Builds getting heavier and heavier

[Huntnful]

What contour steel barrel are you using? I have two ordered through Preferred Barrels Blanks and waiting for them to ship, they are the .750 taperless barrel, not sure what weight they will be, they are fluted to take some weight off as well. I have not been sold on Carbon barrels yet, mainly just looking at the cost alone, but also had read about the steel they whittle down for the carbon is fairly thin before adding the carbon back for reinforcement. I would think the groups would open up if one was shooting a heavy magnum in a fast repetition. I would not know though, I have no experience with them. What was your experience, what was the reason why you moved away from them?

The barrel on that recent build is a Med Palma Contour. It's a 1.250 X 3" shank. And then it tapers and finishes at .850" at 26" I believe.

I just think the ONLY benefit carbon has is lighter weight, for a vision of a larger profile. They don't have any accuracy benefit whatsoever. They do have a thin liner, depending on who makes them. And I think the groups walk much more easily as they warm up compared to a steel barrel.

It's stated, and supposedly documented, that they cool faster and disperse heat throughout the barrel. But it doesn't matter when they don't hold groups for longer shot strings anyways. Not that that is a big deal for hunting. I'm just saying it lol

If there was a benefit to them, they would be being used in all the precision shooting disciplines IMO.

These are just my opinions after shooting a few carbon barrels and a few steel barrels. I'm by no means an expert hahaha.

 

[Kmccord]

The barrel on that recent build is a Med Palma Contour. It's a 1.250 X 3" shank. And then it tapers and finishes at .850" at 26" I believe.

I just think the ONLY benefit carbon has is lighter weight, for a vision of a larger profile. They don't have any accuracy benefit whatsoever. They do have a thin liner, depending on who makes them. And I think the groups walk much more easily as they warm up compared to a steel barrel.

It's stated, and supposedly documented, that they cool faster and disperse heat throughout the barrel. But it doesn't matter when they don't hold groups for longer shot strings anyways. Not that that is a big deal for hunting. I'm just saying it lol

If there was a benefit to them, they would be being used in all the precision shooting disciplines IMO.

These are just my opinions after shooting a few carbon barrels and a few steel barrels. I'm by no means an expert hahaha.

Thanks for your reply, I have always been skeptical about the carbon fiber barrels, and I have also read what you stated about carbon fiber cools faster, but also read the heat to travel to the outside edge of carbon takes a little longer before you notice it. I don't have any experience so I can only go off Internet reads.

 

[Dirtrax]

I didn't think much about Chassis style guns until I became an MDT dealer. Their flexibility is stunning. As one example:The ACC chasis 4.5 lbs, add your barrel and action, accessories to that for your finished weight. BUT: That Chassis if you need more weight...with their well thought out M-lok design you can within 15 minutes add an additional 12.5 lbs of weights. Put em' where you want em' ! Going to spend a day at the range filler up! Long walks take off 8 lbs! Best of both Worlds in minutes!

You've been reading my mail!! The chassis is completely modular making it adaptable to any situation. Add in a folding buttstock and it makes a short barrel senseless imo. If I'm jump shooting in the trees/brush I have guns for that. It stands repeating this forum is lrh.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

Great info! Thanks dude. And I totally agree about big cartridges and big bullets. They can't be too dead for me either haha.

After much much MUCH scope deliberation, I have come full circle back to the March FX 4.5-28. The ZCO 527 was the optical winner. And if you had room for a 15" 39oz scope on your build platform, it's pretty solid. But for the size and weight of the March. You basically give up 5% optical performance, and zero functional performance, to have a much smaller & lighter package, that still have excellent glass. The trijicon also had better glass than both those ATACRs.
View attachment 446238

I honestly cant wait until my MOA version of that March gets here!!! im STOKED

 

[Huntnful]

I honestly cant wait until my MOA version of that March gets here!!! im STOKED

Oh hell yeah!! It wouldn't fit on the Bat Vesper lug spacing unfortunately for me . Got a
4-20 ATACR coming for that build now.

What are your feelings on Carbon Barrels vs. Steel Barrels? Carbon more for looks than anything else? Or are there true benefits over a similar weight steel barrel?

 

[2buffalo]

Oh hell yeah!! It wouldn't fit on the Bat Vesper lug spacing unfortunately for me . Got a
4-20 ATACR coming for that build now.

What are your feelings on Carbon Barrels vs. Steel Barrels? Carbon more for looks than anything else? Or are there true benefits over a similar weight steel barrel?

It wouldn't fit on my AntiX either. I had to put the F on it and the FX on my Anti.

 

[Huntnful]

It wouldn't fit on my AntiX either. I had to put the F on it and the FX on my Anti.

Yeah isn't that a bummer! I had my front lug already milled off and everything

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

Oh hell yeah!! It wouldn't fit on the Bat Vesper lug spacing unfortunately for me . Got a
4-20 ATACR coming for that build now.

What are your feelings on Carbon Barrels vs. Steel Barrels? Carbon more for looks than anything else? Or are there true benefits over a similar weight steel barrel?

I feel like it will run on my BAT LPR action.. but we will see.. if not I may have something else laying around .

