I want to hear peoples experience with carbon wrapped barrels; specifically ADVANCED BARREL SYSTEMS products. I'm selecting components for a custom build and the carbon barrel intrigues me aesthetically and I was planning on the largest diameter an Accuracy International stock can manage so the possible weight savings would be a plus.
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Carbon Barrels
- Thread starter Crane
- Start date
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Crane,
I have extensive experience with carbon fiber barrels as the inventor of the Magnummlite carbon fiber barrel as marketed by Magnum Research, and holder of the 3 patents relative to the construction of this barrel system. The reason I referred you to Bob Culbertson is that I feel information coming from a non partial source is most helpful. Bob has stocked more carbon barreled guns than anyone I know of and he will give you his opinions on the performance of the barrels. If you would like to send me an email, I will give you my phone number and I can give you information as to the performance of the Magnumlite carbon fiber barrel which is phenominal. My newest .338 Lapua development rifle has only 71 rounds through it to date. Best 300 yard group with the 300 grain Match King is .593". My 6.5-284 has shot groups in the .3's at 300 regularly. The first carbon fiber barrel I built was featured in the November 1999 issue of Precision Shooting magazine in an article which discussed the performance and the potential of this barrel design. That particular rifle in a standard 25/06 SAAMI chamber would shoot in the 0's at 100 yards, .2 at 200, and would consistently shoot in the .6's at 300. Another of my personal rifles, a 7mm STW Rogue, will shoot .2 at 300 and at 700 yards has shot groups of 1.5". Further information is available in the April issue of Guns and Ammo in an article by Wayne van Zwoll. Wayne has seen the targets of several of these guns and can verify their performance. He also shot the smallest group of his life with my .223 Magnumlite barreled rifle, a group of about .25". This gun has also produced groups of .159" at 100, and will consistently shoot about .75" at 300. I will look forward to hearing from you and providing any information you may need.
Dave Smith
I have extensive experience with carbon fiber barrels as the inventor of the Magnummlite carbon fiber barrel as marketed by Magnum Research, and holder of the 3 patents relative to the construction of this barrel system. The reason I referred you to Bob Culbertson is that I feel information coming from a non partial source is most helpful. Bob has stocked more carbon barreled guns than anyone I know of and he will give you his opinions on the performance of the barrels. If you would like to send me an email, I will give you my phone number and I can give you information as to the performance of the Magnumlite carbon fiber barrel which is phenominal. My newest .338 Lapua development rifle has only 71 rounds through it to date. Best 300 yard group with the 300 grain Match King is .593". My 6.5-284 has shot groups in the .3's at 300 regularly. The first carbon fiber barrel I built was featured in the November 1999 issue of Precision Shooting magazine in an article which discussed the performance and the potential of this barrel design. That particular rifle in a standard 25/06 SAAMI chamber would shoot in the 0's at 100 yards, .2 at 200, and would consistently shoot in the .6's at 300. Another of my personal rifles, a 7mm STW Rogue, will shoot .2 at 300 and at 700 yards has shot groups of 1.5". Further information is available in the April issue of Guns and Ammo in an article by Wayne van Zwoll. Wayne has seen the targets of several of these guns and can verify their performance. He also shot the smallest group of his life with my .223 Magnumlite barreled rifle, a group of about .25". This gun has also produced groups of .159" at 100, and will consistently shoot about .75" at 300. I will look forward to hearing from you and providing any information you may need.
Dave Smith
Wow; to say I'm impressed would be an extreme understatement. I was gonna call Bob Culbertson as you suggested monday morning but in the mean time couldn't believe no one had the experiance I was looking for. Email enroute.
goodgrouper
Well-Known Member
Let us know what Bob has to say about the three barrels please.
From my own experience, I can say that I have an ABS barrel but have done load development with it yet.
I have however played with many Christensen barrels and they have lots of threads already started on here. I have answered your question about them on another thread earlier. Run a search on Christensen and it should bring up my posts.
Don't know squat about the Magnum Research barrels except for their 22 LR barrels which I have not seen as a significant improvement over full steel barrels but their centerfire barrels are in a whole different ball game.
I know ABS was sued by Magnum research for a patent infringement and ABS won the lawsuit.
From my own experience, I can say that I have an ABS barrel but have done load development with it yet.
I have however played with many Christensen barrels and they have lots of threads already started on here. I have answered your question about them on another thread earlier. Run a search on Christensen and it should bring up my posts.
Don't know squat about the Magnum Research barrels except for their 22 LR barrels which I have not seen as a significant improvement over full steel barrels but their centerfire barrels are in a whole different ball game.
I know ABS was sued by Magnum research for a patent infringement and ABS won the lawsuit.
I have used a good number of barrels by ABS on my custom rifles. Every rifle built to date has performed fantastic. I use only ABS barrels with Rock Creek cut rifled liners and routinely send hunting rifles to customers that shoot 1/4 moa groups. I currently have a 6.5-284 in a Lone Wolf stock that will shoot .2" groups at 100yds and 1.5"groups at 400 yds. This rifle weighs 5.5 lbs. Another 6.5-284 in a Nesika action and a Lone Wolf stock with a 30' ABS barrel, shot 2" , 5 shot groups at 600 yds. I have built rifles from 22-250 to 338 RUM, all with the same level of accuracy using these barrels. ABS also has unequaled customer service, any problems WILL be taken care of.
As for carbon barrels in general, the main advantage is obviously weight. However, part of ABS's patented technology is ingredients in the carbon fiber that disapate heat 300% faster then steel. You can not physically shoot a bolt action rifle fast enough, with an ABS carbon barrel on it, to get the barrel to critical temperature. This becomes a huge advantage in 2 areas. First is point of impact change with successive rounds. This does not occur with a ABS barrel, even in the big guns like STW and RUM calibers. Second, for varnmit hunters shooting alot of rounds, the barrel life is GREATLY extended, and there is very little need to let a barrel cool down while out on a dog town.
I am also of the personal opinion that heart of any accurate rifle is the barrel, most ABS barrels use cut rifled barrel liners, which no one can argue is the best type of rifling. I know that Christensen barrels use button rifled and to my knowledge so do Mag research.I also agree to call Bob at Lone Wolf, he will give you a honest, unbiased answer to any questions you might have.
Todd Bettin
Bettin Custom Guns
As for carbon barrels in general, the main advantage is obviously weight. However, part of ABS's patented technology is ingredients in the carbon fiber that disapate heat 300% faster then steel. You can not physically shoot a bolt action rifle fast enough, with an ABS carbon barrel on it, to get the barrel to critical temperature. This becomes a huge advantage in 2 areas. First is point of impact change with successive rounds. This does not occur with a ABS barrel, even in the big guns like STW and RUM calibers. Second, for varnmit hunters shooting alot of rounds, the barrel life is GREATLY extended, and there is very little need to let a barrel cool down while out on a dog town.
I am also of the personal opinion that heart of any accurate rifle is the barrel, most ABS barrels use cut rifled barrel liners, which no one can argue is the best type of rifling. I know that Christensen barrels use button rifled and to my knowledge so do Mag research.I also agree to call Bob at Lone Wolf, he will give you a honest, unbiased answer to any questions you might have.
Todd Bettin
Bettin Custom Guns
