VICEBLOX and Brass Markers

My recent work and experience has allowed some experience with tools of interest for gunsmiths and shooters working with precision rifles. VICEBLOX The VICEBLOX Lock & Hold creates a solid platform to work on AR-15 and AR-10 lower receivers and 1911 frames. The block allows zero play, enabling gunsmiths to perform high torque repairs and steady firearms care. Jim, the machinist and designer of the Lock & Hold, knew he could create an improvement after seeing the products that were out there.

The gunsmithing world has many types of magazine well blocks and there are many options to choose from when working to complete a build. Oftentimes as gunsmiths we own more than one vice block due to needing different tools for different jobs. With a lot of these options we tend to scoff at any new kinds of tools to that pop. "Oh great, anew gimmick. Why reinvent the wheel?" Wrong in this case.

Our world within rifle building is a specific, detailed oriented, and high professionalism world that needs the tools that can keep up with that level of work. Recently a vice block hit the market that truly filled avoid within our lower receiver building, the VICE- BLOX Lock & Hold for the AR-15 platform. Lock & Hold blocks area vice block that allows for a rock solid platform due to adding tension inside the magazine well while not damaging your lower receiver.

While many AR-15 lower receivers in the civilian industry state that they are made with Mil-Spec tolerances we know that just isn’t the case. When you are using a magazine well block that is meant for any receiver you will get different amounts of play on that block. There are many high torque repairs that need to be done on lowers and any unwanted movement or play that is added to those repairs heightens the possibility of botching the repair.

The Lock & Hold block offers a setting that is to the exact specifications of the receiver on your bench, thus removing that play. VICEBLOX Use To use the Lock & Hold insert the tool into the magazine well until it bottoms out on the mag well stop built into the tool. There is no need to worry where the magazine release button is as it is not being used to retain the receiver on the block. Using the 3/16 hex wrench com) creates a solid platform for holding your lower receiver.

The main body of the block is made with 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum so durability and strength are foremost in the design. Insert the Lock & Hold into the magazine well and tighten the two bolts an 1/8 of a turn to create tension for a solid hold. Only tighten when the tool is inside of the mag well. that is included with the Lock & Hold, tighten the block with the two bolts located on the bottom of the block.

Ensure that you are not tightening the block outside of the receiver as this can damage the block due to pushing out the tensioning sides too much. Turn the bolts approximately 1/8 of a turn; this is all that is needed to achieve proper tension. Do not overturn as this will damage the receiver. The concept is simple. The ABS insert portion of the tool is CNC’d with close tolerances to allow only a 1/4 of a turn or less for a no-slop fit within the magazine well.

Holes are then drilled through and slotted, allowing them to expand. This puts angular draw nuts in the holes so that when tightening the bolts on the bottom the top portion is allowed to expand and hold in place. When finished, those same bolts can be loosened and the tool will fall out. The VICEBLOX Lock & Hold is made with 100% USA made parts. The base of the tool is made of 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum, allowing it to be crushproof no matter how strong your vice is.

The upper portion, the portion that holds the receiver, was first made with PVC but was then changed to shock resistant grade ABS for more durability. When asked about the materials used to make the tool the inventor stated, "If I can find something that improves the quality, I will do it." If the creator will not skimp on materials he probably won’t skimp on design and functionality as well.

Applications The most common repair that benefits from this tool is torquing and staking the castle nut on an AR receiver extension. This type of repair demands ZERO play to obtain the proper torque and allow your stake to hit with force. Due to the Lock & Hold having zero play, it is perfect. To ensure that there is zero play it is recommended that you have a quality vise bolted down to a solid workbench that is also bolted to either the floor or the wall.

Due to the hold on the weapon your firearm can be used in a YOST 750 DI vise and be turned upside down and sideways for different pin installs. Some other uses that the Lock & Hold is great for is if you need a lot of torque for removal of something, such as someone using Flexbar Rocksett or Loctite red 271 threadlockers. Removal of those parts requires zero play. Another use is cleaning of the firearm. When using a cleaning rod you need to ensure that it does not hit your crown

or chamber. This requires a stable platform. While the Lock & Hold is perfect for specific repairs there are some instances when you may want to use a different block such as wanting to leave the block in the vice and switch out receivers. Due to the Lock & Hold tensioning onto the receiver, the only way to remove the receiver is to loosen the bolts and let the tool slip out.

If you are working on a lot of weapons within a day this is probably not the route you will want to go as you will have to continuously remove the Whether it is sideways or upside down the receiver will not come loose if properly tensioned. block from the vice and loosen it. For a large amount of repairs—type of repair dependent, obviously—I recommend using the Magpul BEV (Barrel Extension Vise) Block. It allows you to release the receivers from the tool quickly to swap out firearms.

