The Apex Barrel Milling Fixture for M&P Barrels is designed for gunsmiths and armorers to accurately fit Apex Grade Gunsmith Fit barrels using a milling machine. This fixture works with both Classic M&P Barrels and M&P M2.0 Barrels. It securely holds the barrel in a vertical position, allowing for precise machining of the hood length to fit the host slide.

All necessary hardware is included to ensure the barrel is held firmly in place. A brass bolt is used to prevent damage during use (We strongly recommend AGAINST using steel or stainless-steel bolts as damage to the barrel may occur.)

Fixture Assembly Instructions

  • Drop the ¼-20 nut into the set screw nut slot 
    • You should see the threads inside the nut through the outside hole in the fixture
  • Drop the brass ¼-20 bolt through the thumb wheel from the side with the hex pattern
    • The threads of the bolt should be sticking out the smooth side of the thumb wheel 
  • Install the bolt into the nut you dropped into the set screw nut slot and thread it in, so the end of the bolt does not penetrate into the hole for the barrel
  • Wipe down and install the shoulder bar into the slot in the fixture
    • The bar is expected to stick out on both sides of the fixture for easy removal and cleaning

Usage Guidelines

  • Set the block directly on the vise bed
    • Make sure the through hole for the barrel is hanging out the side of the vise jaws so the barrel can pass through and float above the table
    • The more surface area of the vise jaws on the block, the better
  • Snug the vise jaws against the block, do not overtighten 
    • We recommend no more than 10 ft-lb be applied to the vise jaws 
  • Use a sharp 4 or 5 flute end mill 
    • No larger than .500”
    • Preferably Carbide as the barrel hardness is around 40 HRC 
  • Max cut depth: .003” per pass 
  • RPM is up to the end user, but we typically mill barrels around 1000 rpm with a ½” cutter 
  • Snug the barrel set screw with finger pressure only. (Do not use tools to tighten) 
    • Overtightening the barrel set screw will damage the fixture
  • Remove the shoulder bar between cuts and clean under it before replacing and proceeding
  • This will prevent chips from causing your barrel to sit at an angle

Important Note: The thumb wheel is designed to "float" slightly when the bolt is tightened against the barrel. This is normal and expected.

This fixture is only intended for use while cutting the barrel hood length.  To fit the bottom fitting pad, we recommend the barrel be placed atop a set of parallels in your vise with the top of the barrel flat against the parallels and the vise jaws holding the left and right walls of the barrel. 

If you’re looking for tools to manually fit a barrel, we recommend the following: