are carbon fiber barrels the wave of the future?

[Kimber7man]

I'm trying the Bartlein CFW barrels. Some tests:

Bartlein CFW Barrel Test – West Texas Ordnance, Inc. | Custom Rifles & Accessories

westtexordnance.com

Bartlein Carbon Wrapped Barrels

I just saw a facebook post by GA Precision about Bartlein offering carbon wrapped barrels. This should be very interesting....... Anyone else see this?

www.snipershide.com

The company wrapping their barrels: https://mymissionspecific.com/carbon-fiber.html

 

[Pdvdh]

I didn't say I drank there cool aid just stated what they said and I don't have one either

Fair enough. I was responding to your post, but in a generic manner. Although rereading my post now, I see how it likely came off as targeting you. I should not have typed "You?" and will delete that now. Sorry.

I've read Proof's promotional literature a number of times, whereas you may have read it for the first time. Every time I visit their website, they've consistently promoted the cooling efficiency of their CF barrels compared to conventional steel barrels. I researched the internet extensively in the past, and never found their claim supported with any empirical data. So as long as life and sales are good, why change? Keep on keeping on...

 

[Pdvdh]

I'm trying the Bartlein CFW barrels. Some tests:

Bartlein CFW Barrel Test – West Texas Ordnance, Inc. | Custom Rifles & Accessories

westtexordnance.com

Bartlein Carbon Wrapped Barrels

I just saw a facebook post by GA Precision about Bartlein offering carbon wrapped barrels. This should be very interesting....... Anyone else see this?

www.snipershide.com

The company wrapping their barrels: https://mymissionspecific.com/carbon-fiber.html

I just ordered a Bartlein Carbon Fiber wrapped myself. 8.5 twist for a 30 Sherman Magnum.

 

[Lompoc]

Phorwath r u getting a cf or ss or the new material they have

 

[Pdvdh]

R u getting a cf or ss or the new material they have

CF #4 Bull Sporter contour for a backpack hunting rifle. 26" finish length, and then ~ 3" more for the muzzle brake.

 

[Lompoc]

Cool then u can do heat tests

 

[Pdvdh]

Cool then u can do heat tests

Don't hold your breath. If the manufacturers won't perform the tests for the benefit of their customers, I'm not about to do their work for them. I'm not buying the CF barrel for the super-cooling nonsense. Lighter weight with comparable rigidity (stiffness) of heavier steel barrels are two benefits I actually believe are real. And they seem to shoot acceptably well.

I already own and use a Proof CF, but again, not interested in wasting my time and resources disproving their promotional claims on heat transfer. Something I've already researched and concluded is false. Not my job.

 

[Lompoc]

But aren't you even curious i am was thinking of getting a bigger and longer cf barrel for my bergara 6.5

 

[Lompoc]

Oh well have a good nite

 

[Pdvdh]

My curiosity was satisfied after extensive research and analysis. I presented my findings and conclusions in a different thread a year or so ago. If you have the interest, go to my Post #63 in this thread. Click the link, and you'll find that other thread. Could keep a guy busy and entertained for a solid 30 minutes. Possibly an hours worth of entertainment there!

 

[Lompoc]

Oh cool I like entertainment

 

[Bruce Treloar]

Shouldnt be any different since they are steel liners made usually by the same companies.

I haven't had a CF wrapped barrel even though I have the materials and expertise to make one.
My thoughts are less barrel life due to heat and losing adhesion due to expansion of the barrel.
Composites are very stable, steel is about 5 thou and aluminium is about 10 thou expansion on a 1 1/4" rod when heated to 80 degrees C I'm still out on this one

 

[Boneafide]

I would appreciate a careful breakdown of the cost benefit. So we know the cost is 50 to 100 percent more .... But what exactly is the benefit? Could it be accuracy ? I dont think so. Could it be longevity ? I dont think so. I guess the only possible benefit would be the savings of a pound, maybe two in a rifle that is designed for carrying. ie a hunters weapon that gets carried up mountains. An this weight savings like y would be in exchange for less accuracy and or longevity. Me personally, I like to pay more for the heavier rifles as recoil is a big concern and I am willing to carry extra weight for pain reduction and ability to shoot more powerful rifles. These are the thoughts of an amateur. Am I missing something here ?

Heat no heat. Heat wears out barrels yes a bit lighter to. I know my 6.5 norma is easy on my shoulder them my 270 on them long walks. But hell this is my first 2000$ rifle I love it and yes I like (c.f.) easy to clean thuff as nails. But it's like buying anything if you don't like it. (It sucks)

 

[Trey1096]

Unfortunately, I'm afraid it all comes down to how "cool" the manufacturers can make it. If their marketing literature convinces the general firearms buying public that CF is the "in" thing to have, then they will buy until the next cool thing comes along.

Case in point: Spiral fluted barrels. They're considered cool so people buy them up. I don't design firearms so there may be aspects of it that I don't understand, but I don't see how spiral fluting does anything but ad cost and weight to a barrel. And I mean adds weight compared to a barrel with the same diameter as the base of the flutes. Possibly a tiny cooling advantage. (Now, straight flutes are different. Steiner's theorem, increase in I, maybe a little better cooling, etc.)

I can see the weight issue as being a positive in situations where you're packing a rifle. Also, depending on the fiber orientation and fiber/resin fraction, a CF wrapped barrel will likely cool at a similar rate as a 416R stainless barrel (regular 4140 cooling almost twice as fast as CF or SS). But if marketing hype can whip the cool factor up for it, it will be a hit, at least in the short term.