Pencil vs CF barrel

C

ColinD

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In regards to weight reduction and maintaining accuracy in an NR AR style 3gun (ATRS MS), is it worth the extra cost for a CF barrel over a pencil barrel? both barrels I'm considering are 18.6" from Maple ridge armory.

The website says that the fluted CF barrel is about 3oz heavier than their pencil barrel. I'm wondering what the performance difference would be between the barrels with rapid succession shots in a short period of time followed by being able to hit targets 200-300 yards away immediately after?

Also, any other barrel recommendations in 18.6 length, especially CF?
 
Strange that the CF weighs more than the pencil.

I'm looking up the same thing for my Stag 10, and the pencil barrel would save me a pound but the CF would save me 1.5.

Have you looked up the BSF barrels? They should weigh less than pencil.

Benefits over pencil:
- (Should be) lighter.
- Match barrel-like stiffness (more accurate)
- Match barrel-like heat loss (can fire all day without overheating)
- Looks amazing because of the material
- Looks amazing because it's beefier

You only live once, so buy it if you can afford it. You'll feel like a badass driving a Ferrari instead of a Corvette.
 
Checked out the BSF, turns out those are the ones that MRA sells. Didn't realize the gas profile was .875, I'll have to call and ask if a gas block will fit with that barrel using their V1 m-lok handguard

Now I just need to find someone with stock
 
I went with a Norc 20” pencil for my modern sporter build. It was good bit lighter than anything else around and cheaper by a long shot. It groups 2” reliably at 100 yard woth Norc bulk ammo. Best group is 1 1/8. No regrets here. Some of the reports I’m seeing the MRA barrels are not grouping as well as that.
 
ColinD said:
Checked out the BSF, turns out those are the ones that MRA sells. Didn't realize the gas profile was .875, I'll have to call and ask if a gas block will fit with that barrel using their V1 m-lok handguard

Now I just need to find someone with stock
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I used BSF's low profile gas block, its all sitting inside a V7 15.0 Hyperlite M-Lok rail. I don't have much room to spare. I have .045" of clearance inside on the bottom of the gas block till it touches the rail.

Red Deer Shooting Centre has BSF in stock. Both 20" and fluted or not fluted...
 
For those who are running the BSF barrels what is the accuracy like?

Do they make the rifle feel light on the front?

I *almost* pulled the trigger on one of these last week but I`d like to hear some real world reviews before dropping that much cash
 
robab said:
I went with a Norc 20” pencil for my modern sporter build. It was good bit lighter than anything else around and cheaper by a long shot. It groups 2” reliably at 100 yard woth Norc bulk ammo. Best group is 1 1/8. No regrets here. Some of the reports I’m seeing the MRA barrels are not grouping as well as that.
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Kind of funny how that works. I’ve had the same experience with mine, and now friends with deeper pockets have all had me build their NR receivers to similar spec.
 
Christensen arms sells a complete CFW barrel for less than $800 CAD,
All you got to do is figure out how to get it here:)
 
45C said:
Christensen arms sells a complete CFW barrel for less than $800 CAD,
All you got to do is figure out how to get it here:)
Click to expand...

I've had a Christensen Arms CFW barrel on order for my Stag 10 since last July and still no sign of it getting any closer.

Good luck with dealing with them. I'm about to give up.
 
With pencil barrels it's all about tempering and stress relieving control. Back in the day stress relieving wasn't as advanced and perfected as it is today, that's why pencil barrels strung rounds all over the place after getting hot on older barrels.

Today this is mostly not an issue. But that would still be manufacturer and batch dependent.
 
I have a MRA .308win 18.6" pencil barrel in my Stag 10 currently, it heat strings more than the Faxon .308win pencil barrel I had in the rifle before. I changed from the Faxon to the MRA to save 1.4" and 2oz. Both the MRA & the Faxon heat string much more than the Proof Research barrel I have in my Modern Hunter. For hunting, which is what I built my Stag 10 for I would recommend a pencil barrel. For something like 3-gun where you will be shooting more in a rapid time frame I would prefer a heavier than pencil barrel or a Proof research barrel.

I heard good things about the BSF barrels, until I saw that post of the one that exploded.

I do have a MRA 18.6" pencil barrel for my MS. I'm just waiting on my FA upper. Once I get the upper, I could give you a better answer to your question.
 
Petamocto said:
Strange that the CF weighs more than the pencil.

I'm looking up the same thing for my Stag 10, and the pencil barrel would save me a pound but the CF would save me 1.5.

Have you looked up the BSF barrels? They should weigh less than pencil.

Benefits over pencil:
- (Should be) lighter.
- Match barrel-like stiffness (more accurate)
- Match barrel-like heat loss (can fire all day without overheating)
- Looks amazing because of the material
- Looks amazing because it's beefier

You only live once, so buy it if you can afford it. You'll feel like a badass driving a Ferrari instead of a Corvette.
Click to expand...

I've never seen any Carbon Fiber barrel that weighs less than a pencil barrel for a barrel of the same length. A carbon wrapped barrel is basically a pencil barrel with a carbon around it. The BSF barrels are a bit different than say a Proof Research barrel. Instead of just wrapping the barrel in carbon they use the carbon a way to tension the pencil barrel underneath. If weight is your only concern a you can't beat a pencil barrel.
 
A 16 inch CFW barrel is 6 ounces heavier than a 16 inch faxon pencil barrel.
For reference.
 
I went with the BSF barrel to get the best of both worlds for my MS competition build, light weight and rigid for consecutive shots.

I was going to put a MRA pencil barrel on it, but I listed it on the EE instead because I already have regular fluted barrel for my second MS.

I messaged with the guys from BSF on instagram about their production run on 18.6" barrels, they seem like a great bunch.
 
45C said:
A 16 inch CFW barrel is 6 ounces heavier than a 16 inch faxon pencil barrel.
For reference.
Click to expand...

Pretty much all CF barrels are heavier than faxon pencils if 16" and shorter, 18" and longer the CF's seem to be lighter. My 10.5 faxon pencil was 4-6oz lighter than comparable CF's, but when looking at NR barrel lengths the CF wins. Though it is 2-3x the price of a faxon, and my faxon is -accurate-.
 
jiffx2781 said:
I've had a Christensen Arms CFW barrel on order for my Stag 10 since last July and still no sign of it getting any closer.

Good luck with dealing with them. I'm about to give up.
Click to expand...

Corlanes in Dawson Creek BC has Christensen CFW barrels in stock...not sure on AR10 though.
 
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