inserts for. I mounted another 4" vise on a portable mount that I can use for bore signing my rifles. Both have worked great for years.

[DeBee]

I made one out of oak. I designed it so the bolt on a bolt action would be facing me. Spar Varnish all over the place... Don't really use it for cleaning or installing scopes. I use it to hold the gun so I don't have to prop it up against something in the shop...

Basically, I use my old Record vise with the thick leather jaw pads from Brownells and/or old rags for cleaning and scope mounting...

[JohnBT]

One of those MTM red plastic jobs out of the Sinclair catalog.

If I need a real vise I have an old bench vise that must weigh 40 or 50 pounds bolted to a big laminated-wood-topped workbench with steel legs.

John

[cracked butt]

A big cardboard box- Fold all of the sides of the open end inward, to make stiff sides, take a utility knife to trim out a half circle on each end to cradle the stock. Cheap, disposable, and the box catches all of the gun parts I miss or drop when disassembling a rifle.

[ftw46]

Black and Decker Workmate. I clamp the firearm in, padded with a big old towel.

[ShaiVong]

The knees and thighs that God gave me!:neener:

[dakotasin]

for cleaning, i like using one of my bipods... helps me position the gun exactly how and where i want (usually the butt on the coffee table, slightly muzzle down). it is right where i want it for cleaning so i am not in an uncomfortable position.

for scope mounting, bedding, trigger work, base bedding, etc etc etc, i use a plastic mtm one.

for shooting, i use a bench w/ proper rests. i tried one time to use the mtm thing to shoot from, and i would hope that nobody else will have the misfortune of using it for that, especially in a rifle that has some kick.

[SanduneCC]

B&D Workmate as a poor man's gun vise - excellent idea. I got one of those in the shed.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Tipton type from Midway for cleaning and scope mounting; big old work bench vise with wood inserts for barrel wrenching.

[762x51]

I also use the red MTM one from Sinclair. Works like a charm.

[JohnBT]

Part II:

One thing I like the MTM rig is how easy it is to adjust so the cleaning fluids will drain out of the muzzle instead of running back into the action.

JT

[NEtracker]

Which MTM model are you using?
So far, for all these yrs, maybe 26 or so, I've just been laying the rifles on the bench to do everything!
Been thinking of trying some type of vise or stand.

[bogie]

For cleaning, I use the aluminum dual cradle that Sinclair's sells. VERY nice, but I need to figure a way to take it down easy.

For removing barrels, etc., I use a barrel vise & action wrench I bought from Ron Hoehn.

[Ledbetter]

For cleaning, one of these. For driving out pins, I lay a rifle on a block of wood.

[5ptdeerhunter]

I have a tipton and I use it when I clean my bolt actions, and to hold other guns while I stare at it and imagine shooting it.