Carbon or Steel Shorty

[idcwby]

I’ve been reading all the threads about everyone going to short barrels with cans to get OAL down. If you’re going to do an 18-20” barrel with a can, would you do steel or carbon? Which one would be lighter?

 

[7.62 Gunner]

Steel

 

[338 dude]

Well, barrels of equal length and diameter the carbon would be lighter of course.I have had four carbon barrels. All have shot great I guess it would just come down to the budget on that particular build. This one I run a can on, there is no carbon 18” steel ,the other one that I run this can on is a carbon barrel.

 

[DTF370]

It depends on the contour you want to run. The heavier contour you want, the more a carbon will shine. Carbon will almost always be lighter, with the exception of something like a pencil barrel. A medium-light contour and under would probably favor a steel barrel especially if money is a factor. Most likely you would not heavily benefit from a carbon barrel in a shorter length.

 

[Joefrazell]

The difference in cost on a 18” steel vs carbon is too much to justify imo. Go with a 18” steel and go with like a 5 or 3b contour is my recommendation. It’ll have a bit of meat to it but still be light. You gotta think. On a 18” carbon you’re only getting like 12-14” of carbon. Not worth it unless you just have to have a carbon barrel for esthetics. They will look better with a can hanging off of them imo. I’ve got a bartlein carbon m24 and it’s heavier than my 3b contour bartlein and they’re both 24” by about 3 oz or so. It’s a fat barrel. Quite a bit thicker than a proof sendero and quite a bit heavier also.

 

[idcwby]

To explain myself better would a steel barrel with a contour to support a can be heavier than a carbon barrel? Not worried about price.

 

[338 dude]

To explain myself better would a steel barrel with a contour to support a can be heavier than a carbon barrel? Not worried about price.

Yes

 

[dnb86]

If you want to truly save weight you'll go with proof carbon but bartlein carbon is no bs a number 2 wrapped in carbon for looks and they are heavier then proof or steel by itself

 

[sierracharlie338]

I went steel for my daughter’s rifle. 16.5 inches and will be run suppressed all of the time.

 

[Mark37082]

If you not worried about $$ difference, then go CF. You’ll get a stiff barrel that will look better and be lighter than a similar profiled steel barrel. Of course this is just my preference. Some may think a heavily fluted steel barrel is the better way to go.

 

[7.62 Gunner]

If you not worried about $$ difference, then go CF. You’ll get a stiff barrel that will look better and be lighter than a similar profiled steel barrel. Of course this is just my preference. Some may think a heavily fluted steel barrel is the better way to go.

You won't get a stiffer barrel that's a misconception about CF, in reality a #3 steel barrel is stiffer than a sendero proof.
At 20" a #4 will be .730 at the muzzle and there won't be an Ounce or two difference between that or a proof

 

[Joefrazell]

Wait time could be a consideration. Some of the short carbons are hard to come across and I could definitely see a 6 month plus wait

 

[idcwby]

To run a can, you need at least a number 3 profile steel? If I went carbon, I was looking at Carbon 6 because you can have 1.5” of muzzle steel instead of the normal 1” that’s on other barrels.

 

[sea2summit]

To explain myself better would a steel barrel with a contour to support a can be heavier than a carbon barrel? Not worried about price.

What do you mean support a can? I've got cans on pensile AR barrels and while they may have a greater initial POI shift there's not a discernable difference in accuracy (sub-MOA ARs).