Advanced Barrel Systems

[bjlooper]

I talked to the owner Advanced Barrel Systems he is a very friendly and knowlegable guy. I was wondering if anyone has any experince with his barrels. I'm considering using one for my 300 WSM. Weight will be a big factor!
Thaks
DR B

 

[goodgrouper]

I have been using one for over a month now and have fired about 350 rounds through it.

I can tell you that it is not as light as a Christensen. However, it cools off the barrel about twice as fast and about 5 times faster than a regular thin steel barrel.

I would highly recommend the ABS for any gun but especially for ones that burn lots of powder or heat up quickly. On a 50 degree day shooting 95 grains of powder, you honestly can shoot 1 shot every 25 seconds and never get to the critical throat burning temperature.

Very cool stuff! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[sevenmill]

GG,
What sort of accuracy are you getting out of that wrapped barrel? What caliber, length, weight etc?
I've always been interested in these wrapped barrels but have heard some bad comments about their accuracy.

 

[goodgrouper]

I have posted some of my groups under the thread called,"338 thunder project". Check it out. The combo of the Mike Rock barrel and the ABS wrap along with Fiftydrivers machining give my hunting rifle accuracy good enough to compete in any 1k br match in the country! And, that barrel cools off from 90 grains of powder so quick, I could shoot two relays back to back with sighters and never reach the critical heat point!!

 

[21buck]

Just wondering, if a ABS barrel lasts longer, What if the temps could be reduced by say 20% + and not be worn off? Would that interest you? Better still remain in nanometer thickness to the bore, still interested? Not proven is accuracy. Got a worn barrel whose service life is limited at best ?

 

[James Jones]

I have heard some horror stories about deliverly times and defective barrels from ABS and honestly thats kinda thrown me off a bit. I have looked into Magnum Research and Christian both.

From the reports of those folks I'm framiliar with using Mike's barrels they seem good to go.

for $900 , I'll spend a bit more time in the gym and pack a heavier gun

 

[jwp475]

I have 4 of the ABS barrels and I like them. I have only one in use and 3 waiting.

ABS has experienced delievery time problems in the past, but I believe that he has cleared up those problems
My 338 Lapua is very accurate and I am happy with the barrel

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Ive installed a few of them and all were giant sucesses. They do what is claimed on their website, yes they cost double that of a regular barrel but your supose to get at least double
the life from them as well.
I talk to mike now and then and he is very easy to deal with and busy with other govt contracts also.

The biggest problem in getting a ABS barrel is not ABS itself, you or he first have to order a
barrel blank contoured to his specs and there are only a few i would trust in doing this. He dont
want no button barrels for this process so that shortens the list of barrel makers. If when they
arrive at his shop for wrapping and they dont pass his inspection they go back to the maker. Remember, ABS dont like to do any barrel contouring in their shop, the barrels are pre turned when they get them.
So you have to go through the process of first getting the blank, barrel makers these days lets
see, 8-24 weeks if your lucky, then its shipped to ABS, he usually gets them out in 4-6 weeks depending on how backed up he is. My last ABS barrel from start to finish was about 10 weeks.
I had Benchmark make the blank and ship it out to be cut rifled, it was inspected there before shipping to me. I then looked it over and passed my inspection and sent it down to Mike at ABS, it passed his inspection. He had it back to me in several weeks. 416cal 32" 1.430 breech section, straight taper to 1.200" at the muzzle, 6# Its a giant of a barrel.
I offer the barrels as an option for those who want a "one of a kind" build or are looking to shave weight and not loose accuracy by going to a light contour steel barrel.

Goodgrouper has done extensive tests on the cooling effects of the ABS barrels, the only test i did was shoot the darn things and they all have been sub moa barrels. Long range tests in the 338cals i have built all were under the MOA standard at extreme distances 1200yds+
I am getting ready to test my new 416VM rifle soon, results will be posted later.

I wouldnt hesitate to order a ABS barrel, if its a price issue then stay with steel. If you want to build your dream gun and or you dont want to break your back carring that 16# rifle up a mountain side then Carbon is the way to go, be it Christiansen or ABS. You can have the large dia barrel at the weight of a standard light rifle.

Here is my new creation
416VM

Dave

 

[Pdvdh]

Now that is one baaaaaad look'in weapon! It looks like it ought to be outlawed - too evil!

 

[Bolosniper]

I have quite a bit of experience with Mike Degerness and with the quality (accuracy) of ABS barrels. Both are top notch. Mike is the "Mad Scientist", in a manner of speaking, behind the development of carbon fiber composite barrel technology, and has the patent to prove it. I refuse to say anything bad about the other companies making carbon composite barrels, but I will say that I don't buy their barrels for our rifles.

The carbon fiber matrix that Mike developed acts as a heat sink and cools the barrel at a rate of over 300% faster than steel. The matrix doesn't degrade the accuracy of the liner, which is contoured to be safe to shoot before being wrapped (0.150" minimum wall thickness).

I test fired some of the first barrels we received from ABS that were .338 caliber, 1/9.3 twist rate. The temperature at the range was 84 degrees F and I cycled 20 rounds through an MPI Spartan MK100A 338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifle as fast as I could fire and change the 5 round magazines. The receiver, protruding barrel tenon, and the muzzle brake were all only very warm to the touch, and the entire assembly was back down to ambient temperature in about 3-5 minutes while in direct sunlight.

