Are carbon wrapped barrels really worth the extra $$ ?

H82MISS

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Dec 29, 2018
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Southwest, MO
Trying to understand if carbon wrapped barrels have any real advantage over quality fluted barrel, other than saving some weight. Are they any more ACCURATE ? I shot a friends' carbon wrapped barreled LR rifle in 30 Nosler, and it shot great, but so did my factory Fierce in same caliber. I see Nosler has their rifle with carbon wrapped barrel available now too. Other than weight-saving factor, whats the real benefit?
 
They are only lighter. They will also have less whip. I'm not sure I buy into the heat dissipation claims.
I was helping with R&D for a carbon company for snowmobile parts like handle bars, backers, hoods, and anything else. According to the carbon they were using its roughly 10 times stronger than steel for the same thickness. That would mean less whip in the barrel. Does that mean they are more accurate? More than likely no. As I've seen some amazing steel barrels. So either the whip doesn't hurt as much as you would like to think or they just don't whip as bad as you think.
Here's why I did a carbon on my 6.5 creed. I was looking for the lightest weight rifle I could build and still be accurate. And not just for one shot. So I did carbon. I also have a pencil thin fluted 6.5 Grendel I have for shots under 300 yards. First cold bite shot is always where I expect so for hunting it's not a big issue.
 
Just weight savings. And if you are running a suppressor they support the weight of a suppressor better due to their stiffness. I have several Proof Carbon barrels and many Steel barrels. Accuracy is roughly the same, possibly with the advantage going to heavy steel barrels.
 
The carbon barrel is great for lighter builds but needing the barrel size for a suppressor they balance a little different as well but they are not stiffer just more mounting surface area. They are great for the purpose they are good for, weight savings for the same contour and looking cool, that's it and it's plenty enough if a guy wants one!!
 
Take the time to read the whole post before you.....
"Great for hunting" Just what does that mean?..Really..
I would like to see your pro backcountry hunters shoot against a good benchrest team.
 
I bought mine for the weight and because it looks cool.

A fluted bartlein is 495 and I paid 630 for my proof. Cerakote both and that gap shrinks even more since there's so much less to paint in a carbon. If you don't want flutes you have to go to a smaller contour and that creates muzzle thread size issues.

Also, if you use the search feature there are quite a few threads on this with tons of responses. It's one of the common recurring topics.
 
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I've got two for hunting rigs. I like a big barrel and they are big without the weight. At the end of the day it's mostly looks, but they do balance really well.
 
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