Barrel Clamp vs. Action Clamp?

You have to watch when using action wrenches, as they can warp an action/frame, if the barrel is really tight. If they are designed well, and grip the frame correctly, then it isn't as bad, but they need to grip the front end of the action, where the barrel collar is, and not back on the thin part of action.

Most of time, I make my own using oak blocks, and I have a wrench that I made to accept them. The block will generally give before I over-torque the action. I use a similar setup for the barrel vise, with tapered holes.
 
Not hard and fast at all (as evidenced above) but in general factories use a receiver vise and turn the barrel, while gunsmiths use a barrel vise and turn the receiver. Nor does everyone use a "clamp"; some gunsmiths have a wrench that fits into the bolt lug raceways of a bolt action receiver rather than around the receiver ring.

The technique varies, in part on whether a few flexible tools have to be used on a variety of guns (the usual gunsmith condition) or whether a specialized set of tools will be used for each model (the system used in a factory or a specialized shop).

Jim
 
Based on these replies and the many videos that I've watched, I believe that I'd prefer the barrel vice method. Brownell sells the Soft Jaws for your vice with a barrel groove, which would work great. :)

Bowhunter57
 
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