In All honesty I have never out shot a steel Bart, Hart, Kreiger, or BM with any carbon barrel...

I do a TON of carbons. I own and shoot both. I also build with specifics in mind for each variable and what I want out of the rifle.
so it can sway either way.

To me you cant make a bad decision anymore.

The carbons are lighter for sure ..is it a ton? Profile for profile ..Yes by quite a bit! You have to get a small steel barrel and flute the crap out of it to get it to weigh the same or close.. and then you need a smaller thread size and smaller brake dia (most of the time) and with the big stuff i like shooting the brakes need to work really well 5/8-24 minimum.

They look cool as hell.. I mean who doesn't like a good looking carbon barrel ,, but then again who isn't a sucker for a sweet fluted barrel either!

They allow for a larger profile brake, larger thread size on the muzzle which is always better and that's about it from my experience.

Also would like to add that when carrying a carbon barreled rig vs a steel barrel they tend to "feel" more balanced in the hand with weight being a big part near dead center. A guy could get a spindly steel to feel the same but wouldn't do what I wanted..
When hunting where i need the rifle in my hands at all times that sure is nice.

 

[Huntnful]

I feel like it will run on my BAT LPR action.. but we will see.. if not I may have something else laying around .

In All honesty I have never out shot a steel Bart, Hart, Kreiger, or BM with any carbon barrel...

I do a TON of carbons. I own and shoot both. I also build with specifics in mind for each variable and what I want out of the rifle. so it can sway either way.

To me you cant make a bad decision anymore.

The carbons are lighter for sure ..is it a ton? Profile for profile ..Yes! you have to get a small steel barrel and flute the crap out of it to get it to weigh the same or close.. and then you need a smaller thread size and smaller brake dia (most of the time) and with the big stuff i like shooting the brakes need to work really well

They look cool as hell.. I mean who doesn't like a good looking carbon barrel ,, but then again who isn't a sucker for a sweet fluted barrel either!

They allow for a larger profile brake and larger thread size on the muzzle which is always better and that's about it from my experience.

Thank you for the detailed response and view points!

I definitely wouldn't get a steel contour that I couldn't have a 5/8-24 thread on the end for a nice brake. That's super important for sure. And fluting does make a rifle look so much cooler haha. I may spiral flute the next barrel for no other reason than, it looks badass haha.

My 26 CF benchmark weighed exactly 1lb less than my 26" Rem Varmint Bartlein with spiral flutes. CF barrel was 3lbs and steel barrel was 4 pounds. Just a good reference for anyone. The steel barrel technically was a "smaller" contour. But in reality, had much more actual steel around the bore than a CF. So I think it's a decent comparison.

 

[SuperJetr333]

I went heavier, but I'm going back to lighter. The heavier rifles are nice for shooting at the range, but not so much for lugging around the back country.

 

[BrentM]

I'm saying I have that exact stock, with the folder, a non-sporter normal length barrel with the mag, heavy scope and supressor on it and it's under 9.
Point is carbon barrels are rather heavy. You have to be up past .850 in steel before carbon is lighter.

Have you weighed the barrels side by side? I have. My carbons are pretty light in my opinion until I get to a sporter whip. Carbon isn't the only answer it's just an answer. You can easily run threads for a can and get repeatable accuracy on strings of fire. How helpful is that for a hunter….. not so much. I use mine for predators and can often shoot several rounds at fairly long range and have a lot of confidence in the rifle.

 

[Huntnful]

I went heavier, but I'm going back to lighter. The heavier rifles are nice for shooting at the range, but not so much for lugging around the back country.

How heavy did you go? I'm super curious how I'm going to feel about it also. All of my gear is basically as light as you can get it, except for spotting scope, and now rifle. I packed out a whole Idaho buck and winter time camp for 14 miles once. We did it in 1.5 days. My pack ended up being 130lbs when I got back to the truck. And I think an extra 3lbs in the gun would have **** near killed me haha.

We each had a whole buck actually. This was my buddies first back-country hunt and we've since became great friends and have been double successful in ID 3 years in a row.

One more river crossing after this one before the truck!

 

[akmtnhnt]

Have you weighed the barrels side by side? I have. My carbons are pretty light in my opinion until I get to a sporter whip. Carbon isn't the only answer it's just an answer. You can easily run threads for a can and get repeatable accuracy on strings of fire. How helpful is that for a hunter….. not so much. I use mine for predators and can often shoot several rounds at fairly long range and have a lot of confidence in the rifle.

For coyotes or something similar, somewhat useful. It does have it's place, just for me, not on a rifle I'm going to carry for miles.
Hop out of the boat/airplane/atv and sit there for days? Ya, I'll take the 30 inch 25lb shoulder fired field artillery piece.

I literally just bought a carbon barrel, so I'm not against them. They just have little to no place in hike in backcountry hunting imo. Where weight really matters.
When I get it I can weigh the one it's replacing. I already know the steel one is lighter because of what both manufacturers quote.

 

[Huntnful]

I literally just bought a carbon barrel, so I'm not against them. They just have little to no place in hike in backcountry hunting imo. Where weight really matters.

What REALLY matters is making a good shot when you finally get the opportunity. And if you plan on shooting at a decent distance, weight can be your friend.