Both Blackwater and 10th Group Special Forces have seen, and then purchased the barrels because they are lighter and cool faster than a steel barrel does, and the ABS barrels SHOOT!

Barrel life, due to the improved thermal management of the matrix, will be much improved. Blackwater installed ABS barrels in their 300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifles and replaced them after approximately 4,700 rounds, not due to throat erosion and deteriorating accuracy, but due to the rifles being deployed overseas.

 

[Bolosniper]

I have quite a bit of experience with Mike Degerness and with the quality (accuracy) of ABS barrels. Both are top notch. Mike is the "Mad Scientist", in a manner of speaking, behind the development of carbon fiber composite barrel technology, and has the patent to prove it. I refuse to say anything bad about the other companies making carbon composite barrels, but I will say that I don't buy their barrels for our rifles.

The carbon fiber matrix that Mike developed acts as a heat sink and cools the barrel at a rate of over 300% faster than steel. The matrix doesn't degrade the accuracy of the liner, which is contoured to be safe to shoot before being wrapped (0.150" minimum wall thickness).

I test fired some of the first barrels we received from ABS that were .338 caliber, 1/9.3 twist rate. The temperature at the range was 84 degrees F and I cycled 20 rounds through an MPI Spartan MK100A 338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifle as fast as I could fire and change the 5 round magazines. The receiver, protruding barrel tenon, and the muzzle brake were all only very warm to the touch, and the entire assembly was back down to ambient temperature in about 3-5 minutes while in direct sunlight.

Both Blackwater and 10th Group Special Forces have seen, and then purchased the barrels because they are lighter and cool faster than a steel barrel does, and the ABS barrels SHOOT!

Barrel life, due to the improved thermal management of the matrix, will be much improved. Blackwater installed ABS barrels in their 300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifles and replaced them after approximately 4,700 rounds, not due to throat erosion and deteriorating accuracy, but due to the rifles being deployed overseas.

Here is a 300 Winchester Magnum on an AICS stock. Total weight of the rifle with a loaded 5 round magazine and one in the chamber, a Harris S-LM Bipod, and a 1.25" nylon sling with Uncle Mike"s QD sling swivels, and a 12-42X56mm NightForce scope is 11.1 lbs.

 

[csumpm]

Wanna bet that ABS has cleared up delivery problems...
Didn't meet a single commitment -- I have a whole waft of stored emails on my PC that would curl hair plus heaps of frustration and angst from unanswered phone calls (answering/messaging service doesn't route properly and/or info on it is not correct - intentional?) ... and I have a couple of high-dollar, worthless, long, paper weights to show for the experience.

Now, on the other hand, I also have had good experience with an ABS process wrapped barrel:
Todd Bettin wraps barrels using the ABS carbon overlay process. He does great work with quality and his barrel performs as promised (it will shoot better than the user . Todd is a stand-up guy who takes pride in his work and honors his commitments ... Top shelf all the way.

Moral of this story:
Don't judge a process or its technology by its "mad scientist". The process is excellent when properly applied to a barrel - Delivers accuracy from a barrel that doesn't seem to heat up like a normal barrel. A real plus is that it allows for a much lighter long range package that can actually be carried afield. I will use Bettin Custom Guns again.

By the way, this post is totally unsolicited gun)

 

[Michael Eichele]

Wanna bet that ABS has cleared up delivery problems...
Didn't meet a single commitment -- I have a whole waft of stored emails on my PC that would curl hair plus heaps of frustration and angst from unanswered phone calls (answering/messaging service doesn't route properly and/or info on it is not correct - intentional?) ... and I have a couple of high-dollar, worthless, long, paper weights to show for the experience.

Now, on the other hand, I also have had good experience with an ABS process wrapped barrel:
Todd Bettin wraps barrels using the ABS carbon overlay process. He does great work with quality and his barrel performs as promised (it will shoot better than the user . Todd is a stand-up guy who takes pride in his work and honors his commitments ... Top shelf all the way.

Moral of this story:
Don't judge a process or its technology by its "mad scientist". The process is excellent when properly applied to a barrel - Delivers accuracy from a barrel that doesn't seem to heat up like a normal barrel. A real plus is that it allows for a much lighter long range package that can actually be carried afield. I will use Bettin Custom Guns again.

By the way, this post is totally unsolicited gun)

Wow. Tell us how you really feel! I will agree that he has had some issues in the past about getting back with people. His barrels took off like a model rocket. Faster than he could keep up. I am curious why you refer to his barrels (or at least imply) as worthless paper weights.

I have called Mike 3 times in the last 3 and a half weeks. He has answered the phone every time. Oviously, he has improved in that department.

I can also vouch for the fact that if something is not right with the barrel, he will make it right.

Some will have good experiences and some will have bad. Sorry you had such a bad one, Mike really is a stand up guy.

 

[Pdvdh]

Now, on the other hand, I also have had good experience with an ABS process wrapped barrel:
Todd Bettin wraps barrels using the ABS carbon overlay process. He does great work with quality and his barrel performs as promised (it will shoot better than the user . Todd is a stand-up guy who takes pride in his work and honors his commitments ... Top shelf all the way.

I will use Bettin Custom Guns again.

What are you saying? Mr. Bettin installs the same ABS carbon-type wrap over barrels also?

Edit: Never mind. I just found the web site that presents the Bettin ABS wrapped manufacture of barrels.

http://bettincustomguns.com/Carbon Barrels/Carbon Barrels.htm