Like most of you, I like to dabble in a little DIY gunsmithing from time to time. There’s something therapeutic about building your own rifle, making minor repairs, or adding a few upgrades to your firearms, am I right? It’s not always a pleasant experience, though, if you don’t have the proper tools to get the job done effectively. Or safely. Without saying too much, you might want to take it from me: it pays to invest in quality tools and accessories like the Tipton Ultra Gun Vise. Why? Well, let’s discuss.
I vividly remember trying to remove an old A2 flash hider from my first AR one evening when I first started upgrading my firearms many years ago. Only having my buddy’s Wheeler AR Tool and Torque Wrench but no vise, I was forced to place the rifle between my legs and manhandle the thing until the stubborn flash hider finally popped loose. And much to my dismay, installing the new muzzle device was even worse.
It occurred to me that I was ill-equipped for the task at hand. Further, I realized I risked damaging my rifle or hurting myself in the process. It was time to either lay down the tools and take it to someone with the tools (and the brains) to do the job right or educate myself and invest in a proper set of tools of my own, including some sort of vise or workbench. I chose the latter. After shopping around and spending time with folks much smarter than myself, I finally forked out the cash to get my own armorer’s kit and a cheap plastic vise. Bad idea.
All seemed good and well for quite some time until the vise quite literally exploded as I tried to apply a bit of torque. Through no fault of my own, my tools went flying and my rifle kind of tumbled onto the workbench as the vise disintegrated before me. I guess it’d finally just had enough of my abuse.
It was at that moment that I came to the conclusion that cheaper ain’t always better, especially when it comes to tools. I tossed the broken vise in the trash and ordered myself a Tipton Ultra Gun Vise. I haven’t looked back since.
Tipton Ultra Gun Vise Design
Weighing just over 15 lbs., the Ultra Gun Vise boasts a heavy-duty, rigid steel tube frame with adjustable, slip-resistant feet, ensuring a stable footing on darn near any surface. I’ve leveled it in the bed of my truck, on the ground, and even on a wonky, worn-out shooting bench at my buddy’s place. No matter the surface, it fit snugly in place and didn’t budge under normal use. I’ll consider that a win in itself.
Two durable, glass-filled nylon adjustable clamps are both height- and length-adjustable and work together with the adjustable vise block to lock your rifle in place and resist movement under pressure. Further, the clamps feature articulating rubberized pads, allowing the vise to sort of conform to your rifle when tightening them into place for a more secure hold, without scratching or marring your gun’s stock or bow shaft.
The oversized knobs allow you to adjust the height and position of the clamps without removing them from the frame, and quickly tighten in place once you’ve made your adjustments, and the highly modular design allows you to move individual components to fit your specific needs or to fit most firearm platforms. Plus, the included small parts trays simply slide into position, making them simple to install pretty much anywhere you want on the frame.
The nylon polymer vise block easily accommodates AR-style firearms, fitting snugly into the magwell for added stability. Further, the block features a molded bolt service station, as well as a hammer-stop function to add a layer of protection for your lower receiver during hammer function and trigger tests. Better yet, the block easily folds out of the way or can be removed entirely when working on bolt-action rifles, pistols, shotguns, and other non-AR-style firearms.
Basically, the Tipton Ultra Gun Vise is a one-size-fits-all maintenance rig.
Setup and Practical Use
I can talk all day long about the features of a product, but putting it to the test is often an entirely different story. That wasn’t the case with this vise though. Right out of the box, assembly was quick and easy, and I was able to start working with it on my workbench in as little as five minutes. I pulled the vise out of its cardboard box and grabbed the manual for a quick skim. Honestly, though, the Ultra Gun Vise is so easy to set up that if you got one second-hand or lost your manual, you could just as easily set it up on your own.
Before attaching the adjustment arms and accessories, I always make a few adjustments to the feet to ensure a stable, wobble-free fit on my bench. Easy enough. Just tighten or loosen them to your heart’s desire, and you’re ready to rock n roll. With an AR-15, I place the vise block in the center and locked it in place before adjusting the clamps to ensure I have a rock-solid lock-up. I’ve done a few torque tests as I installed new optics, new muzzle accessories, and so on. The rifles never budge and the vise holds firm!
Until recently, I’d only used the vise for AR-style rifles, but I’ve decided to continue my testing with my Ruger American Predator rifle build, as it’s not compatible with the vise block, and it features a slimmer profile than an AR. I popped off the vise block, lowered the rear clamp to hold the butt of the rifle in place, and raised the front clamp to support the forend and barrel, thus giving me a level rifle to work with. Again, I applied a bit of torque as I installed a Strike Industries brake and it held firm under the pressure.
The modular, fully customizable design makes it super easy to tackle just about any routine task at hand, no matter the firearm platform. I’ll admit, I’ve yet to use it with any of my handguns, but I have no doubt it’ll handle the job with ease.
So, what’s the catch?
Well, there is none. At least not that I can tell. Aside from the weight and size of the thing, I have yet to find something I don’t like about this vise. It’s easy to configure to fit an array of firearms, it’s relatively inexpensive for what it is (coming in at $149.99), and it’s still easy to transport if you had to. You can mount it on a bench or a truck bed, and there’s even a table-top stand available if you so choose. It’s a worthwhile investment, no doubt. There’s little else to say. I mean, does it get much better than that?
