Where to get a good gun vice?

[TonyM]

That sounds a little bit farfetched but, who knows? If you get an otis kit, you will have the convenience of multiple calibres and a pull through system.

I agree. Never had a problem with a snake, and I love the Otis kit.

As for a vise, I use a "Tipton's Best Gun Vise", it's plastic, but works well for me on my bench for cleaning.

[ivanimal]

Well someone posted in Survivor's SKS board that they created gashes in the chrome of their SKSs while cleaning them with a boresnake.

That is funny since I asked my gunsmith about rechambering an old sks with chrome lined chamber and he said that the reamers get ruined trying to get through the chrome. I would think that a little brass bristle could do no harm in comparison.

As for the Otis system it looks really nice. I discovered it way after I already owned too much cleaning stuff. I only have one for .22 and .177, I like them as well.

[capitol]

+1 on the Otis Kit. I purchased one many moons ago and never used it. I finally cleaned my M1A bore today with the Otis. Works very well.
As for harming the bore with snakes... Volquartsen ships their rifles with em

[ohsmily]

Guys, the concern with using the bore snakes is not that they damage or scar the bore (nonsense) the concern is that when you pull them out that they will wear unevenly on the crown as the string (with embedded metal and solvents) drags hard on the crown as you pull it out. If you are careful to pull the string straight out of the bore, then you can minimize this, but over time it could wear unevenly and affect accuracy. However, I am NOT concerned about this on SKS's, AR's, 10/22s, and most other guns, only on my custom bench guns and accurate tactical rifles. Though I still prefer to use a one piece rod on everything, a bore snake used on an AR or SKS for a quick clean up job just ain't gonna hurt it...
Personally, I think a bore snake used as the only cleaning method on a regular basis will not be very effective unless you thoroughly wash it every once in awhile b/c of the dirt and solvent that builds up on it. Think about it, when you clean with patches, you change the patch every time; with a boresnake, you just keep running the thing through the barrel...
Anyway....go shoot your SKS.

[-hanko]

Do a search for 'gun vise' & see what comes up. I have the cheaper of the 2plastic vises Midway/Tipton offers...about $40 when it comes on sale. The luxo model is about twice that or more, cut gives you enough adjustments to hold a rifle in the broken-open (ar, fal, etc.) position.

If you're going to be working on the gun as well as cleaning it, you want a vise than can grab the gun & hold it tight.

-hanko

[The Soup Nazi]

Well, for now, I was wondering if any of you had trouble with putting a cleaning rod through a rifle breech end resting on your lap without damaging the crown, since thats what I plan to do since I want to be shooting as soon as possible.

[ohsmily]

Well, for now, I was wondering if any of you had trouble with putting a cleaning rod through a rifle breech end resting on your lap without damaging the crown, since thats what I plan to do since I want to be shooting as soon as possible.

Dude, again, stop worrying about damaging your SKS. Don't sweat it. It isn't a sensitive benchrest rig and you aren't going to hurt its accuracy or damage it unless you are a real knucklehead and clean from the muzzle end with a stainless cleaning rod and use it like a gorilla and actually try to damage the muzzle. If you clean from the breech on an SKS, you don't have to worry a bit...you will be fine...I understand that it is your first rifle and you are babying it; but take my advice, don't fawn over it too much, take it out and shoot it, and do a basic cleaning job (don't try and make the SKS sparkly clean) and it will serve you for a long long time.

Cleaning the rifle while it is on your lap is asking to get solvent all over yourself and your couch and it will be awkward to get leverage to push the rod through. Buy the MTM rest or even just build a simple wood cradle for rifles and you will be good to go...

[M. Sage]

Uh...I want gun stand that will hold the rifle up in the air firmly so I don't end up scarring the entire bore if I were to put a rod through the chamber with the rifle sitting on my lap. (BTW, since I plan to clean from the receiver end of the rifle, I don't need a bore guide right?) Yeah, can't be too specific since I haven't seen one myself personally.

Get a carbon fiber cleaning rod. I got a Tipton carbon cleaning rod off Midway, and it's great.

Might be cheaper than getting a vise, and even with the vise, there's a chance of doing what you're worried about.

Besides, to scar the entire bore, you'd have to really jam on that cleaning rod... Most of the ones I've used aren't made of as high quality steel as a gun barrel.

Oh, and Soup.. you're WAY less likely to break stuff pushing the rod through from the breech. It's usually people pushing from the muzzle end, and even then it's typically a bunch of wear from not using a guide than from one incident.

For now? Just go get a cheap Hoppes rod. They're stainless, the soft kind. It's not going to screw up an SKS. If you're paranoid, get one of the Tipton rods ordered (do it anyway, they're NIIIICE) and just have fun shooting!

Edit: Oh, and I clean my rifle on my lap sometimes. No problems. Just put the muzzle down on top of some paper towels.

[ohsmily]

Get a carbon fiber cleaning rod. I got a Tipton carbon cleaning rod off Midway, and it's great.

Don't bother with a high quality rod on an SKS....BUT, if you are going to get a high quality one piece cleaning rod, DEWEY ALL THE WAY...Dewey is the best.

[M. Sage]

Don't bother with a high quality rod on an SKS....BUT, if you are going to get a high quality one piece cleaning rod, DEWEY ALL THE WAY...Dewey is the best.

Oops, I have a Tipton. My mistake. I hate to tell you what I'm pushing it through, since a lowly SKS isn't worthy...

A plain old Mosin-Nagant 91/30. Yep, my cleaning rod cost (over!) half what my rifle did. (I see a pattern here - cleaning rod better than rifle, rifle better than shooter.) One reason I got it was that I broke a Hoppes 3-piece rod when it half-unscrewed while pulling a patch back through the barrel.

I mainly got it because it fits best from the breech, and still reach the muzzle so I can give my rifle a quick corrosive ammo pre-clean at the range (on bench, muzzle downrange and all that.)

Really nice cleaning rod, though. The best I've used, and worth the money just because of how nice it is to use. Even if it cost MORE than the rifle I was using it in, I'd still use it.

This is what I got... it's a bit longer than I need, but that's better than too short! I wasn't sure if they were including the handle in the length.. they weren't!

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=826951

Your barrel is just over 20", according to World.guns.ru, so...

This should work at 26". http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=550094

If not, just step up to the 36" lenght.

You can either fight the anal-retentiveness, or just go with the flow... sometimes it's easier to just go with it, and you sleep better.

[taloft]

I have the Tipton Gun Vise. It works really well for cleaning/working on my rifles. The vise allows me to put some muscle into the cleaning process, especially my 10/22. In addition, it holds all the Q-tips, tooth picks, patches, and solvents. It is very easy to clean. I think it was $50.00 out the door.

[The Soup Nazi]

I actually picked up the Tipton yesterday after my range trip, makes putting a rod through and just keeping things organized less of a logistical nightmare.

[icormba]

Hey there Soup!
For your SKS, don't clean it from the muzzle end. When you take the rear cover off you will notice a notch back there... for a cleaning rod. Clean from the chamber to the muzzle.

[five.five-six]

I picked one up at wallmart. it is plastic and has 2 padded clamps with an adjustable front foot so you can use it for bench shooting. there is a screw on compartment so you can fill it with shot and make it heavyer. if memory servs me it was about $25 plus some shot. all my riles fit in it from 10/22 to 300win mag I am very happy with it.