Are you looking for the best AR-15 lower vise block? If so, youโre not alone. There are probably a handful of AR-15 owners like you looking for the same thing. But which lower vise block will be best for you in the long term?
Thatโs the question weโll be answering today. Since youโre currently looking for a lower vise block, we decided to give you a good head start by hand-picking five of the best on the market. Weโve chosen these based on a few factors you may consider the determining factor in your final purchasing decision.
Prior to unveiling the list, weโll be taking a look at what an AR-15 lower vise block does and how you can choose one for your own.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for AR15 Lower Vise Block
- OUR TOP PICK: Real Avid Smart-Fit Vise Block
- RUNNER-UP: Present Arms Inc. AR-15 Lower Block Receiver Repair Block
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Real Avid Master Bench Block
Comparison of the Best AR-15 Lower Vise Blocks
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Our Top Pick  |
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Best Budget Option  |
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What is a Lower Vise Block and What Are They Used For?
A lower vise block is used when you are looking to make necessary repairs or installations on your AR-15 rifle. It is a heavy-duty block designed to firmly hold your rifle in place while preventing the rifle from getting crushed, twisted, or damaged in some other way. It is also guaranteed not to leave any scratches on your rifle in the areas where itโs held in place.
How to Choose a Lower Vise Block
As youโre choosing a lower vise block, you should consider a few aspects that will determine your final purchasing decision. These are the same aspects weโve considered while finding a vise block to add to our list of reviews. The only difference is, youโll need to choose one. With that said, hereโs what we recommend you look for as your search progresses:
Price
If youโre a budget shopper, youโll probably hold the price tag to higher importance. The cost should not be the only reason you choose a lower vise block, though. You should pay attention to the overall quality and function of the lower vise block. This way, you can determine if itโs excellent in quality or if itโs a cheap, low-quality model.
Material
The overall quality will depend on the kind of materials being used. Most materials that manufacturers use for these lower vise grips will be either aluminum, steel, or polymer. While theyโre best known for being durable and impervious to damage, they also are the best materials to use when you want to protect your lower receiver from any scratches, scuffs, abrasions, or other types of damage.
Adjustments
Lefty loosey and righty tighty. Those are the words that are stuck in our heads when adjusting our vises. The question you need to ask is: how easy can it be to achieve a secure grip? Find a vise block that will allow for smooth and easy adjustments. At the same time, youโll need to make sure that while the vise is tight enough, it wonโt be able to crush or seriously damage your AR-15 rifle.
Review of the Best AR-15 Lower Vise Blocks
Below is a list of five of the best AR-15 lower vise blocks. Your mission is to find the vise block that will best fit your personal needs and wants. At the same time, youโll need to consider whether or not the lower vise block youโre looking at might be worth the long-term use. So itโs important to look through each of these vise blocks carefully so you know whatโs included and what to expect. With that in mind, letโs kick off our list by unveiling our โbest overallโ AR-15 lower vise block:
Best Overall:
Real Avid Smart-Fit Vise Block
Pros
Cons
First on the docket, weโll be taking a look at the Real Avid Smart-Fit Vise Block. If youโre looking for a great vise block you can use for the purpose of making routine maintenance to your AR-15 rifle or if you just want something to hold it still while youโre installing an accessory or two, this might be what you need.
This vise is designed to handle 5.56 NATO or .223 caliber AR-15 rifles. It will hold the rifle in place so you can easily access the underside for easier cleaning. Plus, rotating the vise in order to tighten the rifle in place will be a breeze. If youโre looking for a vise that will be easy to use and wonโt be a challenge to make a few adjustments, the Smart-Fit Vise Block might be exactly what youโll need.
It is, in our opinion, the best of the best in terms of lower vise blocks for AR-15 rifles. Youโd be crazy to pass up on the opportunity to give this a further look if this further piques your interest.
Bottom Line
This lower vise block has proven itself worthy of the โbest overallโ honor. This is easy to use and to make adjustments if things seem a little off. And you can hold the rifle in nice and tight while youโre maintaining or making repairs to your rifle.
If you love your rifle, itโs always a great idea to take care of it. And if you take care of your rifle often, a great vise block like the Real Avid Smart-Fit is something you might rely on.
Runner-up:
Present Arms Inc. AR-15 Lower Block Receiver Repair Block
Pros
Cons
Now, weโll be turning out attention to the Magpul BEV Block AR-15/M4. If you want a more secure hold like nothing else, the Magpul BEV Block might be something youโll want to consider giving a closer look.
If you have a forged or billet upper receiver, this vise block will easily be able to support it. And it will hold it in place without inflicting any kind of damage. This is made from a combination of steel and polymer and it is quite hard to damage.
It will also do a great job making sure your rifle stays in place while you work on it. The polymer end of the block is designed to protect your aluminum receivers from scratches, scrapes, and other kinds of abrasions while itโs safe and secure in its place. Also included is the O-ring and support pin to ensure that your rifle stays in place and doesnโt wobble or wiggle around while you clean or maintain it.
If you want the best vise in terms of quality, then youโve got it. Thatโs because every Magpul BEV Block is made in the United States of America and follows strict quality guidelines to ensure your vise block is not some cheap, easy to break kind of unit. If you want something that is built for the long-term, this is the product youโll want for your AR-15 rifle.
Bottom Line
Magpul has long been considered one of the most reliable brands on the market. One of their signature habits is manufacturing their accessories with a high-quality polymer. Their aim is to provide you with a long-term option so it will last you years, maybe decades.
