Carbon Fibre Barrels--yes/no?

[Smoothbore]

I am thinking of a 10/22 that has a carbon fibre barrel installed on it.

The pros seem fairly easy--light weight.
Are there any cons I should know about?

I am not sure of the barrel maker--I have read that Butler Creek
barrels are OK, but there are better ones.
Is there something wrong with the Butler Creek barrels?

Any thoughts on the carbon fibre barrels would
be appreciated, including manufacturers to get or avoid.

Thanks!
SB

 

[Bull's-Eye]

No personal experience however I have been warned to stay away from the Buttler Creek ones as they are not truely carbon fiber but plastic and don't hold a zero once heated up.

 

[Nine]

I owned a butler creek "carbon fiber" barrel for YEARS, I had ZERO problems with it. Accuracy was not effected in any noticeable way once heated up, and I'd empty mag after mag through it. I'd buy another without hesitation.

Here's a pic with my 10-22's previous configuration.

 

[jjohnwm]

I've had one of the Butler Creek carbon fibre barrels for a number of years also. It is obviously not actual carbon fibre, but I've had no problems with accuracy being affected by barrel heat. However, I also had no increase in accuracy over the O.E.M. barrel. The several other various after-market barrels I've tried all showed better accuracy. As far as I'm concerned its only selling point is its extreme light weight. Drop it into a Hogue stock and you've got a practically weightless gun, acceptable accuracy, and the potential for a lot of other aftermarket performance goodies.

 

[pitdogboy]

Damn Nine that looks fantastic!

 

[Jefferson]

mmmmmm

yes they are really light,
yes they look nice,

but for accuracy they leave a lot to be desired, but then I shoot off the bench to test my guns,

so my thought is

WHAT IS THE FINAL PRICE TAX PAID TO YOUR DOOR

and the purpose of your gun, I would always pick accuracy unless the gun has a likker stock and nice optics and it for standing only and looking for fun shooting and not hitting your target,

example volquartson snake barrrel is very accurate at the same price,

let us know what you decide

Jefferson

 

[Mystic Precision]

My experience with the BC "carbon barrel" was not positive.

Personally, if I want accuracy AND light weight. A Shilen or McGowen barrel in a taper equal to the weight I want will cost less and give me a better shooter.

The concept of the carbon wrapped barrel has been bouncing around for quite a while now and it hasn't gotten any traction.

Issues include belling of the barrel when the orig is turned down before wrapping. The material used for wrapping - real carbon fibre or a polymer?

Is the barrel bent at all when it is wrapped? What is the final cost?

There was a "new" company promoting centerfire real carbon fibre wrapped barrels in the US. Cost was horrendous as you had to include the cost of the orig match barrel, the machining then the wrapping and CF is not cheap stuff. The company suggested accuracy maintained and barrel cooled quickly or just keep on shooting for many rds.

Can't remember who they are now and no idea if it would actual perform as advertised. I certainly have not seen them on shooters project rifles posted in the net.

Only one way to find out....

There are also tensioned barrels with alum shrouds that should be alot lighter - no idea how they shoot but they look nice in pretty anodized colours.

But if accuracy is the goal, stick to proper match barrels contoured to your specs (or fluted) with properly cut chambers.

Jerry

 

[3dmark]

I have a Titan competiton carbon fiber on my ruger right now and it is one of the most accurate 22's I have.

It consistently shoots 5 shots in around .5 at 50yds. It is a bit picky on the ammo type but with Federal 525 (I beleive without looking) it is a shooter. Never tried real high end ammo through it.

This is the first CF I've had so maybe I just got lucky.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Might be of interest:

http://www.snipercentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34775

Beware: May lead to drooling and irresponsible spending.

 

[ron hilchey]

Browning tried this on their A-Bolts back in 2000.

 

[Mystic Precision]

As the author figured out, the wrapped barrel didn't shoot anywhere near as well as the components that were installed. Rock barrels have the potential to shoot in the 2's and I have seen them do it.

In fact, it shot no better then most factory rifles from Savage, Rem and tikka with a bit of TLC ie bedding and handloading. And I am refering to their hunting rifles that weight a whole lot less.

{Now we have no idea the conditions he shot under and how good a shot he is with a bipod. We also don't know if that barrel would ever shot GM ammo to its full potential so...}

so he may have a 'light' rig, but it has a lousy cold bore POI and accuracy that is more like MOA or bigger which will undoubtly get larger as he reaches out - note vertical and 'outs' in his groups. NOTE: he does say, his shooting is not ideal off a bipod and his rested shooting was quite a bit more consistent.

Maybe handloading can help - I am sure it wouldn't hurt.

Now this is just one example but it continues what we have long known, machining huge hunks of steel from a perfectly good match barrel then sticking something back onto it is not the ideal way to retain or improve on performance.

I sincerely doubt extra stress relieving was done after the machining process under the assumption that cut rifle barrels simply have no latent stress - good luck with that. There is also an assumption that the wrapping process did not put variable stress points on the barrel.

If the owner had just gone with a #4 or 5 contour that was stressed relieved AFTER contouring, he would have the chance at a 1/4 min rig that WOULD keep its accuracy for at least the needs of a LR hunter.

It is such a pity that the BS continues that only thick barrels can be accurate. It is true that a light contour barrel will start to over heat sooner then a heavy barrel but for what is needed in hunting - not supressive fire - it can work just fine.

Oh by the way, to make any rifle shoot better, just forget about the shots that are way out yonder and measure the cluster that best meets your accuracy goals.

I wonder if they will let me do that this weekend at the F class match

YMMV
Jerry