I have both My carbon barrels are on hunting rifles (28 Nosler, 338 edge, and 300 wsm) so I can achieve the weight of a sporter barrel with a bull barrel profile. My target rifles are all steel barrels. I put to many rounds down range to pay three times what a steel barrel costs when weight is no issue simply carrying from the truck to the bench. With all things equal the larger the barrel profile the better the rifle will shoot has been my experience. Carbon barrels have a great weight to profile ratio and to me is the only real advantage to a carbon barrel.
Are carbon wrapped barrels really worth the extra $$ ?
- Thread starter H82MISS
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
TXAoudadKlr
Well-Known Member
From what I've gathered, the main advantage is you can run a larger muzzle and it still look good than if it was on a similar weight barrel
Last edited:
As far as the bench rest vs hunting crowd why can't we just all consider ourselves shooting enthusiasts and agree to disagree on certain things. There are a lot of things to be learned from both crowds and many of us hunt and target shoot. At the end of the day we all enjoy being behind the rifle and take pride in hitting what is between the crosshairs.
Fred G Cook
Member
If you shoot a lot they definitely have an advantage regarding heat. I shoot my target barrel, carbon wrapped and it is much cooler.
Aimsmall
Well-Known Member
Lots of information and misinformation on various blogs. If you want a precise rifle, then you go for a bull barrel. If you want lightweight (ie mountain hunting or an old fart like me), then you go for a pencil or fluted barrel. Almost without exception, a carbon barrel or a fluted barrel or a pencil barrel will be accurate fir one maybe two rounds - then it's say a prayer. Cooper of Montana has a lightweight rifle (model 92) which is 92 ounces and guaranteed 1/2" at 100 yards, msrp is a little over $3k. Personally, my hunting rifles (GA Precision) weight in at 9 pounds each with Nightforce Nxs 5-22x50/56 scopes. Personally, I've settled on a middle weight that will shoot 1/4" at distance consistently and reliably. I had one rifle with a carbon barrel that wasn't as accurate nor as lightweight as the Coopers (I've owned over 10 of which all were awesome rifles). Long winded way of answering your question - carbon barrels are over rated, over priced, not as accurate, and nit as lightweight as competitors imho...
This topic is actually covered extensively in Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting by Bryan Litz and if my memory serves me correctly his testing proved that the Proof barrels were not as stiff as a steel barrel of similar diameter, yet the Christensen barrels were but the rigidity had little to no effect on overall accuracy.
707FreedomFan
Member
Carbon looks bitchen', there's no question!
My gunsmith prefers a Bartlein for his builds and reputation. In my opinion, my shot out steel 6mm barrel's weight is what helps me shoot it well. In my experience lighter rifles can be more difficult to manage, but I put my bet on learning to shoot a lighter rifle when I went with Proof carbon.
They look bitchen', but I haven't gotten to test them yet. I expect they will shoot better than I can, based on previous experience with a Proof barreled rifle, but expect easier to shoot a heavier rifle with a similar profile steel barrel.
Those results seem the most relevant to the argument imho
My gunsmith prefers a Bartlein for his builds and reputation. In my opinion, my shot out steel 6mm barrel's weight is what helps me shoot it well. In my experience lighter rifles can be more difficult to manage, but I put my bet on learning to shoot a lighter rifle when I went with Proof carbon.
They look bitchen', but I haven't gotten to test them yet. I expect they will shoot better than I can, based on previous experience with a Proof barreled rifle, but expect easier to shoot a heavier rifle with a similar profile steel barrel.
Those results seem the most relevant to the argument imho
Different goals, different actions, different cases & bullets. Like comparing a Ferrari against a Camaro
707FreedomFan
Member
That new ZL1, is also bitchen' ha
SavageHunter11
Well-Known Member
I am in the middle of building a lightweight rifle currently and asked myself the same question. Essentially what it came down to, for me at least, is that for a build that is weight sensitive, a carbon fiber barrel is usually the same weight or slightly (i'm talking a couple ounces) heavier than a sporter barrel for 2 to 3 times the cost. The extra rigidity, heat dissipation/retention, etc, were all pretty negligible for me because I'm building a hunting rifle where I hopefully never have to fire more than a shot or two. A carbon fiber barrel became an expensive part for marginal to no benefits for my purpose when a quality sporter barrel will deliver the same first round accuracy for a fraction of the cost. In the end I bought a Criterion pre-fit Rem/Age sporter contour barrel.
RH300UM
Well-Known Member
Worth every penny for me
Um it's a pretty well known fact if you'd pay attention to your surroundings and read what is written.
Besides, how many 6mm Dashers are you chambering for hunting rifles? Carry on
Hmm ignorance is bliss. I started with a LR hunting rifle and completed with the 300 wsm at 1k for 15 years. Throw in my 338 Lapua Ack Imp and a 338-408. LR br pushed the mftrs for better bullets for years. I have sent boxes of bullets back to the QA rep that had .017 variance in one box. That mftr no longer runs multiple lots in one box. Who do you think did first bullet ogive checking, trimming metplats, repointing and built the tools?
CAG guy won 1k Wimbledon twice with proof carbon 300 win mag.
Dasher is on way out, new kid is 6 BRA and still 300 wsm for windy ranges.
Carbon is an insulator not a conductor. Perhaps the advantage is in "perception", like holding a hot frying pan with an oven mitten; it doesn't make the metal any cooler, it just helps the heat away from your hand. That's just my "untested" hypothesis.
I spent the money on the Nosler M48 Mountain rifle that has a Proof-Research Carbon wrapped barrel. I also average 7 to 10 miles a day during Deer and Elk season up and down mountains and canyons. If this is your style of hunting; save weight and get one of these nice rifles on the market. If you a blind or tree-stand hunter the cost may not be worth the expense. The decision is yours and the application really dictates the need. Also the cool factor; if you think it's cool and want one; then get one. The carbon barrel allows me to have a lighter hunting rifle and use a suppressor
Save your hearing and hunt with a suppressor.
Save your hearing and hunt with a suppressor.