This vise block is no exception. It delivers the same kind of performance youโd expect from anything else from Magpul. Super durable and reliable, this might be worth the investment if these are the two things you want to get out of a lower vise block.
Best for the Money:
Real Avid Master Bench Block
Pros
Cons
For our next product, weโll be returning to the Real Avid Master brand. Here, weโll be taking a look at their AR-15 bench block. If youโre looking for a bench block that will hold all of your key parts together and will allow for easy removal of springs, pins, and everything in between, this might be worth a closer look.
This has an over-molded outer grip that will prevent it from slipping out of your hands or off the bench itโs tacked onto. This also has magnets so it can easily grab and store the pins that hold your rifle parts together all in one place.
Never again will you have to worry about losing all of your pins and springs as youโre disassembling your rifle. Plus, the search game will be a thing of the past.
This is great to have while your rifle is currently locked in a vise. If you worry about losing parts like the small pins and springs, youโll have a place to put them. This bench block will also fit other parts like gas blocks, trigger assemblies, and all the other necessary parts you donโt want to lose while youโre repairing or cleaning your rifle.
Bottom Line
No assembly or disassembly would be complete without having a bench block handy. All you need to do is place each part in the box for safe storage. That way, you know where they are when the time comes to replace them for re-assembly.
No more will you have to worry about setting them off to the side or accidentally misplacing them, especially when youโre dealing with small parts like pins and springs. If youโre getting a vise block like the ones up above and need something to hold your parts during the cleaning process, the Real Avid Master Bench Block is definitely worth having.
4. Action Block & Lower Vise Block Set
Pros
Cons
If youโre looking for a lower vise block that is affordable for most budgets, then youโll love what weโve chosen for you. This is the Brownellsโ Action Block and Lower Vise Block Set. The vise block is designed to hold your AR-15 and M16 rifles in place without risking any further damage.
This means it will make for easy maintenance or installation (assuming youโre installing a new accessory). The blocks are made from high-quality urethane that allows you all kinds of grip-like force, but wonโt be able to crush your lower receiver. The last thing you want to do is deal with a vise block that will break something that might eventually cost you a lot of money for a replacement.
The vise will be tight enough to ensure that your rifle is nice and secure while youโre cleaning, repairing, or installing an additional accessory. You can be sure you wonโt get any kind of wiggling or wobbling. This will easily lock to your magazine port and stay in place until youโre finished.
If youโre looking for an excellent lower vise block without breaking the bank, thereโs a good chance you may want to consider the Brownellsโ Action Block and Lower Vise Block. You get a good grip and the ability to work on your rifle while it stays nice and secure, making your work just a little easier.
Bottom Line
If youโre looking for a super durable lower vise block that will do its job and wonโt drain your bank account, the Brownellsโ brand lower vise block could just be the one you might want. Aside from being quite affordable, it definitely does a good job holding your rifle in place.
Especially if youโre just taking a few minutes of your time installing something like an optic or a muzzle brake. If you were looking for something flimsy and cheap, you wonโt find it with this vise block.
5. Present Arms Inc - AR-15 Lower Receiver Repair Block
Pros
Cons
Last, but not least, weโll be taking a look at the Present Arms AR-15 Lower Receiver Repair Block. This is made from high-quality polymer. Not only is it durable, but it will do an excellent job providing overall support for your AR-15 rifleโs lower receiver.
If you want to hold it in place for sure, you can use the receiverโs takedown and pivot pins. Once secure, you can maintain, clean, or if necessary, make some installments on any parts so you can make your AR-15 receiver more reliable. Nothing makes your AR-15 rifle run more smoothly than a much-needed upgrade, whatever that might be.
This is the vise block you can use if you want to secure your rifle in either the regular upright position or in an inverted position. Either way, you can use this vise while youโre assembling or disassembling the rifle itself.
This product will be more effective if youโre using the alignment block from the same brand. If youโre looking for a vise block you can rely on while providing whatever maintenance you can on your rifleโs lower receiver, look no further than this vise block provided by the Present Arms brand.
Bottom Line
If youโre looking for a vise block solely for the lower receiver of your rifle, then youโre probably going to want something like the Present Arms. This is best used for upgrading or repairing the parts on your lower end, like your trigger assembly.
Maybe your trigger pull is a little too heavy and wants to upgrade it to something lighter. Or maybe you just want to clean it up. This will keep the lower receiver secure as you are cleaning out all the dust, dirt, and residue so it stays fully functional and free from any malfunctions.
How to Use a Lower Vise Block
Using a vise block can be a challenge if you have no clue on how to use it. But if you follow the simple instructions below, youโll be able to use one like a pro in no time. Hereโs what you need to do:
As always, safety first. Check to see if you are free and clear from any live rounds. The magazine well should be empty, as well as the chamber. Once youโre clear, disassemble.
Take the lower receiver and using the mag well, slide it through the lower vise block. You have the option of sliding it in either the inverted or upright position.
Disassemble any parts that may be still assembled in the lower receiver itself. Or if youโre using it to clean the lower receiver, use any cloths, oils, or solvents that you use and clean thoroughly.
Once finished, reassemble everything and double check that all parts are secure.
Conclusion
If youโre looking for the best AR-15 lower vise block, your search might end here. Once you have chosen one of the products listed above, be sure to do some further research before making your final decision. Get a good idea of what people are saying and determine whether or not if it will be best for your own AR-15 rifle. At some point, youโll need to clean, maintain, or even make some additional installations to it. So why not find a good lower vise block that will help you get the job done?