Due to some vices being burred up and having sharp jaws it is recommended, subject to user preference, to use soft jaws on your vice to not harm the tool. Remember that this is a precision tool. It is not injection molded; it is a precisely made tool. Treat it as such and do your best not to drop it or damage it. Currently VICEBLOX is making Lock & Hold blocks for the AR-15/ M4, AR-10, and 1911 single stack platforms. These can all be found on ViceBlox.com as will any new products in the future.

Real Avid Smart-Fit Before readers jump the gun, the Real Avid Smart-Fit product was brought up when looking at reviews and talking to the creator of the Lock & Hold due to it working in a similar fashion. The reasons for going with the Lock & Hold over Smart-Fit is twofold: Durability and USA manufacture. The Real Avid Smart-Fit will essentially do what the Lock & Hold does, however, for how long? The Smart-Fit is not made of the same materials and precise machinery that the Lock & Hold is.

The Lock & Hold is made for professional gunsmiths who are closing vice jaws on a regular basis. Also, VICEBLOX makes AR-10 and 1911 products with the same

materials and equipment while Real Avid does not. True gunsmiths want tools that last and get the job done correctly. VICEBLOX does just that with all their materials sourced straight from their home in Vista, California. I’ll share an email I received the machinist at VICEBLOX. "I do not like cheap tools or really cheap anything for that matter. I use Snap-on tools, Milwaukee, Black & Decker, Hass, Do All, Miller Welding, Victor torches, etc. I play Martin and Fender guitars and an Excel Pedal Steel Guitar.

I shoot Remington, Browning, Colt, and Winchester firearms and reload on a Dillon Precision press. All made in the USA. You get the idea. Do I own some cheap tools? Yes, I do but if I use them often enough I will replace them with their higher quality counterpart. "I use the best hardware I can find. Grade 8 hex socket bolts as well as 0.065" thick hardened washers and 300 series stainless steel for the draw nuts. All materials are sourced from local suppliers.

The upper and lower block as well as the draw nuts are all CNC machined to close tolerances using custom designed in-house tooling for exact repeatability. "I know this tool costs more than the competition because the good stuff always does. There is a lot more to building this than the others. When you use the Lock & Hold you notice the difference right away. Lock solid in place. We have received nothing but excellent reviews for our products. We also back these products with a limited lifetime warranty.

If it fails to hold your rifle securely we will fix or replace it at no cost to you." Marking Your Brass While there are custom tools for doing this, I’ll give you an easy method to mark brass, making it Photo courtesy National Rifle League. easily identifiable against other cartridges. First, let’s discuss why. All precision rifle shooters have been there. While attending a match or day out at the range all the expended brass between shooters gets mixed up.

We sit there sifting through, picking up each case individually to look at headstamps or other markings in order to identify which casings are ours. Losing brass is just not an option for reloaders, especially during ammo shortages like this. For precision shooters (I compete in National Rifle League events) replacing lost brass is not only expensive, but time consuming as well because case preparation is involved. In order to identify our brass faster, many shooters mark their ammo with a marker or paint pen.

Simple right? Well, yes. However there are still good practices and bad when it comes to even this simple task of marking your brass. What to Use Using a fine tip oil-based Sharpie or similar paint marker works best. I like using a pen-type paint marker rather than a standard Sharpie because I have found that the paint readily comes off in the tumbler but not after firing. It also leaves a very crisp line where I want it. Pink and green paint markings show up well while blue markings not as much.

Here’s what not to do. Marking brass is for the purpose of solely being able to easily identify your case against others when left in a pile of different shooters’ expended brass. It is not for doing crazy designs or

The JM Custom Fabrication EZ Marker is a marker tool that isn’t needed, nor are the extra marked lines. making your ammo look cool. Therefore, marking your brass with three different lines of different colors, or even your name (yes, I’ve seen initials drawn on casings) is not needed, time consuming, and possibly bad for your gun. Marking high on the case wall will allow the pen to contact your chamber.

If you mark over the primers you are now interfering with primer and firing pin mating and this can leave a build up of paint on the tip of your firing pin. Thick lines with a bad type of marker inside the case can risk build up on your extractor. The trick is to mark your cases in away that won’t leave excess paint or marker on your bolt or in your chamber. How to Mark The best practice that I have found throughout my time in the precision rifle world is the one line around the inside the rim of the case.

This identifies your case and readily comes off after tumbling. Always clean it off after firing and do not build up the line with excess paint from the pen. There are some crazy Do It Yourself holders for stacking multiple markers that I have seen for sale but I don’t believe these are needed. Using a plastic box for ammo, simply hold the round of ammunition at an angle resting on an open spot. Hold the pen to the inside of the rim and simply turn the cartridge in a circle while letting the pen drag on the rim.

It is easy and fast. Marking your brass for identification is a simple concept. Like anything though, there are great ways to do something and other ways that are not necessarily good for your gun. AG