Carbon barrel load development

[Dirtdevil]

So I am trying my first carbon barrel. So far I'm not loving it. Been reloading for 30 years. All my stainless barrel rifles will do 1/2 to 3/4 Moa every time I shoot them. I have had a lot that wouldn't do that If they don't I send them on down the road. Load development for those rifles have been pretty standard stuff. Try different powders bullets and primers. Well. This carbon barrel is really getting under my skin The slightest powder weight change makes a drastic group shift. Won't shoot some bullets at all 2-3 inches When you hit on a good load it's not as consistent as I would like. Repeatable. It this common in a carbon barrel or do I have a no so great barrel. Appreciate any input

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I've had a bad one, but I've had bad SS too.
If it won't shoot any loads less than 1 moa and it won't repeat, I'd do my best to get the manufacturer to scope it. And hope they are honest.

I'm assuming you've checked all the other potential issues with a rifle/ scope.
Don't waste too many components, I've done it 2 times too many.

 

[Huntnful]

Is it just a factory gun with a carbon barrel? Or a proof, benchmark or bartlein installed by a gunsmith?

EIther way it sounds like junk. But I was just curious because I haven't had a carbon shoot that bad. But they were all aftermarket carbons.

 

[TopPin]

My experience with carbon barrels is they are typically very accurate, but I will say the Sendero lights are Very hit and miss. Depending on the barrel, some are just not good and it dose not matter what you load in them. Same with steel barrels. Truly depends on how the reamer cut and how well it was trued.

 

[ARlife4me]

i only have 1 cf in a ba, but have 3 in AR10's. i haven't shot the 1 in a ba yet (300wm c6 w/110 action) so can't say anything about it. the 3 AR's 2 pr, 1 bsf) w/2 being 6.5creed and 1 being 260rem (260rem, 1 6.5creed are pr barrels) and are still a work in progress. working out the bugs with the gas port location and size issues.

 

[7mm man]

Call the manufacturer. I have 5 Carbon Fiber wrapped barrels. Never had an issue. 1 PR, 3 C6 and 1 X-Caliber.

 

[T3ninja]

I've had carbon barrels that will shoot with the best of my steel barrels. I think it has more to do with all the other aspects than the fact it's a carbon barrel.

 

[BrentM]

So I am trying my first carbon barrel. So far I'm not loving it. Been reloading for 30 years. All my stainless barrel rifles will do 1/2 to 3/4 Moa every time I shoot them. I have had a lot that wouldn't do that If they don't I send them on down the road. Load development for those rifles have been pretty standard stuff. Try different powders bullets and primers. Well. This carbon barrel is really getting under my skin The slightest powder weight change makes a drastic group shift. Won't shoot some bullets at all 2-3 inches When you hit on a good load it's not as consistent as I would like. Repeatable. It this common in a carbon barrel or do I have a no so great barrel. Appreciate any input

I haven't had any issues, YET, with a carbon. Mine have all been really easy to tune and generally have a wide harmonic node. If I experienced what you are, I'd be scope that barrel or sending it back.

 

[Rick Richard]

So I am trying my first carbon barrel. So far I'm not loving it. Been reloading for 30 years. All my stainless barrel rifles will do 1/2 to 3/4 Moa every time I shoot them. I have had a lot that wouldn't do that If they don't I send them on down the road. Load development for those rifles have been pretty standard stuff. Try different powders bullets and primers. Well. This carbon barrel is really getting under my skin The slightest powder weight change makes a drastic group shift. Won't shoot some bullets at all 2-3 inches When you hit on a good load it's not as consistent as I would like. Repeatable. It this common in a carbon barrel or do I have a no so great barrel. Appreciate any input

Aftermarket barrel or factory?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I currently have 14 carbon wrapped barrels. 2 more awaiting reamers. All shoot exceptionally well. As good as my steel barrels do.

I had one that would pressure up early. But it still shot crazy accurate. A Proof Sendero Light in 6.5mm.

I have one I feel is a little slow, but extremely accurate. A Proof Sendero in 7mm.

I have 7 Proof, 5 Bartlein, 2 Benchmark. My two on deck are a Bartlein and a Benchmark.

My two steel are Bartlein and Brux.

I have only shot one full custom with a CF that would not shoot really well. It was a Proof Sendero 6.5mm.

I think we need to hear more about the rifle, barrel, and ammunition components to make a more informed decision.

 

[Rosebud]

Only issue I've had with a carbon barrel is the break in time it took for it to settle down. Near eighty rounds, now with near two hundred plus its a real shooter.

 

[Pdvdh]

The "Dud" rate with CFW barrels is higher than plain steel barrels. I have one Bartlein CFW tomato stake, which they inspected and refused to replace. When you get a dud CFW, it stings close to twice as much, because that's the additional cost, compared to a SS barrel.

Many will shoot. But there is a higher reject rate than with plain steel barrels. Sometimes even the CFW barrel manufacturers are unable to identify the rejects after inspecting them. Proof no longer manufactures CFW barrels exceeding 26" in length, due to a history of higher rate of poor results from CFW barrels in longer lengths.

I've read Alex Wheeler post he wished the CFW craze would fade away, because he experiences more problems with CFW barrels. I don't think the craze is gonna fade away, because it's so much nicer backpacking a CFW than a heavier SS equipped rifle.

Odds favor getting a good shooting CFW. But when you get a turd, it sucks twice as much.

 

[Dirtdevil]

To clarify. It's a production rifle I can get it under an inch ,which satisfies the manufacturer's standard. It just seems very picky with components. And sometimes it won't repeat results. Has had 2 know nightforces on it. Checked bases when I changed scopes 6 different powders 4 different bullets. 1 combo shoots pretty good. I think I have a crappy barrel I have scoped the barrel. Nothing crazy looking in there chamber looks clean Gotta love this crap But it's fun when it works out right !

 

[ARlife4me]

The "Dud" rate with CFW barrels is higher than plain steel barrels. I have one Bartlein CFW tomato stake, which they inspected and refused to replace. When you get a dud CFW, it stings close to twice as much, because that's the additional cost, compared to a SS barrel.

Many will shoot. But there is a higher reject rate than with plain steel barrels. Sometimes even the CFW barrel manufacturers are unable to identify the rejects after inspecting them. Proof no longer manufactures CFW barrels exceeding 26" in length, due to a history of higher rate of poor results from CFW barrels in longer lengths.

I've read Alex Wheeler post he wished the CFW craze would fade away, because he experiences more problems with CFW barrels. I don't think the craze is gonna fade away, because it's so much nicer backpacking a CFW than a heavier SS equipped rifle.

Odds favor getting a good shooting CFW. But when you get a turd, it sucks twice as much.

For the 4 I have (3 in AR10's, 1 for BA's) and little weight savings there is, I'll just stick to ss only. I have a 32" ss (264wm) and a 30"cfw (300wm) of close to same profile (32" is fluted) and the 32" is only 14ozs more.