What is the attraction over a lightweight barrel other than hanging a suppressor off it?

Do they dissipate heat materially better than a lightweight barrel?

none

Supposer adaptability/ease and they dont walk as bad as a thin barrel of same weight.

I don’t think I’ve ever shot three consecutive shots at a range that would matter for a deer so not really an issue for me. Those two are valid reasons for alot of people though.

I’m not going to lie Derricks dimpled Carbon Fiber barrels at horizon look bad [censored]

x2

They look cool and in the longer barrels (22+) you will save weight if you need the profile for a suppressor, shorter I don’t see the advantage.

Too me they heat up quicker but also cool off quicker. I’m not a big fan but I have two…both big magnums where I wanted the suppressor and the barrels have to be 26” to have any resale at all. No one buys short barrel magnums but me

I understand the looks cool part. It’s a heavy barrel look without the weight. Most I’ve seen wear radial muzzle brakes.

I’d think better weight for the amount rigidity vs a steel barrel of equal rigidity, but I may be wrong. I don’t buy into the whole heat dissipation theory. I would only use them on hunting rifles that will never see more than a 1-5 shot string on a rare occasion

The attraction of carbon fiber is weight-savings. In theory get the rigidity/performance of a heavy weight barrel at the weight of a light-weight sporter barrel. If I were hunting terrain that includes a lot of hiking and mountain climbing then the weight savings might be worth paying 2x-3x the price of a conventional all steel barrel. Most carbon wrapped barrels shoot average (1moa). The material technology and skill/expertise to properly wrap barrel so that it wicks away heat is seldom achieved. In many cases the carbon actually insulated the barrel holding in the heat..not good.

Bartlein introduced a carbon wrapped barrel a couple of years ago that they guaranteed shot as well as their all steel barrels. That is a big statement.

So much wrong with this.

Carbon fiber Sendero diameter at the muzzle, so that it can have a 5/8-24 thread, but not weigh steel Sendero weight.

They are too hot after two rounds, some make it three rounds.

They are capable of 1/4 MOA for two shots. I have done it for customers many times.

They cool back off very quickly since the steel inside is thin.

I have several carbon barrels from multiple different manufacturers and they all shoot great, even after several rounds fired in a short period of time.

What I'm hearing is, with a CF barrel you can:
1. have a thin (steel, with wrap to make diameter look right) barrel for weight savings and still have large, 5/8 threaded muzzle
2. look cool

Am I missing something?

Show everyone you have the latest and greatest.

Less weight also increases recoil. F=MA

Balance, balance balance. To me, a long carbon fiber barrel has a better balance to it than a steel barrel. The weight savings may tilt to carbon but not drastically as some would think. Yes there is the 5/8 thread for muzzle breaks and suppressors which gives the rifle a more streamlined appearance but that’s not the reason for me at least to get one. And yes you can still shoot your .25-.5 moa 5 shot groups without any problems. I will agree there is more heat given off the barrel creating a mirage earlier in the round count than a steel barrel. For some that will affect your groupings due to a visual effect but to me it’s not an issue. IMO….carbon is best suited for a hunting rifle. Competition/target/PRS it’s a heavier steel barrel all day, everyday.

Would this be true in a .22 with carbon barrel too? Reason I ask, is that I was looking at a carbon barreled .22 for use in the rimfire PRS league. I was also looking at replacing my son's barrel with a carbon barrel. He shoots in the PRS with me.

I have carbon wrapped 22lr and it works great. With 22lr the barrel don’t heat up like a center fire does. It is a delight to handle and shoot.

Nope

How does it do on long strings of fire? Does it hold groups and does it hold POI?

As I said…the only improvement over solid steel is weight savings. You can get whatever profile you want and carbon fiber barrel will weigh less than the same profile if it were a solid steel barrel.

As far as their precision - as a general statement carbon wrapped barrels have not performed at same consistent level as steel barrel from top makers, such as Kreiger, Bartlein, Shillen. You are paying for weight reduction while still having rigidity similar to same diameter solid steel barrel. I’ve had factory REM barrels ($50) that have shot 1/4” inch… sometimes you get lucky. Accuracy/ precision standpoint Carbon wrapped barrels are less consistent than solid steel barrels. This is why advise from top shooters across shooting disciplines recommend finding the barrel profile (contour and length) that matches the barrel weight you desire.

Carbon Wrapped has shortcomings - cost (2x-3x) a steel barrel and its has issues with heat. For this reason a lot of people elect to go with a fluted steel barrel, which has benefits of weight reduction, greater rigidity than thinner contour barrel, and it can handles higher round count before heat effects performance as compared to carbon wrapped barrel.

Here is link to thread from Bartlein introducing their Carbon wrapped barrel.
[url=http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/bartlein-barrels-introduces-carbon-fiber-barrels.4005065/#post-37775399][/url]

When in doubt go to a PRS match, FClass, 3-Gun or any other type match and see what serious competitors have proven works. Just saying .

Proof Research barrel, 1:8, 7mm-08, chambered by Alamo Precison Rifles.



Proof Research barrel, 1:8, 28 Nosler, 195 gr EOL, chambered by Alamo Precison Rifles






You will not see a carbon fiber barrel at a PRS match. Carbon fiber is for hunters, to make them light weight carry a whole bunch, and shoot just a little bit. At a PRS match, they get shot a whole lot. Many stages are 10 rounds, some get up to 15 rounds. Competitors have to spot their own shots, so a heavy rifle is the name of the game. My competition rifl is up around 17 pounds, scoped. And mine is lighter than many out there. Lots of raw stainless steel barrels and no flutes. They are going to get shot out, so there's no point in coating them or paying for fluting, which is just to cut weight.

Then I'd just get a light regular barrel, ear pro, and keep my money. I'll always be cool cause I don't give a chit about looking cool.

A #3 stainless barrel is lighter by a few ounces than a Sendero CF barrel is at the same length. A #2 contour is your common sporter contour on most factory hunting rifles, so a #3 is a little bigger. A #3 makes for a great hunting rifle barrel contour. I'm not a fan of the CF barrels due to the majority of them throwing shots once they heat up. For 3 times the cost of a stainless barrel, it's not worth the risk. But if you plan on making it a 2-3 shot hunting barrel, they can work for that. Yes, there are some carbon fiber barrels that I was shocked at how good they shot, and were very consistent. But a majority of the CF barrels do not fall into that category. From a precision shooting and consistency stand point, they are not worth the risk for me.

Fool's Gold.

Depends, you want a sub 7lb w/Ti can rifle that holds sub MOA for a poke,… maybe not

If you’re hunting in a blind <150 yards over a feeder, no can you have validity.

Variety is spice of life with the exception being marriage

I do not think that it is.

If someone is wanting to buy a blank, as well as to cut barrel weight down, and have a good lathe operator thread and chamber, so that it shoots terrific for 2 to 3 rounds, then it is a great option. And the main reason is to run a suppressor on the finished rifle (which many highly recommend including myself) with a 5/8-24 muzzle thread.

I guess an alternative is a thin barrel that flares out the last few inches and threaded for 5/8-24. I have a little 16.5” barreled Model Seven like that. Probably hard to keep it stif enough with a long barrel.

Carbon wrapped barrels is a way to double the price of the barrel.

Mirage after shot 1 is horrid way worse than a steel barrel.

Can’t get more than 2 or 3 shots in a small moa in most cases and in all cases shot 1 goes to a different point than shot 2, and 3.

Your better off with a deep fluted #4 barrel if you wanna run a few rounds through it sub moa.

Save your money and buy a better stock or a nice action or something cuz your pissing it away with a carbon barrel.