What Makes A Great Gunsmith Vise?

What makes a good gunsmithing vise? In this Brownells Tech Tip, Caleb breaks down the features that matter most in a real gunsmithing vise and explains why a quality vise can make such a difference on the bench. This video focuses on the Brownells gunsmith vise, including its German-made Hoyer foundation, interchangeable jaws, optional bases, jaw capacity, and the overall design features that separate a true precision vise from more affordable cast-shop options. Caleb walks through what makes this style of vise stand out for gunsmithing and bench work, including rigidity, jaw design, removable jaw plates, magnetic jaw covers, smooth operation, adjustable tension, and the ability to mount the vise in different ways depending on the shop setup. He also covers the optional swivel base, clamp-on base, and hydraulic height-adjustable base, along with how each one fits different types of work. If you are setting up a gunsmithing bench, upgrading from a basic vise, or trying to understand what actually makes one vise better than another for firearm work, this video gives you a solid bench-side overview. Chapters 00:01 Introduction 00:08 What makes a good gunsmithing vise 00:38 Overview of the Brownells gunsmith vise 00:43 German-made Hoyer background 01:11 Why this style of vise is common in European gunsmith shops 01:54 Importing and pricing advantages 02:28 How this vise compares to similar imported versions 03:11 Strength and durability discussion 03:30 Reference to Project Farm vise testing 04:35 Interchangeable jaw system overview 04:58 Why cheaper removable jaws fall short 05:31 Backside screw design and tapped jaws 05:55 Magnetic vise jaw covers and available materials 06:29 Why Micarta jaws work so well for gunsmithing 07:03 Standard bench-mount version vs clamp base 07:32 Clamp-on swivel base overview 08:04 Real-world bench use and moving the vise around 08:56 Hydraulic height-adjustable base 10:02 Standard swivel base option 10:24 Jaw opening and jaw width 11:02 Comparing this vise to other machinist vises 11:56 Why Caleb keeps using this vise 12:18 Adjustable jaw tension and rigidity 12:56 Magnet trick for holding screws 13:12 Final thoughts In this video: What makes a good gunsmithing vise Brownells gunsmith vise overview Hoyer vise features Interchangeable jaw system Micarta, rubber, and aluminum jaw covers Clamp-on vise base Hydraulic vise base Jaw opening and jaw width Adjustable tension in a gunsmith vise Bench setup tips for gunsmithing Need help choosing the right vise or bench tools for your shop? Brownells has the tools, parts, and tech support to help you get the job done right.